When the pine needles fall: Indigenous acts of resistance By Katsi'tsakwas EllenGabriel, with SeanCarleton, Toronto: Between the Lines. 2024. 280 pages. $32.95 (paperback). ISBN: 9781771136501

When the pine needles fall: Indigenous acts of resistance recounts the Canadian state's violent siege of Kanehsatà:ke and Kahnawà:ke in the summer of 1990 (otherwise referred to in dominant media as the Oka “Crisis”), from the firsthand perspective of Indigenous activist Katsi'tsakwas Ellen Gabriel, in conversation with historian Sean Carleton. This counter-history is framed by connecting Gabriel's experiences as a Land Defender, feminist, human rights activist, artist, and Kanien'kehá:ka nation (Mohawk) spokesperson during the siege, to the broader history and continued legacy of systemic racism in so-called Canada toward Indigenous peoples. The book shares Gabriel's powerful storytelling through accessible and conversational dialogue with Carleton, while adding a tangible element to spread these stories to a wider audience. Gabriel and Carleton shed light on what actually happened during those 78 days in the Pines, beyond the story that the government and mainstream media promoted. They also explore the years of colonialism that led to the situation, beginning in 1717 when the Sulpicians arrived to colonize Kanien'kehá:ka lands, and their continued presence. During the summer of 1990, the Kanien'kehá:ka peoples were forced to defend their burial grounds and sacred Pine trees against the extension of a golf course and construction of luxury condominiums. They resisted against an army comprised of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Sûreté de Quebec (SQ), and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), sent by the federal government to “defend” the municipality of Oka, Quebec. Narratives pushed by the state sought to justify these measures by dehumanizing the Kanien'kehá:ka peoples, framing them as uncooperative and dangerous. In reality, they were actively seeking a resolution with the government and were open to discussion. However, as Gabriel explains, they came to understand that a meaningful compromise was not on the table, and that settler colonial landownership would continue to be valued more than Indigenous lives, as had been the case for centuries. As Gabriel explains, “the police came with an agenda, and at the end, it was to kill us” (p. 43). She describes the trauma caused by this experience, both on a personal level and in terms of a lasting impact on the community—compounded with the existing trauma caused by centuries of genocidal colonial tactics. Although the golf course development was halted in 1990, Kanehsatà:ke now has even less land than it did at that time. The municipality of Oka has continued to seize land through other methods, particularly by selling Kanehsatà:ke land to private developers. Meanwhile, the federal government attributes its failure to intervene to a lack of jurisdiction. Clearly, local politics are not barriers to the state when colonial power structures are threatened, as demonstrated during the siege, and other acts of Indigenous resistance on Turtle Island, such as the ongoing resistance at Wet'suwet'en against the gas pipeline. Throughout the book, Gabriel emphasizes the potential in settler allyship, arguing for the necessity of working together to foster sustainable relationships with the land and address climate change. The structure of the book follows Carleton, a settler—with a thorough understanding of settler colonialism and Indigenous resistance—engaging meaningfully by asking questions and seeking to learn from Gabriel. Their method of communication offers a practical guide to what effective allyship can look like in practice. Carleton notes that a goal for this book is to contribute toward building a better world for future generations, and the dialogue between him and Gabriel generates that possibility. Through a focus on Gabriel's work and journey through life as a Land Defender, intertwined with a discussion of colonial legacies on both Kanien'kehá:ka lands and a broader international scale, the authors effectively argue for the necessity of collective resistance and action against colonialism. As Gabriel argues, “if you don't have land, you don't have anything” (p. 9), emphasizing how this struggle affects each and every one of us. To add a visual aspect to the book, readers may find it helpful to watch Gabriel's (2022) documentary, Kanàtenhs: When the pine needles fall (2022). The film complements the book by featuring interviews with members of the Kanehsatà:ke community about the siege and the ongoing struggles the community continues to face.

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