Human history has primarily been a history of war, not of peace. So, there is a need to turn our attention to that question of history and engage with the deeper root causes of conflict that lies buried with it. Uprooting these causes will help to break the vicious circle of ignorance and arrogance that perpetuates the spiral of violence. While engaging with history it is crucial to examine the role of mythmaking as a political tool in shaping the polity of governments and countries.
The indigenous peoples’ historical and political experiences show how mythmaking contributed towards their political and cultural oppression. The agenda of mythmaking cannot be undermined, simply because it is highly effective in creating divisions by inventing and sustaining the ‘image of the enemy’ through lies and manufacturing fear. It is this ‘mythmaking’ that sees diversity – the differences of human identity as a problem, the differences of language as a conundrum, and the diversity of human cultures as a threat to human progression and modernization. Tragically, we have fallen victim to this ‘agenda’ that oppresses human minds through the subtlest means to distort perceptions of human relationships.
Indigenous peoples continue to wrestle with the colonial cultural aggression that seeks to subdue the collective defiance of a people. The effect of this aggression is to destroy a people’s belief in their names, in their language, in their environment, in their heritage of struggle, in their unity, in their capacities, and ultimately in themselves. It even plants serious doubts about the credibility of their struggle for justpeace where possibilities of success are pushed aside as remote, ridiculous, and impossible dreams. The intended result is to create despair and hopelessness. In other words, people no longer believe they can determine their own destiny since they no longer see themselves as makers of their own culture. Such mythmaking colonizes people’s minds and destroys their desire and motivation for political, social, economic, and cultural emancipation.
Is it not the ‘agenda of mythmaking’ that furthers the progress and development of imperialism and colonization? Did it not give rise to the concept of superiority of the so-called ‘civilized cultures’ over so-called ‘uncivilized cultures,’ and the need to civilize them even if it meant ‘genocide?’ This same agenda reduces social movements and indigenous rights for basic human needs, such as freedom, equality, all forms of development, self-determination, and identity as mere ‘ethnic aspirations.’ The problems and challenges arising from such situations continuously emphasize the colonial State’s centralizing and nationalizing character. The State’s inability to engage and address root causes of people’s aspirations continues to undermine the significance of ‘peacebuilding and transformation’ in contemporary politics.
From an indigenous perspective the idea of peace processes cannot be limited to brokering accords between power blocs which may ultimately lead to an imposed peace at the expense of peoples’ rights. Rather, peace processes need to be democratized in spaces where broader political, social, cultural, and economic justice issues are addressed. A more consistent and systematic process of dialogue is necessary to create better understanding, build trust and form relationships. Dialogue is a must not only between Peoples and States, but, also more importantly between societies as they help States to move away from their traditional polity of defining ‘national security’ generated by fear. This process needs to evolve alternatives, not only in terms of the pattern of human interaction and human association, but alternative systems that are culturally responsive and relevant to the people.
To this end, narcissist tendencies and apologetic models of peace need to cease. Furthermore, the over emphasis of psychological make-up around identity needs to stop, otherwise the mythmaking will only continue. Instead, one needs to begin dealing and confronting the real deep-rooted issues to promote the search for peace.
After all a justpeace involves questioning why injustice exists and transforming societies so all can live in dignity and respect. It is the ability to recognize that not all who smile are happy, not all who have eaten are full, not all who sleep are rested and not all who exist have life.
