Day 29. Building the Circle Wider – Allyship as Kinship.
True allyship is not about helping-it’s about relationship. Indigenous kinship teaches that we are accountable to one another through reciprocity. To be an ally is to listen, to follow Indigenous leadership, and to act with humility.
From Savior to Kin
When we enter the circle as kin, not saviors, we begin to heal the divides that colonization created. This requires non-Indigenous communities to dismantle ingrained hierarchies and acknowledge the systemic power imbalances they benefit from. True kinship demands commitment, mutual respect, and action that supports Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty.
Love That Builds Belonging
Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls us to this kind of love-one that dismantles hierarchy and builds belonging. By embracing the principles of reciprocity and accountability inherent in Indigenous kinship models, we move closer to creating a truly Beloved Community where justice and equity define our relationships.
“If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” – Dr. Lilla Watson, Murri activist and Professor
Reflection: How might your congregation practice allyship rooted in accountability?
Learn More
- Explore Decolonizing Methodologies- Research and Indigenous Peoples – by Linda Tuiwai- Smith, Indigenous Maori Professor whose people are from the Māori iwi Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Porou.
- Read Decolonizing Our American Christianity by Kaitlin Curtice, Author and Powatani citizen
- Read The Four R’s of Indigenous Allyship – Learn about the framework of Respect, Relationship, Reciprocity, and Responsibility, which provides a foundational approach for non-Indigenous people engaging in supportive action.
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