In this scrupulously researched study of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), Sarah A. Nickel challenges dominant historical narratives of Indigenous politics in British Columbia. Most significantly, she brings a gendered analysis to the narrative that is long overdue. The depth of her method drives the book, pairing dense archival research with detailed community narratives based on seven years of oral history work. Bolstered by Indigenous critical theory, she weaves two intricately related threads throughout the book: the challenge of pan-Indigenous unity, and the location of Indigenous women within it.
Assembling Unity traces UBCIC’s constant negotiation between pan-Indigenous unity and the local autonomy of its constituent communities. Nickel navigates this artfully, negotiating this tension with impressive frankness and nuance. Crucially, she does not try to resolve it. The book shows that unity does not necessarily mean unanimity and builds a methodical argument against racist expectations of Indigenous uniformity that...
