Word of the month: Decolonization

Decolonization:

1: to free (a people or area) from colonial status : to relinquish control of (a subjugated people or area)

2: to free from the dominating influence of a colonizing power especially: to identify, challenge, and revise or replace assumptions, ideas, values, and practices that reflect a colonizer's dominating influence and especially a Eurocentric dominating influence. 

Fundamentally, decolonization is a principled process and daily practice of undoing colonialism- “cultural, psychological, and economic freedom” for Indigenous people with the goal of achieving Indigenous sovereignty — the right and ability of Indigenous people to practice self-determination over their land, cultures, and political and economic systems. 

Colonialism is a historical and ongoing global issue where settlers, corporate entities, and governments continue to occupy land, dictate social, political, and economic systems, and exploit Indigenous people and their resources. 

If this is feeling a little overwhelming, take some time to watch this 13 minute TED Talk introducing decolonization by Nikki Sanchez, an Indigenous media maker, environmental educator, and academic. 

Throughout the talk, Sanchez invites us to reflect on the soils beneath us beyond land acknowledgement- which, for non-indigenous communities, is a way to show respect for Indigenous people’s territories. But specifically recognize the land we inhabit as unceded, never-surrendered and occupied land. Sanchez also centers Indigenous peoples’ history and their continued resilience against erasure, extraction, and oppression. We each have a responsibility to push back on colonial narratives. As Sanchez points out at 7:03 in the video, “[t]his history is not your fault”. 

It is included in this month’s newsletter because it is the essential first step we all must take in order for us to achieve a true Just Transition to a clean energy future. 

The Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi is embarking on this journey to embody decolonial anti-racist values in our work through a progressive educational blog series for our Chapter monthly Mālama. The first article of the series began in April- Decolonizing Climate Action. Sign-up for the articles to follow!