Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery

By Tekonwakwenni Nanticoke

The year after Christopher Columbus “discovered” the new world, Pope Alexander VI issued a doctrine known as the Papal Bull Inter Caetera. The document supported Spain’s plan to ensure its exclusive rights to the land that Columbus discovered the previous year.

The Bull specified that any land not inhabited by Christians was available to be claimed and exploited by Christian rulers and declared that “the Catholic faith and the Christian religion be exalted and be everywhere increased and spread, that the health of souls be cared for and that barbarous nations be overthrown and brought to the faith itself.”

As hard as it is to believe, this document still exists and is still being used by the judicial system.

Its most recent victim is the Oneida Nation in Western New York. The 2005 ruling confirmed the government’s dominion over lands, even if they’re sold to a native nation.

In an effort to bring this to light, as many people do not know about its existence, a conference was held on O’odham land in Arizona. Onkwehonwe from across Turtle Island travelled far to take part in the first of many gatherings to further the presence of Onkwehonwe in a place that couldn’t care less about the survival of our people.

Jake Hill, a chief from Onondaga, was asked to speak on behalf of the Hotinonsonni people. He was asked to explain the history of the Hotinonsonni and how they came to deal with the European contact. It was also said of how our way of leadership directly influenced the 13 colonies and their subsequent governmental standards.

Other speakers throughout the conference included Robert Williams, Professor of Law and American Indian Studies; Voices of Abya Yala, delegates from South America.

Over 400 people attended the two-day conference; 100 of which were high school students. Their arrival, which was coincidentally delayed by a bomb threat called in that morning, was a sign of the strength our people have.

Tonatierra put this conference together. Tonatierra is an embassy of Indigenous People and are based in Phoenix, Arizona.