Philosophy
Social Issues
Cultural studies
Indigenous Peoples
indigenous rights
Assimilation
cultural identity
Indigenous Identity
Mixed Ancestry
In 1978, Native philosopher Fausto Reinaga (Quechua-Aymara) called on Mestizos (assimilated Natives) to return to their Indigenous identity. Too many have yet to hear his call 𧡠1/
In his book "El Pensamiento AmaΓΊtico" (Amautic Thought), Reinaga writes a dialogue in which a Mestizo and Indian man speak. While Mestizo means "mixed-blood", Mestizos believe their assimilated thinking and the bit of White ancestry they have makes them White in Latin America. 2/
The dialogue begins with the line "The Mestizo asks the Indian: 'Do you love you chains?'" The Indian replies "you don't have chains?" The Mestizo says no b/c he's European now. But when asked what Europe thinks of him, the Mestizo says "Europe repels me...due to my mixedness" 3/
The Indian asks his Mestizo brother clearly "Why don't you come with me?" But the Mestizo answers "I hate my Indian origin." The Indian replies that they both have chains so "why don't we give each other a hand and win our freedom together?" But the Mestizo rejects it. 4/
The Indian says "why do we have different names? If both of us are from the land and have a common mother, the Indian woman?" But the Mestizo answers that one's thinking makes the person and "my way of thinking is not Indian thought. My way of thinking is White thought." 5/
The Indian tells the Mestizo to face reality "your conduct is indecent servitude. Europe rejects you yet you idolize it." But the Mestizo can only reply "it is my destiny" by which the Indian man is furious saying "fatalism destroys. I rebel against Europe, I want my freedom" 6/
The Mestizo is scared to rebel and screams he'll lose. But the Indian proclaims "No! Europe has arrived to its sunset. Europe is dying. And Tawantinsuyu (The Inca Empire) is eternal. I will be free!" Indian culture is eternal, not the assimilation Europe used to make Mestizos. 7/
This dialogue of a story of how the invitation to reconnect with one's indigeneity is always open, but decolonizing the mind is necessary to overcome the self-hate and "White thought" that Mestizos carry. But Reinaga is clear, Mestizos should become Indian again and decolonize 7/
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