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Date:         Tue, 1 May 2001 14:13:10 -0400
Reply-To:     American Indians Forum
              
Sender:       American Indians Forum
              
From:         "Noonan, Ellen" 
Subject:      Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie
In-Reply-To:  <68.e61b428.281f15f8@aol.com>
Mime-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
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Dear Talking History Participants:

    It is quite daunting to be sending a message out into cyberspace (a big
place) on so vast a topic as American Indian (or Native American) history.
I am eager to learn what people have on their minds; I hope I can focus the
discussion and provide some help to fellow teachers and researchers.  I
thought it might be useful to list a series of topics and themes that have
emerged repeatedly over the past two-plus decades that I have taught courses
on Native Americans.  Each topic contains a number of questions and
potential discussion threads, so I leave it to fellow "talkers" to pick up
on the ones that are closest to your concerns.

    1. TERMINOLOGY. Easily the most common question I have been asked over
the years is: "Indian or Native American?" Less common but still current is
"Tribe or Nation?"  There are people who have sound reasons to use one term
or another exclusively, but my general response is that all of these terms
are acceptable.  In my experience Indian people themselves generally prefer
to be identified by community or tribal affiliation.  Beyond that, "American
Indian," while a misnomer, is a unique term that refers to the indigenous
people of this continent and their descendants. Over time it has come to
have meaning both for indigenous people and for others. Native American, on
the other hand, is specific and descriptive even though it has a somewhat
bureaucratic resonance in my ear.  The Canadians have been more inventive
than folks in the USA; they generally refer to indigenous peoples as "First
Nations," people (the people of the founding nation of Canada) or as
"Amerindians."  Both are good terms but neither is familiar to people below
the 49th parallel.  Finally "nations" can refer to tribal groups who have
treaty relations with the US and other bodies, while "tribes" are legally
recognized entities within the American legal and political system.  I find
"nation" can confuse people, so I generally refer to tribes.  I also opt for
"communities" as another way to describe Native groups.  Whatever term is
used should be defined carefully for--and discussed with--students.

    2. IGNORANCE. Non-Indian students continue to come into high schools and
colleges with almost no accurate information in their heads about Native
American history and culture. The question for teachers, then, is which
events or people are most important to study?  If you only have limited time
to present some aspect of American Indian history, what will be your focus
or your theme? Tragedy is one possibility--a catalogue of wrongs and crimes.
Persistence is another--incidents of Native American endurance, invention
and adaptation.  It might make more sense to focus on something that is not
directly related to interactions with whites: religious history, family
history, literature or art.  Where should our interventions be in this sea
of ignorance?

    3. DEFINITIONS OF CULTURE.  As we organize and present materials related
to Native American history, what should our operative definition of culture
be? Are Indian communities fixed and bounded, organized around a set of
common values and practices, or are these communities fluid and changeable?
Is there something "Indian" that can be detected in every Native community,
or is the diversity of this cultural tradition so great that the search for
common values is futile?  Can both of these possibilities be true?

    4. IMAGES.  Popular images play such a powerful role in shaping public
(and student) attitudes towards American Indian history that they are
difficult to ignore. What are the sources of these images? Have those
sources changed over time? What is their significance (are they important as
an aspect of the majority culture's history of racial fantasy or are they
significant for Native people themselves)?  Related to these questions are
issues arising around us regarding sports mascots, literary stereotypes, and
advertising imagery.

    5. CURRENT ISSUES.  Front page stories on American Indian topics appear
every week in the U.S. Topics range from water rights to gaming to
literature to tribal government and tribal politics.  How do we conceive of
and present modern Native American issues? Are these a subset of a larger
"civil rights" struggle within the U.S. or are these something different? If
something different, what exactly do they represent? There are those who
would argue that the U.S. has experienced its own version of
"decolonization" over the past generation as previously-colonized and
oppressed Indian communities have sought their own version of national
liberation within the nation's borders. This assertion raises its own
questions: how did this "liberation" movement arise? Does it have a
connection to the struggles of the 19th century?  As an historian I am
skeptical of the easy links that are often made between one or
another 19th century warrior and today's (usually male) Native American
leader. But those linkages deserve attention and discussion.

    6. RANGE AND VARIETY.  Most classes and textbooks ignore Alaska and
Canada. How (or should) these North American cases be brought into focus in
our courses? Do they have distinctly different themes?  Similarly, few
courses or discussions place Native Americans in a global context. How can
we do that? These comparisons are difficult because the national contexts
for indigenous people have been so different and because those contexts have
shaped Indian people.

    7."FIT." Does it matter that Native American history be taught as a part
of US history? If it is to be taught, what are the themes that link the
Indian experience to the experience of non-Indians?  What are the means by
which indigenous experiences can illuminate a national history? This
admittedly abstract set of questions may well provide the key to the problem
of how to integrate Native American people into US history courses.

    Finally, I hope in our forum we can reflect on the fact that Native
American history in the 21st century must be taught and written in the
shadow of the twentieth century, a century when Indian people acquired
significant political power, revived their tribal governments, and increased
their national population more than fivefold. Unlike a generation ago when
historians looked back to the devastation of the nineteenth century,
teachers and researchers today are faced with the challenge of explaining
the remarkable renaissance in Native culture that has taken place over the
past thirty years.  This is a renaissance that has obviously not produced
wealth and prosperity but it has altered the cultural and political climate;
how did it come about? And what does this shift tell us--if anything--about
the USA?

