“The way to begin to recover is to decolonize ourselves, to identify ourselves as our ancestors and to use that as the basis for reviving our culture and restoring our nation.”

Jan 18

Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell (kay-coo-nee blaze-dell)

sovereignty advocate

QUOTE CONTEXT: “It goes back to basic feelings about our own identity. Through colonization we’ve become ashamed of ourselves. We have been taught that we are a lesser breed”

QUOTE QUESTION: What must you do to begin to decolonize yourself?

IMAGE CONTEXT: Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell talks with people at a vigil at the Iolani Palace grounds marking the anniversary of Queen Liliuokalani’s death. [note upside down Hawaiian state flags)

IMAGE QUESTION: How do you express the joy of connection to your people and ancestors?

MEDIA LITERACY CONTEXT: The quote is from a book of Hawaiian elders’ wisdom. The photo is from a newspaper archive.

MEDIA LITERACY QUESTION: What forms of media are good avenues for expression about decolonization and sovereignty and why do you think that?

LEARN ABOUT THE HAWAIIAN SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT: http://www.hookele.com/non-hawaiians/chapter2.html

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“The way to begin to recover is to decolonize ourselves, to identify ourselves as our ancestors and to use that as the basis for reviving our culture and restoring our nation.”

Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell (kay-coo-nee blaze-dell)

“Thinking about…how climate will continue to impact our lives…is a very Hawaiian thing to do – to learn from our past and using that wisdom to help place it in a modern context.”

“Sovereignty will happen. Self-governance will happen. We don't know how it will happen but it's inevitable with all indigenous peoples the world over.”