By the 1700s indentured servitude had largely been displaced by the enslavement of Africans; and this is how Whiteness was born …
It was a tool to justify the enslavement of an entire continent of people and cultures; their heritage pillaged, and their descendants put into service for an entity which can never truly know it self.
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/indentured-servants-in-colonial-virginia/
I don’t hate white people, and while I don’t generally care for whiteness, I do not hate it … I do hate what is has done to me, my family and my community though.
Hate the sin, not the sinner, right?
Whiteness has intentionally obscured whole populations, their connection with our planet and their heritage. While it does matter, as these connections are more than just the stories of elders;
Yes the stories of our elders our of incredible importance; and to comprehend them takes more than ears, minds or hearts.
Their stories are but mist rising from the land … and I’m talking about a connection with the air, the trees and streams.
Whiteness took beauty, diversity, excellence and tragedy, mushed it all together into a horrifically ambiguous ball of nothingness; an all consuming void, gobbling up what cultures it can. Repackaging the artifacts and selling them back to us at a premium.
What can web3 community do ?!?
I can only speak on indigeneity, personally, which, in my personal estimation, is tied intrinsically to the land. The land is where all things begin and end.
What is the web3 community doing ?
Conversations are happening daily around the environment; and while their may be much sincerity, progress, and process, need to be more clearly conveyed and publicized? imo
Culturally … we’re still scratching surfaces, while being incredibly powerful; which makes us more dangerous than not.
This is a long road of both personal and cultural reconciliation. It started before our lifetime, and will continue after we have passed. Personally, I think I am only just beginning to comprehend that sentiment, enough to truly enact the walk it requires.
Rules for Engagement with Indigenous Communities and People
Rule #1: Do not assume association at first appearance. Rule #2: Do not deny association at first appearance.
Contemporary tribal governance is like many other governance systems, fraught with obstacles and disparities. This does not make it any better or worse; it simply is, and therefore needs to not be observed by outsiders, in reality. It’s not for us.
The consequence is that not all individuals may be formally connected to their tribes.
Though really this is about energy; I wish I could tell you, look for this, that and the other thing. If it passes the test, then it’s definitely indigenous …
It takes time and patience; it takes relationships, in-person and informal. It takes sharing and knowing each other’s community … but this road can only truly begin once one has been able to root, process and embrace their own energy. I do believe that it starts with the land; and that is where it ends as well. And this is good.
Rule #3: It’s not yours.
None of it, blood quantum does not make it one’s culture, nor one’s tradition; ergo rules #1 & #2.
Can it become one’s adopted culture/tradition? Absolutely! And that takes time, lots of time; while it also depends on each individual tribe and people.
For those of us on the outside, who wish to engage, or support, discernment becomes the lead mantle placed upon our head. Regardless of what you’ve been gifted, or been told, no matter if you’ve been ordained by whomever. This does not make you who, nor what, you are everyday hence forth; your actions in reverence, and respect, for the land, and her children, does.
If this is the path you want to follow, to speak of, learn from, explore and engage, indigenous ideas, I think, you first need to ask yourself, what are you doing in your daily life to fight the declination of the environment, and the genocide of First Nations & indigenous children, mothers, fathers, elders and communities ?
Indigenous people are on the frontlines of these issues, and while giving money may feel good -- when blindly given without discernment, it can also do INCREDIBLE harm.
It is incumbent upon those of us who wish to help, or support, to be very cognizant of this. So to echo the title of a once-popular show, we need to learn how to curb our enthusiasm.
Or to put it into web3 terms, getting rugged in this arena often means many others are being harmed, and more than just financially. While you may be financing the harm!
To combat this, the first step is to become conscious in your own life, and in your own daily actions; what can you do, what are you doing, to engage your space and community for Pachamama, and the indigenous people (as well as others) on the frontlines of her habitability for us all ?!?
And I think that’s really all I have to say for now … There are so many pernicious avenues that can be discussed; how whiteness, beyond skin-tone, rather in attitude and perspective, gets replicated. At times out of necessity, or other times due to opportunity.
The best we can do is better comprehend our own little puzzle piece, in all of its features and foibles; learn to love our little puzzle piece, exploring how it can fit with other pieces and communities to create living tapestries, and more.
Disclaimer, I’ve talked a lot of difficult truths/opinions, and I’ve also made enough mistakes to shake a few sticks at … I’m happy to talk about it all ~~ and for those who subscribe, I might start doing some tell-all’s, because there are many lessons to still be learned.
These conversations are in fact also why I love ecodao, we are building in ways that are conscious not of success or failure, but of each other; in loose coordination through communication building collective growth through individual evolution.
And in part, that is why I wanted to write this piece; I’ve said some fantastic shit! And like Brantley, I’m not inclined to backdown from it. Much of it, I would view in retrospect as poetry meant as a landmark to a moment. Each moment a culmination of those before it; though some perhaps more reflective than others.
So is this me covering me ass ?
Not exactly, rather me beginning what I hope to be a continuing conversation:
So was this all one big sales pitch ?!?
I don’t really have anything to sell you immediately is the problem …
I will; I am building things, because I don’t want to just critique … I want to create what I think could be better, and then we will see it is actually could be.
Here’s a link to the start of that work:
https://mirror.xyz/canin.eth/b8upRfGbZsO9EIbqGVKc75ipvDYRGsI84vSUY9l9jXA
And if you’d like to become involved, I’m building methods via NFTs to make that process aligned with the values I’ve previously espoused and the ones into which I hope to grow.
My own story is intertwined with whiteness, and hatred cannot be welcome in these spaces if those present are to grow in love; which is my aim, as there is also a child involved. I am obligated to find paths that lead to love.
Thanks for readin’, I hope these words could be helpful, or something like that.
If you’d like to continue the conversation immediately, I’m available via Twitter; otherwise, you are welcome to join the Discord.
peaces,
c.