    There is a lot to discuss. I have more questions than answers. But I am
looking forward to our conversations.

Frederick E. Hoxie

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 1 May 2001 15:59:39 -0400
Reply-To:     American Indians Forum
              
Sender:       American Indians Forum
              
From:         "Noonan, Ellen" 
Subject:      teaching native spirituality
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> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

--MS_Mac_OE_3071577579_750871_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
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I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies
Journal.
In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with
teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral
tradition),
the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native
students) about the  aspects of Indigenous spirituality.

My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I
should
do nothing else.  That is, that our spirituality and world view is what
makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society.  and
most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what
and
how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never
understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will
never
understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to insist--
that we , or else!!

Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other  everywhere assume (based
on
their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome
of
 and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to
adhere
to their  ways.

So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature
or
Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the
underlying
philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a
generalizable  philosophy) then I can't understand
why
I'm a teacher.  My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to
teach
--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would
stand
in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to
understand about Tribal people.

The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching
, but it raises a question that I hope this forum will
address:
is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native
spirituality?  Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed
to
such a discussion?

What do you think?

Phil Bellfy





--MS_Mac_OE_3071577579_750871_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
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teaching native spirituality


I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies =
Journal.
In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do = with
teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral = tradition),
the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially = non-Native
students) about the <sensitive> aspects of Indigenous = spirituality.

My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I = should
do nothing else.  That is, that our spirituality and world view is = what
makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. =  and
most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what = and
how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never
understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will = never
understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to = insist--
that we <assimilate>, or else!!

Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other <Americans> everywhere assume = (based on
their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome = of
<civilization> and they can't understand why anyone would prefer = to adhere
to their <primitive> ways.

So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature = or
Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the = underlying
philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a
generalizable <Indigenous/Tribal> philosophy) then I can't = understand why
I'm a teacher.  My spirituality and worldview are what compels me = to teach
--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would = stand
in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students = to
understand about Tribal people.

The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my = teaching
<philosophy>, but it raises a question that I hope this forum = will address:
is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native
spirituality?  Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be = exposed to
such a discussion?

What do you think?

