“Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker first appeared in the 2018 issue of Rethinking Marxism: A Journal of Economics, Culture & Society. Barker intertwines multiple genres—analysis, storytelling, memoir, and digital art—to explore the concept of decolonizing intellectual and emotional labor. Her work treats art as a mode of cultural practice, an expressive language, and a form of political resistance, emphasizing that art serves not only as a communicative tool but also as a way to reclaim Indigenous territories, stories, and identities. Barker’s approach is grounded in Indigenous epistemologies, presenting land not as an economic resource but as a relational entity imbued with responsibilities and cultural significance. This emphasis on relationality underscores a shift from traditional literary theory, situating Indigenous narratives within frameworks that resist Western notions of ownership and instead emphasize governance based on mutual respect, sustainability, and collective memory. Barker’s piece is significant in literature and literary theory as it challenges conventional academic structures by merging scholarly critique with art and personal narrative, thus presenting an Indigenous feminist lens that calls for a return to Indigenous knowledge systems as a path to reclaim autonomy and identity within settler-colonial contexts.
Summary of “Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker
Decolonization as Intellectual and Emotional Labor Barker’s work treats decolonization not just as a political stance but as a form of intellectual and emotional engagement. She stresses the importance of decolonizing “one’s intellectual and emotional labor,” advocating for a mental shift away from colonial structures in both academic and personal realms (Barker, 2018, p. 208). Through various forms of expression—memoir, digital art, and storytelling—Barker delves into how these practices contribute to a decolonized mindset, transforming art into a language of resurgence and resistance.
Art as Communication and Cultural Practice In Barker’s view, “artwork as a language, a form of communication, a mode of cultural practice and resurgence” is pivotal in articulating decolonial thought (Barker, 2018, p. 209). She emphasizes that art should not be seen as separate from politics but rather as intertwined with it, embodying the phrase by artist Ai Weiwei: “Everything is art. Everything is politics.” Through her images, organized into thematic collections, she attempts to provoke a “meaningful, contextualized engagement” rather than explaining them in static terms, thereby preserving their visceral impact.
Reclaiming Indigenous Relationships with Land Barker argues that Indigenous land should not be understood within Western capitalist or Marxist frameworks, where land is either a private property or a public commons (Barker, 2018, p. 210). Instead, Indigenous land is defined by relational responsibilities and ethical protocols embedded in specific Indigenous epistemologies. Referencing Indigenous scholars like Leanne Betasamosake Simpson and Vine Deloria Jr., Barker describes land as a responsibility that Indigenous communities uphold through reciprocal ceremonies, practices, and governance.
Indigenous Futurisms and Reimagining the Future A significant aspect of Barker’s work is her vision of “Indigenous Futurisms,” which reclaims Indigenous identity and territory by imagining alternative, liberated futures. For her, the “future is never about the future,” but rather about reclaiming the present by embedding it with past histories and relationships to land (Barker, 2018, p. 215). This approach echoes the sentiments of writers like Octavia Butler and draws on speculative elements to imagine a space where Indigenous territories and bodies are “unoccupied and uncivilized.”
Resistance Against Environmental and Gendered Violence Barker connects environmental destruction with gendered violence against Indigenous women and communities, positioning both as facets of settler-colonial violence (Barker, 2018, p. 212). She references Sarah Deer’s work on the disproportionate violence faced by Indigenous women and David Graeber’s theory of debt and militarization, situating U.S. economic and military agendas as forces that further exploit Indigenous lands for profit while disregarding Indigenous sovereignty.
Celebration of Indigenous Eroticism and Sensuality Barker emphasizes that decolonization is not only a political struggle but also a personal journey of reclaiming one’s body, identity, and pleasure. She explores themes of Indigenous eroticism and eco-eroticism, challenging the limiting stereotypes imposed on Indigenous bodies and lives (Barker, 2018, p. 213). Drawing on the words of Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Barker asserts that reclaiming sensuality is essential to decolonizing “our hearts and minds” and resisting colonial narratives that dehumanize Indigenous identities.
Literary Terms/Concepts in “Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker
A literary genre that uses personal experiences to explore broader social and political themes.
Barker’s essay incorporates memoir elements, using her personal experiences to explore Indigenous identity and resistance.
Eco-eroticism
A view that connects sensual experiences with nature and the environment.
Barker discusses an “eco-erotic” connection to nature, emphasizing the sensual relationship with land and nonhuman beings.
