You Cannot Erase us

Over the years and through thousands of miles of running, I have thought about the words that marked the beginning of colonialism on the land and the end of Indigenous sovereignty.

- By Guarina Lopez. Photography by Hanad Ali

Some of the most dangerous terms have also become the most common place in contemporary parlance, again hinting at the power and subtly of white supremacy. First, dominate, discover, colonize, conquer, own, bought, occupy, property, borders, founded and possess to name a few. Indigenous sovereignty on the other hand is expressed through a relationship of reciprocity with the land, waters, human and non-human relatives reflected in our caretaking, ceremonies, languages, social, legal, and political structures.