MLK Tribute

Multicultural Center, SMSUPortland State

University

Dr. Michael Yellow Bird, Professor

Department of Social WorkHumboldt State University

Arikara Engaged in Ceremonial Mindfulness in Traditional Earth lodge

Colonialism: a system in which a one people claim sovereignty over another and assert social, political economic, and spiritual domination over the colonized.

It motivated by beliefs and values of the colonizer are superior to those of the colonized.

(Not a mainstream topic in Social Work; mainstream in Indigenous Studies)

Chosen Race Defiled Race

“Kill the Indian, Save the Man”

The biopolitical and geopolitical The biopolitical and geopolitical management of people, land, flora, management of people, land, flora, and fauna with the “domestic” and fauna with the “domestic” borders of the imperial nation. borders of the imperial nation.

This involves the particularized This involves the particularized modes of control – prisons, modes of control – prisons, minoritizing, schooling, and minoritizing, schooling, and policing. policing.

For Indigenous Peoples it is Indian For Indigenous Peoples it is Indian boarding schools, Federal Indian boarding schools, Federal Indian Law, Western education, BLM, Law, Western education, BLM, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Plenary Bureau of Indian Affairs, Plenary Power of Congress, Reservations, Power of Congress, Reservations, Indian Child Welfare Act, Baby Indian Child Welfare Act, Baby Veronica, and more.Veronica, and more.

Forms of Colonialism

(Exploitation colonization): the expropriation of (Exploitation colonization): the expropriation of fragments of Indigenous worlds, animals, plants, fragments of Indigenous worlds, animals, plants, and human beings, extracting them in order to and human beings, extracting them in order to transport them to – transport them to –

build wealth,build wealth,the privilege,the privilege, or feed the or feed the appetites of –appetites of – the colonizers, the colonizers, who get markedwho get markedas the first worldas the first world.

Bakken Oil Fields

Foreign family units move Foreign family units move into a region and into a region and reproduce. An imperial reproduce. An imperial power oversees the power oversees the immigration of these immigration of these settlers. settlers.

This colonization leads to This colonization leads to depopulation of the depopulation of the previous inhabitants, and previous inhabitants, and the settlers take over the the settlers take over the land of the previous land of the previous residents.residents.   

““In order for settlers to make a In order for settlers to make a place their home they must place their home they must destroy and disappear the destroy and disappear the Indigenous Peoples that live Indigenous Peoples that live there.”there.”

(In LA it is the Tongva: (Warfare was not frequent for and robbery, murder, and incest was rare. They did not believe in evil spirits, or any concept of a hell or devil until Spanish missionaries. Porpoises and owls were highly esteemed and were never killed. introduced boys to manhood through fasting, hallucinogenic rituals and trials of endurance).

The settlers are generally viewed by the colonizing authority as racially superior to the previous inhabitants, giving their social movements and political demands greater legitimacy than those of colonized peoples in the eyes of the home government.

““Settlers are not Settlers are not immigrants. immigrants. Immigrants are Immigrants are beholden to the beholden to the Indigenous laws and Indigenous laws and epistemologies of epistemologies of the lands they the lands they migrate to. Settlers migrate to. Settlers become the law, become the law, supplanting supplanting Indigenous laws and Indigenous laws and epistemologies.”epistemologies.”

Indian Civilization Indian Civilization Act of 1819Act of 1819

Removal Act of 1830Removal Act of 1830

Ex parte Crow Dog Ex parte Crow Dog 109 U.S. 556 109 U.S. 556 (1883)(1883)

Indian General Allotment Act Indian General Allotment Act (1887)(1887)

Indian Boarding Schools Indian Boarding Schools (1887 – (1887 – present)present)

Indian Relocation Act Indian Relocation Act of 1956of 1956

United States v. LaraUnited States v. Lara, 541 U.S. , 541 U.S. 193 (2004), 193 (2004),

Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl,570 Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl,570 U.S.(Baby Veronica, 2013),U.S.(Baby Veronica, 2013),

Indigenous Peoples (other 1%): Indigenous Peoples (other 1%): U.S. government, U.S. government, states, and religious groups (poverty, put on reservations, states, and religious groups (poverty, put on reservations, removed from prime territories, destruction of resources removed from prime territories, destruction of resources and exploitation of the labor of people, poor health care and exploitation of the labor of people, poor health care and education, privileging white folks, laws, beliefs, and education, privileging white folks, laws, beliefs, values, etcvalues, etc

For US (98%): For US (98%): lack of living wages (poverty); removing lack of living wages (poverty); removing poor folks from their neighborhoods; 50 million without poor folks from their neighborhoods; 50 million without health insurance; gender inequalities in wages; health insurance; gender inequalities in wages; exploitation of foreign labor (sweatshops); control of the exploitation of foreign labor (sweatshops); control of the food chain by multinationals; substandard education in food chain by multinationals; substandard education in poor communities; privileging the wealthy and poor communities; privileging the wealthy and super super wealthy (1%), wealthy (1%), etc. etc.

