Arctic Indigenous Activists Converge against Tar Sands at Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC

by Meagan Johnston of the Sierra Club of Canada Praire Chapter -- Rally Addresses Social & Environmental Issues that Smithsonian Festival Ignores

Last week, the Arctic Indigenous Alliance led a protest in front of the tar sands hauler truck at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The truck was there as part of the festival’s focus on the Athabasca tar sands in Northern Alberta – of which 75% of the oil is destined for the U.S. transportation market. The Smithsonian did not include an environmental or indigenous perspective regarding Alberta or regions such as the Mackenzie Valley in the Northwest Territories that will be harmed by a pipeline proposed to fuel Alberta’s tar sands oil development.

After walking a banner reading “Canada [hearts] U.S. Oil Addiction” around the U.S. Capitol Building on our way down to the Mall, we set up the rest of our (beautiful!) banners on the pad in front of the hauler truck. The banners read “Canada’s Tar Sands: Fueling U.S. Oil Addiction,” “Global Warming: Killing Indigenous Existence Climate Justice NOW!” and “U.S. [hearts] Canada’s Tar Sands.”

Tar Sands hauler surrounded by Climate Justice signs in DCA representative from one of the tar sands tents quickly came over and began accusing us of fostering ignorance about the tar sands and other issues. While her comments were easily construed as inflammatory, she did in fact kindly invite us into her tent to get more information. Sadly, when members of the activist team took her up on her offer, our questions as to the fresh water usage of tar sands operations (3-6 barrels of fresh water/barrel of oil) and the industry’s reclamation practices (0% land successfully reclaimed) were rebuffed, and we were asked to leave.

Back with the banners, exhibit security had forced us to move away from the Folklife exhibit. After crossing the street, and setting up in front of the view of the hauler truck, we began our press conference. Elaine Alexie and Kyla from the AIA, Jeca Glor-Bell from the Sierra Club of Canada and the Sierra Youth Coalition, Meg Boyle from Oil Change International, and Meagan Johnston from the Sierra Club of Canada – Prairie Chapter spoke about the ramifications of tar sands development on the Arctic, Albertan, and global environment.

While the action did not ultimately receive as much media attention as we had hoped, it undeniably received a great deal of industry attention. The woman who came over from the Suncor tent was really upset with us for being there – especially with myself and the other Albertan who was there! The speed with which we were moved indicated to me that the oil and gas industry in Alberta is extremely worried about being criticized. We definitely hit a nerve with our action – a nerve that I urge others to continue to seek out!

The Arctic Indigenous Alliance was supported by a broad coalition of Canadian and U.S. indigenous and environmental organizations including Indigenous Environmental Network, Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indian Lands of Alaska (REDOIL), Arctic Youth Network, Indigenous People’s Power Project, the Lakota Action Network, Sierra Club of Canada – Prairie Chapter, Sierra Youth Coalition of Canada, Oil Change International, The Ruckus Society, Global Women’s Strike, DC-Palestine Solidarity, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Rainforest Action Network.

Click here to see more photos from the event

For more information, see:
www.arcticyouth.ca
www.oilsandswatch.org
www.sierraclub.ca