Colonialism, and what I'd rather do instead
Briefly touched on in my other post, my current project is greatly inspired by prehispanic mesoamerica.
The specter of colonialism, of course, sits over my shoulder while I work and asks me what its role will be when the product is finished.
There are many places and times that are/were pagan, and I mentioned I originally had a bronze age Mesopotamia setting in mind. Why switch?
It is because I joined my Mexican folk dance group, and I learned of the great variety and richness between regions of the same country. My mind is often full with images of an idyllic pueblito in the mountains of Jalisco. Twice a week I hear the harps from the coasts of Veracruz. I see vibrant colors twirl to the iconic cacophony of tuba, clarinet, piccolo from Sinaloa.
In short, I've fallen in love with this part of the world, and so I want to write about it.
But then there's colonialism. I don't really feel like you can talk about this part of the world without it. While indigenous traditions persist and even thrive in Mexico, it has been shaped by its conquest.
A lot of the conversation in the context of D&D seems to me only interested in the identities of indigenous or colonist. This irks me a fair bit, because what I love about indigenous cultures is the variety and differences between them.
In conversations around colonialism, all indigenous become one homogenous faction against the conquerors. I find this a great disservice to the indigenous, who had great and powerful interactions between them.
Before the arrival of the Spanish, the Purepecha empire and the aztec Triple Alliance fought wars of territorial expansion, fortified towns on their borders, traded with neighbors as far away as Peru. The Maya civilization had great power struggles between dynasties of powerful city states. They looked to the heavens, charted the stars, and even predicted an eclipse. They made terrible sacrifices, sculpted great stele, and boasted of their victories and lamented their defeats against one another. They united in alliances and betrayed one another.
And under those powerful lords were the people. They grew corn, wove clothes and danced. They sang and worked in the fields. They cooked delicious food for one another. They worshipped together and in private.
In my project, this is what I hope to capture. I hope to capture the great and proud interactions that pre-colonial societies had, instead of reducing them to just victims. And I want to express an appreciation for the individual people that give these vibrant cultures their character.
So then, what role do I give to the colonial specter?
I'm of two minds.
I could ignore it completely. This might work. Players might forget about colonialism completely during the course of the campaign. This may be desireable.
Or I could give it a small role as a newcomer to the region. Maybe a small colonial presence could remind the reader that the natives in the colonialism discourse are diverse and proud.