Creating the Third Force

Indigenous Processes of Peacemaking

Contributions by Lobar Azizova, Nodira Azizova, Bruce Barnes, Paul Cormier, Maureen P. Flaherty, Ali Gohar, George Emile Irani, Marianne Kamp, Marion J. Kiprop, Sandra Krahn, Grace Kyoon-Achan, J. P. Linstroth, Roger Mac Ginty, Federico V. Magdalena, Javier Mignone, Joshia Osamba, Yogendra P. Paneru, Everard Phillips, Christy Reed, Cathy Rocke, Lisa Schirch, Stephanie Phetsamay Stobbe, Martha Maria Wospakrik, Zulfiya Tursunova, Hamdesa Tuso, John Harold Gómez Vargas, Flora Zaharia Edited by Hamdesa Tuso, Maureen P. Flaherty

Not available to order

Publication date:

21 November 2016

Length of book:

586 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9780739185292

The profession of peacemaking has been practiced by indigenous communities around the world for many centuries; however, the ethnocentric world view of the West, which dominated the world of ideas for the last five centuries, dismissed indigenous forms of peacemaking as irrelevant and backward tribal rituals. Neither did indigenous forms of peacemaking fit the conception of modernization and development of the new ruling elites who inherited the postcolonial state. The new profession of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which emerged in the West as a new profession during the 1970s, neglected the tradition and practice of indigenous forms of peacemaking. The scant literature which has appeared on this critical subject tends to focus on the ritual aspect of the indigenous practices of peacemaking. The goal of this book is to fill this lacuna in scholarship. More specifically, this work focuses on the process of peacemaking, exploring the major steps of process of peacemaking which the peacemakers follow in dislodging antagonists from the stage of hostile confrontation to peaceful resolution of disputes and eventual reconciliation. The book commences with a critique of ADR for neglecting indigenous processes of peacemaking and then utilizes case studies from different communities around the world to focus on the following major themes: the basic structure of peacemaking process; change and continuity in the traditions of peacemaking; the role of indigenous women in peacemaking; the nature of the tools peacemakers deploy; common features found in indigenous processes of peacemaking; and the overarching goals of peacemaking activities in indigenous communities.

“The Best of Judgments”: Rituals of Settlement (Sulh) and Reconciliation (Musalaha) in the Middle East
Araraa: The Oromo Indigenous Processes of Peacemaking
Mukhiya or Jimmuwal, and Bhadra-Bhaladmis Peacemaking Mechanisms in the Himalayas
Mbasoron Tar (Repairers of the World) and Inukshuks (Waypointers) of Peace
CHAPTER 9: Traditional Peacemaking Processes among Indigenous Populations in the Northern and Southern Philippines Kinoo’Amaadawaad Megwaa Doodamawaad ─ ‘They are learning with each other while they are doing’: The Opaaganasining (Pipestone) Living Peace Framework
CHAPTER 12: Indigenous Processes of Conflict Management in Contemporary Somalia
CHAPTER 16: Reconstructing Communities – A Case Study: Indigenous Grandmothers Searching for Peace
CHAPTER 18: BinSyowi: “The Woman Who Loves” Women as Guardians of Life and Weavers of Peace in Biak, Papua
CHAPTER 20: Ritual and Symbol in Justice and Peace-building: Lessons from Pukhtoon Tribes on the Jirga
CHAPTER 22: Linguistic Form in Calypso: Employing Reframing as a Multidimensional Tool in Peace Building
CHAPTER 23: Creating The Third Force: Some Common Features in Indigenous Processes of Peacemaking, and Some Preliminary Observations

This volume makes an important contribution in allowing the intellectual community to ‘rediscover’ indigenous peacemaking processes and (re)consider alternative approaches to addressing conflict, as well as managing the increasing diversification and fragmentation of our societies.