15 ways to decolonize your thinking
Whether we like it or not, we (white people), exist in a society that favours white people, at the expense of Indigenous people. And while action is needed at the government level, it still takes each and every one of us to create real change.
Here is a list of 15 ways to decolonize your thinking and contribute towards real change.
Start by choosing between one and three from the list below. Once you feel you have them fully implemented in your life, come back and choose another.
NOTE: several of the following, are suggestions from Bob Joseph’s 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act, (Appendix 4). I highly recommend you read Joseph’s book.
Understand that the western way of being is not the only way.
Read books by Indigenous authors, starting with: The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King, 21 Things You Didn’t Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph, any novel by Richard Wagamese.
Learn the Indigenous names for where you live and work.
Learn some greetings such as “hello” and “thank you” in the Indigenous language local to you, which you can respectfully use when engaging with a local Indigenous person. (Bonus points if you can teach your friends!)
Attend an Indigenous film festival, music festival, and support Indigenous made films and music via the National Film Board of Canada and Spotify.
Attend or volunteer at a National Indigenous Peoples Day event.
Attend or support Indigenous community events.
Donate books by Indigenous authors to school libraries.
Ask your teachers whether they include curriculum related to residential schools and the Indian Act.
Donate sports equipment to remote Indigenous communities, or your time to coach Indigenous sports teams in your communities.
Ensure you only buy authentic Indigenous art.
Buy food from an Indigenous food truck or Indigenous-owned restaurant.
Support efforts to stop inappropriate usage of Indigenous imagery for mascots.
Speak up when you observe, and never take part in cultural appropriation.
Speak up when you hear somebody making offensive remarks about Indigenous Peoples.
