Rising From the Ashes

Rising From the Ashes—A Convening on Rematriations, Reparations, and Restitutions offers an opportunity to recognize the resilience of Indigenous communities that, throughout history, have faced attempts to distort narratives through various forms of epistemicide. In an effort to counter the ramifications of such attempts, the two-day congress at HKW fosters reflections and dialogues that consider the body and its creative manifestations as sites and vehicles of knowledge, and further aims to stimulate critical approaches to protect Indigenous sovereignty. The programme proposes a format that seeks to reunite the sensorial, the affective, the relational, and the discursive, while centring the act of rematriation as a methodology for reframing objecthood as subjecthood in regard to the restitution of cultural heritage. Rematriation, reparation, and restitution constitute the key notions that converge during the convening to address historical injustices.

Beyond its discursive components that include performative, sonic, participative, culinary, and communing offerings, the programme engages with elements of nature such as the sky, stars, cosmos, waters, earth, fire, air, plants, animals, and more, as part of an effort to unearth Indigenous knowledges and technologies of living that inspire healing and reinvention. HKW welcomes the contributions and presence of historians, philosophers, artists, pedagogues, scientists, cultural workers, and community organizers such as Léuli Eshrāghi, Soñ Gweha, Satch Hoyt, Intikuren, Jessie Kleemann, Dr. Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, Marilú Mapengo Námoda, Colleen Ndemeh Fitzgerald, Prof. Kum’a Ndumbe III, Sylvie Njobati, Eeva-Kristiina Nylander, Alima Pélagie, Aura Mari Pieski, Rosanna Raymond, Diana Rico, Michelle Schenandoah, and Nathalie Vairac.