This week we start to engage ideas around settler colonialism, and the ways the racialization of Indigenous peoples and enslaved Africans emerged with and through the process of colonization in (what is now known as) the United States. Often conversations about race and racism ignore indigenous peoples, or fail to address the role of ongoing settler colonialism in creating racial stratification. The readings offer theoretical foundations into understanding just what settler colonialism is (and what it shares and how it differs from other forms of colonialism), as well as two Indigenous scholars approaches to CRT and indigeneity. Native identity is both racialized and also political/legal (Native peoples in the US are considered a racial group as well as citizens of sovereign nations), which we will work to unpack and put in conversations about racial formations and the tenets of CRT. Questions to ask yourself this week: Whose land are you on? Which tribal nation(s) specifically? How are the Native people in your community represented (or not)? For non-Native people: in what ways have you benefitted and continue to benefit from settler colonialism? What is Settler Colonialism?It is a form of colonialism that seeks to replace the original population of the colonized territory with a new society of settlers. As with all forms of colonialism, it is based on exogenous domination, typically organized or supported by an imperial authority. This is something that we see frequently throughout history, especially when looking at European colonizers and their "founding" of the United States. But unfortunately, it is not something we are ever taught in history classes while learning about these eras. "Settler Colonialism is inherently eliminatory but not invariably genocidal" - Patrick Wolfe Wolfe believes that settler colonialism is not the same as genocide, even though they are often used as synonyms. They do however go hand in hand, as Wolfe believes settler colonialism is an indicator of genocide. It happens over an extended period of time, sometimes decades. Wolfe points out that while it is unfortunate that often settler colonialism is allowed to happen for such long periods of time, they are also a perfect time to prevent the aftermath, genocide. Wolfe gives Israel's dependence on Palestinian labor and congruent denial of their rights as an example of settler colonialism. While Israel depends on the manual labor from Palestinians, they deny their human rights by removing them from their own homes, displacing populations, firing upon unarmed Palestinians, and attacking hospitals with tear gas and firearms in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is Decolonialism?"First and foremost, decolonization must occur in our own minds" -Waziyatawin and Michael Yellow Bird In Decolonization: Indigeneity, education & society by Tuck and Yang, we learn that decolonialism is not a metaphor, and is instead a practice. This practice in turn must foster critical thinking of oppression. It must encourage the rejection of colonial ways, which often were introduced after forcibly removing previous existing ways. The practice must embrace the Indigenous ways, according to Tuck and Yang. There are 5 conditions that have framed the struggle for decolonization.
-Tuck and Yang HomeworkNow that we have learned this, we have some homework for you. Start decolonization in yourself. How can you do this?
Find out whose land you are on. Which tribal nations specifically have claim to the land you now live on? You can find out by texting your town and state, "town, state" to 9073125085. After this, take time to research the tribal nations that the land pertains to. Were these things something you had ever heard of before? Why do you think it is not taught, even though it's part of the history of this country? For non-Native people specifically: in what ways have you benefitted and continue to benefit from settler colonialism? Thank you for taking the time to learn with us. Below are links to the sources we used. Let us know in the comments what you learn from your homework! Patrick Wolfe (2006) Settler colonialism and the elimination of the native, Journal of Genocide Research, 8:4, 387-409, DOI: 10.1080/14623520601056240 Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, education & society, 1(1). http://decolonization.org/index.php/des/article/download/18630/15554 - Paula Alejandra Norato
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