The image is iconic: colonists disguised as Native Americans, defiantly tossing chests of tea into Boston Harbour. The Boston Tea Party, a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the American Revolution, is enshrined in national mythology as a courageous act of rebellion against unjust taxation and tyrannical rule. We celebrate the cry of “No taxation without representation!” and hail the patriots who stood up for liberty and self-governance.
But this narrative, as powerful as it is, often sails on a sea of historical amnesia. To truly understand the Boston Tea Party, we must cast a wider net, one that includes the perspective systematically ignored then, and often overlooked now: that of Native Americans. When viewed through the lens of Indigenous experience, the heroic narrative of the Tea Party curdles, revealing a bitter brew of hypocrisy at its core.
The colonists, rightly outraged by British economic policies that they deemed oppressive – taxes imposed without their consent – invoked principles of liberty and property rights. They argued passionately against being treated as subjects without a voice in their own governance. These were powerful ideals, resonating deeply and fuelling the revolutionary spirit.
Yet, these very ideals were glaringly, tragically, and brutally absent in the colonists’ dealings with the Indigenous inhabitants of the land they claimed as their own. While decrying British taxation, these same colonists were actively engaged in their own form of taxation and exploitation of Native American lands and resources, often without any representation or consent whatsoever.
Consider the backdrop of the Tea Party: decades of relentless encroachment upon Native territory, broken treaties, violent dispossession, and cultural destruction. While the colonists protested the economic constraints imposed by the British, they were simultaneously benefiting from a system built upon the forced removal and decimation of Indigenous populations. Land, the very foundation of wealth and power in that era, was systematically stolen from Native Americans through a combination of dubious treaties, outright violence, and legal sophistry.
The irony is further sharpened by the very disguise chosen by the Sons of Liberty. They donned “Indian” attire, a theatrical appropriation of Native identity, while simultaneously engaging in policies that actively harmed and dispossessed real Indigenous people. This act, far from being a harmless theatrical flourish, becomes deeply problematic when viewed in the context of the ongoing colonial violence and erasure of Native cultures. It suggests a performative solidarity, a hollow mimicry, that masks a profound lack of genuine empathy or recognition of Indigenous rights.
Were the colonists blind to this hypocrisy? Perhaps some were. The dominant ideology of the time, fuelled by notions of European superiority and Manifest Destiny, likely blinded many to the inherent contradiction. But for Native Americans, the hypocrisy would have been stark and undeniable. They witnessed firsthand the colonists’ fervent cries for liberty while experiencing the crushing weight of colonial expansion and oppression themselves.
The Boston Tea Party, in its narrow focus on colonial grievances against Britain, conveniently ignored the far more profound and devastating injustices inflicted upon Native Americans. It was a revolution fought for the liberty of some, built upon the stolen land and suppressed rights of others.
This is not to diminish the significance of the American Revolution or the valid grievances of the colonists against British rule. However, it is crucial to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth that the pursuit of liberty for some was inextricably linked to the denial of liberty for others. To truly understand the full complexity of American history, we must move beyond the sanitised narratives and confront the uncomfortable realities of colonial hypocrisy.
By acknowledging the silenced voices of Native Americans, we can gain a richer, more nuanced, and ultimately more honest understanding of the Boston Tea Party and the founding of the United States. It is a necessary step towards grappling with the lasting legacy of colonialism and working towards a more just and equitable future – one where the pursuit of liberty is not built on the backs of others, but truly inclusive of all. Only then can we truly savour the brew of liberty, without the bitter aftertaste of hypocrisy.
Worldwide Temple of Aurora 