Venue: LUX, Nijmegen
This programme is English spoken.
What can we learn from Indigenous views of nature in the battle for the future of the planet? The documentary Fish War portrays the struggle of Indigenous people in the US for the recognition of their right to fish in traditionally important parts of the river. The Indigenous view of nature emphasizes responsibility to the natural world and to future generations. Fish War shows the positive consequences for nature when, after a heated struggle, this worldview is implemented in state policy. Listen to American Indian scholar Dian Million of Washington University and learn more about what the Indigenous worldview contributes to contemporary environmental challenges.
Fighting for the river
In the nineteenth century, the US government signed a treaty with Indigenous peoples in the Northwest that secured their right to take fish on accustomed grounds. A century later, the state of Washington restricted these rights, sparking protests, legal battles, and acts of civil disobedience.
Fish War tells the story of the Indigenous resistance through the voices of witnesses and activists. Supported by movie stars, student movements and the press, the activists manage to succeed in their aims in a watershed decision of the court that reaffirms their treaty rights. The documentary does not just portray this struggle but also goes into the lasting impact of the victory on Indigenous communities and the biodiversity of the river.
Clashing worldviews
The conflict central to Fish War is about more than fishing fights. It concerns fundamentally different ways of looking at the river and nature. While governments mostly view the river as an economic resource, the Indigenous fishers also see it as a home and a place of spiritual importance.
What can we learn from this example? How can we incorporate Indigenous ideas of nature in a better relation to the world around us?
After a short introduction to the documentary, we will watch Fish War. The documentary will be followed by a discussion with Dian Million and Laura De Vos. There is also space for questions from the audience.
This programme will be held in English.
About the speakers
Dian Million is Associate Professor in American Indian Studies and Affiliated Faculty in Canadian Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle. Dian Million’s most recent research explores the politics of mental and physical health with attention to affect as it intersects with race, class, and gender in Indian Country.
Laura De Vos is a cultural studies scholar at Radboud University. Their research focuses on Native American social movements and international solidarity with these movements.
Participation
- € 10,50 Students, Radboud Reflects subscribers, Radboud University and Radboudumc staff and Alumni medewerkers van de RU en het Radboudumc en Alumni Benefits Card-subscribers
- € 13,50 others
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