Lecture: "Beyond Winnetou and Pocahontas"

According to an ancient story, North America was formed on the back of a turtle. That land—Turtle Island—was home for tens of thousands of years to peoples speaking hundreds of languages and representing many different cultures. Then, in 1492, European colonization began. Genocide soon followed. It killed millions and also sought to erase their histories and ideas. That helps explain why many people still view Indigenous peoples through the lens of Karl May or Disney. Laura M. De Vos spent years working with the Quinault, an Indigenous nation in the western state of Washington. Katrien Demuynck worked in Central America. In their book, based partly on conversations, they show how much we can learn from both Indigenous worldviews and Indigenous resistance - just consider their commitment to ensuring a livable world for the next seven generations. It is a story about settler colonialism, pipelines, and the case for international solidarity.

• Laura M. De Vos teaches Indigenous Studies in the American Studies program at Radboud University in the Netherlands. She earned her doctorate at the University of Washington in Seattle. 

• Katrien Demuynck is a historian and author. Her publications include Ontmoetingen met Fidel Castro (EPO, 2009), and she has been active in international solidarity movements throughout her life.

Their recently published book Voorbij Winnetou en Pocahontas (“Beyond Winnetou and Pocahontas”) tells a story of settler colonialism, pipelines, and the case for international solidarity.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026 – 7:30–9:00 p.m.

Gelderland Zuid Public Library

Mariënburg 29 – Nijmegen