Mizha

Now is the time of the Seventh Fire.
By the light of the Seventh Fire come the Ogichidaag', the warriors,
those who would use their power with wisdom to bring harmony and balance back to Mother Earth.
They will soar with wabishki-giniw, the White Eagle,
bringing the wisdom of Spirit with the first light of day.

Background

Mizhakwan Peltier has been an activist for Indigenous, environmental and social causes since her teens. During the time of the Standing Rock protests against Endron, a video of her singing an original song went briefly viral; as a result of that and a decade of efforts as an organizer, she has a little bit of a reputation in the world of the political left.

She arrived in LA in 2020, not long after the disastrous explosion at Skid Row, and since then has been seen at a number of major actions. According to rumors in the world of labor organizing, she might have been one of the forces behind the recent formation of a union by Cafe Java employees in Los Angeles.

Mizha has also gained a name for herself as a local musician in eccentric venues and coffee shops, usually performing a mix of original songs and classic protest anthems. She's definitely memorable, sporting a slightly-punk side shave ornamented with tiny braids and, usually, at least one large feather from an eagle, hawk or corvid. Appearance-wise, the singer is pretty enough but not stunning--unless one counts the shockingly brilliant smile that can at times light up her entire face.

Her regular shows at Cafe La Causa (a very eccentric left-leaning coffee shop and infoshop near UCLA) tend to draw a large and varied crowd that runs the gamut from punks to professors, from black turtlenecks to black biker jackets.

Mizhakwan is also a member of Gidaandakii, an Indigenous music group that burst onto the powwow scene in the 2021 season. There's rumored to be a recording in the works.

Late in 2021, her name showed up in local news, with irony attached. (+bbread 6/22 and 6/23)

Peltier's website, eagleresistance.org, remained active even after she was hospitalized. She began posting again right at the end of 2021, both on the main website and on her substack site: the usual political essays and commentary, along with occasional updates on her recovery. No videos, of course, only the written word. And, once in a while, a rant. (+bbread 8/94)

Most of her work in 2022 has been focused on Endron, particularly on the Bristow Park project and surrounding political battles. This issue has its own splash page on her website, with links to numerous community and environmental groups planning a group march in Commerce. In addition, there are a number of links to peer-reviewed medical research on the detrimental effects of oil processing facilities and refineries on the health of surrounding communities, as well as articles on the unsafe practices and appalling pollution of Big Oil. (+bbread 8/102)

Roleplaying Hooks

Radical Left: In just about every sense, Mizha is a radical left activist. Indigenous rights and causes, environmentalism, anti-capitalism and anti-racism head the list. She has a fairly long arrest record going back more than ten years, though she's never been charged with more than a misdemeanor.

Music: She performs alone with guitar and sometimes drum, usually protest and political music. Most of her originals have an environmentalist or "take down the system" bent. She also performs with an Indigenous group. Gidaandakii performs a blend of music and ritual that has both traditional and modern / electronic elements.

Cafe la Causa: She plays frequently at the long-established leftist/anarchist cafe and infoshop.

LGBTQ Causes: Right up there with the above. Mizha attends protests for trans rights and LGBTQ equality, especially when counter-protests are expected. She isn't a bruiser by any stretch of the imagination, but she isn't afraid of getting up in a bigot's face, either.

NO GODS NO MASTERS: Are you an anarchist? Would you like to learn about anarchism? There are some great books Mizha could recommend.

Native Alliance of Los Angeles: She's been peripherally involved with this nonprofit since its founding last year. Now she volunteers a couple of times a week, teaching the Ojibwe language, storytelling, and performing for both children and adults.

The Scene: If you're in the know, Mizha is definitely part of it. She frequents Dante's on certain nights of the week.

An Injury To One Is An Injury To All: Recently Mizha has been involved in labor organizing, encouraging the formation of a union at a downtown location of a nationwide coffee shop chain. These efforts are continuing at other locations, as well. Currently, the original group of organizers has filed a suit against the company for its unjust retaliation against union organizers under current labor laws.

Guns, Gyms and Dojos: She spends a little time on the firing range, a little time in the gym, and a little time in the dojo.

Skid Row and the Houseless: Once upon a time, Mizha spent a lot of time with the people of Skid Row: performing little concerts, playing classical guitar, delivering food or necessities, sometimes just talking to the houseless residents and finding ways to help. These days she tends to do that work in other places downtown, though she's often not far from the historic neighborhood.

People

zaagichikaazag, the beloved

Agawaateshin - And when you go, you go alone