Mommy, Why Did He Call Me White?

Summer 2020

July 9-July 23 to read, listen, write:

*Listen:

First half hour (at least) of Ten Percent Happier #253: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/lama-rod-owens-253

*Read:

My Grandmothers Hands Chapter 4: (At least, the few chapters before and after are also VERY important, if you have the time!)

*Listen:

Scene on Radio, Seeing White Episodes 1-4

*Listen:

All My Relations Ep#9 https://www.allmyrelationspodcast.com/podcast/episode/491847a3/ep-9-can-our-ancestors-hear-us

*Practice:

BODY AND BREATH PRACTICE

From Chapter 3, My Grandmother’s Hands, by Resmaa Menakem

“Go to a quiet, comfortable place where you can be alone for about ten minutes. Sit down and take a few deep, slow breaths. Feel free to either close your eyes or leave them open.

You are about to invite the presence of an ancestor. You don’t know who this will be. You also don’t know how he or she will appear - as an image, a memory, a sensation in your body, an emotion, or a flow of energy. All you know is that this person lived at least 3 generations before you and died before you were born. They might be a great-grandparent or an ancestor from the distant past. You do not get to chose who this person will be; he or she will choose you.

Just sit quietly, following your breathing, and invite this unknown person into your presence.

Don’t plan to converse or interact with this ancestor. Don’t try to identify or figure out anything about him or her. Simply observe this person’s presence and notice how your body responds.

If your ancestor doesn’t appear quickly, that’s fine. Just continue sitting and breathing. Give the person up to five minutes to make an appearance.

If he or she appears as an image, what doe he or she look like? Is the person female or male? How old does he or she appear to be? What is he or she wearing? What expression is on his or her face?

Does your ancestor seem safe and settled? Happy? Fearful? Distressed? If your ancestor is moving, what is he or she doing? Is the person alone, or with a companion?

Whether your ancestor appears in an image or in some other form, how does your body experience his or her presence? Does it feel comforted? Welcomed? Loved? Relaxed? Wary? Afraid? Constricted? Does it want to move toward or away from your ancestor? Does your body want to touch or hold the person, or push him or her away?

When you are ready, thank your ancestor for visiting you. Then get up and continue your day.

If, at any time, your ancestor’s presence feels threatening, gently but firmly send him or her away. Then take a few slow, deep breaths to return yourself to the here and now. Orient yourself to the room by slowly looking around, especially behind you. If you still feel an uncomfortable presence, leave the room.”

*Talk on phone with a partner about:

*What was the experience for you of doing that practice?

*If your entire lineage is indigenous to the land you currently live on, what did your ancestors experience post colonization?

*If your entire lineage is not indigenous to this land, what did your ancestors experience before they immigrated here?

*Write:

*If you are a person targeted by racism or genocide, how has the myth of white body supremacy caused you harm?

*If you are white: How has your experience as a white person in a culture built on the myth of white supremacy*, caused you harm?

white supremacy (or white body supremacy as named by Resmaa Menakem): a system that materially rewards and punishes people of all races based on how well their bodies and/or their behavior align with the project of elevating, protecting, and normalizing white people and white cultural values

*Read:

*Cowasuck band of Penacook Abenaki People

http://www.cowasuck.org/statement.html

*Explore:

Interactive Indigenous Map

https://native-land.ca/