Colonialism: The Uncomfortable Truth No One Wants to Face

I was born in Angola, a land once under Portuguese rule, only to be consumed by the chaos that followed decolonization. I fled as a child, leaving behind a country that had been built with ambition but was later torn apart by ideology, war, and betrayal. Now, at 65, living in the United States, I find it both ironic and infuriating when Americans—especially those of European descent—criticize Portugal or England for their colonial past while standing on stolen Native American land.

The Hypocrisy of Selective Condemnation

History is not a comfortable subject, especially when it forces us to confront our own contradictions. When people talk about colonialism, they often speak of the Portuguese in Africa, the British in India, or the Spanish in Latin America—old-world empires that expanded across the globe. Yet, they conveniently ignore the fact that the United States, Canada, and Australia are all products of colonization. These nations were built on Indigenous land through conquest, displacement, and outright extermination.

Let’s be blunt: unless you are Native American, you are living on stolen land. If colonialism is an unforgivable crime, then the very existence of the United States is a crime still in progress.

I have encountered many Americans who passionately denounce European colonial history while enjoying the privileges that came from their ancestors displacing entire civilizations. They don’t hesitate to criticize the Portuguese for Angola or the British for India, but ask them about the Trail of Tears, Wounded Knee, or the forced assimilation of Native American children in boarding schools, and suddenly, the conversation becomes uncomfortable.

A Personal Perspective on the Meaning of Colonialism

Growing up in Angola, I saw what colonialism looked like firsthand. The Portuguese didn’t simply exploit; they built. They constructed roads, railways, factories, and an economy that turned Angola into a powerhouse of agriculture and industry. It was a land of opportunity—until it wasn’t. When the Portuguese left, everything crumbled. Infrastructure was neglected, industries collapsed, and corruption replaced order. I was forced to leave the only home I had ever known, making me a refugee of history, not just a spectator.

When I arrived in the United States, I adapted. I built a life. And yet, as a European immigrant in America, I was met with a bizarre reality: people who live on land taken from Native Americans had the audacity to lecture me about colonialism.

The South American Context

The narrative of colonialism extends deeply into South America as well. The continent was primarily divided between Spain and Portugal following the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. Spain took control of vast regions, including present-day Argentina, Chile, and Peru, while Portugal claimed Brazil. Other European powers, such as the Dutch, French, and British, also established colonies in regions like Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. These colonial endeavors led to the exploitation and displacement of indigenous populations, the imposition of European cultures, and significant demographic changes due to disease and forced labor.

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In Brazil, the Portuguese established a colonial economy heavily reliant on sugar plantations and later on mining, both of which depended on the labor of enslaved Africans and indigenous people. The legacy of this colonization is evident today in Brazil's diverse cultural landscape and persistent social inequalities.

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Similarly, Spanish colonization in South America led to the establishment of the Viceroyalties of Peru and New Granada, which became centers of Spanish political and economic power in the region. The Spanish imposed their language, religion, and governance structures, often at the expense of indigenous cultures and societies.

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The impact of European colonialism in South America is a testament to the complex interplay of exploitation, cultural exchange, and the reshaping of entire societies—a history that continues to influence the continent's present and future.

Settler Colonialism: The Ongoing Reality

Unlike the Portuguese in Angola or the British in India, Americans never left the lands they colonized. Instead, they erased Indigenous cultures, relegating them to reservations while their own cities and industries flourished. The descendants of European settlers still govern this land, dictate its policies, and enjoy the fruits of a conquest that has never truly ended.

The truth is that colonialism is not just a historical event—it is an ongoing system of power. While European empires withdrew from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, the United States remains a settler-colonial state. The only difference is that modern Americans prefer to distance themselves from this reality. They want to believe that colonialism ended with their ancestors, not recognizing that every highway, farm, city, and law in this country was built atop Indigenous sovereignty.

The Real Question: What Now?

I don’t say this to excuse European colonialism. I say this to demand intellectual honesty. If we are going to condemn the past, we must also confront the present. If colonialism is an evil that must be acknowledged and atoned for, then why is there no serious effort to address the continued marginalization of Native Americans? Why do people rage about the sins of Portugal and England while ignoring the consequences of their own existence in America?

I have lived through the collapse of one colonial system and watched another thrive under a different name. History is not a clean-cut narrative of villains and victims—it is a cycle of power, displacement, and survival. The least we can do is stop pretending that some forms of colonialism are unforgivable while others are simply “how things are.”

If we are to have an honest conversation about colonialism, let’s start with the land beneath our feet.