Woman in Resistance - Essay Example

Woman in Resistance Different give varying definitions of the word resistance, but the word can be taken to mean acting independently in one’s interest and refusing to submit to oppressive behavior and control (Hollander& Einwohner, 2004, p. 534). Resistance takes different forms. It can be physical or material where people resist using their bodies or other physical objects. For example use of violence, working slowly, feigning illness, or pilfering from ones employer. Resistance is also easily understood as an engagement in contentious politics and social movements, which encompasses traditional activities such as picketing, marches and formation of organizations. In addition, resistance can also take the mode of talk, silence and symbolic behavior as seen with the Hawaiian women who published traditional stories in newspapers. They used indigenous language and different dances in order to oppose annexation of Hawaii. Silence as a form of resistance is clearly also seen with Northern Ireland women defiantly refused to talk during police raids (Hollander and Einwohner, 2004, p. 536). Resistance also varies in other aspects such as scale, target, and direction. With respect to scale, resistance can be individual or in a group. Scale also encompasses the level of organization of the resistance. Resistance can target individual, organizations or governments. Resistance can come from the direction of the weak that resist against oppressive mighty, and it can come from the powerful that resist demands of the poor and weak (Hollander and Einwohner, 2004, p. 536). This paper explores different forms of resistance by women in their activism against social, economic, and political malpractices fuelled by colonialism and imperialism and primarily resistance by indigenous women of Canada and other parts of Northern America. The origin of womans resistance and colonialism cannot be separated. With reference to US-Mexico border region, indigenous women feel repression started with Spanish colonization, which was associated with atrocities such as mass slaughter, sexual violence and radical destruction of indigenous institutions. Two spheres of law were introduced, Spanish Republic and Indian spheres of law. Indigenous lands and the tributary labor were granted to the European colonizers through the famous encomienda system. In other words, the natives were enslaved by colonialism. Women aboriginal to this are express their dissatisfaction with the foreign and oppressive systems. The fight to revive traditional women principles and law, clan and kinship based systems of governance (Tamez, 2011, p. 285). They strongly oppose militarization of the US-Mexico border region and the rapid expansion of corporate across the indigenous communities. Their logic is that, the unchecked exploitation of technology, ground troops, weaponry and manipulation of democratic law, which characterized by militarization, and the rapid corporate expansion. Further, this is associated with extractive mining projects, and hazardous waste corporations that use indigenous land to hide illegal traffics and disposals violates indigenous law to sustain life and treaties made to preserve indigenous systems people (Tamez, 2011, p. 287). The true nature of indigenous women activism against imperialism atrocities has often obscured by colonial logic and often misrepresented in the academic literature (Simpson, Nanibush and Williams, 2012, p. 2). However, the indigenous women have gathered effort to recover suppressed and obscure histories, governing practices and political creations and the European-America conquering methods (Tamez, 2011, p. 285). The philosophy of knowledge of knowledge of indigenous women work to reconnect them to the ancient social activism of their fore parents and to empower present indigenous women social movements (Tamez, 2011, p. 285). They also collaborate with other human rights defenders to protect children and human rights locally and internationally (Tamez, 2011, p. 289). Judy Davis stands out in Nova Scotia and Tatamagouche areas. Despite discrimination and harassment by a male dominated social system, made worse by her open lesbian lifestyle, Judy stood firmly against atrocities in her society. Her biography is an ideal exposition to the global women resistance against imperialism and colonialism related evils. She established her position as an earth defender, and who was ready always to take on those who wanted to engage in environmental hazardous activities such as spraying biocides on forests and clearing cutting of forests (Orton, 2014. p. 7) Her activism is a reflection of many other women activist who devoted their lives to fighting for the underdogs. One of these women activists is Judi Bari, who is popular in the United States for her radical environment protection stand. The two women shaped their societies by leading and participating in movements that challenged oppressive authorities. They were driven by deep passion for ecology and social justice concerns. Despite arrests and attempted assassinations, the two women could not compromise their activism positions (Orton, 2014. p. 2) In her captivating speech, Vandana Shiva, the recipient of the 2010 Sydney peace Prize confirms that imperialism is the cause of tribulations of the world. She blames the white and wealthy male leaders for the destruction of the world through their extreme exploitation and commercialization of earth’s resources (Shiva, 2014). She strongly criticizes President Obama and G8 leaders for ignoring women’s efforts to fight for human and environmental rights and responsibilities. She argues that the male supremacist mind has yielded sexism and misogyny. She views sexism and misogyny not only as habit and compulsion but also as intentionally and strategically planned. As such, it becomes very difficult task to end mens dominance over women. Vandana Shiva expresses sentiments similar to those expressed by the indigenous women of USA-Mexico border region. She blames the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the world on the insatiable hunger of few powerful corporations and nations to control and commercialize all earth’s resources. She calls this capitalism trend, “War against the earth" and advocates peace with the earth for sustainability. She argues that commercializing every aspect of life makes people poorer. She also dismisses money economy as a measure for peoples affluence and instead stresses that people can be wealthy even without the money economy so long as the natural environment is clean and people can go on with their rich cultural practices. It is now evident that women’s resistance takes a wider scope than just identity, discrimination and violence. They fight for diversity, generated consensus rather than authoritarian power, maintenance of good relationships rather than coercive ones. They believe in protecting their sovereignties as native people (Simpson, Nanibush and William, 2012, p. 3). In order to achieve their wide goals, women have devised complex and varied strategies some of which are exemplified by Judy Davis, Judi Bari and Vandana Shiva lives of activism. In their struggles against discrimination, racism, aboriginal communities’ repression, environmental destruction, injustice to wildlife and violation of prisoners’ rights, the women have participated and taken positions in social justice movements as seen with Judy Davis participating in gay rallies and demonstrations and her involvement in the formation of the Pictou County Women’s center. She also joined native people in the period of Oka Mohawk conflict in a golf course land dispute and was arrested with other activists (Orton, 2014. p. 5) another strategy that women have adopted in their fight for justice is entering the Political arena. This is exemplified by Judy Davis when she joins Green party, which she felt had ideologies similar to hers, of putting ecology firstly, and runs as a parachute candidate in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2006 election and also, when she run as an independent candidate in 2009 provincial election in Nova Scotia (Orton, 2014. p. 10) Music and other literature works have also played a critical role in voicing grievances of women and their community. For instance in a newsletter that she produced with a group of other students, called “The White Knight," Judy used intensive satire in an article in the publication that exposed names of school oppressors. The article also inspired reproduction of the song “Working Class Hero" by John Lennon, which criticized the shortsightedness of some young people who despite being born into working class they had been duped and lost their minds to the capitalist system (Orton, 2014. p. 4). Judy also composed own songs such as “The Blockade Song” which was criticizing a forest herbicide spraying site. Orton describes Judy’s protest songs as having hilarious yet haunting and at times angry lyrics and with potential to defuse potential hostile audiences. Ultimately, women have fought against violation of their families and communities since colonial times and they continue to resist neo-colonialism and modern negative imperialism. This resistance is surged by intergenerational transmission of their foremother’s activism history and by modern activists such as Margo Garcia Tamez, Vandana Shiva and Judy Davis, who although gone, her activism legacy remains alive. Works cited Hollander, Jocelyn, and Rachael Einwohner. Conceptualizing Resistance. Sociological forum 19.4 (2004): 1-22. Print. Orton, David. Judy Davis-Portrait of an Activist. 1st ed. Nova Scotia: Green Web, 2010. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. Shiva, Vandana. Time to End War Against the Earth. Sydney Morning Herald 2010: 12-14. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. Simpson, Leanne, Wanda Nanibush, and Carol William. The Resurgence of Indigenous Womens Knowledge and Resistance In Relation To Land and Territoriality: Transnational and Interdisciplinary Perspectives. In Tensions journal 6 (2012): 1-7. Print. Tamez, Margo. Our Way Of Life Is Our Resistance: Indigenous Women And Anti-Imperialist Challenges To Militarization Along The U.S-Mexico Border. Work and Days 29.58 (2011): 282-317. Print. Read More