Indigenous solidarity through a Muslim lens: A conversation with frontline defender Anushka Azadi

Anushka Azadi identifies as a Polyamorous, Queer, (Dis)Able/d Muslim Woman. She is a frontline defender and legal advocate, broadcast journalist, writer, performer, and community organizer.

The following are  excerpts from her interview with the Breaking the Fast Interview, where Azadi speaks about  what motivates her as an activist for Indigenous-Muslim solidarity. 

BTF: As a Muslim woman and settler who is deeply embedded in this work, how do you practice intentional and responsible solidarity with Indigenous communities? 

Anushka: Mindful and responsible solidarity when working within Indigenous communities is an ongoing practice for me. Unsurprisingly, I’ve made many mistakes and stumbled along the way. I think the very first thing that is important to acknowledge is that allyship and solidarity are action words and verbs. They are not a thing to be achieved and then hold but are constantly moving and shifting states of being, seeing and acting. 

And so I practice listening first and then taking direction from those belonging to the communities I am working in. I am reminded of and remind myself of my own position of privilege and the authority I am given because of it. I actively work to cede that authority in favour of more equal and egalitarian relations. Of more loving, caring and kind relations.

I practice letting go of much of what I was taught societally in regards to sharing time, money and resources and sharing space, culture and knowledge. I practice letting go of my own ego, my own importance. And cede all that I can and all that I am to the larger movement, the real resistance, the struggle to stop a genocidal “nation” from its continued brutalization and theft of Peoples and Lands.

BTF: In what ways does your identity as a Muslim woman inform this work? Do you think Islam - as you would define it - has a spiritual framework that encourages solidarity and resistance to oppression? 

Anushka: My identity in full goes something like this: Polyamorous, Queer, (Dis)Able/d Muslim Woman. I identify as Muslim more politically, culturally and socially than I do spiritually these days. I have not found a spiritual framework that is also a community framework that I can engage in holding or expressing my full identity. My spiritual understanding of Islam has always required I actively recognize and resist inequality, unfairness and injustice. I have embodied that so far in as honest of a way as I can. 

BTF: Have you come across any similarities in your interactions with various Indigenous and Muslim communities? 

Anushka: I grew up in a Muslim community in a large and loud Muslim family and I have spent time in other Muslim communities as well. Over the last few years of my life, I’ve spent long periods of time living in Indigenous communities, on reservations, in villages or in camps and blockades. I’ve spent time living and traveling with Indigenous families and here is where I see the similarities. Growing up I blossomed in the strength, the language, the culture, the safety and the beauty of my people and my community. The love that people offered each other, the support and care, the emphasis on loving and lifting up your brothers and your sisters were the best parts of my community. I see so much of this in the Indigenous communities I live in and move through. There is a consistent core of culture and language, strength and love, care and support. These communities are lifting themselves and are lifting each other up and it’s powerful. And I am consistently grateful and immensely happy to be allowed to be working so closely and intimately within these communities.  

BTF: Do you think there has been a growth in solidarity and awareness between Muslim settler communities and Indigenous communities since both were singled out and targeted by the last government (e.g. Bill C-51)?

Anushka: Bill C-51 is the dirtiest trick in the book of fascist government oppression and repression. Fear monger, whip the country back into the Terrorist frenzy. An easy target, Muslims are already regarded with fear, suspicion, distrust and even revulsion. Use this extreme fear to pass a bill that is so brazenly fascist in nature we may as well make the announcement now: this is a police state and it has been for some time. This is the formalization and legalization process of the same that we’re at now. 

This bill isn’t meant to be used right away. It’s meant to coast on the fear of Terrorism (which also now includes interference with the economy) in order to surveil, criminalize, imprison and so liquidate opposition to the state. Top of the list, Indigenous People whose very existence and resistance represents the biggest threat, the most serious threat since contact, to settlers and the settler colonial state. 

I believe there has been some growth in solidarity between these communities but I also believe there must be more active building between not only Muslim settler communities but also other communities of colour and Indigenous communities. This is crucial. We must be building together. We must be reaching out. We must be making those connections and we must be honouring the People whose Lands and Waters we live on.

BTF: Why do you think it’s important for Muslim communities here to actively be engaged in supporting Indigenous struggles? 

Anushka: It is important for Muslim communities and generally, communities of colour living on Indigenous Territories to actively be engaging in supporting Indigenous struggles because so many of our communities also come from, are running from colonization and there is so much solidarity to be had between all of our struggles and our cultures, so much strength and so much power. 

More importantly, as settlers too, our presence on these Territories, being settled, destroyed and stolen by the colonial state of Canada, means we have a certain responsibility and a serious one to actively resist this state, the genocide and the brutal oppression of those Indigenous to these Territories. 

BTF: Muslims continue to face ongoing systemic oppression and also occupy the role of settlers on Indigenous land. What are some of the ways in which we can encourage our communities to engage in long term relationship building and solidarity with Indigenous communities and struggles within a framework of decolonization?

Anushka: Our communities must know the history of the Land they are walking on. They must know the truth about the country they are living in. They must know in a way that they will understand. And when they do, they must act. Because we know injustice, we know war, we know, we know, we know. And we must ally ourselves with others who know. We are stronger together, stronger than we’ve ever been and we must keep building on this. For us, for our brothers and sisters, for our children, for our future generations. These are important times and if we do not rise to this occasion, we will lose so much more.

Read the full interview here

Read about Azadi’s acts of solidarity with Indigenous communities here