"You Lied to Me, You Colonial Beast"
A poem by Janine Copeland, published in the Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing Te Mauri-Pimatisiwin
This piece was submitted in lieu of an "assignment" while studying for a Bachelor of Humanities, through Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, as a response/resistance to the academic constraints of what are appropriate and markable academic submissions. It explores the intersections of history, wellbeing and lived experience, tracing the emotional and cultural landscapes shaped by Aotearoa's and global colonial past. Through a chronological lens, the poem seeks to illuminate both the wounds and the enduring strength carried forward by Indigenous communities. Through confronting discomfort comes healing of realities where secrets or dismissiveness are no longer.
About the Journal
The Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing is a peer-reviewed, open-access, scholarly online journal that shares multi-disciplinary Indigenous knowledge and research experience amongst Indigenous health professionals, leaders, researchers and community members. The journal publishes original, informative and scholarly articles on the broadly defined topic of Indigenous wellbeing. Serving as a forum for the clarification and exchange of ideas, the journal features articles on projects that make a significant impact on our understanding of Indigenous wellbeing.
Volume 8, Issue 1
E ngā iwi taketake, he mihi tēnei ki a koutou,
Edition Eight of the Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing Te Mauri-Pimatisiwin reclaims the original intention to enable expression of authentic Indigenous voices freely accessible to Indigenous peoples worldwide. This edition included category for Mahi Toi — the crafting of mātauranga (knowledge) into artistic form, allowing for a fuller range of indigenous knowledge and expression to be heard that is often excluded from academic writings.