Decolonial Aesthetics
Artistic expression that challenges and resists colonial frameworks.
Barker’s artwork resists colonial norms, viewing art as both political and part of the decolonial project.
Indigenous Epistemology
Ways of knowing and understanding rooted in Indigenous cultures and philosophies.
Barker highlights land as central to Indigenous knowledge systems, viewing it as relational rather than property-based.
Resurgence
The process of revitalizing Indigenous cultural practices, languages, and traditions.
Barker’s work on decolonizing the mind is part of a broader Indigenous resurgence through art, storytelling, and memory.
Language as Culture
The idea that language is both a medium of communication and a repository of cultural identity.
Barker references Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, emphasizing the role of language in maintaining and expressing Indigenous culture.
Contribution of “Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker to Literary Theory/Theories
Expands the Framework of Decolonial Theory Barker’s work broadens decolonial theory by positioning decolonization as an active, ongoing process that engages both intellectual and emotional labor. She emphasizes that decolonization extends beyond political independence to include a mental and emotional reclamation of Indigenous identity and self-perception (Barker, 2018, p. 208).
Integrates Art and Politics as Forms of Decolonial Expression Barker challenges traditional boundaries between art and politics, asserting that art is inherently political and that it plays a critical role in decolonial movements. This approach reframes artistic creation as a form of cultural practice and resistance, aligning with Ai Weiwei’s statement, “Everything is art. Everything is politics.” Barker’s integration of visual art into her narrative advances the concept of art as a communicative tool in decolonial theory (Barker, 2018, p. 209).
Reinterprets Land as a Relational and Ethical Concept in Indigenous Epistemology By presenting land as a network of responsibilities rather than property, Barker introduces an Indigenous epistemological framework that shifts away from Western notions of ownership and alienation. This perspective, informed by Indigenous thinkers like Vine Deloria Jr., positions land as central to relational ethics and Indigenous governance, adding depth to ecological and decolonial literary theories (Barker, 2018, p. 210).
Introduces Indigenous Futurisms as a Reclamation of Present and Future Barker’s concept of “Indigenous Futurisms” provides a framework for envisioning futures that reject colonial narratives and reassert Indigenous autonomy. This perspective supports speculative fiction and futurist theories by advocating for storytelling as a method of cultural preservation and resistance, challenging dominant narratives of progress (Barker, 2018, p. 215).
Links Environmental and Gendered Violence as Interconnected Aspects of Colonialism Barker’s work draws connections between environmental exploitation and violence against Indigenous bodies, particularly women, illustrating how both are extensions of settler-colonialism. This contribution enriches feminist and ecocritical literary theories by framing environmental harm as inseparable from the systemic violence inflicted on Indigenous communities (Barker, 2018, p. 212).
Explores Indigenous Eroticism as a Path to Decolonization Barker’s emphasis on reclaiming eroticism challenges colonial-imposed taboos on Indigenous sensuality, aligning with Indigenous feminist theory. By reclaiming sensuality and pleasure, Barker asserts that decolonization includes embracing bodily autonomy, which resists colonial narratives that dehumanize Indigenous identity (Barker, 2018, p. 213).
Advances Decolonial Aesthetics through Narrative and Digital Art Barker’s integration of digital art and narrative storytelling expands decolonial aesthetics, blending academic theory with personal and visual storytelling. This approach disrupts traditional academic structures, advocating for more inclusive forms of expression within literary theory (Barker, 2018, p. 209).
Centers Indigenous Epistemologies in Literary Theory Through references to Indigenous scholars, Barker centers Indigenous epistemologies in her analysis, affirming that Indigenous perspectives on knowledge, responsibility, and relationality must be integral to literary and cultural theory (Barker, 2018, p. 210).
Examples of Critiques Through “Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker
Literary Work
Critique Through Barker’s Concepts
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Using Barker’s lens, Achebe’s novel can be critiqued for its portrayal of colonial disruption in Indigenous societies. Barker’s concept of land as relational can deepen understanding of how colonialism imposes alienating property values on communal lands.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Barker’s emphasis on decolonizing intellectual perspectives highlights Conrad’s Eurocentric viewpoint, which portrays African lands and peoples as savage and inferior. This critique underscores how such narratives enforce colonial ideologies.
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
Barker’s idea of Indigenous epistemology and relationality with land aligns with Silko’s themes. Her insights on decolonial aesthetics enhance the critique by showing how Silko’s narrative resists colonial dominance through traditional storytelling.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Morrison’s portrayal of memory and trauma in African American history resonates with Barker’s emphasis on art as political and cultural resurgence. Barker’s framework supports a critique of Morrison’s use of narrative to reclaim cultural histories.
