Hoodie slogan leads to Day of Action

The banning of a hoodie worn to school by a 13-year-old First Nations girl has resulted in a Day of Action to take place Jan. 28 organized by Idle No More and Defenders of the Land. Grade 8 student Tenelle Starr, a 13-year-old in Balcarres, wore a hoodie to school with the words, “Got Land?” on the front and “Thank an Indian” on the back. School officials initially asked her to remove her shirt. When Starr wore the hoodie another day, she was instructed by school officials to wear it inside out. After school officials met with Starr’s mother and representatives from the nearby Star Blanket First Nation, school authorities relented and the girl was able to wear her hoodie. Starr said the hoodie was meant to signal her support of First Nations treaty and land rights. Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam wore the slogan on his recent tour with folk singer Neil Young in a fundraising effort for legal costs to fight the tar sands. Day of Action organizers are asking people to wear the slogan leading up to Jan. 28, which is also a day of teach-ins to raise awareness about the First Nations Education Act and other controversial action being taken by the Harper government.