Not My Land
November 7, 2023 Over the past month, 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza and 1400 killed in Isreal. As the world witnesses the swift and horrifying escalation of genocide, we relearn the nuances of a decades- old struggle over the rights to land.
The whole idea that we humans can ‘own’ land is fundamentally violent. The land, in fact owns us. The colonial project in Canada that carved up space and ‘sold’ ownership rights to settlers is a centuries-old genocidal project that is still underway. As we call for a ceasefire in this moment, I hope that we can also recognize a fundamental truth that our relationship with the land is broken. Owning, occupying, dominating, buying and selling are not words to describe a healthy relationship, and we will continue to see eruptions of violence all over the world unless we can redefine the stewardship and care of the land.