Decolonial_Classrooms

Western Sahara is a country that was colonized by Spanish state. In the year 75, in the context of the Franco dictator's death, Marocco invaded the territory and divided it in two building a mined wall. Since 45 years some of the saharawi population lives in the occupied territory, some in the diaspora and some in refugee camps. Today with us we have Garazi that was raised in the Diaspora and Omar an student from an Argelian refugee camp. Garazi will explain to us what's the history of Western Sahara and the nowadays political Situation, since Marocco started a war in November against the saharawi people with the direct and inderect help of the international powers. Omar explains to us  how is the dayly live in the refugee camp.

The afro-colombian sociologist, ethno-educator, afro-feminist and decolonial activist Sister Lemeva shares her perspective on the issue of inequality and discrimination of the afro-community in Colombia and the struggle of identity and social chances. She has been dedicated to population issues for more than 15 years. This Interview was recorded in the past summer. Certainly the political situation -also concerning Covid-19- might have changed since than. Unfortunately the recording-/audioquality wasn't very good, sorry for that. We hope you still understand most of it and take something out of it!

Song: De Donde Vengo Yo - ChocQuibTown

In this episode we interviewed Boe from Australia. We talked about what colonialism caused for him personally and for all indigenous people in this country. Furthermore he shared his experiences and activism, resisting against the structural racism caused by decades of colonization and white supremacy. In this episode you‘ll get to know a bit the work of the group "worriors of aboriginal resistance" and the struggles they face (individually/as a community). He underlines the importance of political action for the future and the empowerment that comes with it. 

Thanks again for the exchange! We‘ll hopefully connect again and stay in touch.

Song: Black Lives Matter - Sorah, Intare

This is the second part of the episode Canada. Mia Kutny is an indigenous woman (Dene people) and activist from Winipeg Manitoba Canada. She just finished school and her identity and political understanding caused her involvement and activism in school as a member of the school devision (name: „the call back“)  to better the education of indigenous people. The interview was recorded in September 2020 and it gives us an understanding of what it means to grew up in Canada as an indigenous person, especially as a woman. Which lost, struggles and fights are coming with it and which role the state Canada played in the past and plays in the present. A big thank you to Mia for sharing your feelings, thoughts and knowledge with us. We learned so much in this interview and we hope you listeners will too! 

-Outro song: Fists high - Sorah, Intare (Dope Berlin artist duo! Go check them out:) )

This is the first part of the episode Canada. Mia Kutny is an indigenous woman (Dene people) and activist based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. who just finished school. Her identity and political understanding caused her involvement and activism in school as a member of the school devision (name: „the call back“)  to better the education of indigenous people, as well as their connection to their culture. The interview was recorded in September 2020 and gives us an understanding of what it means to grow up in Canada as an indigenous person, especially as a woman. Which losses, struggles and fights are coming with it and which role the state Canada played in the past and present. A big thank you to Mia for sharing your feelings, thoughts and knowledge with us. We learned so much in this interview and we hope you listeners will too!

Diana Vargas Guzmán is a Aymara-Woman* from Bolivia. Her activism is shaped by the concept of  "antipatriarchal communitary feminism" an organization based on the idea of the community. Their work resists pathriarchy, neoliberalism, colonialism and racism on different levels, that she explains to us in this episode. We recorded the interview in September 2020 and had a chance to discuss topics like the education system in Bolivia, how colonialism worked and works in Bolivia, which are the consequences, about the actual covid 19 crisis and how they started their political work.

*The indigenous South American Aymara people are mainly populated in Bolivia on the Altiplano, a highland of the Andes. During the colonial decade, they were forced by Spanish invasion forces to resettle, which purpose was to prevent a affiliation of the indigenous population, from which resistance against the colonial masters could have developed. 

This episode stands in solidarity with the world-wide KOBANÊ-WEEK (2nd-8th of November)!

The Kurdish city Kobanê is geographically prescribed at the Syrian border to Turkey.  Kobanês liberation of the IS militias on feburary 2015 by the Kurdish defend units (YPG ao.) became a symbol of the Kurdish revolution and resistance. A revolution, that stands for an ecological, feministic and radical democratic society, living and fighting collectively for an alternative system, resisting the ongoing extermination of Kurdish culture and land by Turkish and other invasion forces. Everyday focuses on a different struggle, today is the day of women's liberation. The revolution in Kurdistan is a REVOLUTION OF WOMEN. 

Stera Abdu is an activist from Rojava . She is part of the women's movement "Congressar" and works for the international campaign "Women defend Rojava". In the interview she gives a rough overview of the (Turkish) occupation and geographic context, organisation and cooperations in and outside of Rojava. Further on she talks about the position of women in Kurdistan, how colonialism and misogyny are connected and the importance of feministic education.     

Izaskun Goienetxea is an activist from Askapena, Basque Country. Her group is an internationalist collective that organize international bridges to link the different struggles around the world. The Interview, that was made in June 2020, brings up what the actual situation of the Basque Country is, how to understand its history of being colonialized, without forgetting that, as European nation, its also part of the conquest policy. We will  also  speak about the education system, how feminism and anticolonial struggles are linked, the situation due the covid 19 crisis and EU.

Welcome to Decolonial Classrooms! Our first episode is out! From now on we will publish one Interview every week, talking about topics relating to (post)colonial structures. Enjoy!