Queen Elizabeth II was not only Queen of Great Britain.
She was recognized as head of state in a large number of former British colonies.
Among the indigenous peoples of those countries, the tone has long been harsh against the British royal house.
The queen has been seen as a symbol of colonialism.
As recently as last summer, Senator Lidia Thorpe refused to swear allegiance to the Queen in the Australian Parliament.
"A brutal reminder"
The death does not seem to have quieted the criticism.
On social media, strong criticism of the queen is expressed from several indigenous profiles in both Australia and Canada.
The Maori Party, which works for the interests of the Maori people in Australia, has not said anything about the death.
However, on their website they have a call to abolish the British royal house as head of state.
And Rise, a collective of Indigenous artists, has posted several critical posts on Instagram following the Queen's death.
"Today we mourn all the stolen, violated and traumatized lives that were affected and destroyed during Queen Elizabeth II's time on the throne," they write in a post that has been widely circulated on the platform.
They continue:
"This day is a brutal reminder that war criminals will be honored while entire populations and societies bear the scars of colonial genocide, invasions, religious persecution and white supremacy."
Professor: "She was not a spectator"
In an interview with News.com.au, Sandy O'Sullivan, professor of indigenous studies at Macquarie University in Australia, says that it is important that criticism is allowed to emerge despite the Queen's death.
- She was not a bystander when it comes to the effects of colonization and colonialism, she was an architect behind it, she tells the newspaper.
O'Sullivan emphasizes that the indigenous people cannot be forced to show respect to the Queen, given what happened during her time on the throne.
- It is worth considering what she could have done - and not done - to bring about change, says Sandy O'Sullivan.