DECOLONIZATION AS A THEORY: INTRODUCTION

I’m going to continue talking about theory periodically from here on out. I took a class several semesters ago at University of Alaska Anchorage entitled Decolonizing Methodologies. Actually I had taken it several years ago while attending ASU and that was my very first introduction to these particular theories. We covered some heavy material in that first class, especially considering that it was an undergraduate course. But the instructor, Myla Vicenti Carpio, presented the material in a way that was accessible to her students. As I’d mentioned before, I had thought about these things before but this class really made it all come together. It was then that the wheels in my mind started turning and they haven’t stopped since.

Anyway, I took the course again recently because of two things: 1) I was really excited to see that decolonization as a methodology had made its way up to Alaska! 2) I wanted to see how the course would be taught, especially since I had developed the foundation for these theories at ASU. Well, I had an awesome instructor for that course too and I learned a lot. I was also pleased that we covered material that was related to Alaska. Having been introduced to the material years ago has allowed me to mull it over and form my own ideas and solidify them in this course. We had to write a final paper on the material we covered and I will include some of it here as a brief introduction to decolonization as a theory. I am going to be a nerd and cite my sources because I’d feel like I’d be plagiarizing if I didn’t (I had a very good undergrad advisor who taught us well).

Fact of the matter is, there are several definitions of decolonization. My definition draws from a common body of works that were introduced to me at ASU.  Maori scholar Linda Tuhiwai Smith, in her book Decolonizing Methodologies (2012), states that theory is important to Indigenous people. Why? Smith points out that theory helps us make sense of our realities and a good theory allows us to incorporate new information without having to create new theories (40). This is what I love about theory. A good theory is fluid and flexible and to use it requires creativity and reflection. Theory is important to Indigenous people because it is a tool that we can use in our struggles for resistance.

To quote Smith, “[d]ecolonization is a process which engages with imperialism and colonialism at multiple levels” (21). Before we discuss decolonization we must first define colonization, because the two go hand in hand. I defined colonization in a previous post but I will include here again. In For Indigenous Eyes Only: A Decolonization Handbook (Wilson and Yellow Bird, Eds, 2007), the authors define colonization as the:“formal and informal methods (behaviors, ideologies, institutions, policies, and economies) that maintain the subjugation or exploitation of Indigenous peoples, lands and resources” (2).

To me, this embodies the colonial structure.

That first definition is a bit vague but it covers a lot. But what does all that mean to Indigenous people? Smith describes colonization as a process that brought “disorder” to Indigenous peoples’ worlds. It fragmented our realities, histories, languages, and landscapes. Colonization disconnected us from our ways of thinking, feeling and interacting with the world (29). In addition to the formal methods of colonization, you see the presence of the colonial structure in the very personal and psychological lives of Indigenous people.

So what does “decolonization” mean in relation to colonization? What are its goals? Decolonization attempts to bring “order” to the colonized world. Smith mentioned that decolonization is a “process,” which implies that it happens at different levels. Decolonization means “undoing the shackles” of colonization. It means reclaiming our histories, our languages, our lands, and our humanity. Decolonization means understanding, challenging and ultimately destroying the colonial structure.

Some heavy stuff right? This is a very academic approach to decolonization I know but it serves as a brief introduction and I will try to relate these concepts to my own experiences in other posts.