Phil Bellfy



--MS_Mac_OE_3071577579_750871_MIME_Part-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 14:05:17 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ronnie Peacock Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Prof. Hoxie, I would actually like to ask a question that crosses several of the areas you suggested. For my Master's Thesis I am following the trail - listening to the voice - of Clara True, long an educator and advocate of the Santa Clara Pueblo Indians. One of the secondary works that started me on this journey was David Wallace Adams' _Education for Extinction_ published in 1995. His argument, as I understand it, is that the federal government had an agenda to assimilate out the Indian culture - their "lifeways" - through public education. Adams suggests that one should look at the teachers to see if they had the same agenda, but that he would not, and so I decided to follow the white women and ran smack into Clara. It is my understanding that Adams essentially offered an argument very similar to that which you offered in _Final Promise_ published in 1984, that of assimilation and acculturation so as to eliminate the Indian ways entirely, to "Americanize" and "civilize" this population of native peoples. I believe that Clara True did not bring to the West such an agenda, nor did cohorts like Mary Dissette. While Clara did work primarily with "Progressive Indians" and she got caught up, in the 1920s, with trying to do away with the Pueblo dances and the Berdache of the Zuni tribes, for the most part, her concern for the Pueblos appears to be genuine and not an attempt to change their ways to white ways. And it is simply amazing that everywhere I turn, I run into Clara, with her fingers in some other "pie," but almost always on behalf of the Pueblos - unless, of course, it has to do with her personal life in which she always seems to be in substantial debt to someone. I am wondering if you still would argue as strongly for that government agenda of assimilation, and if your experience has indicated that the many teachers, particularly the eastern white women, traveled west with that same agenda. It is my hypothesis, presently unsupported by adequate research, that most of these women - perhaps with the exception of the more radical moral reformers of the Progressive Era - traveled West with the genuine intent to do "good", to bring varying levels of education, but not necessarily to enforce the change to white ways. I suppose, however, that any move to teach English, to change the appearance of the students by haircuts and clothing, to teach skills that will earn money in the white world are all attempts at assimilation, no matter how innocuously or gently performed, and no matter what the agenda that brings about such actions. This sounds like I am creating my own circular argument....I would appreciate your insight on this issue and look forward to this month of discussion. Ronnie (Mrs.) Ronnie Peacock Dept. of History University of Northern Colorado ronniep@qwest.net This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 14:10:42 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Phil Bellfly, The point about teaching tribal spirituality from a "generalized" perspective is interesting. Please provide more analysis of this, as I am not sure how to interpret your message (especially the part about an editor rejecting your article on that basis). Is this part of the "pan-Indianism" that emerged in the early 20th century as a function of the boarding-school experience? the Native American Church theology of the same time period? 1960s New Age-ish uses of Indian spirituality (sometimes criticized for its "wannabe" tone)? Or is this a nuanced reading of the similarities of belief systems of the many peoples who populated the area later to become known as the Americas (we should keep a hemispheric perspective in mind). Finally, how differently should we teach the stories of people who believe in Asian faiths? Judaism? other belief systems rooted in tribal/"indigenous" realities, rather than homogeneous messages that emanate from either the Catholic or Protestant denominations? What constitutes the core of "indigenous" beliefs of Taoism, Shintoism, orthodox Judaism, or even the pentecostal perspectives of European faiths? Navajo pentecostal preachers, for example, use the language and iconography of the Dine along with the standard techniques of the revivalist, and a recent book on the Oklahoma Seminole Baptists (Jack M. Schultz, The Seminole Baptist Churches of Oklahoma, 1999), is subtitled: "Maintaining a Traditional Community" (even though the most "traditional" part seems to be use of the language of the Muscogulgee in the hybrid of Baptist and tribal ritual). Thanks for taking the time to address this. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies >Journal. >In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with >teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral >tradition), >the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native >students) about the aspects of Indigenous spirituality. > >My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I >should >do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world view is what >makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. and >most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what >and >how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never >understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will >never >understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to insist-- >that we , or else!! > >Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other everywhere assume (based >on >their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome >of > and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to >adhere >to their ways. > >So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature >or >Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the >underlying >philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a >generalizable philosophy) then I can't understand >why >I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to >teach >--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would >stand >in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to >understand about Tribal people. > >The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching >, but it raises a question that I hope this forum will >address: >is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native >spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed >to >such a discussion? > >What do you think? > >Phil Bellfy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 16:13:22 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Jeanette Stephens-El Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable By all means. In fact, by any means necessary! From my perspective, as a Native/African-American, the discussion = regarding Native spirituality should be in school curriculums and in = particular they should not be excluded from religious and/or philosophical = courses of study at the college and university level. Our sense of spirituality is what sets us apart and let's be real. We are = a-part in that context because our understanding of what is sacred is = different. What is sacriligious to us is different. What is natural is = different. What is beauty is different. I believe that if the old ones = say it is time for our spiritual lifestyle to be shared, then it must be = shared in whatever way the old ones say it should be done. And they ARE = telling us that it is time. Raining Deer. Jeanette Stephens-El ________________________________ ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGED ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT NOTICE: This is a CONFIDENTIAL message and some or all of the information = may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not an intended recipient, please = note that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly = prohibited and notify the sender promptly by return e-mail if received in = error. >>> ENoonan@GC.CUNY.EDU 05/01/01 03:59PM >>> I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies Journal. In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral tradition), the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native students) about the aspects of Indigenous spirituality. My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I should do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world view is what makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. and most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what and how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will never understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to insist-- that we , or else!! Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other everywhere assume (based on their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome of and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to adhere to their ways. So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature or Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the underlying philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a generalizable philosophy) then I can't understand why I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to teach --keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would stand in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to understand about Tribal people. The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching , but it raises a question that I hope this forum will address: is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed to such a discussion? What do you think? Phil Bellfy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 14:14:11 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: SH Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii The Western importance of separating church and state education has given us a certain vocabulary for discussing spiritual issues in humanities classrooms. Spirituality is a less loaded term than religion for Westerners, but none the less does make people hesitant to include it curriculum. Other broader terms that earlier postings have used, can include in their definitions spirituality, but without the same reaction: worldview, ontology, way(s) of being As for myself, I hesitate to incorporate an overriding ontology of American Indians into introductory curriculum mainly because, that curriculum is the first time AI history is brought to the students. In these courses, whether high-school or undergraduate, I find there is a greater need to emphasis the vast difference of native peoples and ontologies across the northern hemisphere rather than their sameness. If a topic being covered in the class is specific to a region or tribal nation, of course incorporating that regional or tribally specific worldview is integral to gaining any understanding of the events being discussed. Another reason I have found to avoid using the term 'spirituality' when entering into the discussion of worldview is the reaction of many students. It has been my experience than many students are over eager to learn about AI spiritual practices. There is an assumption on their part that the spiritual knowledge is 'theirs' for the taking and judging. In my mind, AI spiritual knowledge is the privelege only of tribal members. This is a point many students seem to miss, and one I have found can side-track for days or weeks an introductory class. History is better taught specifically rather than generally. Thanks, Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 14:37:42 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: SH Subject: Definitions of Culture In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Prof. Hoxie wrote: 3. DEFINITIONS OF CULTURE. As we organize and present > materials related > to Native American history, what should our operative > definition of culture > be? Are Indian communities fixed and bounded, organized around > a set of > common values and practices, or are these communities fluid > and changeable? ^*^*^*^*^*^* I would be interested in pursuing a discussion of the definition of culture. My questions starts from the assumption that culture is fluid and changeable and that it is always bound to the land that it is lived on. One of the problems of educating students about native peoples is that many- most- come to the classroom with a static definition and image of native people; an image they are reluctant to let go of. It is this reluctance that I would like to address. I believe it exists because many non-native Americans understand their own identity as linked to American Indians. I am not saying that Americans consider themselves 'like' AIs, but instead I am saying that their historical identity is not complete without their (often incorrect or skewed) views, definitions, and images of AIs. It is the following assertion that I'd would like some feedback on: For non-native American students to be able to form a cultural identity of themselves that truly reflects their history, they will need to address their misunderstandings of AIs and AI history. It is within this context of addressing culture, that I believe AI history and issues may be able to integrate (not assimilate) itself wholly into American history curriculum rather than being relegated to a chapter or specialized course. Has anyone addressed the issues of AMERICAN culturally identity in the classroom as a segue or context for discussing AMERICAN INDIAN cultural identity? Thanks, Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 17:27:43 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: David Hanson Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Very interesting (Ronnie Peacock's comments about Clara True). I regret the timing of this forum. Currently I am in the middle of grading papers and final exams, so I must resist the temptation to engage in the discussion at this time. Hopefully you'll hear from me later. Dave Hanson Professor of History Virginia Western Community College At 02:05 PM 5/1/01 -0600, you wrote: >Prof. Hoxie, >I would actually like to ask a question that crosses several of the areas >you suggested. For my Master's Thesis I am following the trail - listening >to the voice - of Clara True, long an educator and advocate of the Santa >Clara Pueblo Indians. One of the secondary works that started me on this >journey was David Wallace Adams' _Education for Extinction_ published in >1995. His argument, as I understand it, is that the federal government had >an agenda to assimilate out the Indian culture - their "lifeways" - through >public education. Adams suggests that one should look at the teachers to >see if they had the same agenda, but that he would not, and so I decided to >follow the white women and ran smack into Clara. It is my understanding >that Adams essentially offered an argument very similar to that which you >offered in _Final Promise_ published in 1984, that of assimilation and >acculturation so as to eliminate the Indian ways entirely, to "Americanize" >and "civilize" this population of native peoples. > >I believe that Clara True did not bring to the West such an agenda, nor did >cohorts like Mary Dissette. While Clara did work primarily with >"Progressive Indians" and she got caught up, in the 1920s, with trying to do >away with the Pueblo dances and the Berdache of the Zuni tribes, for the >most part, her concern for the Pueblos appears to be genuine and not an >attempt to change their ways to white ways. And it is simply amazing that >everywhere I turn, I run into Clara, with her fingers in some other "pie," >but almost always on behalf of the Pueblos - unless, of course, it has to do >with her personal life in which she always seems to be in substantial debt >to someone. > >I am wondering if you still would argue as strongly for that government >agenda of assimilation, and if your experience has indicated that the many >teachers, particularly the eastern white women, traveled west with that same >agenda. It is my hypothesis, presently unsupported by adequate research, >that most of these women - perhaps with the exception of the more radical >moral reformers of the Progressive Era - traveled West with the genuine >intent to do "good", to bring varying levels of education, but not >necessarily to enforce the change to white ways. I suppose, however, that >any move to teach English, to change the appearance of the students by >haircuts and clothing, to teach skills that will earn money in the white >world are all attempts at assimilation, no matter how innocuously or