WELCOME
The Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance (W2SA) is a collective of Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, LGBTQQIA+ kin, Elders, Knowledge Carriers, youth and allies from Wabanaki territory and across Turtle Island. We advocate for and celebrate 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities through relationship-building, 2S-led research, and community-led initiatives.
Purpose
We aim to affirm and support the wholistic well-being of Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Peoples across Wabanaki Territory. We aim to reduce barriers, reclaim our spaces, and increase awareness of the uniqueness of our community and ceremonies, building on the work and teachings of our ancestors.
Our shared journey guides our work through culture, ceremony, advocacy, research, education, collaborative action, navigation services, and community gatherings.
Guiding Principles
Guided by the cultural values, principles, protocols, and ancestral teachings of Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Peoples, and the Wabanaki Peace and Friendship Treaty, we work to uphold respect, equity, and community care in all that we do.
Two-Spirit
Some Indigenous people use the term 'Two-Spirit' to describe roles, identities, expressions, and responsibilities that exist beyond colonial understandings of gender and sexuality. Rooted in the community-specific teachings of various Indigenous nations across Turtle Island, 2S identities are often interconnected with language, tradition, and ceremony - carrying unique roles and responsibilities for the well-being of their communities.
Introduced in 1990, 'Two-Spirit' provides a pan-Indigenous way to reclaim teachings and roles disrupted by colonization. However, it is not a universal identity and does not replace the original terms or understandings unique to each nation. Instead, it honours the spectrum of experiences and serves as a bridge to nurture traditional understandings, identities, and nation-based knowledge. W2SA celebrates and uplifts Two-Spirit histories, gifts, and contributions. Through advocacy, education, and community connection, we strive to create spaces that reflect the medicine, innovation, love and care o f Two-Spirit kin.
