Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: China bans a book about the early Mongolian people, Māori researchers unite with global Indigenous experts on climate and food issues, First Nations people in Canada are increasingly unhappy with efforts to fix the broken healthcare system, and an Indigenous design agency wins top awards in Australia.
CHINA: Officials ban history book as ‘nihilism’
Chinese authorities have banned a book on the early Mongolian people, invoking “historical nihilism” to suppress divergent historical perspectives, Radio Free Asia reported on Sept. 3.
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Orders have been issued to remove the book, “A General History of the Mongols,” by scholars from the Inner Mongolia Institute of Education’s Mongolian Studies department, as reported by the pro-Beijing Sing Tao Daily newspaper.
Inner Mongolia is a region in China whose border runs most of the length of China’s border with the independent country of Mongolia.
The move is perceived as an effort to target ethnic Mongolians by Beijing, and coincides with President Xi Jinping’s call for a renewed emphasis on cultivating Chinese national identity during his visit to Xinjiang in northwestern China.
During his visit, Xi pledged to intensify China’s stringent policies towards the predominantly Muslim Uyghur population in the region.
Ethnic Mongolians make up nearly 20 percent of Inner Mongolia’s 23 million people, and they have become increasingly vocal about environmental degradation, inequitable development policies and ongoing efforts to erode their traditional culture.
The banned book, published in 2004, had previously earned acclaim for its role in “illuminating Mongolia’s history from antiquity to the medieval era, enriching the understanding of Mongolia’s historical narrative,” according to a description of the book accessible via Baidupedia.
“Systematizing, organizing, and using a scientific approach can help the world better understand China’s five thousand years of glorious history, strengthen the unity of the Chinese nation, and make Chinese culture and history more prosperous,” said the entry, according to Radio Free Asia.
According to analysts, the book already adopts a notably nationalistic tone, portraying the Mongols as an integral part of the Chinese nation, Radio Free Asia reported.
NEW ZEALAND: Researchers join climate, food coalition
Two Māori researchers in New Zealand are joining an international consortium of Indigenous experts to address the issues of climate change and food security, Te Ao Māori News reported on Sept. 15.
Dr. Haki Tuaupiki and Associate Professor Maui Hudson of Waikato University have been selected as investigators in the recently established Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science, located at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the U.S.
The center’s mission is to forge connections between Indigenous knowledge and conventional Western sciences to address “some of the most pressing issues of our time,” according to the University of Waikato .
“Climate change, including impacts on ecosystems; the threat to irreplaceable archaeological sites, sacred places, and cultural heritage; and the issues around changing food systems, all of which disproportionately affect Indigenous communities,” according to the university.
The research team includes preeminent Indigenous experts in natural, environmental, and social sciences, hailing from diverse backgrounds including Native American, First Nations, Métis, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, Māori, and Indigenous Australian communities.
Their research will encompass community-based studies and place-specific investigations, conducted in collaboration with Indigenous communities across eight global hubs. The Waikato scholars will be integral members of the Aotearoa contingent situated within the Pacific hub, Te Ao Māori News reported.
“Combining Indigenous and mainstream Western sciences to address complex global problems is an important step towards more equitable partnerships with Indigenous communities, the co-production of knowledge, and the development of place-based, community-centred solutions,” Hudson said, according to Te Ao Māori News.
Hudson serves as director of the Te Kotahi Research Institute at Waikato University, dedicated to advancing research and capacity-building endeavors aligned with the goals of iwi, Māori, and other Indigenous communities. Hudson will also jointly lead the working group on Indigenous data sovereignty.
Tuaupiki said that Indigenous knowledge will be applied in a culturally sensitive and secure manner.
“Indigenous ancestral knowledge, with thousands of years of articulation and practice, has always been important and extremely valuable, never more so than now,” said Tuaupiki, who is a senior lecturer at Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao – Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, according to Te Ao Maori News.
“This international collaboration of Indigenous leaders and experts will see us utilize Indigenous ancestral wisdom in an ethical and culturally grounded way with the best of Western science to find solutions to climate change for our communities and the world.”
