In 2017 the Coalition supported the development of a full-length play about the Doctrine of Discovery, We Own This Now. Written by Alison Brookins, staring Ted Swartz and Michelle Milne, the play is on tour with Ted & Company TheaterWorks.
We own this now finds unexpected humor at the crossroads of justice and land use, offering both comic and challenging glimpses into the absurdity of white settler oppression of Indigenous Peoples and the land we live on. A show about love, and loss, of land, We own this now nudges us to question our stories with honesty and integrity.
This show is currently touring internationally — find out how to bring it to your area!
This traveling exhibit aims to educate and raise awareness about the Doctrine of Discovery. We welcome all interested persons to contact us to host the exhibit in your community.
The exhibit is comprised of 8 panels each 30’ wide by 45’ tall, and is a great tool to accompany the use of our other resources such as the Documentary and Study Guide.
Links to download accompany materials and a printable timeline are to the right. The printable timeline is exactly the same as the exhibit, just smaller.
If interested in hosting the exhibit, please contact Anita Amstutz.
If interested in purchasing your own exhibit, please contact Ken Gingerich.
Lovers of board games will enjoy this decolonizing version of the classic Settlers of Catan, reworked as First Nations of Catan by Greg Loring-Albright. The game pushes back on the “empty land” myth of colonization, perpetuated by many popular board games. Click the link to read about the development, or download a printable version.
Inspired by a similar exercise of Canadian focus, created by Kairos, a Canadian Social Justice Coalition, “The Loss of Turtle Island,” has been developed by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).
“The Loss of Turtle Island” is a participatory learning experience that depicts the historic relationship between European settlers — including Mennonites — and the Indigenous nations, the original inhabitants, of the land we now call the United States of America.
Blankets represent the land and participants represent distinct Indigenous nations who experience colonization, genocide, broken treaties, forced removal, assimilation and termination — all in the spirit of the Doctrine of Discovery.
“Turtle Island” is a term that originates from the creation stories of Indigenous nations in Canada and the U.S. For example, according to Iroquois oral history, Sky Woman fell down to the earth when it was covered with water. Various animals tried to swim to the bottom of the ocean to bring back dirt to create land. Muskrat succeeded in gathering dirt, which was placed on the back of a turtle, which grew into the land known today as Canada and the U.S.
This exercise is not a comprehensive history, but rather a selection of policies, actions and voices. It also does not address the history of Alaska or Hawaii. Portions of the exercise specifically name Mennonite involvement because it is one of the church communities deeply affiliated with Mennonite Central Committee.
For information on opportunities to participate in the experience near you contact your nearest MCC office.
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