ABSTRACT. This article takes as its provocation the problem of logic discussed in the introductory conversation between Cameron-Lewis and Mika, whereby the structuring logic of Modernity, so deeply woven into our language(s) and the ways we think and act, becomes indistinguishable from the fabric of thought itself, such that ‘the problems aren’t able to be properly looked at.’ Having grappled with the same impasse in my effort to unsettle coloniality in my living/thinking, I offer the reader a voyage through my journey, making sense of and grappling with the self-perpetuating logic of Modernity. This journey includes thinking with disciplines such as anthropology, STS and feminist science studies to map how colonialities materialise in the social and natural sciences. Importantly, it involves engaging with the critiques emerging from within these disciplines that unsettle Modernity on its own terms. In addition, recognising the significance of my encounter with Māori worlds in Aotearoa as a drive and source of inspiration, I illustrate how engaging with Māori scholars opens possibilities for examining and critiquing Modernity from its (relative) outside.

Keywords: ontological turn; One-world metaphysics; Modern practitioners; Māori philosophy

How to cite: Aristizabal, A. J. (2026). Let us unpick the threads of modernity: Tracings for provincialising its myths and betraying its logic. Knowledge Cultures, 14(1), 19–45. https://doi.org/10.22381/kc14120262

Received December 1, 2025 • Received in revised form March 10, 2026
Accepted March 31, 2026 • Available online April 1, 2026