Episode 24 - Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery with Sarah Augustine

Christine Sine and Sarah Augustine delve into the Doctrine of Discovery, its historical implications for Indigenous peoples, and the ongoing impact of colonial policies, particularly the ramifications of boarding schools. They discuss the deep-rooted effects of child removal and cultural erasure, while also exploring the intersection of faith and social justice. In this conversation, Christine Sine and Sarah Augustine explore the devastating impact of the damming of Celilo Falls on local Indigenous culture, and the need for a shift from charity to repair in supporting Indigenous communities. They discuss the importance of land back programs and how white people can effectively support Indigenous movements towards decolonization and environmental stewardship.

Takeaways

• The Doctrine of Discovery is a legal and policy structure that defines reality for Indigenous peoples. It has been used to disrupt culture and destroy entire economies.
• It has been incorporated into legal systems globally including the UN charter, affecting Indigenous rights and sovereignty.
• The boarding school system was a form of cultural genocide, stripping Indigenous children of their identity and removing people from their land.
• Child removal is a method to erase cultures and communities and a significant cause of intergenerational trauma.
• Christian institutions were crucial for the boarding school system, usually under the guise of "civilizing" Indigenous children.
• There is a need for a radical re-examination of faith in the context of social justice. Jesus came to the marginalized, not the powerful.
• Self-determination is critical for Indigenous communities.
• Charity reinforces power imbalances; repair acknowledges historical injustices.
• Collective action is more powerful than individual efforts.

Sarah Augustine, who is a Pueblo (Tewa) descendant, is co- founder and Executive
Director of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery. She is also the
co-founder of Suriname Indigenous Health Fund (SIHF), where she has worked in
relationship with vulnerable Indigenous Peoples since 2005. She has represented
the interests of Indigenous community partners to their own governments, the
Inter-American development bank, the UN, the Organization of American States Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the WHO, and a host of other international actors including corporate interests. She is a columnist for Anabaptist World, and co-hosts the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery podcast with Sheri Hostetler. She has taught at Heritage University, CWU, and Goshen College. In Washington State she serves in a leadership role on multiple boards and commissions to enable vulnerable peoples to speak for themselves in advocating for structural change. She is author of the book The Land Is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery (Herald Press 2021), and co-author, with Sheri Hostetler, of So We and Our Children May Live: Following Jesus in Confronting the Climate Crisis (Herald Press 2023).

Contact information

Sarah Augustine:

• website: www.dismantlediscovery.org
• Facebook: @dismantlediscovery.org
• Instagram: @dismantlediscovery.org
• YouTube: @dismantlingthedoctrineofdi7536

Christine Sine:

• Walking In Wonder on Substack
• website Godspacelight
• Instagram
• Facebook