Join us in the National Day of Mourning, Nov. 28, 2024
A resource cocreated by Seven Sisters Collective and USCPR
Join us in Sacred Community and Spiritual Solidarity for All Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth
Together we reckon with the U.S. settler colonial violence that has never ended, while building the world we know is possible.
The collective struggle of the Indigenous peoples of the United States is directly related to the struggle of the Palestinian people.
Every fourth Thursday of November, Indigenous peoples native to settler colonial states of the U.S. begin the day in silent prayer and ceremony at sunrise, and fast to mourn the genocide violently enacted on them to steal the land they were in stewardship with since time immemorial. Genocide that is still active today as land and water are still abused and stolen.
Let us observe the National Day of Mourning on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 in resistance of genocide, colonialism, and state violence. You may participate through the following practices and action steps:
1. Fast for the National Day of Mourning in solidarity with native peoples of Turtle Island and all Indigenous peoples. You may fast from sunrise to sunset, or otherwise in accordance with your community’s practices and traditions.
2. Hold space for mourning the mass killing of Indigenous people from Turtle Island to Palestine. Observe a mourning ritual based in your community’s traditions, such as holding a candlelight vigil, playing a song, displaying photos of martyrs (see this template), or reading their names and stories. You can also play this video showing the names of Palestinians martyred in Gaza, which runs for one full hour. Honor all our beloved people killed by colonial violence.
3. Educate yourself and your loved ones about the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. To understand settler colonialism here in the U.S., it’s important to ground yourself in knowledge about treaties, residential schools as a form of neocolonialism and the nation-to-nation relationship between Tribal Nations and the U.S. Start by exploring credible resources such as tribal websites, and educational institutions that focus on Indigenous history and rights. Books by Native authors, such as Kyle Mays and Robin Wall Kimmerer, provide personal and historical perspectives. Additionally, documentaries and podcasts created by Indigenous voices can offer deep insights.
Understanding the significance of treaties, the legacy of residential schools, and the ongoing nation-to-nation relationship requires listening to Indigenous peoples’ stories and learning about their ongoing struggles for sovereignty, justice, and reparations. Engaging with this material fosters a deeper, more respectful understanding of the current occupation of Indigenous land by the U.S. government.
4. Support direct aid and mutual aid initiatives for Indigenous Palestinian people living through genocide and forced starvation in Gaza. When you break your fast with loved ones, ask everyone to chip in with a donation jar.
5. Take action to resist genocide and the destruction of native lands. Pick a BDS campaign to share with your family, and plan how you’ll take action together. For example, you can support the Boycott Chevron campaign, or in Texas the Valero Out of Corpus campaign. Such oil and gas corporations fuel the destruction of native lands around the world, while providing the electricity (Chevron) and jet fuel (Valero) to Israel.
- With your family, learn more by watching this Boycott Chevron protest video and reading about how Chevron fuels destruction of native lands and water, including in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest. Then watch this video about how Indigenous communities are resisting. You can also share educational slides on why we’re boycotting Valero and Chevron.
- Take a moment to all sign the pledge to boycott Chevron together.
- Plan how you’ll raise awareness together. For example, you can spread the word with Boycott Chevron stickers (order here), flyers, signs, and social media graphics from this resource. Use this gas station organizing toolkit to approach gas station owners or to hold a march or car caravan in your community.
A resource cocreated by Seven Sisters Collective and USCPR.