BSAS - Knut M. Rio: On the question of indigenous sovereignty and settler-states

Abstract

One of the important missions of anthropology, and contemporary activism alike, has become the search for alternatives in a world that is falling apart. Alternative forms of democracy, new distribution of wealth, or other understandings of natural phenomena, all introduce a turn to thinking-otherwise. Indigenous peoples have become central for articulating such ideas, and this talk will try to document such efforts. Even though the notion of being indigenous must mean many different things, the concept is used here to signify an important alternative point of perspective and tool for contemporary political discourse. Despite the acknowledgement that both concepts ‘indigenous’ and ‘sovereignty’ are impossible and contradictory constructs of colonial history, indigenous institutions are still very important in the process of formulating what indigenous sovereignty could become in the future. I look for the features that these indigenous institutions develop – as opposed to the colonial institutions that they are modelled on. No doubt, inside those institutions very important discussions are taking place, not only about what sovereignty means but also forming particular ideas of kinship, language, gender relations, leadership and group organization, how to manage the lands and resources, and how particular sites in the territory are imbued with spiritual forces and sacrality…. All these things that have been suppressed by colonial settler-state government in their efforts to “eliminate the native”.

Bionote

Knut Rio is Professor of Anthropology at the University Museum of Bergen. His research has been concerned with Melanesian anthropology and topics such as gift exchange, hierarchy and egalitarianism, colonial history, as well as witchcraft, divination, and sacrifice. His publications include The Power of Perspective (2007), Hierarchy: Persistence and Transformation in Social Formations (2009, co-edited with Olaf Smedal), Made in Oceania (2011, co-edited with Edvard Hviding), The Arts of Government (2011, co-edited with Andrew Lattas), and Towards an Anthropology of Wealth (2019, co-edited with Theodoros Rakopoulos).

The department seminar, known as Bergen Social Anthropology Seminars (BSAS), is the main forum for dialogue and debate about anthropological research and theoretical development at the Department in Bergen. All is welcome!