Indigenous Peoples. Anti-Colonialism and International Allies

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G Indigenous Perspectives and Methodologies

Indigenous Peoples. Anti-Colonialism and International Allies

Event Details

Date

V. Friday, 12th September, 08:30-10:30
Location
M1053
Theme
G Indigenous Perspectives and Methodologies

Convenor

Jonathan Crossen (UiT The Arctic University of Norway)

Commentator

Otso Kortekangas (Åbo Akademi University)

Chair

Otso Kortekangas (Åbo Akademi University)

Panelists

Johan Kihlert (Uppsala University)
Jonathan Crossen (UiT The Arctic University of Norway)
Katri Somby (Sami Parliament of Norway)
Reetta Humalajoki (University of Turku)

Papers

Johan Kihlert

Chasing away the colonial ghost: Sámi anti-colonial thought as a part of a global postcolonial intellectual tradition in the 1970’s and 1980’s

Chasing away the colonial ghost: Sámi anti-colonial thought as a part of a global postcolonial intellectual tradition in the 1970’s and 1980’s

In the 1970’s an increasingly large amount of Sámi anti-colonial critiques entered the public spheres of the Nordic states. Whilst Sámi anti-colonial writings can be traced to at least the dawn of the 20th century this period saw a surge in such publications. Influenced by local and global events such as the protests of 1968 and the growing movement of indigenous internationalism, these works placed Sámi issues in a global context. This paper will explore these anti-colonial works as part of a global indigenous anti-colonial intellectual tradition. The works that are studied range from political manifestos and anthologies to newspaper op-eds and programmatic documents issued by Sámi organisations. With these writings as the primary source material, and similar critiques from other indigenous contexts as a point of comparison, the central questions of this study are: How is colonialism understood? What are believed to be its causes and remedies? How can these indigenous understandings of colonialism be related to the wider field of post-colonial studies at the same period? This investigation will contribute to a global history of indigenous and post-colonial intellectual traditions by paying close attention to a rich tradition which is seldom placed in global conversations; Sámi anti-colonial thought.
Jonathan Crossen

Collapse or Transition: The Decline of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples

Collapse or Transition: The Decline of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples

In early 1997, just a few years after the completion of the Draft United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the first global Indigenous-run organization fell out of existence. Since its foundational meeting in 1975, the World Council of Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) had helped coordinate Indigenous peoples and bring their voices to key international bodies like the United Nations and the International Labour Organization. While its rise to global prominence has been well charted, its slow, faltering demise remains largely unexamined. This paper will use archival evidence and interviews to explain both the proximate and distal causes of the WCIP’s final collapse, including the struggles of its key member organizations; the differing visions found on its final executive council; the challenges of financial support; the impact of the 1992 Kari Oca Indigenous Peoples Conference (a side event to the Rio Earth Summit); and the attraction of the United Nations sponsored organizations which came to supplant its claims of representation. This investigation will shed light on the challenges of autonomy for international organizations particularly when weighed against the relative advantages of direct representation at the United Nations.
Katri Somby

The development of diplomatic professionalism of the early Indigenous movement

The development of diplomatic professionalism of the early Indigenous movement

My paper will investigate the process of Indigenous solidarity meeting diplomatic professionalism within the early Indigenous movement from the midst of the 1970s and onward. Simultaneously with the establishment of World Council of Indigenous Peoples, many Indigenous peoples were searching for formal representation within the United Nations. This created somewhat awkward dynamics which need to be discussed. Indigenous peoples were trying to maneuver themselves within old structures based on mainly national states at the same time work was ongoing with the UN Study of the Problem of Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations (Martínez Cobo Report). The Sámis were very early in this process compared to many other Indigenous peoples, but the inexperience in meeting with other Indigenous groups would, after a time of confusion, eventually lead to them becoming more professional by some lived experiences within the Indigenous movement.
Reetta Humalajoki

"Established at the Request of the Indians": Finnish Solidarity with Native American and Sami Rights in the 1970s and 1980s

"Established at the Request of the Indians": Finnish Solidarity with Native American and Sami Rights in the 1970s and 1980s

Several European organizations in support of Native North and South American rights were founded in the 1970s in support of the growing international movement for Indigenous rights. Most of these organizations were established in countries far removed from Indigenous peoples themselves. Finland – alongside the other Nordic countries – was an exception. Finncomindios, founded in 1977 as a branch of the Swiss organization Incomindios, aimed at “making known the history, cultures and current situation of South and North American indigenous peoples, as well as supporting the activities of these peoples in defending their rights and protecting their cultures.” This paper will examine the founding and first decade of Finncomindios through the organization’s newsletter, oral history interviews with former members, and contemporary media reports. What motivated Finns to work in solidarity specifically with Native Americans and in what ways was this solidarity carried out? What role did “Indianthusiasm” or the romanticization of North American Indigenous peoples and cultures play within this work and in what ways did it impact members’ views of indigeneity? To what extent did Finncomindios engage with issues of Sámi rights and build relationships with Sámi activists? Through the case-study of Finncomindios, this paper will explore the goals, achievements, and limitations of European transnational solidarity work for Indigenous rights.

Abstract

This panel will focus on late twentieth-century history and the complex relationships between Indigenous political leaders and intellectuals, Indigenous and non-Indigenous international organizations, and the broader context of anti-colonial thought and activism. During this time period, a loose coalition of community leaders, activists, and academics has advocated not only for better treatment of Indigenous peoples at the local and national level, but also for global recognition of Indigenous peoples’ rights, including the right to self-determination. Presenters will discuss how this movement has transcended state borders, united a wide range of actors, and employed a diversity of strategies and tactics to achieve its goals. Papers will offer a critical examination of non-Indigenous attempts to support the movement as well as Indigenous peoples’ incorporation of the concepts of anti-colonialism and transnational cooperation to advance their cause. This panel will weave together papers around the themes of Indigenous perspectives, global history and decoloniality, and Nordic colonialism. The panel features scholars at different career stages, and with varied nationalities and institutional affiliations. (Tromsø) will present on the decline of the first global Indigenous NGO, the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. Reetta Humalajoki (Turku) will examine the work of a Finnish Indigenous-solidarity organization and its relationships with various elements of Finnish society. Johan Kihlert (Uppsala) will examine Sámi anti-colonial thought in the broader context of global and Indigenous anti-colonialism. Katri Somby (Tromsø / Sámi Parliament of Norway) will explore the relationship between Sámi efforts to develop their diplomatic professionalism, in relation to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous international organizations.