|
|
Re: Decolonizing anthropology
Todd N Nims (nimstod@MAIL.AUBURN.EDU)
Tue, 31 Jan 1995 12:38:43 -0600
On Mon, 30 Jan 1995, Biskowski, Marty (G) ANTHRO wrote:
> Proposal #4
>
> Reparations must be paid for the appropriation and destruction
> of Native American lives, land, and indigenous knowledge.
>
> I am all in favor of this, under the following conditions:
> (1) Native Americans promote the paying of reparations to those of Lithuanian
> descent (like myself) whose ancestors were denied their language and culture
> by Russians, and were, at various times, trashed by Mongols, Germans, and
> hosts of others.
> (2) Similar reparations be payed to every descendant of other cultural
> groups that have ever been abused by another (including various indigenous
> cultures that were extinguished by contact with other indigenous cultures).
>
> I suppose after embracing these tasks, we might all be clear on the
> difference between seeking justice and seeking advantage. I think my own
> effort at paying reparations for the wrongs done by my ancestors would be to
> waive payment of reparations for the wrongs done to them.
I have to agree. If people want to talk about reparations for
wrongs done to their people then I have a list a mile long. People may
as well face it, every group of people or culture on the face of this
planet has been screwed by somebody else at least once. But if people
still want the wrongs righted through reparations then Im very willing to
jump on to the bandwagon. There are a few governments that have lots of
money floating around and there are a few works of art in the Vatican
that would make my "pain" so much easier to bear.
Todd N. Nims
{nimstod@mallard.duc.auburn.edu}
Auburn University, AL
|