• Nkozia Bethune
• Opinion
• February 20, 2020
• 1 views

Black/Indigenous Woman Vs. White Supremacy

As a self-identified black woman born in America, I can shamefully say that I have discounted the contributions of black/indigenous women in history and I can only hope that the following writings can help attest to the power, strength, and potential of black women. It is critical to note that when speaking of black women, it is implied the corporation of indigenous, native, non-white women as well. Unfortunately, in today’s age, black women have forgotten their history presumptuously losing their power and strength in this patriarchal society. The Afro consciousness of man and women have been compromised because we do not recognize the true nature of our ancestors. We have adopted the behaviors and mannerisms of our captors and in the process lost the matriarchal society. The Afro people have either been taken from their history or indoctrinated by their colonizer’s deception of education. This society has distorted many truths of history but especially for women. Black women were once protectors of land and society, seen as sacred to the balance of life and death. However, black women today have subconsciously chosen subjugation and allowed over-sexualization of their bodies – not understanding the the full spectrum of sex, and the power it has to create life.  Black women have been the bearer of humanity and it has been a hidden truth because of the fear of black women. Black families have been strategically targeted by colonizers and Europeans because it bestows the psychological trauma of the descendants. A prime example in America during slavery, the Black man was stripped of his ability to produce and protect the family and the Black woman was stripped of her duty to be in control of reproductive rights. However, it is much larger than this because the black woman solidifies the black family as she nurtures not only the children but the men. We begin to recognize mestizaje as the first attempt to dismantle the unity and peace amongst indigenous/black households. Mestjzaje is the romanticization of rape and sexual assault as a foundation for people but it was also a tactic to create social hierarchies, therefore, creating psychological tactics towards self-hatred. Nevertheless, I am stating that black, indigenous, native and non-white women must bear arms to begin the battles to end white supremacy. Women are oftentimes discounted, abused and mistreated, becoming the primary victims in this unjust world and it would be and injustice not to take a vital role in our own liberation. When the women liberate themselves, the families, communities and nations will simultaneously become liberated because we are the bearer of humanity. (Can you dig it?) From this understanding, we can attest that if the women are oppressed, their families, communities, and nations are also oppressed. Race and racism are often a common discourse but we fail to recognize that this social construct is created by white men and is only voiced by them. Our colonizers have created social structures to divide and conquer routinely. This includes constructing institutions, concepts, credentials which benefits their delusions of superiority out of FEAR of the indigenous woman and man. Negative emotional psychological states such…