Peace, Power, Righteousness: An Indigenous Manifesto

This visionary manifesto, first published in 1999, has significantly improved our understanding of First Nations' issues. Taiaiake Alfred calls for the indigenous peoples of North America to move beyond their 500-year history of pain, loss, and colonization, and move forward to the reality of self-determination. A leading Kanien'kehaka scholar and activist with intimate knowledge of both Native and Western traditions of thought, Alfred is uniquely placed to write this inspiring book. His account of the history and future of the indigenous peoples of North America is at once a bold and forceful critique of Indigenous leaders and politics, and a sensitive reflection on the traumas of colonization that shape our existence. This new edition of Alfred's important manifesto is thoroughly updated in the context of current issues related to government policy and First Nations politics today. In addition to new examples of indigenous-state relations, it includes the latest court cases and updated evaluations of key negotiations over land and self-government. A new preface incorporates an original, previously unpublished dialogue with the influential Dakota author, historian, and activist Vine Deloria Jr, recorded shortly before his death in 2005.

Table of Contents:
Thanksgiving Preface to the Second Edition First Words A Note on Terminology Peace Native American Political Traditions Native Political Elites Power The Abuse of Power Re-empowerment Sovereignty: An Inappropriate Concept Colonial Mentalities Co-optation Self-Conscious Traditionalism Leadership Responsibility Righteousness Money Modern Treaties: A Path to Assimilation? For the Youth: Toward a New Native Leadership Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Taiaiake Alfred is a Kahnawake Mohawk educator, author, and activist. He has long been involved in the public life of his own and other indigenous nations. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from Cornell University and is the founding Director of the University of Victoria's School of Indigenous Governance. His awards include the Native American Journalists Association award for column writing, a Canada Research Chair, and a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the field of education. Taiaiake has written two other books, Heeding the Voices of Our Ancestors: Kahnawake Mohawk Politics and the Rise of Native Nationalism (1995), also from Oxford University Press, and Wasáse: Indigenous Pathways of Action and Freedom (2005), from Broadview Press. He lives in the territory of the Saanich Nation with his wife and sons.