Criticism Against “Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker
Reliance on Personal Narrative May Limit Scholarly Objectivity Some may argue that Barker’s integration of personal experience and memoir risks limiting the academic objectivity of her arguments, as it blends subjective and scholarly perspectives, potentially affecting the credibility and analytical rigor expected in scholarly work.
Potential Overemphasis on Art as Political Barker’s strong assertion that “everything is art; everything is politics” may be seen as overly deterministic, implying that all forms of art must serve a political purpose. Critics might argue that this stance risks reducing artistic expression solely to a tool of resistance, which could limit the scope of art as a more diverse, personal, or aesthetic experience.
Conceptual Vagueness in Indigenous Futurisms While Barker’s exploration of Indigenous Futurisms is imaginative, critics might find the concept somewhat vague or underdeveloped in practical terms. The vision of an Indigenous future could be seen as overly idealistic without clear guidance on how such futures can be achieved in current colonial contexts.
Limited Engagement with Global Decolonial Perspectives Barker’s analysis is primarily centered on Indigenous experiences in the United States, which may limit its applicability to other global Indigenous or decolonial contexts. Critics might contend that her framework would benefit from a more comparative approach, integrating diverse Indigenous perspectives from around the world.
Potential Alienation of Non-Indigenous Audiences By framing decolonization in highly specific Indigenous terms, Barker’s work might be critiqued for potentially alienating non-Indigenous readers who may find it difficult to relate or apply her ideas within their own experiences or cultural contexts.
Representative Quotations from “Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker with Explanation
“Art is part of the struggle to reclaim a future that is not about the future at all but a present … unoccupied.”
Barker emphasizes the role of art in creating a decolonial present, rather than a distant future, where Indigenous identity and territory are freed from colonial domination.
“Everything is art. Everything is politics.”
Quoting Ai Weiwei, Barker highlights the interconnectedness of art and politics, suggesting that artistic expression is a powerful form of resistance and a political act within the decolonial struggle.
“I would define my artwork in the context of my struggle to ‘decolonize my mind’…”
Barker frames her creative work as an ongoing process of self-liberation, where art becomes a tool for mental and emotional decolonization.
“Indigenous land is not property or a public commons; it is a mode of relationality…”
Here, Barker contrasts Indigenous views of land as a communal responsibility with Western concepts of property, emphasizing a relational ethic central to Indigenous governance.
“The future is never about the future. It is a reclaiming of the present and past…”
Barker argues that decolonial work reclaims the present by acknowledging and honoring Indigenous histories, rejecting colonial narratives that define the future as a linear progression from the past.
“To decolonize oneself… includes reclaiming the erotic.”
Barker asserts that decolonization extends to the body and sensual experience, challenging colonial narratives that devalue or restrict Indigenous expressions of pleasure and identity.
“I am Lenape, Turtle Clan… neither Lenapehoking, Oklahoma, nor Oakland are ‘my land.’”
Barker highlights a complex relationship with land, showing that her connection is not one of ownership but of relational responsibility rooted in Indigenous identity and history.
“Indigenous people come ‘face-to-face with settler colonial authority… [and] learning how to be on the land anyway.’”
Reflecting on Leanne Betasamosake Simpson’s work, Barker discusses the challenges Indigenous people face when maintaining traditional land practices in a colonial context, demonstrating resilience against oppression.
“I want to live there; that is where I live.”
This personal statement from Barker expresses her desire for a life rooted in decolonized Indigenous lands and practices, emphasizing the importance of present-day decolonization.
“Sex is not the only way to experience pleasure… feeling pleasures so much larger than skin and bones and blood.”
Barker redefines pleasure, emphasizing a broad, holistic sensuality that includes connections to the land, nature, and community, challenging colonial views that often reduce Indigenous bodies to stereotypes or restrict their autonomy.
Suggested Readings: “Decolonizing the Mind” by Joanne Barker
Barker, Joanne. “Decolonizing the mind.” Rethinking marxism 30.2 (2018): 208-231.
UPADHYAY, NISHANT. “COLONIAL INTIMACIES.” Indians on Indian Lands: Intersections of Race, Caste, and Indigeneity, University of Illinois Press, 2024, pp. 115–38. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jj.17381691.10. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.
