● JM ●
By JimiMa
(Taiwan)
Editor's note:
Former member from the Taiwanese punk rock band Semicon, a graffiti writer going by the name "tufboi", and an English teacher for almost two decades, JimiMa embodies the decolonial spirit of undressing the Universe to let all light shine forever brightly.
AS A NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER, I feel privileged to have been asked by the editor to contribute to this Decoloniality project. My goal in this written submission is to express my opinions about Decoloniality through my personal experiences and what understandings have resulted.
Growing up in the Asian nation of Taiwan, Taiwanese citizens have – to a certain degree – experienced being colonized by other countries and powers. This feeling of subjugation has been compounded by the cultural influence of Confucianism, which has long primed East-Asian people to repress true feelings in favor of stimulating what might be considered the 'common good'. Even though the current Taiwanese generation has not been directly colonized, a slavery mindset – born over a hundred years ago – has remained rooted in our culture and subsequently influenced all that we say, think, and do.
To express ourselves in ways befitting our true, inherent human natures, people should embrace outlets that set us free in physical, emotional, and spiritual ways. Considering my own context, my formative years were pronouncedly influenced by the 1980s and 1990s, which – as a bridge between the hippy era and the millennial age – produced enormous human creativity amidst disconcerting global events like the Cold War. As children of the Baby Boomer generation, we were afforded the luxury of hindsight built upon marked human tragedy, along with the vision of a brighter future glistening off the shoulders of giant minds, ideas, and goals.
While that once-imagined brighter future has not fully materialized, illumination does exist to pierce the darkness. Two notable Taiwanese bright spots include the local punk rock and graffiti scenes, which I first learned about in my teen years. These and other subcultures share the need to – and in some cases against all odds – express yourself despite what limits the prevailing authorities impose upon your life.
As Coloniality has rudely pointed out for all, modern society is married to ingrained cornerstones vis-à-vis education, economics, work ethic, and others. Capitalism's omnipresent influence forms the backbone of this, and – as a purposefully-instilled vehicle of Coloniality subsisting on inequality to grow – resistance to systemic capitalist-based inequality inevitably arises. As a concerned human gazing upon a world of possibilities and visions, subcultures can happily provide vehicles of resistance, albeit they come packaged in benevolent forms designed to work against Coloniality's zero-sum game. The DIY spirit of punk rock is a prime example. Punk rockers produce their own records, arrange underground gigs, design handmade flyers, write original songs, publish independent zines, and generally engage in equitable, cooperative behavior methods, thus providing a platform of freedom and creativity for all who care to indulge. Graffiti works similarly. Returning to the 1980s as a visual element of underground hip-hop culture, graffiti can literally be considered the original form of 'tagging'. In doing so, it has long played a pivotal role in providing a communicative medium between marginalized groups.
Country Punks and City Punks (Taipei, Taiwan, 2001) It was our first-ever gig. As a local punk rock band formed in the Taiwanese countryside city of Puli, this show was magnificent. We shaved our Mohawks by ourselves using cheap clippers and wore handmade punk jackets. Despite growing up in different places and with different backgrounds, it felt like Decoloniality in a nutshell: we lived and breathed the same ethics and sense of unity.
Both punk rock and graffiti appear suitable metaphors for what Decoloniality strives to achieve. Whether it be flashy electric guitars or glistening spray paint cans, these artists continually bring the sentiments of the oppressed to life. Due to the notion (at least in Taiwan) of graffiti being egalitarian in nature, domination is sought by no one: the only goal is expression, pure and simple.
Punk Rock Night (Taipei, Tawain, 2001) The first show… the best one
Based on the ideas of freedom, cooperation, and active expression, punk rock music and graffiti are scenes I have devoted much of my life to; it is within these realms where I have met some of the most incredible, authentic people possible. As such, these subcultures can serve as moral indicators aiding Decoloniality as it moves into mainstream thinking. I say this because art and music are not focused on domination: they are sacred domains where people can speak freely and communicate beyond the monotony of politics, economics, and statistics. While the inevitable melding of ideas, methods, and applications that result when creative forms meet don't always guarantee successful synchronization, the fusion that does result forges new paths to be followed. When taken with correct intentions, these paths will inevitably lead to new Promised Lands, whatever those come to mean.
Rooftop Brotherhood (Taichung, Taiwan, 2003)
Shooting band photos and a music video.
True brotherhood.
Decolonial momentum is growing increasingly important, especially in this post-COVID era. Living on our increasingly fragile planet, we are undoubtedly part of a global village. Suppose Coloniality continues as the soundtrack to all of our lives. In that case, ongoing violence and subjugation will lead us kamikaze-tyle toward a premature end, whether it be via social unrest, war, pandemics, or environmental unsustainability. If Decoloniality can gain significant social traction, more voices will produce more positivity, strategies, and ways of tackling the myriad issues that currently leave so many terrestrial beings utterly breathless. Thus, Decoloniality should not be defined as a term or slogan to be co-opted for personal or commercial gain. Rather, it should be embraced as an attitude, a lifestyle, and the basic undergirding of what human rights truly mean.
Putting this all into perspective, I hand over to the one and only John Lennon:
"Imagine all the people, living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one".
Questions for Reflection:
Like JimiMa, we all should occasionally step into 'the margins' to better understand the tidal wave carrying our lives. Things like culture, rules, economics, and morality are all but agreed-upon concepts, and debate concerning them is necessary for both social progression and galvanizing the human spirit. With this in mind, what subcultures are you willing to indulge in? Or, in other words, what version of 'the margins' do you feel comfortable enough to participate in and hence grow from?