Farid Medleg > Recent Status Updates

"She's not a lunatic, she's from New York."

Great stuff.

I'm... a little lost. 70 pages about ancient books, and now 70 pages about Malian and Libyan regional politics. Bring it home, Joshua.

Week 6 - Write a land acknowledgment:

Avoid recitation and rote memorization of generic acknowledgements. Instead:

- Write one from scratch before you intend to deliver it.
-List ways the land has benefitted you.
-If possible, list ways in which you will give back to the land.
-Acknowledge if land is ceded territory or treaty land.
-Use words from the language of those people who inhabited the land before you.

Like Lord Of The Rings, but make it sex work.

Chapter 5, his most compelling so far, deals with "the lived experience of the black man."

The writing is quite philosophical, and often times uses poetry, so it flew over my head frequently. This quote, however, sticks:

"The crippled soldier from the Pacific war tells my brother: 'Get used to your color the way I got used to my stump. We are both casualties.'"

The only thing better than books is books about books.

I really struggled with the actual analysis of this chapter; heavy reliance on psychoanalysis and the meaning of dreams, in prose that's in a style my brain isn't made for. That being said, he reminds us to not be distracted by an oppressor tying their oppression to faults in the oppressed. Colonialism/racism is the same everywhere; it is violence from the oppressor. The victim does not change that one bit.

Week 5: Research Indigenous Place Names

Toronto:

-Originally "Tkaronto" (Mohawk) referring to "where there are trees standing in water," a channel of water between Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching where saplings were placed in the river creating fish weirs.
-The alternative interpretation, derived from "Toronton" (Huron) referring to "meeting place," has now been shown to derive from a colonial interpretation error.

Week 5: Research Indigenous Place Names

Toronto:

-Originally "Tkaronto" (Mohawk) referring to "where there are trees standing in water," a channel of water between Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching where saplings were placed in the river creating fish weirs.
-The alternative interpretation, derived from "Toronton" (Huron) referring to "meeting place," has now been shown to derive from a colonial interpretation error.

I, too, would start jerking minotaurs off if I had to give up my Tropicana and give Galen Weston even more money by settling for President's Choice. We are all Violet.

The ubiquity of Freudian theories in these last two chapters is tough to reconcile, but the beacon of shining light here is Fanon's position that colonialism is a blight on the psyche. He is unwavering, no matter the content of a chapter.

Even with the help of the Brooklyn Institute, Gemini, and CHAT GPT, I'm still struggling to understand this book. Regardless, Fanon brooks no bullshit. The man is a force.

Week 4: learn the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.

I was struck by this one. He's not saying "don't wear dream catcher earrings." He's asking that, if you do, ask about their meaning; look up their history; ensure the maker is Indigenous; teach others who inquire about them.

Time to read about the other example he brought up that are commonly appropriated: inukshuks.

Unexpectedly great bants.

This year's new project: curriculums. In other words, spending six months going through 4-5 texts specifically compiled to gain a mental foothold within a subject.

This semester: colonialism in Africa.
This is book 1.

Oh, what have I gotten myself into?

Week 3: Engage with indigenous social media.

He didn't really leave suggestions here, so I'll start with @indigenous.tv and @indigenousjournalists on Instagram. Let's see if the algorithm takes care of the rest.