Settler Colonialism, Indigenous Cultural Epistemologies

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Settler Colonialism.
Settler colonialism is defined as a distinguished way of colonialism that aims at replacing indigenous population by invading a settler community. As time goes by, the settler colonialists incorporate their ways and the society develops a distinguished identity and predominance. Evelyn Nakano Glenn argues that not only is settler colonialism a historical event but also is an ongoing structure. Settler colonialism is an ongoing structure as it serves as a basis of the history of a society and it is able to interfere with the race and gender formation of a society (Glenn, 54-74).
Settler colonialism involves seizing and taking over the rights of other people’s property such as land and resources. It involves removing the indigenes of a society either directly or indirectly. Taking over by the settlers was accomplished through different ways even through forceful ways. The settler colonialism established their ways by taking over space, resources and individuals.
The California Indians (Native Americans) experience during the colonial period is divided in to three periods. The first era is when the Indians fully occupied California. The second era is when the European invaded California and the military conquest. The third era is the colonialism period and resistance by the Indians (Forbes, 234-242).
The colonizers introduced slavery, introduced private property regime in land that they occupied forcefully and forced labor systems; cultivate lands, extraction of resources and building of infrastructure. Racism and gender formation is still present in the society. It was there in the past and has developed to the present. A fact that supports Glenn's claim that settler colonialism is an ongoing structure. There is racism and gender biasness in the society in today's modern world.
There were many Native Americans that were living in the present state now known as California for a long period of time before the Spanish mission occupied their lands. There were many different tribes that had different cultures and unique ways of life. Each of the tribes had a different natural environment where they lived. For instance, the Cahuilla tribe lived in the Mojave Desert. The Cahuilla hunted small animals and the antelopes to feed in them. Another tribe is the Chumash lived near the coast and they feed in fish, whales and sea birds.
All the tribes had their own religion and belief that differed from one another. For instance, there were tribes that could dance to make earthquakes stop and others would hold a sacred ceremony hoping for a good harvest. According to the California Indians, animals had a soul and they treated them the same as humans. They had to ask the animals for permission before they hunted it. They were able to sustain their religion and ways of life for a long time despite the difference in their beliefs. However, this changed when the Spanish mission came along and interrupted their ways of life. The Spanish mission was able to have a great impact on the culture, religion and ways of life on the California Indians.
There was change in various aspects of life when the Spanish mission came along. The California Indians went ...