Pulling Together: Indigeneity, Masculinity and Allyship

Abstract

Pulling Together: Indigeneity, Masculinity and AllyshipWith the colonization of the Americas, traditional gender relations were thrown out of balance as communities were displaced and patriarchal social structures were imposed. While increasing attention has been given to the negative impacts on women and transgender peoples, little has been said about the ways in which colonization disrupted the roles and responsibilities of men. However, many communities are today working to revitalize the traditional values associated with Indigenous masculinities and gender relations as one part of a greater decolonial movement of cultural revitalization. The positive outcomes of this revitalization are not only beneficial for Indigenous men, but also for the healing of families, communities and the environment. Using the Tribal Canoe Journeys as a point of departure, this essay examines the interconnections between indigeneity, masculinity and allyship. Applying Dian Million’s concept of “felt theory” and embracing Taiaiaki Alfred’s notion that transformation begins within each one of us, I write this essay “from within change” as a way to explore the possibilities of decolonizing myself, the academy and the process of research itself.