"Idle No More Flash Mob hits Brantford Mall and regroups at Hamilton mall Christmas Eve"

Close to 1,000 Six Nations and Anishinabe people from home and surrounding communities gathered at Lynden Park Mall Dec. 23 to participate in a traditional round dance to the sound of drums.

Event organizer Jai King-Green (centre) drums at Lynden Park Mall.

Close to 1,000 Six Nations and Anishinabe people from Six Nations and New Credit, and surrounding communities converged in the main entrance of Limeridge Mall in a flash mob round dance that surprised last-minute Christmas Eve shoppers last Monday.

Spirits were high as shoppers bustled around only to be surprised by the sudden sounds of traditional drums and singing and hundreds of people doing a round dance around the mall's Christmas tree while nearby kids were telling Santa what they wanted for Christmas.

Soon, the crowd swelled to well over 2,000 people as shoppers watched the dance, some even joining in, while one non-native woman made a hasty makeshift sign proclaiming, "Non-aboriginal supporter of aboriginal voices." She didn't want to give her name or be interviewed by the media.

It was the second flash mob round dance to be organized by Six Nations and New Credit people in two days. Hundreds of Six Nations and New Credit people had gathered for a flash mob round dance at Lynden Park Mall in Brantford the Monday.

Both events were part of the viral Idle No More movement that's been sweeping across Canada, and even internationally, with demonstrations and support pouring in from the United States, Nicaragua, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, the Ukraine, Egypt and New Zealand.

In Hamilton they held up signs indicating their displeasure with the Harper government and its passing of legislation that they say will negatively affect the environment and treaty rights.

Six Nations woman Dakota Brant, called on people to keep the momentum of Idle No More going, "Tommorow is Christmas Day, but it is not a day for us to rest, said Brant. "It is not a break. Our people are still suffering across this country and the rest of the world needs to know it. Tell your relatives all over the world how this guy (Harper) is making attacks on our people. Tell our Canadian brothers and sisters that politicians are stealing the last of the renewable resources."

The crowd started chanting "Idle No More. Idle No More" before Brant encouraged everyone to keep their voices strong and keep the movement going.

She also thanked "Anishinabe brothers and sisters" for coming out and supporting the event, which was organized by Six Nations woman Kahsenniyo Wilson. Brantford's event was organized by New Credit youth Jai King-Green.

Wilson said she was surprised and pleased with the turnout and hadn't expected that many people to turn out.

Six Hamilton Police officers stood by during the hour-long event, which remained peaceful while dozens of cameras and cellphones recorded the dance, later uploaded to YouTube. Dozens of flash mob round dances have been cropping up at malls across the country in response to Idle No More. More events are being planned for Six Nations people to participate in, including a blockade of one of the border crossing areas in Niagara Falls for Jan. 5.