De Montfort Literature’s Post

As we move into the first weekend of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, here are some things to consider (and, of course, actionable insight).

When it comes to Aboriginal cultural heritage, lands and waters, sacred sites, Aboriginal people are the experts.

How are you going to celebrate tomorrow? This article has ten great ideas for participating in National Indigenous Peoples Day and learning more about the Indigenous Peoples and cultures in your area. National Indigenous Peoples Day: 10 Ways to Celebrate https://hubs.la/Q02CHbr20

To be truly progressively health and holistic we cannot cheery pick truth. As a new hospitality culture we must challenge the moral depth of social fashions of the alcoholic culture and rewrite the narrative of leisure and liberation. This is the taste of the cultural revolution.

Why should you wait to be invited into First Nations communities and spaces? 💌 For a number of reasons, but these are a couple that stand out to me. 1. Our culture is strongly based on respect for each other. Especially when we crossed across borders and communities. Hence a “Welcome to Country”. Formal ceremonies took place as a process of seeking permission and to pay respects to the traditional custiodians. For 60,000+ years we sought permission when moving into spaces foreign to us. Being invited in is a practice ingrained in us. We shouldn’t stop now! 2. Colonisation created a healthy level of mistrust in those around us. The genocide and violence from the start meant our relationships have been strained from the very beginning. We crave safety and it can be shown to us through actions like being gentle when looking to be invited in. Finally, please don’t be offended when your goodwill doesn’t come with an invite. Sometimes it just may be appropriate to walk beside or behind a First Nations person, so they can safely guide these interactions!

What is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) month and why is it necessary to celebrate it? Find out in our latest blog post: https://ow.ly/3Lov50S9cez

Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, honoring the native inhabitants of North America. For generations, our nation has systematically harmed native people and worked to eradicate their cultures. Indigenous people were forced to leave their land, prohibited from speaking their own languages, prevented from practicing their traditions, and forced into assimilation. Today, I hope we recognize and honor our Indigenous communities, including their incredibly rich cultures, traditions, languages, and lives. I hope we also realize we do not remain immune from the horrors of violence, assimilation, displacement, and terror. These are not only horrors of the past. We must confront them in the present, too.

Once again, Indigenous People will save us all! Not through us converting them to our flawed worldview dominated by capitalism, development, or universality, but rather by letting them pick up their rich heritages, and acknowledge how they have evolved through apocalyptic-level trials, and integrating them into major conversations about climate solutions. Furthermore, many communities will be able to help Western societies solve the issues of isolation, gun violence, and mental health issues because their views of the pluriversal and community design focus on emotional/ spiritual well-being in addition to economic growth, environmental conservation, and democratic ideals! Many cultures are diverse, modern, and helping Western society to answer major questions such as "where did we go wrong?" and "how are we going to get out this mess?"

As part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I wanted to bring attention and spotlight some stories that are inspiring, illuminating or highlighting struggles within the community. I love the PBS NewsHour recent story on Gulf Coast Vietnamese Americans reinventing their story in innovative ways that not only pay homage to their culture and heritage but also exemplifying resiliency as shown in the piece. Parts that I found resonated with me was when the artist, Christian Dinh, described how his grandmother's advice on cooking fish was "you'll know when the fish is ready, when the eyeballs turn white" and creating a giant longevity bowl reminiscent of bowls commonly found at family tables (albeit normal size). These were some of the things I've experience in my own Chinese household. The key takeaway this piece threaded through from all these experiences and stories was of resiliency. Whether it is having to leave your homeland to a foreign place to start anew, surviving through tragedy and misfortune only to come back stronger or keeping traditions and heritage alive through arts and culture. It all comes from a place of love and I can see that especially poignant and unique in the Asian and Asian American experience even though we may not verbally express it. It shows through our work and perseverance. I see many of these stories in my parent's journey to provide an opportunity for my siblings and me; and it's this implicit love that makes me resilient in the face of hardship and I hope to come out stronger on the other end. What are stories from your family or heritage that gives you the courage and strength to rewrite tragedy into hope? What strengths do you find looking at your family, history and heritage? #AsianPacificAmericanHeritageMonth #apahm #AsianAmericanPacificIslanderMonth #aapi #asian #asianamerican #aapiheritagemonth #celebrateaapi #aapihistorymonth #asiancommunity https://lnkd.in/gEvqeEuQ

What is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) month and why is it necessary to celebrate it? Find out in our latest blog post: https://ow.ly/gWuw50S9cey