For the Planet: For the Planet: Global pollution, dumping, hydraulic Global pollution, dumping, hydraulic fracking, climate change, Nuclear disasters, GMOs, fracking, climate change, Nuclear disasters, GMOs,

DecolonizationDecolonization

When the United When the United Nations was Nations was established in 1945, established in 1945, 750 million people - 750 million people - almost a third of the almost a third of the world's population - world's population - lived in Territories lived in Territories that were non-self-that were non-self-governing, governing, controlled and controlled and dependent on dependent on colonial powers. colonial powers.

In 1960 The General Assembly adopted, in the In 1960 The General Assembly adopted, in the Declaration on the Granting of Independence Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries to Colonial Countries and Peoples. and Peoples.

All people have a All people have a right to self-right to self-determination and determination and colonialism shouldcolonialism should be brought to a be brought to a speedy and speedy and unconditional end. unconditional end.

Decolonization is an unsettling process since it involves the repatriation of Indigenous Peoples’ lands, lives, and rights;

The colonized are freed from the colonial control and the colonizers return to their own lands. (This has not happened in the USA).

(At right: Sovereignty ceremony)

Definitions Decolonization

 “Decolonization is an unsettling process since it involves the repatriation of Indigenous Peoples’ lands, lives, and rights; the colonized are released or freed from the colony/colonized and return to their independent status. Colonizers return to their own lands.” (Source: Tuck & Wang in Decolonization is not a Metaphor” in Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education, & Society (Vol. 1, No. 1, 2012, pp. 1-40).

 

“…the restoration of cultural practices, thinking, beliefs, and values that were taken away or abandoned (during the colonization period) but are relevant and/or necessary for survival and well being. It is the birth and use of new ideas, thinking, technologies and lifestyles that contribute to the advancement and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples.” (Source: Yellow Bird, 2008, Indigenous Social Work, 2008, Ashgate Press)

Decolonizing Social Work recognizes the limitations and imperialist frameworks of Western social work that must be contested on behalf of populations that have been victimized rather than helped by these approaches (Source: Decolonizing Social Work, Gray, Coates, Yellow Bird,, & Hetherington, 2013, Ashgate)

Decolonization is the intentional, collective, and reflective self-examination undertaken by formerly colonized peoples that results in shared remedial action. Such action traces continuity from “traditional” (pre-colonial) experiences even as it embarks on distinctive, purposeful, and self-determined (post-colonial) experiences. The key to decolonization is community emancipation from the hegemony of outside interests (Wilson & Yellow Bird, 2005). (Source: “A Community-Based Treatment for Native American ‘Historical Trauma’: Prospects for Evidence-Based Practice” in press, p. 23).

 (International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2008).

The Mass: (the colonial lands and resources and the main political, security, and financial institutions). Traditional approaches focus on this area. Social work is involved in the area of security (i.e., justice systems) but rarely in Indigenous land and resource rights, protection, and repatriation, or support of political sovereignty.

The Mind: (freeing postcolonial culture and thought from dependence on western ideas, philosophies, beliefs, theories). More recent approaches in decolonization focus on this area – decolonizing the mind, i.e., neurodecolonization (Yellow Bird, 2012, 2013). This is an area that social work that may become involved in, but the tendency is to engage in the use of colonized, Western methods.

The Metropole: (The Empire). Decolonization involves freeing the metropole from its tendency to inferiorize and dominate other peoples and territories.

Privileging and actively supporting the sovereignty, well Privileging and actively supporting the sovereignty, well being, spirituality, and land rights of Indigenous Peoplesbeing, spirituality, and land rights of Indigenous Peoples

Recognizing the social work practices, approaches, and Recognizing the social work practices, approaches, and theories in the United States developed from “Western,” theories in the United States developed from “Western,” Imperialist paradigms, in many instances, are not Imperialist paradigms, in many instances, are not relevant to, or supportive of, Indigenous Peoples values, relevant to, or supportive of, Indigenous Peoples values, beliefs, culture, and rights. beliefs, culture, and rights.

Working with Indigenous communities to implement Working with Indigenous communities to implement traditional practices and philosophies into the traditional practices and philosophies into the contemporary context for the purposes of healing and contemporary context for the purposes of healing and community empowerment. community empowerment.

Maintaining a commitment to tribal sovereignty, the Rights Maintaining a commitment to tribal sovereignty, the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, The Rights of Mother Earthof Indigenous Peoples, The Rights of Mother Earth

Encourage the growth of new beneficial brain networks that enable us to:

- Train our attention to: Engage in level of optimistic thinking that enables a believe that colonialism can be overcome;

Develop the courage to confront it;

Cultivate the creativity needed to use novel, effective approaches to change it.

