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Edited on Thu May-18-06 05:42 PM by petersond
I'm american indian, and my field is American Indian Studies, and social work. Assimiliation, and colonization has done its handy work, and it cannot be undone. Nor, should it fully be undone. In order to make it in todays society, we as american indians have to realize that there are some traits/lessons to be learned, in order to function in the main stream society. BUT...Many american indians fully grasped onto what the "main stream society aka the oppressors ways" so fully, its amazing, that there are is any culture left, of the American Indians.
Language, and a slew of other things have been literally wiped out, literally. There are still a lot of indians, who can speak their language, and the fight to preserve those cultural aspects are in full swing, but compared to how many spoke their native tongue, prior contact? Its not even close. But, your post, has hit the nail on the head, and in my experience, this is probably one of the most major issues, to overcome.
I have come across american indians, who don't even know, what has been done to them, or their ancestors, and it amazes me when I see other indians cheer for the cowboys in western movies, or cheer for the Dallas Cowboys...it just plan makes no sense. Its a task, to just show/prove to some indians, that in fact, some of the things they do, are WHITE.
I get a big kick out of indians, who are so...LOUD about how indian they are, but act, and behave in the opposite grain. During one of my classes at Haskell Indian Nations Univesity, this big AIM guy, was spouting off this hate america/white crap, and i was sitting their sizing this guy up. Nike shoes, hmm, 80 bucks easy, dallas cowboy hat, 20 bucks, easy, gold chain around his neck, 100 bucks, easy, his clothes, abercrombie/finch, i have no idea, but i know that shit is expensive...can you see the oxymoron of this?
My first question, to this guy, was "If you proclaim all this proud to be indian shit, why are you wearing our conqueror's clothes? Why are you contributing to what, has destroyed native americans?" The guy was pissed...and lo and behold, the first thing he attacks me with, is my skin color, cause i'm not as dark as other indians...
The class was a good one, the AIM guy got hammered by a few other students, who actually lived the life, of an american indian. But, by and large, the class looked up to this guy...what a mess, i say. I have no problem, if this AIM guy actually did something for indian country, but he didn't. I won't name names, but he doesn' speak his language, he doesn't participate in NAC, or any of his cultural dances, art, he doesn't even pow-wow. As a matter of fact, he was raised by an upper tier white family, who adopted him, and just recently found his indian heritage, and is nothing, to me, at leats, but a fake indian, who beats the drum, but doesn't do anything to help....
Now, I dont' want to soudn like i'm attacking, the white culture, its okay to wear clothes, to spend your money on whatever, but when you start spouting stuff off, you better live the message you are trying to get across, at least with me you do. I have seen to much in indian country to believe that all Indians, are trying to do good for their own, because of asshats like this AIM guy. I have read/discussed with other AIM memebers, who I know are genuine, but the fake ones make me so upset.
Now, back to assimliation, and the thought, that accepting some of it is vital. We live in the white mans/corporatte world, we need to learn the ways of that culture in order to survive, and some indians disagree, but I don't, on that subject. On matters of spirituality, dancing, artwork, and the other traits of indian culture, we can KEEP THAT and should strive to keep it, but many indians don't. The same line of thought, can be seen in other cultures as well. With African Americans, why are they dressing/acting like gangsters, acting like its part of who they are? There roots come from different tribes in Africa, but I see very little of african americans keep that aspect of their culture alive.
I have seen a few blacks, who discover their roots in africa, but not many, and its weird, that not more are trying...damn, there culture in many ways are STILL IN TACT, and still growing. With american indians, we dont' hve that luxury, since so much has been thrown to the way side. Its amazing,that there are so many resources for other cultures to learn their roots, and yet, those people don't research them(i'm not saying all, but some)...if your norwegian, norway is still in existance, the language is in full swing, the dishes, dances, and spirituality of their culture is still there...but you catch my drift(i hope).
I'm done ranting, i'm probably preaching to the choir...but in vein with your post...I was a in the same boat when i was growing up. I would watch john wayne movies, and other westerns, and I would always cheer for the troops, to wipe out the indian threat, and i never gave it another thought, until high school(thank god my us history teacher was honest, he was awesome!), when i started learning/understand/questioning our countries history...adn that vein of thought, follows with me to this day.
Going to school at Haskell Indian Nations University was a godsend. I learned so much there...mainstream public education, is probably the biggest enemy of truth, and reality..but like the saying goes, the history is written by the victors. It reminds me, of what my old us history teacher said..."notice class, that in this book, the american indian war/with the us, only takes up half a page. Now, realize that american indians fought long and hard, and for decades, yet they got half a page of history, and look at viet nam, war lasted, 12 yrs give or take, and there is 100 pages of history on it...and i ask, think, think think..."....thats a paraphrase of course....
On edit:Vine Deloria's writing, on this subject are very good. IF you are interested, i recommend reading all, of his writings, he is a very...down to earth man, and his perspective on a good range of things, are in my opinion, accurate
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