TAKING
BACK
TKARONTO
In order for oppressive spaces to continue to be decolonized, there needs to be key principles and methodologies implemented in the work being done.
In order for protesting tactics to continue to be successful, the principle of showing instead of telling will go a long way in being taken seriously.
Also, putting the targets in a decision dilemma can speed up the process of them coming to a conclusion. This principle works in hand with the one mentioned above.
Further Explanation
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This principle is crucial for movements to continue to impact systemic, systematic, and institutional spaces. The ways in which this principle can be integrated into all realms of each movement is continuing to use visuals and repetitive phrases for consistency across all movements across Canada, and even the globe (Beautiful Trouble 2021). There are many ways in which visuals can be represented in Indigenous movements from showing up in a cultural dress, protesting using signs, music, and overall any art forms. A consistent form of visual cue for example is the red-painted hand across the face, which speaks on a metaphoric level of being in solidarity with the missing and murdered Indigenous women across North America. Visual cues like such do not tell an audience what to think, rather connotate from the visual cues in order to come to terms with the tactics and reasons operating in the movement.
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Toronto, ON
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Show, Don't Tell
The rhetorical value of keeping this principle progressing through all protests, creative disruptions, and overall integrating into expanding the movement is that these visual cues become axiomatic to the messages being conveyed to the point that textual support is no longer needed. Also, most of the issues that are being addressed are far too large and abstract for audiences, bodies of government and ally's to fully comprehend only through speech and text. Involving the practice of this principle allows for more discourse and coverage around the issues. Visual cues are also rhetorically powerful in our contemporary society because of the increase of digital activism and digital organization. In order for a greater number of people to understand the messages being addressed there needs to be consistency in the visuals as well.
This principle has been successfully implemented in both the protests surrounding the unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools and the toppling of statues of Egerton Ryerson, Queen Victoria and, Elizabeth II. There are physical cues in the harm that these individuals have done and speak to a larger issue that keeping them as monuments of our nation continues to create colonial and oppressive spaces for Indigenous folks. There is a far larger narrative that is being addressed, and reconciliation can only be done through destroying the very systems that perpetuate euro-centric values. Conveying both values and the message of being sick and tired of a white supremacist nation.
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Decision Dilemma
The principle of putting the targets in a decision dilemma is a key factor operating in both the occasions being discussed in the work being done section (Beautiful Trouble 2021​).. The reason is because of the amount of disruption that these protests and actions have caused puts pressure on government officials to take a number of actions. First being, addressing the concerns in which are being protested and taking ownership as a nation for being responsible for residential schools in Canada. Second, dismantling the systems that perpetuate racially unequal spaces for indigenous communities, in the form of renaming and funding NGOs. The immediate decision dilemma for these officials is not to react but to respond, respond in a manner of reconciliation.
Expanding on this principle in the creative disruption of dismantling the statues, there is an immediate fear that officials feel from protesters and the gravity of their actions. In actuality, this allows all resources to be used to the advantage of the protesters from media outlets, power in numbers, dismantling the pillars of powers that the systems have an overall not leaving until the demands are met. This principle can be seen operating in other movements such as the Farmer's Protest.
The rhetorical value of this principle is staying true to the intention and goals of the movement. There is a sense of urgency and awareness which surrounds this principle. Protesters use visual cues to establish urgency and seriousness, and toppling statues that are representative of government bodies metaphorically speaks to the dismantling of these systems. Overall this means that the movements aren't meaninglessly moving forward with their demands, there is a consistent set of discourse that ensures that issues surrounding indigenous communities continued to be addressed. There is also a lot of pathos and ethos operating in this principle because protesters become emotionally invested in getting their voices heard, and media outlets allow for the protesters to serve as ethical perspectives as they are the ones doing the groundwork which consequently reasons their motives.
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The major methodology operating in this movement is pillars of power. These movements have effectively established their target(s) and their support in order to weaken and disrupt their power channels (Beautiful Trouble 2021​).. What's significant of this methodology being implemented into these tactics is that the foundation becomes disrupted and the oppressive regimes and status quo's that they hold need to be investigated to continue to reduce their powers. In the instance of toppling Egerton Ryerson's statue, this put the university in a decision dilemma and ultimately disrupted the pillar of power that the institutional name held. Thus, the institution was forced to implement a task force in order to change the name and ultimately withdraw further oppressive foundations in course content, owning up to the historical past of these praised figures, etc. The education system holds its power over culture and popular opinion, and now that Indigenous movements are beginning to appeal to these systems (and other communities in allyship) the popular culture and opinion are changing hence, the education systems are continuing to adapt to the goals of these movements. This methodology is rhetorically effective in these movements and occasions because as the power in numbers increase, so does the pressure on official powers to act on their promises of change and equity. Another pillar of power affected by these movements is the media. Historically, Indigenous communities were invisible, including their identities and struggles. The continuous efforts of members of the Indigenous community allow for media outlets to properly address the community issues and shed a light on colonial systems which oppress the community in our contemporary society. This includes the poor living conditions in reserves, explains the erased histories of Indigenous folks through art, knowledge sharing practices, and protests.
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What's important to note is that these movements cannot be done without adequate strategic planning. There are still intentional motives, goals, and aspirations which need to be communicated in an orderly fashion for direct action to take place. There isn't individuality, there is only collective action for real disruption, and a pillar of power to be dismantled. As Janaya Khan discusses in Until we are Free, "An effective direct action has a clear demand (or demands) that is meant to create leverage to meet the goals outlined by movement leaders (Janaya Khan 118). The occasions of protesting to unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools and changing the institutional system of Ryerson University have clear motives and are consequently all on the same page in order to create change.
This history taught of Indigenous communities. Change and evolve from the colonial euro-centric narratives being told in our history books.
Changing the narrative painted of being Indigenous in Canada.
The Canadian government's relationship with Indigenous communities in reserves and steps forward for proper reconciliation such as canceling Canada Day.
Closing Thoughts
In this short audio clip, I prompt some self-reflecting questions I asked myself during this project as an ally of the Indigenous community.