In recent posts I’ve mentioned that I was having a spiritual crisis as I prayed and thought about the many different things that occurred related to the construction of the Great Plains Action Society’s (GPAS) Urban Resilience and Innovation Hub (Hub) that have coalesced together into one chaotic mess.
I am excited about the Hub because I know what wonderful things will happen there based on my interactions with GPAS and its founder, my friend, Sikowis Nobiss.
Part of what I’ve been led to do is to spread the word about this Indigenous-led opportunity which allies can support. It is absolutely essential that decolonial efforts be Indigenous-led for several, interwoven reasons, primarily because these efforts are fundamentally about reclaiming sovereignty, restoring traditional knowledge, countering historical oppression, and building future systems that oppose colonial-capitalist structures, such as the Hub.
Allies must continuously center this leadership and watch ourselves that we don’t fall back into colonial patterns.
The first step in decolonial repair must be to find an Indigenous organization or person you can work with. My Quaker meeting has supported the annual Prairie Awakening/Prairie Awoke celebration for over a decade. That is an Indigenous-led opportunity for allies to support and learn about Indigenous ways.
Decolonial Repair Network
Almost two years ago Sikowis and Eric Anglada, a leader in the Catholic Worker movement in Wisconsin, specifically known for co-founding the St. Isidore Catholic Worker Farm created the Decolonial Repair Network (DRN). Several other Quakers are involved in the DRN, and I created to website for it.
We are a network of non-Native individuals, communities and organizations in Iowa and across the Midwest who strive to be good allies to Indigenous people through actively working to repair the harms of colonization in the Midwest. Our network currently organizes itself through monthly online calls, with the hope of future in person chapters throughout the Midwest.
We understand that the dominant white culture bears the primary responsibility for this immense damage, and therefore we believe that white people bear a particular responsibility to repair the harm. We recognize this truth while welcoming the unique perspective and collaboration of non-Native People of Color and committing to listen to the needs of Indigenous leadership. We understand that the work of repair is not only about healing damage done to Indigenous peoples and the land, but that it is also about healing ourselves.
We ask that those who join this network are willing to make the following commitments:
- Contributing ongoing financial support to Honor Native Land Fund, which supports the ReMatriation Fund of the Great Plains Action Society
- Regularly attending monthly learning and organizing calls on the first Wednesday of each month that will focus on learning Indigenous and colonial history, current issues facing Indigenous communities, engaging guest speakers (both Native and non-Native), healing, and networking
- Willingness to confront racism in all its forms, such as racist mascots and cultural appropriation
- Willingness to work to dismantle legal and cultural systems of white supremacy
- Inner transformation and healing the wounds of colonialism within
- Healing land in whatever places we inhabit
- As able, to show up when Indigenous leaders call for solidarity and support
Here is the recording of the launch of Honor Native Land Fund with Sikowis Nobiss and Shelley Buffalo. We hope that you all will start contributing and spreading the word in your networks.
Decolonial Repair Network
One of the main components of my spiritual distress is how disappointed I am that no one in my Quaker circles took advantage of this awesome opportunity to support the Hub-in any way. With funds or by showing up to help build it. To form or deepen interpersonal relationships. It was great that Scattergood Friends School is making connections to GPAS, such as hosting Phil and I at the school while we were working on the Hub.
I got to see Olivia in person when she came to help. Olivia is also part of the Decolonial Repair Network.
I’ve spent many hours thinking and praying about why it is so difficult to get people to engage in justice work. And Quakers, especially, need to do our part in decolonial repair.
Running out of time
The world seems to be spinning more out of control on so many levels. The part of all this that non Native people refuse to see is that for our own survival we need the wisdom, the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of Indigenous peoples to help us try to heal Mother Earth. That is one of the goals of the Hub.
You can sign up to join the Decolonial Repair Network on the website here:
https://decolonialrepairnetwork.blog/
