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Final project Postcolonial and decolonial encounters
13
Travelling through decolonisation
Aurore Petit
The overview picture
This picture was taken in the Death Valley in California the 19/08/2018 when I was doing a road trip across the United State.
When I began to think of my project, I visualised myself crossing a long path through the subject of decolonisation, and it made me think to a detail of this trip : roads.
They are full of ups and dows, turns and backs, surrounded by aride vegetation suffering from drought. When you embark on this road, you do not really know what you are heading as well as you can not ask for help at any time in case of emergency. You are on your own, in this desert filled with unknown at every turn. With the only landmarks of mountains guiding you as institutions do with decolonisation, but you do not really know if they are helping. And at the time you begin this road, you do not have so many choices. Just go on, embrasing the eventuality with vulnerability and the sensation of being lost everywhere.
With the process of decolonisation, people followed ans still follow the same path for years.
That is why I decided to choose this picture.
Now, let me introduced my project...
Introduction
Navigating this road requires an acknowledgment of both the successes and the struggles. It demands a collective commitment to addressing historical injustices, dismantling systemic inequalities, and fostering a space where diverse voices and perspectives can flourish.
This is an ongoing journey where each bump represents a choice - to confront the challenges head-on, to learn from the past, and to pave the way for a more equitable and liberated future.
The highs signify moments of progress - instances where communities assert their autonomy, reclaim their narratives, and witness the gradual dissolution of oppressive systems. These peaks represent resilience, resistance, and the triumph of self-determination.
The road of decolonization is akin to a journey with bumps, embodying the nuanced terrain of dismantling colonial structures, reflecting the complexities inherent in the process.
Conversely, the lows on this road symbolize the challenges and setbacks encountered during decolonization. They embody the resistance from entrenched structures, the persistence of colonial legacies, and the uphill battle against ingrained power dynamics. The lows serve as reminders of the formidable obstacles that persist on the journey to true liberation.
The emergence of a new world
In the echoes of history's whispered tales,
Colonial footprints, like scars, leave trails.
A past of subjugation, a present to unbind,
Decolonization, the anthem of humankind.
Poem : Unraveling Chains
The soil remembers the weight of foreign boots,
Roots intertwined in the struggle for truth.
But beneath the oppression, resilience grows,
Seeds of freedom the wind softly sows.
For every story erased...
A symphony of voices rises in the air,
A cacophony of cultures, a collective prayer.
Post-colonial echoes in vibrant hues...
In the dance of languages, let tongues be free
In the dance of languages...
Unravel the maps drawn by the conqueror's hand,
Sketch your own boundaries, a reclaiming of land.
From the embers of resistance, a phoenix takes flight,
Wings of liberation embrace the light.
Decolonize the mind, unshackle the thought,
A revolution of consciousness, arising from the
depths of hearts.
For every story erased, let a thousand unfold
In the corridors of power, let fair and uncorrupted
justice prevail,
Let the winds of change set an egalitarian sail.
No longer defined by chains of the past,
The future awaits, so vast.
In the dance of the free, in the song of the wise,
Decolonize hearts, a global transition, where
every soul flies.
La naissance du Tiers-Monde
Premiers pas vers l'autodéter-mination
Résolution de l’ONU sur le droit des peuples à disposer d'eux-mêmes (1952)
"Les Etats membres de Organisation doivent reconnaître et favoriser la réalisation, en ce qui concerne les populations des territoires sous tutelle placés sous leur administration, du droit des peuples à disposer d'eux mêmes et doivent faciliter l'exercice de ce droit aux peuples de ces territoires, compte de l'esprit et des principes de la Charte des Nations Unies en ce qui concerne chaque territoire et de la volonté librement exprimée des populations intéressées, la volonté de la population étant déterminée par voie de plébiscite ou par d'autres moyens démocratiques reconnus, de préférence sous l'égide des Nations Unies."
Les deux Grands soutenant le processus de décolonisation
USA & URSS
"Nous n'avons pas oublié que nous fûmes la première colonie a arracher l'indépendance. Nous n'avons donné de chèque en blanc à aucune puissance coloniale. Notre conviction est que la transition du statut colonial à l'autonomie doit être menée à une complète réalisation."
