Reflection: Thought to Practice?

Related Reading:
Chief's Kingdom!!
Depth | Knowledge

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     As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect particularly with regards to my previous thoughts. Where in fact I learned something new. This learning occurred with some of the work surrounding international law, indigenous rights, and histories. The process of learning was more about trying to understand. It is only after this process, where we can reflect on the harsh histories, and wonder how we can further prevent these from happening again. Sometimes when we learn of the the history, and think of where we are today, we could actually say that there are many populations that are owed a debt from the colonial worlds, or those "new worlds" that were thought to be found. Because today the human has learned of history, what has happened, how parts of the world were discovered. What was given, taken, battles that were fought for the acquisition of territories. Today the person who knew about all the harsh histories, and be able to ignore the learning, then I think that this would be called ignorance. But how do we see ignorance playing out today? Can we really fool individuals or mass populations? I don't think we can or should. It's no longer that easy. But what we see happening today is the use of power or law, and how these are manipulated for power to govern at the national and international level.

     For example: If we know of the many human rights of populations that are presented in the form of documents and declarations, from organizations such as the United Nations (UN), to claim rights that have been denied, this requires initiatives from the individuals that are affected. But how are communities even aware of these rights, who can't even read or write? Or even know that their rights have been denied? Should this responsibility also be carried out by organizations? The could happen, but I think we have reached a place where we could even go a step further, where there is national recognition of human rights, and rights that were denied or taken away historically. 

    These thoughts are derived from the idea of shared spaces. Where we view a nation as a shared space. Land that can and should be enjoyed and looked after by all those who reside in them. Whilst also preserving historical aspects. Recognizing how territories and lands were claimed was not always right or the best way. 

     These thoughts can also be transferred to the lands, nation of America, the relationship with the indigenous America, Spanish America, Afro-American America, and all the minority and majority populations that exist within. A nation as a shared space can be thought through the lens of people who existed in America, and also individuals who arrived through immigration, and migration. Of course laws have been put in place to give certain labels, and rights to the status of a person within a land, but to look above and beyond these would be to think from the perspective of the nation-state as a shared space. 

    If we were to continue the harsh histories at present day, as a form to create divisions and hate, then we are also at a loss. Recognizing harsh history does not mean that we use these to hate. These should serve to acknowledge, respect, create awareness, preservations so that they are not repeated. These thoughts are for those who have been affected with these histories, that in a sense are a cause of generational trauma, such as slavery and colonization. 

     These thoughts are also for the colonial world, or those that we see in power today, not only so that there are elements to respect the harsh histories, but also to recognize how territories or lands were acquired was not always the best way. Rather than using the word indebted, we could think about assimilations. Creating equal shared spaces, even in terms of how societies, nations are governed. Rather than use power that is created from human made law to further create power relations, but to give rights. Give what was lost, and heal from the past. 

Further Reading: 
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*America's few Latino civil rights monuments languish, forgotten and decaying

*The True Story of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond—And Why the British Won’t Give It Back

*UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :) 

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand written on October 17th, 2018.
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