Exploring Eurocentrism versus other ways of knowing the world is a tough topic that I am still working to get my head around fully. I didn’t know it when I was younger, but my life was shaped within a Eurocentric worldview, which normalized a lot of things, including: my acceptance of a patriarchal society, adherence to schedules at school and at work, individualism (being the best and competing with others), adopting Euro-Christian values (despite not being religious), pride in ownership of property, and so much more.
There are ways of existing in the world that are not consistent with a Eurocentric worldview, and until it was pointed out to me I was content to move through the world oblivious to this. I continue to have a lot of unlearning to do as I compare what I know with what others know. It is humbling.
This is what I find so jarring: in many cases I don’t know what I don’t know. Because my Eurocentric worldview is so normalized and dominant in the society I live in, I don’t always realize that my approach to the world is considered Eurocentric. It causes me to have trouble considering other ways of seeing things and legitimizing other worldviews. I want to develop a deep understanding of other ways of knowing the world, which has been difficult without a clear starting point.
Keeping in mind that the fog has not completely cleared for me, I would love to share a few examples that helped me to dig in and explore this topic that is so near and dear to my heart. If I love people as much as I say I do, and I advocate for equity and justice for all, it only makes sense that I would want to understand people on this level. This learning is why I’m here.
The best way I have found to sift through this topic is to lean in and listen when others talk about their own worldviews. Some even share how their own worldviews bump up against Eurocentrism. As I worked with colleagues last month to complete the course work for our additional qualification course, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit: Understanding Traditional Teachings, Histories, Current Issues, and Cultures, I found a few great examples of how Eurocentrism clashes with Indigenous worldviews, both today and throughout history. (Note: I used the plural, worldviews, because Indigenous nations are numerous and unique and it is presumptuous to assume that they all experience the world in the same way.)
Here are some examples to give you a little taste of what I’m talking about.
Patriarchy
One of the telltale signs that I come from a patriarchal society is that I proudly carry my father’s surname. Almost all of the married women I know took their husbands’ surnames when they got married. This comes from a Eurocentric view of the world – basically, that men are large and in charge and women are not. I could go on about male privilege, but that’s a topic for another blog.
By contrast, women in Indigenous groups are revered as central to the family and society, carrying important roles and sacred gifts bestowed on them by the creator. Many communities identify as matrilineal, with clan membership being passed down from the mother.
Enter the Indian Act of 1876, where the government decided to impose control over the status of Indians based on the status of males, completely undermining the high status of women in Indigenous societies in favour of a Eurocentric patriarchal model.
Attempts have been made over the years to restore status for Indigenous women, but it is not a perfect science. Just one month ago while attending a powwow, I overheard two women commiserating about how they are still waiting for their status to be properly reinstated.
Bob Joseph does a great job of explaining the full extent of discrimination against Indigenous women in his book: 21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act.
Adherence to schedules
Remember when you were finally old enough to go to school and you were expected to show up on time, take breaks at certain times, and leave at a certain time. Does following a schedule like that sound a lot like working in the industrialized world – punching clocks and coming up with legitimate excuses when you’re late? That’s because schools were created by Europeans to get young people ready to function within the scheduled constraints of the workplace.
In stark contrast to this approach is the Inuit take on raising their children – without imposing strict schedules. According to the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, Inuit children have more freedom to explore the world around them without enforced schedules. They are allowed to stay up later and pretty much do whatever they want as long as they are safe.
Can you imagine what would happen to a child who was raised in the Arctic and then thrust into a grade one class in a school in Southwestern Ontario? Or how that child would have done when taken from his home in the north and forced to attend a residential school run by European Christians who were tasked with overseeing their assimilation?
This example, taken from just one culture, shows how different cultural approaches to raising children can be, as well as the impact on a child if they happen to cross over from one world to another. In general, this gives me a new appreciation for the differing levels of respect for timelines that I see from families of different cultures at the schools I work in.
Individualism
If I were to speak in front of a group of people, I would likely introduce myself by sharing my name and a bunch of great things that make me the wonderful individual that I am – as well as what qualifies me to be standing there in front of them. This is because in the Eurocentric worldview, individualism is the focus. What makes me stand out as the best? What did I win? What have I accomplished?
In Indigenous cultures, where the focus is on harmony, stewardship, caring for each other within their community (rather than every person for themselves), introductions are quite different. An Indigenous person would mention their name, their clan membership, who their parents are, and what land they are connected to. That is what is most meaningful for them.
This explains why an Indigenous child in a classroom is not going to worry about being the best or getting the highest grades. They are more focused on looking out for the interests of those in their community.
How one identifies might also lead to discussions about stewardship versus ownership of land, which is a longstanding sticking point between cultures on Turtle Island. Stay tuned for a future post about connecting to the land where we live and work. In the spirit of doing that topic any justice, it deserves its own post so we can compare worldviews and understand how different people value the natural world around them in different ways.
For more insights into the world view of the Inuit, take a look at this video featuring the teachings of Qauyisaq Etitiq.
Please join the conversation by commenting below.
Can you think of any examples of how worldviews differ from culture to culture?
What books or films do you know of that highlight clashes in worldviews?
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