The Historian as Curandera

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Apr 3, 2024

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The Historian as Curandera Aurora Levins Morales Slides by Soren Myers 1

Author Bio/Background • Aurora Levins Morales • Director of the Institute for Cultural Activism in Berkeley, Calif. • Writes fiction, essays, poetry, documentary scripts, and plays • Public lecturer on multiculturalism, women of color, and women's history • Featured in many books and anthologies including MS. magazine, Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the U.S.A. (1991), and Reconstructed American Literature (1990). 2

Key Concepts • Medicinal Histories : Histories that aim to heal and re-establish connections between people and their past. • Decolonizing Identities : The process of challenging and dismantling colonial narratives that shape identity. • Centering Women : Placing women at the forefront of historical narratives. • Arawak : a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. • Lost history : details of the past be they cultural or scientific, political or even religious which are no longer present. • Anticolonialism : used to describe the various resistance movements directed against colonial and imperial powers. • Cacicas : members of the indigenous ruling class known as nitainos. • Imperial history : The (particularly strong in the United States) sense that the rest of the world is 3

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Course Themes and Prior Texts  "El Plan de Santa Barbara" (1969, October).  Aurora Levins Morales' article shares a common commitment with "El Plan de Santa Barbara" in redefining historical narratives and empowering Latinx communities in the United States. Levins Morales' concept of "medicinal history" seeks to center marginalized perspectives and correct imperialist history by restoring the humanity of oppressed communities, particularly Puerto Rican and Latinx individuals. Similarly, "El Plan de Santa Barbara" emerged from the 1969 Santa Barbara conference, advocating for educational and cultural empowerment within Chicano communities. Both the article and "El Plan de Santa Barbara" highlight the importance of reclaiming cultural heritage and community empowerment as essential components of reshaping Latinx identities and narratives, emphasizing the shared commitment to recognizing, preserving, and 4  "El Plan de Los Angeles" (n.d.).  Aurora Levins Morales' article and "El Plan de Los Angeles" are interconnected through their shared commitment to challenging dominant historical narratives and empowering Puerto Rican and Latinx communities in the United States . Morales' work, emphasizing the importance of "medicinal history," seeks to decolonize identities , center marginalized perspectives, and correct imperialist history by restoring humanity to the oppressed, while "El Plan de Los Angeles" focuses on preserving cultural heritage , promoting community solidarity, and highlighting the experiences and contributions of these communities. Both works underscore the significance of acknowledging and celebrating the diverse and complex identities of Puerto Rican and Latinx individuals , redefining historical narratives, and fostering cultural activism as a means of empowerment and resistance.

Course Themes and Prior Texts (cont.) 5  Jose A Maldonado's "The Roots of Identity and Denial: (n.d.).  Aurora Levins Morales' article and Jose A Maldonado's "The Roots of Identity and Denial" both engage with questions of identity, specifically related to the Mexican and Chicano identity in the United States. While Levins Morales' article explores the concept of "medicinal history" and its impact on Puerto Rican and Latinx identities.  Maldonado's work delves into the historical evolution of the term "Chicano" and its complex relationship with other labels like "Hispanic" and "Latino.“  Levins Morales' "medicinal history" seeks to decolonize identities and empower marginalized communities , a concept that resonates with Maldonado's exploration of how the term "Chicano" evolved as a means for Mexican Americans to assert their identity and challenge negative stereotypes imposed by the dominant culture.  Both authors highlight the importance of self-identification and resisting external definitions.  While Levins Morales' work primarily focuses on Puerto Rican and Latinx women, Maldonado's article addresses the broader issue of Chicano identity, its historical development, and the social and political factors that have influenced how individuals choose to define themselves.  These two works contribute to a larger discussion about identity, self-empowerment, and the reclaiming of cultural heritage within Latinx communities in the United States.

2 0 X X S A M P L E F O O T E R T E X T 6 Author’s Purpose • To reframe historical events to decolonize the identities and imaginations of Puerto Rican women. • To emphasize the medicinal uses of history in healing and restoring humanity to the oppressed. • To challenge conventional historical writing and add women's perspectives.