D'après JF. Dulles, Secrétaire d'Etat des Etats-Unis, déclaration du 18 novembre 1953
Contexte de décolonisation
La mort du complexe d’infériorité
L’affirmation sur la scène internationale
Translation : My India is great
Indépendance et coopération franco-africaine, affiche 1962
La conférence de Bandung, 1955, Indonésie
“Bandung a été le point de mire, la capitale, devrais-je dire, de l'Asie et de l'Afrique. Nous avons été distancés dans la course du monde mais nous sommes résolus à rattraper notre retard. Nous sommes résolus à n'être d'aucune façon dominés par aucun pays, par aucun continent. Nous sommes de grands pays du monde et nous voulons vivre libres sans recevoir d'ordres de personne. Nous attachons de l'importance à l'amitié des grandes puissances, mais, à l'avenir, nous ne coopérerons avec elles que sur un pied d'égalité. Nous élevons notre voix contre le colonialisme dont beaucoup d'entre nous ont souffert pendant longtemps. Et c'est pourquoi nous devons veiller à ce qu'aucune autre forme de domination ne nous menace. Nous voulons être amis avec l'Ouest, avec l'Est, avec tout le monde.”
Le réveil de l'Asie et de l'Afrique
D'après Nehru, président du parti du congrès en Inde, discours de clôture de la conférence.
Les défis de l’Inde indépendante
“Notre objectif premier et immédiat sera de mettre fin aux violences qui défigurent la cause de la liberté.” Nehru, 1947
Résistance des Peuples Colonisés
La conférence de Bandung exalte les droits fondamentaux des peuples colonisés et témoigne de leur force de résistance contre la domination européenne.
Algérie
Le poids du silence
Glorification de l'œuvre, déni des crimes
“Ma guerre à moi fut celle d'Algérie, alors qualifiée par les gouvernants “d'opérations de maintien de l’ordre” ! (...) En Algérie, les exactions nombreuses ont été commises honteusement, en contradiction avec nos principes fondamentaux et combattues tant dans la société civile qu'à moindre échelle dans l’armée ou l'administration française. (...) Or, les tortures ou actes de barbarie commis par l'adversaire ne peuvent justifier ni les déplacements de populations, ni les exécutions sommaires ou les viols, ni l’institutionnalisation de la torture au sein de l'armée d'un pays qui se proclame celui des droits de l'homme. (...) A mon retour, comme la plupart des appelés, je m'étais réfugié dans le silence.”
”Gyarmat” signifie “colonie” en hongrois
Revendiquer l'égalité en 1945
Ugo IANNUCI, Soldats dans les gorges, Palestro, Aléas, 2001
L'héritage colonial
“Le "Bon Nègre" est mort; les paternalistes doivent en faire leur deuil. Trois siècles de traite, un siècle d'occupation n'ont pu nous avilir, tous les catéchismes enseignés n'ont pu nous faire croire à notre infériorité. Nous voulons l'égalité dans la cité. Nous disons bien l'ÉGALITÉ.
Que l'Assemblée constituante [chargée de rédiger la Constitution de la IVème République] complète la Déclaration des droits de l'Homme en ajoutant à la liberté et à l'égalité celles des peuples et des races. Que la métropole laisse les autochtones eux-mêmes modifier leurs institutions. Que la justice soit la même pour les autochtones comme pour les Européens. Que le travail forcé sous quelque nom qu'on le déguise, soit supprimé.”
D'après L. S. Senghor, «Défense de l'Afrique noire», revue Esprit, 1er juillet 1945.
Poem
Tomorrow's Weave: Conscious Diversity Unbound
In a world without borders, what would change,
Except the demolition of unjustified and arranged suffering ?
Institutionalized pain, a justice that turns a blind eye,
To realities hidden, beneath the vast sky.
The Road Ahead
What horrifies me is the constant justification,
For those racialized people, foreign, a perpetual narration.
Who they are, what they bring to the land,
Always questioned, a demand they withstand.
Being white is not without its weight,
Confronting our privilege, a conscious debate.
Can I help, at my scale, accept who I am?
Carrying the colonial past, a national shame.
But me, I've never been asked, you see,
What I bring to France, no inquiry about me.
Because I'm French, my actions deemed fine,
More valid, excusable, in this arbitrary line.
Who I am physically shapes what they gather,
Data's reliability, their silence, the matter.
