Mining the Land While Sustaining Iiyiyiuituwin: Exercising Indigenous Sovereignty through Collaboration in Eeyou Istchee

Autor: Karine Vanthuyne, Mathieu Gauthier
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Canadian Journal of Political Science. 55:279-299
ISSN: 1744-9324
0008-4239
DOI: 10.1017/s0008423922000178
Popis: In Canada, the relationship between Indigenous Nations and mining corporations is characterized by asymmetrical power dynamics. To address this situation, several Indigenous Nations who see mining as an opportunity to realize their financial autonomy have developed mechanisms to enhance their capacity to regulate how their traditional territories are exploited. Drawing on collaborative research conducted with the Cree of Eeyou Istchee, we show how these initiatives can allow Indigenous peoples to reconcile mining with ways of life seemingly at odds with extractive development. From local perspectives, the Eeyouch have managed to persuade the developers of the mine operating on their territory to meaningfully engage with Iiyiyiuituwin—the “Eeyou way of life,” fundamentally anchored in respect for and reciprocity with the land. While numerous Indigenous Nations exercise their sovereignty by opposing extractive development, others realize it through building relationship with corporations in ways that sustain their enduring political philosophy.
Databáze: OpenAIRE