#IndigenousPrisonWriting Day 2: Patricia Monture-Angus's "Considering Colonialism & Oppression" (1999) astutely critiques "reform," "resistance," and "healing" as responses to the settler colonial injustice system. She proposes reclamation of Indigenous justice traditions instead https://twitter.com/NVanStyvendale/status/1265031475897839617

Reform is limited because it fails to recognize that the system is inherently oppressive to Indigenous peoples.

Resistance is limited because responding to colonial power entrenches it, and because the criminal justice system is "fully equipped to deal with Aboriginal resistance." Resistance can be "personally freeing," but may entrench people further in the system

Healing is limited because it offloads the "problem" onto Indigenous peoples, putting the onus on them to do the work of "fixing" the problem. The system is the problem, not Indigenous peoples

Reclamation ("resurgence" nowadays) of Indigenous justice traditions and laws is crucial to imagining life beyond the harms of the settler colonial injustice system. Indigenous women (and 2 Spirit/queer folks, I would add) are central to reclaiming and imagining justice

The short video "wahkohtowin: Cree Natural Law" discusses the ongoing importance of Cree laws of relationality and responsibility to kin: . Take 20 minutes and watch this!

I hope I’ve summarized the main arguments of Monture-Angus’s article accurately! Any errors are mine. If you know the article and have a different interpretation, please comment below :)