Tools
At Jiwa Jiwa we're not only here to be an art company. We want to help our communities by providing guidance, discovering for themselves what research can bring you, and inviting you to explore where we have gone before. Grow your historical awareness, and what this means for your place in today’s society. Always reading against the grain to decolonize the mind.
"The process of decolonization is a process of self-discovery." — Haunani-Kay Trask
"The process of decolonization is a process of self-discovery." — Haunani-Kay Trask
"Decolonization is about disrupting power and dismantling systems of oppression." — Malia Bouattia
"Decolonization is about disrupting power and dismantling systems of oppression." — Malia Bouattia
"The decolonization of the mind is the most difficult form of decolonization to achieve." — Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
"The decolonization of the mind is the most difficult form of decolonization to achieve." — Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
To decolonize your mind. Means to question everything you have been ever taught.
Decolonization is a deeply empathetic and transformative process that seeks to address the historical injustices and power imbalances inflicted upon colonized communities. It is an act of acknowledging the pain, suffering, and dehumanization endured by those who have been subjected to colonization.
At its core, decolonization is about centering marginalized voices and reclaiming the narratives, cultures, and identities that have been suppressed or erased by colonial powers. It involves recognizing the profound impact of colonialism on both individuals and societies, and the ongoing legacies of systemic oppression that persist to this day.
Decolonization is an empathetic response that strives to restore dignity, self-determination, and sovereignty to those who have been marginalized and dispossessed. It seeks to dismantle oppressive structures, systems, and ideologies that perpetuate inequality and uphold colonial hierarchies.
Empathy plays a vital role in decolonization, as it requires understanding and honoring diverse experiences, histories, and worldviews. It involves actively listening to and learning from the voices of those who have been silenced or marginalized, recognizing their agency, and working in solidarity to challenge and transform the existing power dynamics.
Ultimately, decolonization is an empathetic journey towards healing, justice, and reconciliation. It is a collective endeavor that invites us to confront uncomfortable truths, engage in difficult conversations, and actively support the efforts of marginalized communities to reclaim their narratives and shape their own futures.
For Jiwa Jiwa's founder Sekan the act of decolonizing is mostly centered around the perspective of ‘the other’. Being of mixed descent where Asian and European are the most predominant. The Asian perspective in Western media and culture is mostly overlooked.
Whilst Sekan is mostly seen around the world as white-passing, in his home country of the Netherlands, he is not. People are familiar with the many different Indo-European faces. While this can also be looked at as ‘fitting in everywhere’, it can feel alienating for the person who is not seen as native in the countries they have roots.
This is a very common theme amongst diaspora who have ancestors from both sides of a shared (colonial) history.
We like to see this as a strength. Where we're familiar with multiple cultures and are able to adapt accordingly, combining the strengths of each and making it as our own.
I don't know where to start, what do I do?
This is very common. The thought of tackling your own history, let alone how that played a role in society at large, maybe even in a country on the other side of the planet is daunting, to say the least.
That's why it's good to remember that this is an ongoing and probably lifelong process. So congrats! You're on your way to better self-awareness and healing.
It won't be easy, and it's probably a process that you will fall in and out of love with over time. You come back, reassess, let it sit on the shelf, and read something that sparks that interest again and dive in again.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Self-care
Take a minute to breathe.
From our own lived experience we know that things will get emotional at some point. It's important to know this before you start and always try to keep your mind right while going through the motions.
An accumulated list of articles, interviews, and documentaries surrounding techno, house, and their shared social history. We have compiled it into this library that will be updated as we find more relevant work. (Afro-Palestinian Literature list updated 20 Oct 2023)
Literature
a mixture of history books, novels, articles and more that can help broaden your perspective.
Audio/Visual
podcasts, documentaries and other audio/visual resources to expand your mind.
Archives
Online databases and archives are some of the biggest sources of information on historical knowledge. It's good to be aware that a lot of this knowledge is also still ‘trapped’ inside physical archives, and also the meta data has been described by people working at these institutions (remember to question everything you have been taught). So if you find out through research that a certain archive might have interesting information on a topic your researching or your families history, it might be good to try and visit them or find out if they are able to retrieve the information for you, and you can assess yourself if the information provided is accurate.