Indigenous Textual Cultures: Reading and Writing in the Age of Global Empire

Written language was crucial for expressing imperial power and justifying conquest, but indigenous communities were highly adaptive and created innovative literary practices that preserved their knowledge traditions. This volume highlights the contributions of cultural innovators who read, wrote, and used texts in creative ways, challenging colonial domination and envisioning radical new futures.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 11 September 2020
Publisher: Duke University Press

As modern European empires expanded, the written language played a crucial role in articulating imperial authority and justifying conquest. For imperial administrators and thinkers, the non-literacy of "native" societies was seen as a demonstration of their primitiveness and inability to change. However, as the contributors to Indigenous Textual Cultures reveal through cases from the Pacific Islands, Australasia, North America, and Africa, indigenous communities were highly adaptive and developed innovative literary practices that preserved their knowledge traditions.

The contributors illustrate how modern literacy coexisted with orality rather than replacing it. They reconstruct multiple traditions of indigenous literacy and textual production, highlighting the often overlooked, forgotten, neglected, and marginalized cultural innovators who read, wrote, and used texts in endlessly creative ways. This volume showcases how the work of these innovators played a pivotal role in reimagining indigenous epistemologies, challenging colonial domination, and envisioning radical new futures.

The contributors to Indigenous Textual Cultures are a diverse group of scholars and researchers from various fields, including anthropology, history, linguistics, and literature. They bring a wealth of expertise and perspectives to the volume, providing insights into the complex relationships between indigenous communities, colonialism, and the written word.

One of the key themes explored in the book is the role of indigenous literacy in challenging colonial domination. The contributors demonstrate how indigenous communities used literacy to preserve their cultural identities, resist assimilation, and challenge the power of colonial authorities. For example, in the Pacific Islands, indigenous scholars used literacy to record their oral traditions and preserve their knowledge of traditional practices and beliefs. This allowed them to challenge the dominance of Christian missionaries and European colonizers who sought to undermine and erase indigenous cultures.

Another theme is the creative use of literacy by indigenous communities to express their ideas and perspectives. The contributors highlight how indigenous writers and artists used literature to challenge colonial stereotypes, reclaim their cultural heritage, and express their resistance to oppression. For instance, in Australia, indigenous writers used poetry and prose to explore themes of colonization, dispossession, and resistance, challenging the dominant narrative of the country's history.

The book also explores the diverse literary practices and genres developed by indigenous communities. The contributors discuss how indigenous writers used oral traditions, myths, legends, and other forms of storytelling to convey their knowledge and experiences. They also explore how indigenous communities used literacy to develop new forms of literature, such as novels, plays, and poetry, that reflected their unique cultural perspectives.

In addition to these themes, the book also sheds light on the challenges faced by indigenous communities in accessing and using written language. The contributors discuss how colonialism, language barriers, and cultural insensitivity contributed to the marginalization of indigenous languages and literacy practices. They also highlight the efforts made by indigenous communities to revitalize and preserve their languages and literacy traditions, often through community-based education programs and cultural revitalization initiatives.

Overall, Indigenous Textual Cultures is a groundbreaking work that provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the role of literacy and textual production in the lives of indigenous communities. The contributors challenge traditional narratives of colonialism and demonstrate how indigenous communities used literacy and the written word to resist oppression, preserve their cultural heritage, and envision radical new futures. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in indigenous cultures, colonialism, and the power of the written word.

Weight: 540g
Dimension: 152 x 227 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478010814