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Key Quotes “If the purpose of medicinal history is to transform the way we see ourselves historically, to change our sense of what is possible, then making history available to those who need it most is not a separate process from the researching and interpreting” (Page 8) Morales, A. (1998). 01 “In writing about the past we are choosing to bear witness to the impact of that past on the people around us. We don’t stand apart from history. We are in the midst of it right this minute and stances we take matter. “ (Page 8) Morales, A. (1998). 02 “We need more than just the heroic stories of militant resistance. Stories of accommodation, collaboration, and outright defeat are just as important because they give us ways to understand our position as caused rather than just existing. “ (Page 5) Morales, A. (1998). 03 “Therefore, one of the tasks of medicinal history is to show that all parts of the world co-exist and always have…” “We also need to show that complexity and change exist and always have existed in all parts of the world.” (Page 7) Morales, A. (1998). 04 “A commitment to the study of connections requires us to continually disregard these pressures and the conventions they uphold.” (Page 9) Morales, A. (1998). 05 7

Quote Analysis  01 (Page 8) Morales, A. (1998). This quote highlights the inseparable relationship between different aspects of "medicinal history." It stresses that the core purpose of changing historical perspectives and making history accessible to marginalized communities is interconnected. Researching and interpreting history should inherently serve the goal of transforming how these communities view themselves within their historical narratives. In essence, "medicinal history" combines research and accessibility to empower marginalized groups, challenge prevailing narratives, and provide a more inclusive historical account, fostering a culture of resistance and self-empowerment.  02 (Page 8) Morales, A. (1998) This quote highlights the active role of writers in bearing witness to history's impact on people. It stresses that we are not detached from history but are part of it, and the stances we take in our writing matter. In essence, it emphasizes the ethical responsibility of writers to be mindful of how their historical narratives can influence the present and future.  03 (Page 5) Morales, A. (1998) This quote stresses the importance of including not only heroic resistance stories but also accounts of accommodation, collaboration, and defeat in our historical narratives. It underscores that these diverse narratives offer valuable insights into the multifaceted causes behind our present circumstances. In essence, it calls for a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to understanding history.  04 (Page 7) Morales, A. (1998) This quote emphasizes that medicinal history's crucial task is to reveal the coexistence of different world regions throughout history, challenging simplistic labels like "Stone Age people" or "just entering the 20th Century." It underscores that all individuals, regardless of their technology and society, exist in the same historical moment and that complexity and change have always been universal.  05 (Page 9) Morales, A. (1998) The quote underscores the need for a dedicated commitment to studying connections in history, even in the face of external pressures and conventional norms that might limit such exploration. 8

Prompt & Discussion Questions • Question 1 : How does Aurora Levins Morales redefine the purpose of history in her concept of "medicinal history"? • Question 2 : What are some of the challenges and distortions in conventional historical narratives that the author seeks to address in her work? • Question 3 : How does the inclusion of women at the center of historical narratives change our understanding of history? • Question 4 : How can "medicinal history" contribute to the process of decolonizing identities? • Question 5 : What can we learn from Morales' approach to history that can be applied to other underrepresented groups and their histories? 9

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Additions to Identity Paper Global Perspective: Building on Morales' focus on global interconnectedness, I can explore how a broader perspective, understanding the global context, can influence my personal identity. Consider how awareness of global issues or a sense of global citizenship might shape my self-identity. Activism and Resistance: Morales discusses the importance of resistance in shaping historical narratives. I can reflect on how personal, or community activism, and resistance have influenced my identity. How has taking a stand on social or political issues shaped who I am? 1 0

References 1 1 Chicano Coordinating Council on Higher Education. (1969, October). El Plan de Santa Barbara . La Causa Publications. Maldonado, J. A. (n.d.). The Roots of Identity and Denial . Morales, A. (1998). The Historian as Curandera . Julian Samora Research Institute. https://jsri.msu.edu/upload/working-papers/wp40.pdf Morales, A. L. (n.d.). Aurora Levins Morales . Aurora Levins Morales. Retrieved November 8, 2023, from http://www.auroralevinsmorales.com/ Raza Studies Now. (n.d.). El Plan de Los Angeles .

The Historian as Curandera

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