CANADA: Tensions grow over Indigenous healthcare
Dissatisfaction is growing among First Nations people in Canada over a bill aimed at enhancing Indigenous patient care in Quebec’s health system, CBC News reported on Sept. 13.
Discussions of the bill during a recent legislative committee hearing led to a walkout by Joyce’s Principle Office, an organization named for the tragic death of Joyce Echaquan in 2020 who was taunted and denied treatment at a Quebec hospital.
The office, which originated with the Atikamekw Nation, is designed to promote a comprehensive set of measures designed to ensure Indigenous people in Canada receive equitable, unbiased medical care.
The office added its voice to a growing number of First Nations groups expressing discontent with the bill’s drafting and its failure to acknowledge systemic racism in the province.
“Today, I’m prouder of Quebecers than of their government,” said Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne, the executive director of Joyce’s Principle Office, in reference to the extensive public support for their efforts, according to CBC News.
During the initial hearing on the bill, which was introduced by Indigenous Affairs Minister Ian Lafrenière, Echaquan’s name and the principles of Joyce’s Principle were referenced. Although the bill acknowledges these principles within its content, it has never been officially adopted by the province of Quebec.
“We were profoundly disturbed to see Minister Lafrenière utter Joyce’s name, objectifying her cause for his political agenda,” Petiquay-Dufresne told journalists outside of the hearing, according to CBC News.
“If we use the memory of Joyce in that way there has to be concrete [results].”
The proposed bill seeks to establish a “cultural safety approach” for Indigenous patients, offering a framework for healthcare institutions to consider the unique realities of Quebec’s First Nations, CBC News reported.
Petiquay-Dufresne, however, said true change requires acknowledging the entrenched colonial structures within the current healthcare system. She emphasizes the need for a revised government approach, ensuring Indigenous voices co-author legislation, and competent Indigenous authorities are adequately represented.
AUSTRALIA: Indigenous agency wins top awards
An Indigenous-led design agency has been awarded top honors in Australia’s premiere awards for excellence in design and innovation, National Indigenous Times reported on Sept. 11.
Solid Lines, an independent illustration agency committed to representing and nurturing Australia’s First Nation creatives, received the Indigenous Design Award at this year’s Good Design Awards in Naarm (Melbourne) on Sept. 8, National Indigenous Times reported.
Solid Lines also won the Good Design Award in the Social Impact category, recognizing the agency’s exceptional design and innovation.
“We want our agency to break down expectations of what First Nations art and design is and let our artists define their work for themselves,” said Emrhan Tjapanangka Sultan, who is owner of Mukulri Creative and serves as a co-researcher and project director at Solid Lines. Sultan is Western Arrarnta, Luritja, and Kokatha.
“Winning the Indigenous Design Award is a huge honor and recognises the importance of First Nations voices with the design industry and the important work Solid Lines is doing to support First Nations artists to be represented fairly,” he said.
Throughout its development, Solid Lines prioritized feedback from numerous First Nations creatives, actively involving them in shaping and refining the agency’s mission and vision.
The agency drew acclaim from the Good Design Awards jury, who recognized its significance in addressing a vital issue and its potential for profound impact on both the industry and culture.
Established in 1958, the Good Design Awards are Australia’s foremost recognition for design and innovation, spanning 11 design disciplines and over 35 categories. The annual awards celebrate outstanding design in design, architecture, engineering, research, fashion, and social impact.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in Inner Mongolia, where Chinese authorities have imposed a troubling ban on a book delving into the history of the Mongols. This censorship, under the guise of “historical nihilism,” is a clear manifestation of Beijing’s suppression of narratives that deviate from the official party line.
This action not only restricts freedom of expression but also represents a deliberate assault on the cultural and ethnic identity of Mongolian communities in the Chinese region, whose border stretches along the border with the independent nation of Mongolia.
To move forward constructively, I think it is essential for authorities to acknowledge the importance of diverse historical perspectives and the preservation of cultural heritage. They should appreciate the fact that promoting open discourse and respecting the unique identities of ethnic minorities can contribute to a more inclusive and harmonious society, fostering understanding and cooperation among all communities within China.
We should all unite against the repression of minority communities around the world. Their rights are equal to other peoples’ rights.
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