TONATIERRA: Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery

Dear Relatives,
 
Good greetings. We are working on a project to co-host a conference at Arizona State University West in the spring of 2013 to be themed "Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery", with the objective of producing a template in the form of a curriculum that to be implemented in the public schools of Arizona in consequence to the Indigenous Peoples Forum on the Doctrine of Discovery which we hosted at the Arizona State Capitol on March 23, 2012.  At this point the lead organizations working in collaboration to realize this event are TONATIERRA, Maya Vision, and Centro Cultural Techantit.  It is the goal of this event to produce a template in the form of an adaptable curriculum which can be replicated for same purposes in all of the other States of the Americas.

In response to the many recommendations made by Indigenous Nations, Pueblos and organizations calling for the process initiated by the UN Preliminary Study on the Impact of the Doctrine of Discovery to be advanced by moving into FULL STUDY of the regional, continental, and global analysis of the Doctrine of Discovery, TONATIERRA will travel to Izalco, El Salvador at the request of the Nahuat Pipil elders to attend a gathering on August 9, 2012 where the impact of the Doctrine of Discovery will be addressed in the context of the Indigenous Peoples of El Salvador.  As you should know, Izalco is the site of one of the most horrendous massacres of Indigenous Peoples which occured in 1932 and resulted in some 30,000 deaths.  Some of the surviving widows of the Massacre of Izalco will present their testimony on August 9th at the convening of the Consejo de Pueblos Originarios Nahuat Pipil de Nahuizalco (COPONAP) and Alcaldia de Comun de Izalco.

At the present time we are inviting interested academicians and experts in the field to participate in a steering committee and be part of the convening of this important conference in the spring of 2013.  Please give this project some thought and contact me at your convenience to discuss the potential co-sponsorship or participation in follow through with the NAIPC statement at th UNPFII in May 2012 regarding the Doctrine of Discovery.  As you may know, although the UNPFII did not move on taking the Preliminary Study forward, the Seventh Generation Fund at our last convening in Tamaya, New Mexico issued this statement:

Considering that the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues chose not to adopt the recommendations from the collective statements by the Indigenous Peoples of the world at its 11th Session to conduct an international study on the effects of the Doctrine of Discovery on Indigenous Peoples;

We announce our intention to establish an Expert Group Meeting to conduct an international study on the far reaching and ongoing impacts of the Doctrine of Discovery on Indigenous Peoples, our cultures, lands and territories, that shall be submitted to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, and other international fora and bodies. To be completed by 2014, this study will include recommendations and action plans that reflect the voices and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples of the world.

Finally, TONATIERRA has compiled the official statements placed on record by DOCIP on the agenda item of the UNPFII 2012 regarding the Impact of the Doctrine of Discovery, and we are now in the process of editing and publishing this set of documents as reference for the ongoing process of "Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery".  Any supplemental documents submitted at the UNPFII relevant to the special theme, Impact of the Doctrine of Discovery, would be well received for inclusion in this publication.

Thank you for your kind attention and support.

Tupac Enrique Acosta, Yaotachcauh
Tlahokan Nahuacalli
TONATIERRA

* * * * * * *

The Legend of Truth and the Doctrines of Power

The impact will not endure

of that you can be sure

and conquest is not my

quest

much less my address, or

redress:

so  that  there  then

NOW

you may begin to see

I don't fly by doctrines

Instead

we

Nations of Indigenous Peoples

Are, have been,

will permanently be -

REALITY

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Recommendations of the 11th Session of the UNPFII

6.   The Permanent Forum recommends that States include in all education curricula, in particular the school system, a discussion of the doctrine of discovery/dispossession and its contemporary manifestations, including land laws and policies of removal.

In Imiuh Tenamaztle