Today in Labor History December 5, 1928: The Colombian military slaughtered up to 2,000 people in the Banana Massacre. Workers had been on strike against United Fruit Company since November 12. They were participating in a peaceful demonstration, with their wives and children. The Columbian troops set up machine guns on the rooftops near the demonstration and closed off the access streets so no one could escape. The soldiers threw the dead into mass graves or dumped them in the sea. U.S. officials in Colombia had portrayed the workers as communists and subversives and even threatened to invade if the Colombian government didn’t protect United Fruit’s interests. Gabriel García Márquez depicted the massacre in his novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” as did Álvaro Cepeda Samudio in his “La Casa Grande.”
United Fruit, which is now called Chiquita, controlled vast quantities of territory in Central America, and the Caribbean, maintained a near monopoly in many of the banana republics in which it operated (e.g., Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica). By 1930, it was the largest employer in Central America and the largest land owner. In 1952, the government of Jacobo Arbenz, in Guatemala, began giving away unused land, owned by United Fruit, to landless peasants. In 1954, the CIA deposed the Arbenz government, leading to decades of brutal dictatorship and genocide of Guatemala’s indigenous population. The head of the CIA at that time was former board member of United Fruit, Allen Dulles, who also oversaw the over throw of the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, the Bay of Pigs invasion, and the MK Ultra LSD mind control experiments.
Protestant justifications for establishing parks, and the ideology of “manifest destiny” contributed to the persecution of #Indigenous tribes, a reality that the National Park Service has begun to redress in recent decades.
On the Pacific west coast, Ḵwiḵwa̱sut’inux̱w Ha̱xwa’mis declares a new protected area
“Under their own laws, the #BC First Nation has declared Hada (Bond Sound) and Kakweikan (Thompson Sound) an #Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.”
Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in Ohio is a marvel of Indigenous science and astronomy — its geometric mounds and enclosures helped Native Americans organize cycles of planting and hunting. For centuries, it has been exceptionally badly treated by settlers, used for military barracks, a fairground, and a golf course. This @TheConversationUS story details its history and efforts to to protect it.
I really love this book series ! They are extremely rich picture books, destined as much for children, than for adults. It is a joyful and emotional celebration of the Haida Culture and Community and an invitation to learn about the Sk’ad’a Principles.
The craft of knitting Cowichan sweaters is handed down through the generations in First Nations families on Vancouver Island, BC.
Having to sell the sweaters at wholesale prices to shops that mark up the retail cost by hundreds of dollars has led to an initiative called Knit With Purpose to deal direct with buyers and give knitters a fair wage for their time and expertise.
'Killers of the Flower Moon' delves into racial and family dynamics that rocked Oklahoma to the core when oil was discovered on Osage lands. White settlers targeted members of the Osage Nation to steal their land and the riches beneath it. But from a historical perspective, this crime is just the tip of the iceberg.
Come work with me at the University of Manitoba Libraries! We're currently recruiting for the positions of Arts & Humanities Liaison Librarian (Indigenous) and Social Sciences Liaison Librarian (Indigenous). Please see the links below to view the postings:
Via Magabala Books, an Australian Indigenous publisher:
"The 2023 Australian Indigenous Coffee Creative Grants are closing soon!
A grant for First Nation storytellers, writers, illustrators and artists"
Signals is an interactive exhibit showcasing creative technologies running as part of the Vancouver International Film Festival beginning Oct. 1.
A special feature of Signals is the Na wa shéw̓ay̓ta sp'en̓ém (the seed is growing) section, which includes about 20 short films produced in the world’s first-ever Indigenous video production training program from IM4 Lab Indigenous Virtual Production Films.
I got an HD on the paper I handed in last week. It was a critical analysis of the policy report from People with Disabilities Australia and Domestic Violence NSW.
I'm pretty chuffed with the comment I got from my lecturer 😊
⚠️ CW – Suicide Prevention Month (TBI and Suicide)⚠️
September is National suicide prevention month and many members of the Invisible Disability Community are at high risk but, they're not alone. Individuals in the LGBTQIA community are "four times more likely" to make such an attempt for much the same reason as disabled individuals. The way they are mistreated and stigmatized in society. It is also the second leading cause of death for young people in the US between the ages of 18 and 25. "Native American communities experience higher rates of suicide compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the US being the eighth leading cause of death…".
I thought this would be a good time to migrate and repost a piece I did on TBI "traumatic brain injury" and suicide to include these other at risk groups. What can you do if someone in your life is at risk? Spend some time with them, don't be judgmental, listen and love. If you see them being victimized or bullied, stand up and say something.
TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicide (originally posted Dec 27, 2022)
Why support is so important for those that live with TBI and Brain Injury. Between 2014 to 2017, the traumatic brain injury-linked death rate rose from 16.3 to 17.5 per 100,000 people.
There were 61,131 TBI-linked deaths in 2017 alone, and nearly half of these deaths were by suicide or homicide from 2015 to 2017. Last summer, a rash of suicides on the USS Washington raised questions about lack of support and services said to contribute to these deaths.
The links below present the dismal statistics and some ways to help prevent suicide among the population living with Brain Injuries and other marginalized people.