Uncolonize or Decolonize?

We’ve had a lot of people ask us why we use the terms uncolonize and decolonize. They often wonder if they are interchangeable terms or if we mean to say decolonize. 

In using the terms uncolonize and decolonize we are drawing a distinction between two types of actions that Indigenous peoples need from settler accomplices if we are serious about living into Indigenous sovereignty. We are following the lead of Indigenous educators and activists Tres Rosa and Dina Gilio-Whitaker, and academic leaders Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang, who challenge non-Indigenous peoples to stop treating decolonizing like a metaphor for all social justice, inclusivity, or self-transformation work because it detracts from actual efforts to return stolen lands to Indigenous peoples and honour their sovereignty. 

An Analogy 

An extraordinary amount of leaves fall in my backyard every autumn, requiring me to remove some to reduce the volume. This year, my teenage son was in the yard for a couple of hours using the leaf blower to move leaves from one side of the yard to the other, making impressive piles. When I joined the efforts, I noted that we still had the same amount of leaves in the backyard; it’s just that they had been arranged differently. He complained that putting them on the tarp and dragging them to the bush beside our house was too much work. I reminded him that he may have used a lot of time and energy blowing them here and there, but removing the leaves from the yard was not accomplished until we actually removed them!

In a similar vein, as non-Indigenous folks, we can busy ourselves learning about Indigenous peoples’ experiences of life and reflecting on our colonial worldviews/practices. Still, the changes in our minds, lives, and institutions do not amount to decolonization. It’s equivalent to putting leaves into piles inside the yard. It’s hard work yet does nothing to change things for Indigenous peoples or the Land. For it to be decolonizing, there needs to be actual benefits for Indigenous peoples and the Land, including the recognition of Indigenous sovereignty, relinquishment of settler entitlement to place and privilege, the amplification and following of Indigenous leadership, and the return of stolen Lands. In summary:

Uncolonizing is the work non-Indigenous peoples can do internally to distance and detach from colonial ways of thinking, relating, and being on the Land.  It reduces settler resistance to decolonization but does nothing to change the circumstances of Indigenous peoples and the Land  (Rosa, 2020). Some examples you could do include:

• Learn about settler privilege (i.e., Gilio-Whitaker, 2018)
• Learn how to avoid being metaphorical about decolonization (i.e., Rosa,2020; Tuck & Yang, 2012)
• Change your decision-making processes to be less colonial (for example, use a process like sociocracy or consensus decision-making instead of Roberts Rules)
• Learn about the current and historical experiences of Indigenous peoples in your area and throughout Canada/the world.
• Learn what treaty you are a part of and what requirements are contained within it.
• Learn about the traditional lands and peoples on this interactive map
• Practice using the Responsibility Covenant to manage the discomfort that may arise when you learn uncomfortable truths about colonialism.

Decolonizing is  “a massive revolution to remove all people not native to stolen land, back to their land of origin, and returning government control, community control, resources, processes, and sovereignty to Indigenous peoples” (Rosa, 2020).  This scale of change is being actualized through movements like LandBack and RAVEN as tracts of land are returned to Indigenous nations. Some examples you could do include:

• Vote for Indigenous leaders for all levels of colonial government
• Formally recognize and follow the direction of Indigenous leaders 
• Connect with the Nation(s) whose land your home, organization and/or business are located on and create an agreement for use that includes paying a voluntary tax.
• With the blessing of Indigenous leaders, purchase tracts of land and return them to Indigenous nations.
• With the blessing of Indigenous leaders, donate land to Indigenous nations. 
• Support Indigenous leaders and movements (i.e.,  LandBack and RAVEN).

For more info: check out Uncolonizing Climate Justice & Uncolonizing Focus Group or reach out to Erin.Horvath@cuc.ca

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Call and Response, the Canadian Unitarian Council’s new blog, is a forum for sharing ideas, tools, and resources with people and organizations who want to create a more loving, just, and equitable world. 

 Erin Horvath is the justice and equity lead for the Canadian Unitarian Council.

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