gently >performed, and no matter what the agenda that brings about such actions. > >This sounds like I am creating my own circular argument....I would >appreciate your insight on this issue and look forward to this month of >discussion. >Ronnie > >(Mrs.) Ronnie Peacock >Dept. of History >University of Northern Colorado >ronniep@qwest.net > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 17:47:57 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="============_-1223358018==_ma============" --============_-1223358018==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Mr. Bellfy: I recall years ago when I had the opportunity to join several native friends in the kiva at Second Mesa for what became, at about 2:30 AM, a celebration of spirit(s) I had heard about but had never seen, and that I never have seen since. I understood little of it at the time, but I came to understand a little of it later in conversation with my Hopi friends, one of whom was one of the dancers. Trying to understand several thousand years of spiritual development in about twelve hours is akin to trying to understand western Christian philosophy in a similar amount of time. But I learned a great deal in those twelve hours, and, like the influence of the Navajo Yeh celebration of which I was an observer two years before, I came away with a much more inclusive sense of peoples together than I had going in. Did I understand? No, these kinds of things don't render into an educator's neat sense of concept. So my neat sense of concept had to change, and it did, and I have been able to see the absurdity of just about all of what passes for education about native peoples in my schoolized world as a result. Of course, teach authentic visions of native spirituality. Don't expect that everyone will understand, and don't become despondent when people, both native and nonnative, fail the vision test. The sense of spirit is complex. People grow in the complexity. Leif Fearn SDSU >I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies Journal. >In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with >teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral tradition), >the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native >students) about the aspects of Indigenous spirituality. > >My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I should >do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world view is what >makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. and >most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what and >how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never >understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will never >understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to insist-- >that we , or else!! > >Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other everywhere assume (based on >their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome of > and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to adhere >to their ways. > >So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature or >Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the underlying >philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a >generalizable philosophy) then I can't understand why >I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to teach >--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would stand >in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to >understand about Tribal people. > >The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching >, but it raises a question that I hope this forum will address: >is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native >spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed to >such a discussion? > >What do you think? > >Phil Bellfy Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu --============_-1223358018==_ma============ Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii" Mr. Bellfy: I recall years ago when I had the opportunity to join several native friends in the kiva at Second Mesa for what became, at about 2:30 AM, a celebration of spirit(s) I had heard about but had never seen, and that I never have seen since. I understood little of it at the time, but I came to understand a little of it later in conversation with my Hopi friends, one of whom was one of the dancers. Trying to understand several thousand years of spiritual development in about twelve hours is akin to trying to understand western Christian philosophy in a similar amount of time. But I learned a great deal in those twelve hours, and, like the influence of the Navajo Yeh celebration of which I was an observer two years before, I came away with a much more inclusive sense of peoples together than I had going in. Did I understand? No, these kinds of things don't render into an educator's neat sense of concept. So my neat sense of concept had to change, and it did, and I have been able to see the absurdity of just about all of what passes for education about native peoples in my schoolized world as a result. Of course, teach authentic visions of native spirituality. Don't expect that everyone will understand, and don't become despondent when people, both native and nonnative, fail the vision test. The sense of spirit is complex. People grow in the complexity. Leif Fearn SDSU I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies Journal. In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral tradition), the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native students) about the < aspects of Indigenous spirituality. My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I should do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world view is what makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. and most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what and how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will never understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to insist-- that we <, or else!! Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other < everywhere assume (based on their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome of < and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to adhere to their < ways. So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature or Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the underlying philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a generalizable < philosophy) then I can't understand why I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to teach --keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would stand in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to understand about Tribal people. The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching <, but it raises a question that I hope this forum will address: is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed to such a discussion? What do you think? Phil Bellfy Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu --============_-1223358018==_ma============-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 01:32:53 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Walter Johnson Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Phil; i'm of potawatomi/ho-chunk descent, enrolled at S.F.S.U. in California. My minor is in Native Indian Studies, Major in American Studies. One of the most interesting feelings that is out there is fear. If you don't know anything about it you have fear of not knowing what "IT" is. Human nature. O.k., you dispell that feeling with age and a lot of courage/strength and often ignorance. When people don't know the truth they tend to fill in all the blanks with mis-information or they make up the truth to suit their own needs, un-just and fair, neverthe less it happens. I often heard , " what are those indians doing over there?", " Do you understand what they're saying?", "why is he burning that sage?" and if they don't know , they fill in the blanks, I have often given presentations on certain forms of a spiritual practice to help dis-seminate the knowledge contained therein and have found that white people are hesitant in asking questions. Where as people of color are more forth right and inquizative. Spirituality, I explain is not just once a week or on retreats from work,....but a way of life for us, every