The Indigenous Foundations of Decolonial Community Psychology

Latin American Community Psychology has a strong perspective focused on participatory processes, awareness-raising and community mobilization and can be seen as a decolonial form of action. Despite the advances in this form of action against oppression in Latin American societies, we have observed that the importance of the influence of indigenous communities in developing Community Psychology in Latin America has been erased. In this sense, decoloniality calls us to question the consequences of colonialism for non-white bodies and what strategies can be used to subvert such logic. This chapter, therefore, aims to analyze the indigenous foundations of decolonial community psychology. Thus, we understand the importance of territory for indigenous peoples’ sense of community. However, this territory must be recognized as articulated with the protection of nature and a strong relationship with spirituality. The body-mind-spirit relationship must also be central to a Decolonial Community Psychology with indigenous foundations.