What is “decolonization”? ――Decolonizing “Colonizers”?

As Hinerangi mentions, decolonization is one of the main topics in the first few classes. It is said that Maori TV is/ should be the tool of decolonization.
“Decolonization” is a key concept of indigenous movements in this postcolonial world. The word is widely used and it represents the purpose of the movement or the ideal situation of the world. However, I often wonder if the concept is clear enough and the meaning is shared. Though many people use the word like a magic spell, do people share the concept accurately? If somebody says “Maori TV is the tool of decolonization”, does everybody understand how Maori TV should be and what the goal is?

It must be efficient and essential to examine the meaning of “colonization”, because the word “decolonization”, which is composed of “de” and “colonization”, means “the opposite of colonization” or “remove something from colonization”.
Basically, “colonization” means “to take control of an area or a country by the outsider, especially using force”, that is originally about property or power over the property. However, “colonization” also includes diverse invasions in different levels, either “visible” or “invisible”.
In the case of the Maori, the visible colonization can be confiscation of the land, discouragement of the religion or belief system, suppression of the language/Te Reo Maori and the protocol/Tikanga, and so on. In this visible level, it is relatively easy to assume the content of “decolonization”. For example, the revitalization of Te Reo Maori and Tikanga Maori, which is clearly mentioned as the purpose of Maori TV, is obviously the process of resisting against the impact of Te Reo Pakeha or English and reclaiming their own language.
In addition, “colonization” can be about invisible domains, such as the value and the representation of colonized people, as presented in the lecture as “the historical processes of colonisation …racialised Māori as ‘deficient’ (as individuals and culturally), which in turn justified the transfer of resources such as land to settlers and the subjugation of cultural practices” (Paul Spoonley: Nga Patai 1996 p.62). At this level, the process of “decolonization” seems more complex. Though it is highly important to reclaim the value system and self-representation for resists dominant power, it is sometimes controversial what is a result of colonization and what is not. For example, cigarette is introduced by non-Maori after the contact, but is the idea that “cigarette is unhealthy” a result of colonization? “People should not have cigarette in maraes because of the tapu restriction” is a Maori value or a result of colonization although tipuna used to smoke in the marae? Because the value system has always changed, it is necessarily to redefine what the value system is to promote the pre-colonization or indigenous value as decolonization.
Although the decolonization at invisible level is not as simple as at visible level, decolonization of mind is often more emphasized. For example, Jessica Hutchings in the course reader says,


Decolonisation is also about my right to determine how I will live with and within Maori communities; to reject non-Maori analysis of situations and events that concern me; and to value myself as a Maori woman. Decolonisation is an essential part of being a Maori woman; it recognises the colonial reality we still live in and provides space for Maori women to be visible, by valuing Maori women’s on-going analysis of all areas of life, such as education, language and health systems.(Hutchings 2002)
However, the discussion on the invisible level of decolonization becomes more and more complex when she mentions about the decolonization of dominant non-Maori. It is obvious that she assumes the dominant non-Maori as so called “Pakeha” who is set against the indigenous people Maori as the colonizer.

This agenda is not confined to only indigenous peoples, but is also valuable for the unlearning that non-indigenous peoples, as part of the dominant colonial grouping, can attain. Decolonisation can lead non-indigenous peoples to examine how stories, history and worldviews are constructed and to understand their position in them. Non-indigenous peoples have an opportunity to speak out and challenge hegemony and the continual colonisation of indigenous peoples. Non-indigenous peoples also have a chance to understand how they themselves are being colonized by techno-industrial development.(Hutchings 2002)

What does Decolonization of Colonizers mean?? If it still can be called decolonization, is it part of the decolonization Maori TV seeks?


The notion of colonization or decolonization has been extended, and the meaning and the process which Maori TV is/ should be seeking seems becoming vague. What is decolonization? Who should be decolonized? What should be reclaimed? How is it become possible? Those details do seem still not clear neither shared, but they are often overlooked when people talk with the word “decolonization”. The word works like a magic spell. It is important to examine the notion itself and consider the role in the complex society beyond the “decolonization” as a widespread discourse in the indigenous movement.