I am reading books by Glen Coulthard, a Deni scholar at U.B.C. and Dawn’s advisor on her PhD. He writes on “recognition”, drawing on Hegel’s idea that we receive our identities from the way others view us. He doesn’t like the notion of “recognition” of aboriginal rights as the keystone of the contemporary discourse. There are two forms of recognition, one in which there is a dominant entity, and a second where the entities are equal. He posits, I believe correctly, that when recognition flows from a dominant to a subservient entity, then negative self-images result - and that this is what has happened, and is happening, with regard to indigenous peoples as a result of the colonialist era. Hence, a continuation into the post-colonial era of negative self images for aboriginal people. I know my Tsilhqot’in friends don’t believe they, or their rights, need to be recognized because they already know who they are and their rights come from the creator and their origin legends, hence are endemic and inalienable. I’m with them.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 18:34:51 +0000