518 YEARS AFTER THE GREAT CATASTROPHE
From the Party of the Indigenous of the Republic-PIR (France) Original published December 31 2007, on the eve of 2008; re-circulated as a reminder in 2010 of what will be year 518 AGC (After the Great Catastrophe)
English Translation by Roberto Hernández (Group of Decolonial Translators)
Email:  redaction@indigenes-republique.fr
Webpage:  http://www.indigenes-republique.fr/

We do not wish a happy new year 2008 [or 2010] ! We wish you a happy new year 516 [518] A.G.C. [After] the THE GREAT CATASTROPHE . Our indigenous calendar begins in fact in 1492 of the Christian calendar.

1492: "Discovery the New World? No, introduction of a new world order: Indian genocide, deportation and enslavement of Africans, colonization, emergence of the social relations of races.

1492: Start of modernity? No, inaugural moment of the process of de-civilization of the world.

1492: Demonstration of European superiority? No, the founding moment of European economic, technological, political and cultural strength thanks to the gold of the Americas; and later, the wealth of Africa, the Arab world and Asia.

This past is our present: French Africa, imperialism, colonialism, Zionism, "war of civilizations", racial divide...

The powerful in the world have imposed a European and white-centric reading of history. Other nations would [be said to] have no history prior to their encounter with the white world. Since they are only/merely auxiliaries to a story that is built without them.

Today we celebrate the first day of the year 516 [518] A.G.C., calendar of the colonial era, because decolonization is necessary for a radical reversal of the dominant perspective: the reading of history is a relation of political power. So, good year, but a good year 516 [518]!