Influencing interpretations, a biased lens,
As if origin unveils all, the hows and whens.
The Unveiling Tapestry
But our origins are just a surface, a façade,
Not diving deeper, a perspective flawed.
Afraid to look behind their own masquerade,
Fearing what's hidden, a truth cascade.
Fear from ignorance to hatred may lead,
Yet explanations we still try to concede.
Frameworks of consciousness eager to be free,
Positionality—the key to understanding me.
Crossing boundaries of consciousness, to deconstruct,
Postcolonial world, a history to instruct.
Traumas linger, violence endured,
Repair, a challenge, if the culprits stay obscured.
Consciousness again, to ignore some, why?
To preserve privileges, and let inequalities fly.
Diversity in constructing a human entity,
Origins plural, the essence of humanity.
If differences scare, how to live in harmony?
A life equal and respectful, embracing diversity?
A discussion echoes, uniforms in schools debated,
But stripping cultural diversity, it's the young minds we've fated.
Growing, denying cultural roots at the start,
In a world shunning differences, breaking the heart.
Tolerance, is this the legacy we intend to bestow,
A fear of discovery, when a different world we show?
Positionality speaks, it's not about them, but us.
Understanding our roles, in a world robust.
How to feel legitimate, when the world's unaware?
It's time for new ways of being, a future to declare.
Beneath the Surface Veil
To build a society, diverse and profound,
Voices unheard, in futures studies found.
A universal language, inclusive and wide,
A journey towards pluralism, with nothing to hide.
Breaking Chains of Illumination: A Metaphor for Decolonization
The bulb, despite being confined, still emits light - a testament to the resilience and inherent strength within individuals even in the face of societal restrictions. This speaks to the potential for self-discovery and empowerment, a profound contemplation on liberation, autonomy, and the quest for self-determination, even within the limitations imposed by external forces of a system designed to subjugate.
A picture : Enlightened Reflections
The bulb, encased in the confines of the lamp, becomes symbolic of an individual ensnared by the chains of society, representing historical legacies, oppressive structures, and the remnants of the lingering effects of colonial structures. Despite the potential brilliance within, the unabled light mirrors the struggle for freedom from societal constraints, cultural impositions that continue to bind individuals and communities ; mirroring the broader aspirations of societies to break free from the shackles of colonial legacies.
Aurore Petit
This metaphor invites us to question the mechanisms that perpetuate such constraints. What societal structures, norms, or power dynamics contribute to the entrapment of individuals? How can the process of decolonization serve as a catalyst for dismantling these chains and fostering an environment where individuals can shine freely?
Ultimately, this picture opens to a reflexive examination of one's own positionality within the broader societal context. It prompts us to consider how we, as individuals, can contribute to the dismantling of oppressive structures, promote inclusivity, and actively engage in the ongoing process of decolonization. Just as the bulb yearns to break free and illuminate its surroundings, individuals strive to liberate themselves from societal constraints, contributing to a brighter and more equitable future.
Contemplating symbolic minerals representing Corsica, I find myself drawn to the notion of geological identity - a unique connection between a person and their place of origin. Minerals are repositories of stories, they seem to echo the character of its inhabitants. Each mineral mirrors the complexity of Corsican identity - a blend of history, tradition, and the indomitable spirit of its people.
Corsica, with its rugged landscapes and rich mineral diversity, becomes a metaphorical battleground for decolonization - a process not only of political liberation but also a reclaiming of cultural and geological sovereignty. Those minerals encapsulate the essence of Corsican pride, a silent tribute to a place that shapes one's roots. They act as geological witnesses to Corsica's indigenous heritage, standing resilient against external forces.
A picture : Beneath Corsica's Surface
Aurore Petit
As my friend in the picture, hailing from Corsica, carries the essence of these minerals, it becomes a personal journey of decolonization - a reaffirmation of cultural roots and a conscious effort to break free from narratives imposed by colonial histories.
The minerals serve as talismans of empowerment, reminding individuals of their right to define their own narrative and reconnect with the land on their own terms. They become agents of cultural resurgence, breaking away from narratives that may have sought to subjugate or erase indigenous identities. They link to Corsica's pre-colonial past, offering a pathway for its people to reclaim, celebrate, and preserve their cultural heritage.
Suggestions for further research
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