Since the time of "First Contact", Indigenous peoples have been positioned in a place of oppression from European explorers. The idea espoused by "thinkers" such as Amerigo Vespucci classified Indigenous peoples as lacking in moral character, having no redeeming qualities, and not worthy of attention and inherent human rights. Based of notions of "Civilization" and "Savagery", European ideas on Indigenous peoples still exist today, even within Pagan circles. This lecture will examine the binary of "Civilization" and "Savagery", how it influenced colonization and dehumanization of Indigenous peoples, and examine the effect of these things on Indigenous Spiritual Traditions.
