THE UN PROTECTS WHAT C0LONIALISM AND MISSIONARY HISTORY OFTEN DESTROYED

THE UN PROTECTS WHAT C0LONIALISM AND MISSIONARY HISTORY OFTEN DESTROYED

THE UN PROTECTS WHAT C0LONIALISM AND MISSIONARY HISTORY OFTEN DESTROYED

The United Nations does not regard a people’s culture, traditions, ancestral knowledge, spiritual heritage and history as disposable relics of the past.

UNDRIP Article 8 says:

«“Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of their culture.”»

Article 11 protects the right to “practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs.”

Article 12 protects the right to “manifest, practise, develop and teach their spiritual and religious traditions, customs and ceremonies.”

Article 13 protects the transmission of histories, languages, oral traditions and philosophies to future generations.

Article 31 protects cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.

Yet colonial governments and missionaries often pursued policies and practices that suppressed, condemned, replaced or weakened significant aspects of African cultures, languages, traditions and indigenous religious systems.

Pope John Paul II acknowledged the Church’s historical sins. On 12 March 2000, during the Day of Pardon, he led the Church in asking God’s forgiveness for the sins of Christians in history, including sins against “the rights of peoples, and respect for cultures and religions.”

He had also previously asked pardon from African peoples for the slave trade.

But a request for forgiveness before God is not the same thing as restoring everything that history destroyed.

An apology should lead to repair.

Where our cultural heritage can be recovered, recover it.
Where traditions can be restored, restore them.
Where languages were weakened, revitalize them.
Where ancestral knowledge was suppressed, research and preserve it.
Where sacred and cultural heritage was destroyed, document, protect and, where possible, restore it.

This is not a call to reject Christianity.

It is a call to recognize that accepting another religion should never require cultural self-destruction.

The time for merely apologizing for the past is not enough.

Now is the time for restoration.

RETURN TO FACTORY SETTINGS.