We were walking in the landscape,
friendly as you like,
sharing thoughts and plans and stuff when
BOOM!
a landmine went off under my foot!
Feelings everywhere!
I wondered, ‘What on EARTH happened there?’
Why didn't they warn me?
I wasn't exploring for landmines.
It was just a chat!
Walking in landscapes is not much fun at times.
Feelings everywhere!
Hmph.
—-----------------
I am attempting to describe here the challenges of friendship when we talk about things that really matter from the perspective of our different emotional landscapes.
I’d like to invite friends to explore the topic of ‘Decolonising Ourselves’ while holding our ‘emotional landmines’ with curiosity, care and openness. I was recently introduced to a wonderful resource for this by the Quaker Racial Justice Network. It explores the ways in which our Western culture avoids, silences, and dismisses conversations around this through false assumptions about our sameness. Unfortunately, the beauty and strength of our individuality often gets lost in this process.
A few of us are hoping to hold spaces for such conversations as part of the Earthcare Gathering. If you are interested, please look out for sessions called ‘Decolonising Ourselves Open Book Group’. Significantly, we have support from Esther Xosei, Reparations Specialist and Executive Director of the Maangamizi Educational Trust.
The group is reading and discussing the online book, (divorcing) White Supremacy Culture. https://whitesupremacyculture.info
Afrikan Heritage communities have been working in this area for many years and I am hoping this will be a first step on a pathway towards Planet Repairs*.
Perhaps ‘Decolonising Ourselves’ could also be described this way: “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it, and embrace them” (Rumi).
* The definition of ‘Planet Repairs’ is the interconnection of cognitive, reparatory, and environmental justice. For more information please visit the website of the Maangamizi Educational Trust https://www.maangamizitrust.org/
Jo Cooper