University of Victoria associate professor Waziyatawin. Photo courtesy Waziyatawin and UVic.

An associate professor at the University of Victoria is in hot water over remarks made in a November 8 speech saying that North American aboriginal lands should one day be reclaimed “by any means necessary”.

According to a story in Minnesota’s Winona Post newspaper, the professor–who goes by the name Waziyatawin–made the remarks during a lecture to students at Winona State University in Minnesota.

Waziyatawin, formerly known as Angela Cavender Wilson, has a doctorate degree and is currently an Associate Professor and holder of the Indigenous Peoples Research Chair in the Indigenous Governance Program at UVic.

Her remarks were quickly denounced by several American First Nations leaders who said Waziyatawin’s opinions were not shared by them.

In the speech, Waziyatawin says, “But in terms of dismantling industrial civilization, I think that can happen in any variety of ways, and I think that that’s going to be about attacking infrastructure.”

In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio published January 7, Waziyatawin says peaceful protests by the Dakota people have been worthless and that she is doubtful that the end of social and environmental destruction can happen without violence.

The scholar later claimed she was called by the FBI following the speech but the agent’s telephone inquiry ceased when she referred him to her lawyer.

An essay on her website says that modern civilization is “on the verge of collapse” and that Indigenous Peoples should “mobilize for revolutionary change” so that they are able to survive. VV

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