This small group originated from those who wished to become more self-educated and engaged as allies in the work of understanding the processes and consequences of a pattern of genocidal oppression directed at the original inhabitants in our area of NYS by colonists who "discovered" the land we live on, and as integral to the larger US context. 

 

(See the legal history of the Doctrine of Discovery by Native lawyer, Steven Newcomb: The Doctrine of Domination [Video]) 

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To do this, initially we delved into the privilege that is conferred on white euro-centric people at birth, its consequences in the form of a virtually uninterrupted assault on indigenous culture, land, wealth, lives and living conditions that continue unabated to this day. Out of this beginning, and our self-education, each of us found our own ways to engage with this history and engage with our individual paths to action. We have evolved into a support group for each other as we each find our ways forward. 

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We invite you to join us as we continue to unpack the invisible knapsack of white privilege and the impact of colonization as we "make it personal".   

 

Another excellent resource to consider in beginning this inner work process is provided by Tema Okun, who wrote a profound article called Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture (which is now a brilliant website about dismantling white supremacy). Other materials that we used to ground us include A Guide to Allyship and the Onondaga-designed poster, "How to be an Ally to Indigenous People".

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It is our responsibility to educate ourselves, through reading books and narratives that indigenous communities themselves embrace as true stories and authentic accounts, such as An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, or Braiding Sweetgrass, Gathering Moss, and The Serviceberry, all books by Robin Wall Kimmerer.​

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While such background is important, we move forward in our group not by focusing on a direct study of Native American culture, but on ourselves. As we have deeply immersed ourselves in inner, along with “outer” work, we have become more equipped with tools to take on the forces, presumptions and attitudes in ourselves as well as in our broader culture; and ready to deeply appreciate the indigenous cultures that have been ground under the heel of domination, and indigenous cultures’ steadfastness and endurance under that onslaught.

 

We desire, long-term, to create a dialogue or partnership with local as well as other indigenous communities we have discovered relevant to our personal histories, as allies.

 

We understand that the problem to be solved is not something we will learn from native communities, but one that lies within each of us, waiting to be discovered. This is our work to do, preparing ourselves for authentic engagement.
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For more information,
contact Sue Staropoli at suestar1@rochester.rr.com.

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