breath, movement and action. In order to understand the whole, you have to understand the simple. If Native Spirituality is to be taught, It should be through Indian Eyes, to give the proper perspective. Don't you think so ? OGI This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 10:43:17 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Jack Betterly Subject: The Evolution of Traditions. In-Reply-To: Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I was raised a Congregationalist Protestant Christian in a rural church in Pennsylvania, by dear parents of great faith. I now call myself Buddhist, whatever that means. I have mixed broadly with American Indians. I have been a guest on all of the Iroquois reservations in New York on a sabbatical. I was a guest of an Arapaho family camped out in the Wind River Basin in Wyoming for the week of the Sun Dance festival. I have had an exchange to Rock Point School in the Navajo nation. I am 65. Spiritual traditions evolve or die. A Jew can not live as did a shepherd in the Galilee in 500 BCE, nor see the same world view. My parent's Christianity was not that of Saint Paul, and had absorbed Darwinism, Democracy. Mozart and Martin Luther King. They called themselves Christian, but they knew they meant Christian Update version 564.6. Certainly the same might be said of my Buddhism. I do not see the purpose of a history teacher as being the preservation of any particular worldview - spiritual, political or economic. We teach many of them so that students may draw from them to create, as they must, their own particular version of their own particular tradition. To me, if history teaches anything at all, it teaches the inevitability of change. If you lock any child into a single vision, it is like encasing their young bodies in concrete or steel. If they can not grow, change, become their own being, they will die. I taught about every faith I thought I had time for. I tried very hard to give none preference, and I warned my students that I would be unsuccessful and to guard against my biases. I wanted them to feel that the evolution of their own faith was crucially important. A Cherokee loved and raised by Cherokees will start with one wonderful heritage; a Navajo raised by Navajos, another; a Talmudic Jew by Talmudic Jews, another. Those who remain there will wither. Those who seek to grow will not. If we all learn from each other, that growth will happen. If it does, our vision will differ from that of our grandfathers - but our faith will not. I could not be the Buddhist I am today had it not been for the visions given me by my Christian parents, my Amerindian friends, and my Asian teachers. -- "In wide America, in this sprawling map of dizzily drawn borders, we find no common culture, nor should we expect to. Time has been at work, dilatorily, for a few hundred years in this nation, not even long enough for us to agree on a speed limit, let alone a culture." - America, New Mexico by Robert Leonard Reid. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1998 p. 181 Jack Betterly Emma Willard School, Emeritus Troy, NY 12180-5294 E-mail: jbetterl@yahoo.com New Web Site: _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 10:05:59 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Susan Witt Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: <8FA4DA62F212D4119AD3009027CCB4EC2BA9DA@www.nres.uiuc.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, Some interesting discussions here. On the one hand, seems like it is taking the focus off of history, but then there are some strong connections between history and the present, that should probably be brought out in the teaching of history. In response to OGI's comment: >>>>Spirituality, I explain is not just once a week or on retreats from work,....but a way of life for us, every breath, movement and action. In order to understand the whole, you have to understand the simple. If Native Spirituality is to be taught, It should be through Indian Eyes, to give the proper perspective. Don't you think so ? OGI<<<<<< My question is, what do you think this means for a white teacher who is trying to integrate multiples cultures into an overall history class? Should the teacher get a guest speaker for every culture s/he wants to represent? If this isn't practical, should the teacher just not talk about those areas? Susan This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 14:23:46 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Barb Tracy Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture Susie, I teach Native American Literature and would like to respond to two points in your posting: First: >I would be interested in pursuing a discussion of the definition >of culture. My questions starts from the assumption that >culture is fluid and changeable and that it is always bound to >the land that it is lived on. I'm not sure that I undertand your definition, especially when we are talking about Native Americans, many of whom have had their land base taken away. Do you mean a feeling of conection to the land or an actual land base. Secondly, doesn't culture also include concepts of time, language, social structure, values, assumptions, shared experience? Second: >It is the following assertion that I'd would like some feedback >on: For non-native American students to be able to form a >cultural identity of themselves that truly reflects their >history, they will need to address their misunderstandings of >AIs and AI history. It is within this context of addressing >culture, that I believe AI history and issues may be able to >integrate (not assimilate) itself wholly into American history >curriculum rather than being relegated to a chapter or >specialized course. > >Has anyone addressed the issues of AMERICAN culturally identity >in the classroom as a segue or context for discussing AMERICAN >INDIAN cultural identity? > My non-native students often believe that culture is something that _others_ have. So how do we teach respect and appreciation of all cultures if the student doesn't respect or even recognize his/her own? So I start there. We define culture, examine some indigenous cultures and then I ask them to examine elements of culture in their own families or communities. They typcially spend some time with community and family members collecting and examining histories, geography, stories, values, traditions, etc and then come back excited to share what they learned, then we go back to indigenous cultures and the discussion takes on a very different tone than in the begining. Barb Tracy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 11:52:48 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Chris Hannibal-Paci Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello all, I am an instructor at the University of Northern British Columbia, teaching primarily in the First Nations Studies Program of the College of Arts, Social and Health Sciences. I joined the Talking History forum to enter into discussions about the vast topic of Native American history. My interest goes back to my Ph.d., an interdisciplinary program from the University of Manitoba (History, Natural Resources Institute and Zoology). I have had the great opportunity to learn from many Native and Canadian teachers. One teacher, Dr Jennifer Brown co-edited a book with Elizabeth Vibert (Reading Beyond Words: Contexts for Native History, Broadview Press, 1996). I bring up the book because it does a nice job at discussing issues of voice and representation, as well as insisting that we become more aware of both specific and larger global forces at work when researching and studying Native History. I agree with Professor Hoxie that in Canada the issue of terminology comes up often, especially in class. My personal preference is to begin with pan-Indian terminology and to break that down to specific names. Of course the distinctions are not only academic but reflect the nature of the question being asked and answered. For example, I started this email using the term Native History. UNBC is located in the city of Prince George, British Columbia. Anthropologists have a classification system of culture areas. Using the culture area designation I am writing to you from Carrier territory of the Interior Plateau. The Carrier have most recently asserted, socially and politically, their