Europäische Jugendbildungs- und Jugendbegegnungsstätte Weimar

»That's not me!« Colonial images of the First Nations (I*)

Time required: 3 to 10 hours
Target group: young people, adults

Background

The image of »Native Americans« (more used in the USA) or »First Nations« (more used in Canada) is characterized in Germany by Karl May and children’s songs and games. However, these stories have been significantly influenced by the stories of the colonial rulers about the people who lived in America long before the arrival of Europeans.

So today in Germany, songs are sung, stories are told, toys and costumes are made based on stories that were freely invented to justify genocide and from the perspective of white Europeans. Very different groups of people with their own language, culture and religions are thrown together, who only have the following in common: the colonial experience and the indigenous racism that they still experience today.

Procedure

The workshop offers space for reflection with one’s own associations to the indigenous people of North America and the stories that have shaped them. There will be a historical outline and individual stories will be compared with real biographies and the historical context. Finally, a look will be taken. Own-voice narratives (children’s books and films) will also be compared.
The discussion is not about »what we are still allowed to say«, but about »what we still want to say, play, reproduce and what responsibility we want to bear«.

Objective

The aim is to deal with one’s own indigenous racisms and in particular those that are reproduced in German children’s books, songs and films, but also in carnival celebrations, and to develop possible courses of action based on what has been learned.

Please note

• The format, the time frame and the specific focus will be adapted to the target group and objectives after consultation. This workshop is also available as further training for professionals.
• It can be held in German or English and can also be requested as an online offer.
• The educational programs can be compiled into project weeks or combined with workshops by other speakers.

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