Indigenous Ideas: A Global Perspective (with Saliha Belmessous)

Indigenous Ideas: A Global Perspective (with Saliha Belmessous)

From Interventions | The Intellectual History Podcast by Interventions

March 4, 2025 · 60 min

About this episode

Saliha Belmessous discusses the impact of indigenous ideas on global history, particularly in the context of colonialism and the Treaty of Waitangi.

In 1686, a French witness spoke openly of a Native American declaration of independence. ‘We have to assume’, he said, ‘that the Iroquois do not accept any master’. Claims such as this were made frequently throughout the history of European colonialism, forming a rich tapestry of indigenous ideas. Although often dismissed by historians as badly documented and politically irrelevant fictions, these ideas helped shape the destiny of peoples and polities across the globe, from New Zealand and New Caledonia to Ontario and Quebec. Join Saliha Belmessous, a leading light in the emerging field of indigenous intellectual history, as she looks at the legacy of the Treaty of Waitangi, visits the insulated offices of Victorian lawyers, and reflects on the interplay of colonial cooperation and violence.

People in this episode

Guest: Saliha Belmessous

Topics covered

  • indigenous ideas
  • colonialism
  • intellectual history
  • Iroquois
  • Treaty of Waitangi
  • colonial cooperation
  • violence

Keywords

  • indigenous history
  • colonialism
  • Iroquois
  • Treaty of Waitangi
  • Saliha Belmessous
  • intellectual history
  • New Zealand
  • New Caledonia
  • Ontario
  • Quebec

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Native American declaration of independence

Places: New Zealand, New Caledonia, Ontario, Quebec

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