Indigenous people should practice “confrontation politics,” said a controversial American Indian leader recently.

“They thought we were a blow in the wind, but we’re still here today,” said Clyde Bellecourt, a leader of the American Indian Movement (AIM), in referring to how people have historically looked at the movement he helped start. Although surrounded in controversy because of its role in confrontation with police and other security institutions, Bellecourt stressed the group’s historic role in helping American Indians

“decolonize” and stand up for themselves.

Bellecourt was in Winnipeg recently to attend a symposium on Aboriginal decolonization. Although he was one of three keynote speakers, Bellecourt’s address and presence garnered the most attention. Born on White Earth Reservation in 1939, he has been involved in indigenous activism in Minnesota and all over the United States. From a very young age, Bellecourt said he was conscious of prejudice against indigenous ways. Even his own mother, he said, avoided raising him “too indigenous” in order to keep his out of trouble.

“She never wanted to teach us the language and culture. She wanted to protect us and ensure that we did not go through what she went through,” he said. “Every time they caught her speaking her language, she’d be put to work.”

Bellecourt helped found AIM back in 1968 in Minneapolis, along with some friends, as a grassroots organization committed to acting as watchdog on the local police service. After pulling together 120 indigenous people, most of whom were women, he helped found the “Concerned American Indian Coalition,” which would later evolve into the American Indian Movement.

After achieving success in this goal, Bellecourt went on to help start chapters all across the country. He has been involved in several prominent marches on Washington and was involved in the standoff at Wounded Knee in 1973.

“Back in 1973, the government told us we were teaching people to hate white people and how to take over the government. But, none of our money went towards military uses,” he stressed.

Although he spoke about his challenges in forming AIM and his many encounters with law enforcement officials, Bellecourt spoke about the need for indigenous community empowerment and to use the tools of the institutions to their benefit.

“Indian is what they use to oppress us and Indian is what we’ll use to free ourselves,” he said.

“We have to find a way to decolonize. If there’s a child who’s lost, bring him to me and I’ll help bring him home.”

Although the message Bellecourt brought to the audience was primarily non-violent, he also stressed that there was a place for confrontation and even resistance.

“We need to confront the police, the courts and the judge, the whole system,” he said.

Bellecourt stressed the importance of indigenous people “waking up” and standing up and finding out who they are. Bellecourt also maintained that indigenous peoples in North and South America, particularly the Aztec of Mexico, had a very sophisticated civilization that rivaled even certain cultures in Europe at the time. These achievements, he stressed, should make indigenous people proud of their culture and identity. “We are one of the most sacred people and culture on Mother Earth. We are a beautiful culture and everything we did involved a ceremony and song. We gave Thanksgiving every day.”

During his address, Bellecourt spoke about dealing with the many social issues affecting American Indians, including the low graduation rate among Aboriginal students. He spoke proudly about the many programs AIM helped start, including an alternative education program, that includes an indigenous cultural component. “Teaching the truth is all we have to do,” said Bellecourt. “That’s decolonization. Everything we do, we add a mix of culture and tradition.”

He also pointed out that he and other AIM officials helped found a job training centre and has established seven new sweat lodges across Minneapolis. “Ever single program we’ve established is still there today,” he said, proudly.

He also said that in some neighbourhoods, American Indians have taken control of the area and have taken over economic development for their own people, including the provision of grocery stores, although liquor stores are not allowed. In Minneapolis, AIM has also help establish their own American Indian housing programs and community medical clinics.

“If we ever forget our past, we’ll never have a future,” he said, stressing the importance of finding identity and place in the decolonization and empowerment struggle. American schools, he said, still do not have enough indigenous content in them. As a result, school children do not know about the indigenous contribution to history and culture.

Bellecourt also spoke to those assembled about his struggle to preserve Sun Dance ceremonies and other Anishnaabe cultural traditions. He said he has been performing the sundance and other ceremonies for He also asserted his opinions that casinos are a mainly negative influence in American Indian communities.

“The casinos are turning people people against one another,” he said, pointing to examples within several communities.