Diasporas intersect in Turtle Island: examining diasporic intersectionality in Canada from critical race, postcolonial and indigenous perspectives

Abstract

ABSTRACT While Bitran and Tan (2013. Diaspora Nation: An Inquiry into the Economic Potential of Diaspora Networks in Canada. Toronto: Mowat Centre, University of Toronto, 8) believe that Canada (Turtle Island) is a ‘diaspora nation’, it is also evident that Canada as a settler colonial state has deeply rooted systemic and blatant forms of racism that have historically victimized and otherized diasporic communities of colour for the purpose of maintaining and perpetuating White hegemony. Even though cultural diversity and diasporic identities are often hailed to have underpinned Canadian ‘multiculturalism’, the aforementioned contradiction unravels the discourse or intent of multiculturalism in Canada – a country not fostering inclusivity, equality and justice for all the marginalized populations – but quite strikingly the opposite – the politics of Whiteness undergirded by the legacy of settler colonialism, historically. The identity of Canada as a country embracing ‘multiculturalism’ has a deeply rooted history of settler colonialism and its devastating consequences on Indigenous peoples living in this land for thousands of years before the arrival of White European settlers. And, of course, a plethora of studies have been done concerning those issues of racism, multiculturalism, settle colonialism and so forth in Canada. Similarly, a number of studies do exist that explore numerous diasporic identities based on their countries of origin. However, in this essay, I explore intersectional nature of three broad diasporic identities – Indigenous, Black and immigrant peoples of colour in Canada – who have common and intersecting experiences of forced/voluntary dispersal, homelessness, cultural alienation, marginalization, and so forth. Based on the intersecting experiences, the diasporas in Canada can ramp up an effective alliance to fight the injustices caused by White people through various institutions and state apparatuses. In order to critically examine the intersectionality of the three overarching diasporas and their issues, the essay uses Critical Race Theoretical (CRT) approach of intersectionality, postcolonial as well as Indigenous perspective to better understand how the diasporas are nuanced and interrelated despite their unique issues and existential characteristics. Similarly, viewing the diasporic intersection in Canada from critical race theoretical notion of intersectionality together with Indigenous perspective offers an understanding on how different diasporas in Canada and elsewhere share similar historical experiences and, at the same time, forge solidarity for their common good. On the one hand, the diasporic convergence with Indigenous peoples in it (re)fashions the Native space as an equitable space grounded on traditional Indigenous metaphor of common pot – inclusivity, renewal, mutual respect and responsibility, and on the other, it also highlights the necessity of critically (re)examining diasporas in Turtle Island by considering Indigeneity as an integral part of the discourse – study of diasporas not in isolation with Indigenous peoples, but as intersectional identities, so to speak.