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e67 wanna be an ally
Season 3 Episode 67
- 'I've been thinking about decolonization and reconciliation and other issues in our relations with indigenous communities. I was reading the 'wanna be an ally' poem the other day that really affected me positively but also emotionally and I wanted to read it to you.'
Claude Schryer, Duhamel QC
Transcription of monologue
conscient podcast, episode 67, ‘wanna be an ally’ I've been thinking about decolonization and reconciliation and other issues in our relations with indigenous communities. I was reading a text the other day that really affected me positively but also emotionally and I wanted to read it to you. If you remember last episode, I talked about the idea of radical listening. Well, this is a type of radical listening in the sense that each of these words are, I think very meaningful and important for us all to consider. It's from a document called Towards Braiding by Elwood Jimmy and Vanessa. Andreotti written in collaboration with Sharon Stein and it's published by the Musagetes Foundation. I'd like to start by thanking them all for this a very important document that essentially talks about how to and proposes how to engage indigenous and non-indigenous relations in an institutional setting and, principles and methods, to consider. It's very well-written and I recommend a strongly as something to read and something to do, but for now, I'll just read this poem, on page 39 of the document and, and leave it at that for today because, it's already a lot to consider and as we listen more radically, that means just sitting back and listening with our full attention and openness of mind. So here it is.
- don’t do it for charity, for feeling good, for looking good, or for showing others that you are doing good
- don’t do it in exchange for redemption from guilt, for increasing your virtue, for appeasing your shame, for a vanity award
- don’t put it on your CV, or on Facebook, or in your thesis, don’t make it part of your brand, don’t use it for self-promotion
- don’t do it as an excuse to keep your privileges, to justify your position, to do everything except what would be actually needed to change the terms of our relationship
- do it only if you feel that our pasts, presents and futures are intertwined, and our bodies and spirits entangled
- do it only if you sense that we are one metabolism that is sick, and what happens to me also happens to you
- do it recognizing that you have the luxury of choice to participate or not, to stand or not, to give up your weekend or not, whereas others don’t get to decide
- don’t try to “mould” me, or to “help” me, or to make me say and do what is convenient for you
- don’t weaponize me (“I couldn’t possibly be racist”) don’t instrumentalize me (“my marginalized friend says”) don’t speak for me (“I know what you really mean”)
don’t infantilize me (“I am doing this for you”) - don’t make your actions contingent on me confiding in you, telling you my traumas, recounting my traditions, practicing your idea of “right” politics, or performing the role of a victim to be saved by you or a revolutionary that can save you
- and expect it to be, at times, incoherent, messy, uncomfortable, difficult, deceptive, paradoxical, repetitive, frustrating, incomprehensible, infuriating, boring and painful — and prepare for your heart to break and be stretched
- do you still want to do it?
- then share the burdens placed on my back, the unique medicines you bring, and the benefits you have earned from this violent and lethal disease
- co-create the space where I am able to do the work that only I can and need to do for all
Published on 4 years, 2 months ago