Decolonization is a difficult topic. Many do not understand what it means, or why it is necessary. As a student of history, I have paid close attention to decolonization and its current effect on what we would call a ‘postcolonial’ society. This ‘postcolonial’ world we are living in is not as decolonized as many in the media would like the general population to believe. We, as humans, still have a long way to go if we truly want to decolonize and revitalize multiculturalism in our education system, in our workforces, in our institutions, and in our general society. A section from The Decolonisation of the Curriculum Project mostly discusses the issues South African students faced and what decolonization means to the people there, but, there are many parallels with how both nations being former colonies of the British Empire and the issues the Black population faces there and what Canada’s Indigenous population faces here.
One major view that many African students shared was a lack of representation. In South African schools, a large portion of the student population was Black in 2015, while about 73% of teachers and professors were white. The lack of representation, and lack of shared experience between students and staff was polarizing for many students. Students also protested in 2015 and 2016 for the #Rhodesmustfall agenda. These protestors demanded the statue of Cecil John Rhodes, an imperialist, removed from the Cape Town University, which had a predominantly large Black population. They viewed this statue as a symbol of systemic/institutional racism and the exclusion Black students faced at the University. The students pushed for change and for visual decolonization, which set in motion institutional decolonization in the form of free first year of higher education across South Africa for families who made under R350 000. These were major steps toward further decolonization and reincorporating Black African experiences, perspectives, and culture back into a formerly colonist approach.
The protesters used their momentum to make change in their system. They had effectively addressed the major visual and institutional aspects of colonization, and then they set their eyes on the smaller but still impactful aspects of colonization: micro-aggressions and exclusions. In the words of one student: ‘It is also about laying bare the failures of the heterosexual, patriarchal, neoliberal capitalist values which have become so characteristic of the country’s universities.’ The protesters had addressed the inequalities and intricacies of post-apartheid Africa, and made it clear they wanted the failures of the system to inspire change for the system. They proved decolonization can work if the effort is put in. While there were many successes, this does not mean racism and discrimination are gone in South Africa, but it does mean that there is an active body combatting it and trying to change it.
This section of The Decolonisation of the Curriculum Project shows just how widespread the issues of colonization truly are in the former colonies and colonizer states. Canada is having issues with controversial founding figures in the same way South Africa did. There is also a lack of representation in education and in society for Indigenous Peoples just as there is in South Africa for their Black population. If Canadians are serious about decolonization, they should look at countries that have made progress towards it. In many cases, there is protest. Large, organized protest towards bourgeoisie and the ruling class, as they uphold the status quo and have the most control. In South Africa, the students protested and reclaimed the power they had lost. They found a way to shift the focus in a postcolonial society from colonialist ideologies and to a decolonized vision for the next generation. Canadians may approach the issue of decolonization differently that the people of South Africa, it is certain that there is a growing call to decolonize our society, and the first steps have been taken with the acknowledgement of a need for change.
Source: The Decolonisation of the Curriculum Project. (2019). AOSIS.