About Me

                                                                                                                                                                   

My name is Dave Weiman and my pronouns are he/his/him. I’m not a historian, nor an academic, not even a trained researcher. I consider myself a ‘compiler’ of historical information pertaining to the colonization of the Americas. Since I first heard about the Doctrine of Discovery from Indigenous leaders at the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne, Australia, I have been compiling information about it. While the ‘Doctrine’ is the primary element of colonization, I’ve discovered other cultural, religious and scientific practices and beliefs, all of which add substance to historical colonization events. In many instances, the result of those events can be observed in our world today.

I have shared this material with adult education classes, interfaith groups, schools and churches. (Click here or the Presentation tab to learn more) In 2013, in recognition of my work on this and other Indigenous Peoples justice issues, Lakota Elders gave me the Lakota name: Naeiji Oyasin – “Stands for the People’, a tribute of which I’m humbled and honored to have received. 

My Statement of Cultural Awareness and Land Appreciation:

I am not Indigenous.  I am of ‘invader-conqueror-colonizer-settler’ heritage.  My ancestry is German, English, French and Scottish.  I have benefitted from living in this country.  I also now know that those benefits are the result of colonization practices employed by my ancestors and also, to some degree, by me.  I’m sorry for that.  I didn’t know and I should have.  I’m intentionally learning now what I should have known all along and I am searching for ways to inform others and to reverse the harm.

I appreciate the land on which I am privileged to live, to work, to play, and to thrive. I recognize and honor the original, historical and present care takers of the land which they and I dwell on and use every day.  I want and need to understand, respect and accept their teachings about our shared home.

I would like others to join with me and our Indigenous brothers and sisters in an equatable partnership, a meaningful collaboration, and fair reconciliation to create a healthy, safe and loving community.