Entry:
In reference to the course’s theme of decolonization, I found a video filmed at the University of Saskatchewan on March 28th, 2016 entitled: Indigenous Feminisms Power Panel. The panel includes three speakers, Dr. Kim TallBear, Dr. Kim Anderson and Dr. Audra Simpson. These women were asked to speak on the relationship of Indigenous Feminism and decolonization and while they mostly focused on illustrating the path that they took as individuals towards becoming “Indigenous Feminists” and what that means to them,
the usage of terms and the relation of linguistics and
power in questioning norms is what is relevant to our
learning journey.
Rationale:
In our course’s exploration of Transnational Feminism, one of the focusses was placed on the movement of people, particularly a current analysis of immigration to Canada. Being that Turtle Island is a colonized land, I got to thinking about how modern-day migration affects and relates to Canada’s Indigenous People and what kind of forward-thinking relationship can be created between today’s “Newcomer” and the “Native” that hopefully inspires new societal norms that respects and integrates Indigenous culture as a strong influence in popular Canadian culture.
In this video, Dr. Kim TallBear identifies two Indigenous Feminist goals of decolonization: 1. Creating “good relation” between all humans and all humans with all non-humans and 2. Dismantling hierarchies (University of Saskatchewan, 2016, 03 28, Indigenous Feminisms Power Panel.) This is meaningful in that while Transnational Feminist thought is respective of individuality, perspective and global context, a sort of harmony or wellbeing that can better serve all and everyone is a common goal between both feminisms.
TallBear speaks on the binaries created by Eurocentric hierarchies such as “civilized versus savage,” or “nature versus culture” and articulates that Indigenous Feminists have an advantage in analyzing structure from that of a marginalized position, as this necessitates an understanding of both the dominant perspective and the marginalized thus challenging white, heteropatriarchal power (University of Saskatchewan, 2016, 03 28, Indigenous Feminisms Power Panel.) This sort of analysis provides hope in the restoration of a power balance that can challenge colonization and capitalism that respects and enacts Indigenous culture, knowledge and values.
Keywords: Indigenous Feminism, decolonization, marginalization
Author: LM
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