1. In order for decolonization to be successful it must first begin in our minds

2. Creative, healthy, decolonized thinking, actions, and feelings, positively shape and empower important neural circuits in our brain, which in turn provide us with the personal resources, strengths, abilities we need to overcome colonialism.

3. Unconstructive, negative thinking, feelings, and behaviors dampen and short-circuit our brain’s creativity and optimistic networks, and increase our susceptibility to stress, failure, complacency, and fear.

4. The more we engage in negativity or distraction the more we strengthen our unproductive neural networks.

Spiritual movements and traditional ceremonies of Indigenous Peoples have been a major form of successful resistance to American colonialism (which is why they were so viciously attacked and outlawed by the forces of American Colonialism):

Sun Dance Ghost Dance Big Drum Long House Smoke House Dream Dances Medicine Lodge

After only 11 hours of After only 11 hours of practice (30 minute practice (30 minute sessions) positive sessions) positive structural changes structural changes took place in the took place in the white matter of the white matter of the brain, which brain, which boosted brain boosted brain connectivityconnectivity

(Posner, et al, 2010)(Posner, et al, 2010)

45 minutes of practice 45 minutes of practice per day for 8 weeks per day for 8 weeks changes brain changes brain structures structures associated with associated with memory, sense of memory, sense of self, empathy, and self, empathy, and stress (Sarah Lazar, stress (Sarah Lazar, et al, 2011)et al, 2011)

Reduction in Stress – Reduction in Stress – decreased gray decreased gray matter in amygdalamatter in amygdala

Conflict-related Insula: Conflict-related Insula:

Mindfulness meditation Mindfulness meditation activates the activates the ““insula, which insula, which is associated with interoception, is associated with interoception, the sum of visceral andthe sum of visceral and““gutgut”” feelings that we experience feelings that we experience

at any given moment, at any given moment,

Is a key region involved inIs a key region involved inprocessing transient bodily processing transient bodily

sensations, thereby sensations, thereby contributing to our experience contributing to our experience of of ‘‘selfnessselfness’”’”

The temporal parietal The temporal parietal junction becomes junction becomes activated during activated during meditation.meditation.

This area is associated This area is associated with the ability to with the ability to perceive the emotional perceive the emotional and mental state of and mental state of others.others. This brain area is moreThis brain area is more active in meditators active in meditators thanthan non-meditators, even non-meditators, even when they are not when they are not meditating. meditating.

Singing to the Sacred Singing to the Sacred CedarCedar

Arikara brain on happiness, joy, optimism, feelings of well being

Orbital Frontal Cortex

Internal reality check of how we come across to others. It biases us to have an overstated evaluation of our skills, intelligence, personality, and health; mostly, because we do not call upon this part of the brain to evaluate our “true” capacities.

Referred to as the “above-average effect,” (the less activity in this area the more we see ourselves through “rose-colored glasses.) (Jennifer Beers and Brent Hughes , University of Texas )

When a person is taught to believe When a person is taught to believe that they are the right color, have that they are the right color, have the right values and beliefs, live in the right values and beliefs, live in the greatest country on earth, and the greatest country on earth, and that they are from an exceptional that they are from an exceptional class of people, they will have class of people, they will have even more difficulty engaging this even more difficulty engaging this brain region– brain region–

Consequences: they will lack the ability Consequences: they will lack the ability to mindfully and honestly critique their to mindfully and honestly critique their privilege, culture, beliefs, values, and privilege, culture, beliefs, values, and their nation’s failures and weaknessestheir nation’s failures and weaknesses

D = OBFa x Ao x Mc x Crt x So x Rpc x SCc x Bn x Scp

Where: 

D is the event of decolonization.  OBFa is the optimal brain function that is needed for progressive

intellectual activities such as unbound creativity, genius-level problem solving skills and performance, enhanced memory, optimism and concentration skills, superior critical thinking capacities, deep awareness, and a “rage to master” (Ellen

Winner, 1996). The “a” subscript refers to the activities needed to produce optimal brain functioning.

Ao is the awareness of the many forms and processes of oppression among Indigenous Peoples due to the colonialism. Requires

understanding the mind and brain functions of the colonizer.  Mc is the motivation of the culture to progress from their present

state of oppression

D = OBFa x Ao x Mc x Crt x So x Rpc x SCc x Bn x Scp

Crt is the ability to change the relationship with past and present trauma

So represents the strategies that are consciously pursed to overcome and survive oppressive conditions.

 Rpc is the restoration of past cultural beliefs, language, ideas, and technologies that were taken away or abandoned but are still useful in the present SCc is the conscious suspension of culture during critical times (such as invasion by a group bent on destroying the culture) Bn is the birth of new ideas, beliefs, thinking, and technologies that can be adapted to the present culture Scp is the suspension of past cultural practices that led to oppressive situations within the society during pre-colonial period