The call for Cultural Acknowledgement, not Cultural Appropriation

As we honor Native American Heritage Month, it is important that we acknowledge the dangers of cultural appropriation.

Wikipedia defines cultural appropriation as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures.”

In September, Native Peacemakers across the country hosted a virtual Peacemaking Colloquium. By invitation, non-Native Peacemakers were included. This colloquium represented the permissive sharing of experience based on mutual respect and relationships. This article articulates the experience of two young participants at that colloquium, Katie Orringer and Megan Wang. These are their words...

— Judge Timothy P. Connors

By Katie Orringer and Megan Wang

The ability to learn is always a gift and a privilege. Perhaps even an honor. Being invited to attend the Second Annual Peacemaking Colloquium at the end of September was a unique, humbling opportunity for us to learn from Peacemakers and Indigenous leaders across the country. We were certainly grateful to be a part of the event.

The Second Annual Peacemaking Colloquium included national and international speakers located in places ranging from India, to Ireland, to Hawaii. Since the event was on zoom, we were able to be a part of a group streaming in from all across many time zones. On the first night of the Second Annual Peacemaking Colloquium, the event began with a prayer and introduction to the conference. The audience then took part in a group discussion and reflection on the documentary titled “Dawnland.” This film allowed many Indigenous people to finally tell their stories about the history of the injustices their people have faced. On the second day of the conference, there were several different panelists and speakers who all spoke to the theme of the conference of “weaving intergenerational wisdom and healing into the future.” The artwork for that theme is attached with permission, as is the acknowledgement of the artist herself.

With our foundational knowledge of Peacemaking from training courses in mind, we were able to absorb and reflect upon what we heard, saw, and, more importantly, felt during the conference. In line with the colloquium’s theme, we were taught the importance of not only respecting the elders in our communities, but actively learning from and connecting with them. However, at the same time, we learned that the younger generations can serve as teachers, too. This connection strongly promotes community resiliency. Meaningful discussion among youth and the older members of a community that include exchanging stories and knowledge can help strengthen a community for the future. At its core, this was the theme of the conference.

Beyond this main theme, we learned several other important lessons. As we know, history often repeats itself and trauma is passed down from generation to generation. Resiliency is crucial to not only survive in the present, but to preemptively prepare for the future. The international aspect of the conference drove home the importance of creating shared understanding among groups with different experiences and backgrounds. It is always possible to develop empathy. Musical prayer and songs hold the power to unite. Lastly, self-care is critical.

Part of building that foundation of intergenerational exchange is learning about your ancestors and family’s past. One of the activities the colloquium utilized in order to begin that process was asking each of us in small groups to explain where our names came from and what they meant to our family. Neither of us have Indigenous ancestry and upon reflection we realized that we really did not know nearly enough about the origin of our names, nor our families’ histories. We both aim to investigate our family history in the coming year because we can see the value it holds.

Knowing one’s own history allows you to connect with others. In listening to the wisdom and stories from those in Ireland and India, it was clear that it is possible to have shared understanding with people who have different backgrounds and experiences. It is possible to relate to others - even across the world and on zoom - by telling our stories and finding the moments of shared experience between us all. Musical prayer is another uniting force as each participant could relate to the songs performed at the conference in his/her own way. The second day began with Mary Connors from Ireland singing a traditional song.

Self-care was another unifying practice. The grounding presence of self-care practices during the colloquium made the space feel inclusive and safe enough to be vulnerable among new people. It was refreshing to have a specialist lead self-care rituals throughout the conference, particularly given the extremely heavy subject matter of intergenerational trauma. Every participant was encouraged to honor his/her own emotions during the conference which was a refreshing difference from our experience in traditional academic arenas. It was particularly powerful to have feelings seen, validated, and accepted as the colloquium brought up different memories for different people. Practicing self-care is not only useful for healing ourselves but it is the basis for communal healing as well.

Having self- understanding, self- acceptance, and patience are important skills for every person to develop. The most powerful aspect of these skills is how applicable these lessons can be to any individual’s life. No matter a person’s background, these skills are incredibly useful for any individual to acquire. Additionally, these skills can be applied in the field of law as well. One thing we discussed during the colloquium was how the justice system in the United States looks today. It was felt by many that the justice system is too focused on punishment. This “eye for an eye” mentality exposes how ineffective our justice system can sometimes be because some individuals in power are not trained to show empathy, listen to others, nor practice patience. With the application of these skills by those in all levels of the legal system, perhaps progress can be made within the justice system and people can heal. We can begin to understand one another, find commonalities, and unite our communities.

We are humbled to have been given the opportunity to listen to and engage with the leaders of this conference, the panelists, and the participants. The knowledge, experience, and stories the speakers shared with us taught us invaluable lessons about love, kindness, resiliency, self-care, and the power of human connection. As we reflect on the colloquium, it is apparent why Peacemaking practices are so important. Even on zoom, we could feel the energy, respect, and thoughtfulness of each participant and panelist as we looked at each other and spoke in turn in a virtual circle. The circle created a safe space to be vulnerable and honest, and thus allowed for mutual understanding and healing. The circle discussions motivated resiliency and a notion that we must always be thinking of the future generation. At the end of the conference, it was clear how important it is to learn history in order to understand ourselves and the world around us. In a tragic way, trauma and oppression is and has been imposed on many different groups across time and across the world in a way that makes many distant people somehow seem connected. Shared understanding is a foundation of empathy, and it is a key component of healing.

Katie Orringer was accepted to the University of Michigan Law School and will be a part of the Class of 2025. She graduated from Williams College with honors in Political Science and minors in Environmental Studies and Leadership Studies. She is currently taking a gap year before she begins law school and is working for Judge Timothy Connors of the Washtenaw County Court primarily on his Peacemaking program.

Megan Wang is a rising senior at the University of Michigan. She is majoring in Sociology and minoring in Crime and Justice. She plans to take a gap year after graduation and pursue her goal of attending law school shortly after.
This past summer, Megan interned for Judge Timothy Connors of the Washtenaw County Court, gaining valuable experience in the courtroom and learning about Peacemaking.

Jaycie Begay is an 18-year-old student at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) studying Indigenous Liberal Studies and Studio Arts. She is Santa Clara Pueblo, Navajo, and Northern Ute. Her artwork has been featured in the Utah NAME Conference and throughout her art career, she tries to bring attention to the issues in her communities and makes it a point of conversation.

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