self-identity as Dakelth (and sometimes Yinka Dene). The Prince George campus is located specifically on Lheldi T'enneh traditional territory. LT First Nation is one Dakelth (Carrier) community not affiliated with the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, a Council that represents the majority of Carrier and Sekani communities in the area. I was in Saskatchewan lately, at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College. The terminology they use there is Indian and Indian Studies is taught along with other courses and programs of studies, endorsed by the five Indian Nations of Saskatchewan. One point I have not made till now is that the Indian Act, an act of the Canadian parliament has a large control over the governance, social life, education, and so on of Aboriginal communities in Canada, in particular over the lives of status Indians (not to mention Inuit and Metis). As for ignorance the question "where should our interventions be in this sea of ignorance" is an excellent one indeed. I think it is unwise to think that the problem is insurmountable. We can either participate in the ignorance by not knowing our history or we can whitewash history to tell only one story about what has passed. I like what Jill Lepore says in The Name of War and wonder how others read her. I think I will stop here and see what sort of discussions are going on. Hope to hear from others around some of these questions/issues. Chris Hannibal-Paci, Ph.D. Instructor, UNBC, FNST This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 12:59:54 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: SH Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture/Barb Tracy In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Thanks for the reply Barb. I agree with your starting point, and have found too that it is important for non-native students to enter into a discussion about their own culture before investigating others. I was not trying to be exclusionary in my defintion of culture, of all the ways in which culture manifests itself, such as "concepts of language, social structure, values, assumptions" as you mentioned. Rather I was trying to state the assumptions about what culture is that I bring to my discussion of it. Sorry if I did not do so clearly enough. Prof. Hoxie in his opening statement addressed the definition of culture as one which can be seen as static or seen as something fluid. I am of the latter camp. I believe culture is fluid. As for the land connection, I should have made myself clearer. I do not mean to bring in the often stereotypical use of connection to the land and closeness to the land that is associated with Native peoples, but rather I am making an assertion that a culture is shaped by its landscape. The ways in which a culture is manifested, through its social structure, values, and language, is affected by the land on which it is practiced. Because of the historic change of traditional land bases for Native peoples, their cultures have changed and are affected by the new landscape. I find this point important when teaching non-Native students about their own culture because so often they identify themselves with a culture which is based no where near their home. When in reality the greatest influence on the way they live their culture is the landscape in their backyard. IOW, there is an American culture, but it is very different depending on where you live. Getting this point across, makes a good segue I've found to addressing the difference in American Indian cultures across the continent. I hope that's a little clearer. Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 16:56:46 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Carl Benn Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello everyone I would like to comment briefly on the issue of what terminology to use and see what people think. First, as a Canadian, I find that 'Native-American' sounds exclusionary. As well, it suggests that the First Nations do not have an identity different from 'Irish-Americans,' 'Italian-Americans,' etc., which is unfortunate. The word 'Amerindian' seems to have gone out of fashion, probably deservedly, and words like 'aboriginal' and 'native' seem limiting and problematic, like 'white' and 'black' are. So, I created a kind of hierarchy in writing about First Nations that attempts to have an equality in form between native and other designations. At base, I use the non-capitalized words 'native' 'aboriginal' 'indigenous' alongside 'white' and 'black' to signify their limitations as conceptualizations, given, for example, the intermixing of peoples in the historic Great Lakes region, where my studies are concentrated. Above that level, at the tribal/national level, I capitalize, so that 'Mohawk,' for example, gets the same play as, say, 'English.' (I use 'tribe' and 'nation' interchangeably, as seems to have been normal in the 18th- and 19th- century eras in which I work. Above that, words such as 'Iroquois' 'Iroquoian etc. are capitalized and seen as equivalent to concepts such as 'British' and 'Scandinavian And, at the top of my little hierarchy, I used 'First Nations' as an equivalency in status to words such as 'Europeans.' I haven't worked out yet what I want to do about English-language vs First Nations names for people, although I currently use the name that most people will know. So, for example, writing in Canada, the word 'Mohawk' is better known than the indigenous name, but 'Akwesasne' is better known than the Euroamerican name. What do people think? Cheers. Carl Benn This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 18:11:56 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Thank you Barb Tracy. I don't know why it is, but you're correct about the cultural perspective of "mainstream" students, those students who do not identify themselves as being "of color." That they move about with the notion of culture being what other peoples have, and at the same time have the reputation of functioning rather effectively, seems to call into question the necessity of explicit or conscious cultural awareness. That aside, to begin with that cultural sadness is correct if everyone is to identify with cultural idiosyncrasies. Leif Fearn SDSU >Susie, >I teach Native American Literature and would like to respond to two points >in your posting: > >First: > >I would be interested in pursuing a discussion of the definition > >of culture. My questions starts from the assumption that > >culture is fluid and changeable and that it is always bound to > >the land that it is lived on. > >I'm not sure that I undertand your definition, especially when we >are talking about Native Americans, many of whom have had their land base >taken away. Do you mean a feeling of conection to the land or an actual >land base. Secondly, doesn't culture also include concepts of time, >language, social structure, values, assumptions, shared experience? > >Second: > >It is the following assertion that I'd would like some feedback > >on: For non-native American students to be able to form a > >cultural identity of themselves that truly reflects their > >history, they will need to address their misunderstandings of > >AIs and AI history. It is within this context of addressing > >culture, that I believe AI history and issues may be able to > >integrate (not assimilate) itself wholly into American history > >curriculum rather than being relegated to a chapter or > >specialized course. > > > >Has anyone addressed the issues of AMERICAN culturally identity > >in the classroom as a segue or context for discussing AMERICAN > >INDIAN cultural identity? > > > >My non-native students often believe that culture is something that _others_ >have. So how do we teach respect and appreciation of all cultures if the >student doesn't respect or even recognize his/her own? So I start there. >We define culture, examine some indigenous cultures and then I ask them to >examine elements of culture in their own families or communities. They >typcially spend some time with community and family members collecting and >examining histories, geography, stories, values, traditions, etc and then >come back excited to share what they learned, then we go back to indigenous >cultures and the discussion takes on a very different tone than in the >begining. > >Barb Tracy > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 18:17:01 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie In-Reply-To: <000a01c0d34a$67b17e60$0101a8c0@bennc> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" I think our collective need to name people is tedious. But Indian people don't seem to mind much, or at least they don't make much of it. That's probably because they're fully involved with distributing food, building roads, and trying to find their way out from under that "plight" nonIndians ascribe to them. Leif Fearn SDSU >Hello everyone > >I would like to comment briefly on the issue of what terminology to use and >see what people think. > >First, as a Canadian, I find that 'Native-American' sounds exclusionary. As >well, it suggests that the First Nations do not have an identity different >from 'Irish-Americans,' 'Italian-Americans,' etc., which is unfortunate. The >word 'Amerindian' seems to have gone out of fashion, probably deservedly, >and words like 'aboriginal' and 'native' seem limiting and problematic, like >'white' and 'black' are. > >So, I created a kind of hierarchy in writing about First Nations that >attempts to have an equality in form between native and other designations. > >At base, I use the non-capitalized words 'native' 'aboriginal' 'indigenous' >alongside 'white' and 'black' to signify their limitations as >conceptualizations, given, for example, the intermixing of peoples in the >historic Great Lakes region, where my studies are concentrated. > >Above that level, at the tribal/national level, I capitalize, so that >'Mohawk,' for example, gets the same play as, say, 'English.' (I use 'tribe' >and 'nation' interchangeably, as seems to have been normal in the 18th- and >19th- century eras in which I work. > >Above that, words such as 'Iroquois' 'Iroquoian etc. are capitalized and >seen as equivalent to concepts such as 'British' and 'Scandinavian > >And, at the top of my little hierarchy, I used 'First Nations' as an >equivalency in status to words such as 'Europeans.' > >I haven't worked out yet what I want to do about English-language vs First >Nations names for people, although I currently use the name that most people >will know. So, for example, writing in Canada, the word 'Mohawk' is better >known than the indigenous name, but 'Akwesasne' is better known than the >Euroamerican name. > >What do people think? > >Cheers. > >Carl Benn > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 17:12:41 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture/Barb Tracy MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii SH @ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> on 05/02/2001 02:59:54 PM Please respond to American Indians Forum Sent by: American Indians Forum To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU cc: Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture/Barb Tracy Susie, Thanks for explaining this. It makes a lot of sense, and I like how you tie in the change of landscape with changing culture. I also discuss land as part of culture. Teaching here in Nebraska I have to chuckle when my white students who grew up on farms say that they don't have culture. It doesn't take them long to figure out that they do and that it is partly shaped by the land. In the assignment I mentioned earlier about investigating their own culture, I do ask them about how their family has moved from one place to another. I think I will add to that a question about how the change in landscape affected the family and then bring that into discussion of how removal affected tribes. Thanks! This was really helpful. Barb As for the land connection, I should have made myself clearer. I do not mean to bring in the often stereotypical use of connection to the land and closeness to the land that is associated with Native peoples, but rather I am making an assertion that a culture is shaped by its landscape. The ways in which a culture is manifested, through its social structure, values, and language, is affected by the land on which it is practiced. Because of the historic change of traditional land bases for Native peoples, their cultures have changed and are affected by the new landscape. I find this point important when teaching non-Native students about their own culture because so often they identify themselves with a culture which is based no where near their home. When in reality the greatest influence on the way they live their culture is the landscape in their backyard. IOW, there is an American culture, but it is very different depending on where you live. Getting this point across, makes a good segue I've found to addressing the difference in American Indian cultures across the continent. I hope that's a little clearer. Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 17:25:21 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Abear Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_002F_01C0D32C.DDA87380" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C0D32C.DDA87380 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Han Professor Hoxie, others here in this forum, I am a simple person, and I am here to listen and learn from all of you. Am I college educated? Yes. Cum Laude honors, majoring in Psychology and English Literature (and yes, my grammer can be attrocious), with two minors. Am I a First Nations individual? Yep, am this. Sicangu Lakota Oyate, Mato Oyate. I see lots of terms, defining, redefining, explanations, justifications. I am not "Sioux." I am Sicangu, Lakota Oyate. Is pretty simple. My culture is hundreds of thousands of years old. Is not land based. My culture is my language, my ceremonies,the history of my people, my oral traditions and histories, my tiwahe, my tiospaye, the Lakol Oyate. Some will say " Lakota are Plains People," and this is true...now.....but long time ago, we were woodland people in Great Lakes area...not called Canada or USA.... we were pushed out of this area to west and adapted, roamed, traveled. So my question to many of you, just curious mind you. Those of you who teach First Nation concepts/theories/histories/etc..... how what is your heritage? Are you First Nations, Euro, what? Professor Hoxie, I agree, and my uncle would agree....education is critical. I hope the forest is not lost for the trees tho...smile. Respectfully, Mitakuye Oyasin, Lexi Eagle Bear "Guard your tongue in youth, and you may grow old enough to nurture a thought that may be of benefit to your People"--Lakota "Better to die on one's feet than live on one's knees." ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C0D32C.DDA87380 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Han Professor Hoxie, others  = here in this=20 forum,
        I am = a simple=20 person, and I am here to listen and learn from all of you.  Am I = college=20 educated? Yes. Cum Laude honors, majoring  in Psychology and = English=20 Literature (and yes, my grammer can be attrocious), with two = minors.  Am I=20 a First Nations individual?  Yep, am this. Sicangu Lakota Oyate, = Mato=20 Oyate. 
        I = see lots of=20 terms, defining, redefining, explanations, justifications.  I am = not=20 "Sioux."  I am Sicangu, Lakota Oyate.  Is pretty=20 simple.  My culture is hundreds of thousands of years old. Is not = land=20 based.  My culture is my language, my ceremonies,the history of my=20 people,  my oral traditions and histories, my tiwahe, my tiospaye, = the=20 Lakol Oyate.  Some will say " Lakota are Plains People," = and this=20 is true...now.....but long time ago, we were woodland people in Great = Lakes=20 area...not called Canada or USA.... we were pushed out of this area to = west and=20 adapted, roamed, traveled.
        So = my question=20 to many of you, just curious mind you.  Those of you who teach = First Nation=20 concepts/theories/histories/etc..... how what is your heritage?  = Are you=20 First Nations, Euro, what?   Professor Hoxie, I agree, and my = uncle=20 would agree....education is critical.  I hope the forest is not = lost for=20 the trees tho...smile.
           =          =20 Respectfully,
         &n= bsp;          =20 Mitakuye=20 Oyasin,
          &n= bsp;           &nb= sp; =20 Lexi Eagle Bear
"Guard your tongue in youth, and you may =
grow old=20 enough to nurture a thought that
may be of benefit to your=20 People"--Lakota        =
"Better=20 to die on one's feet than live on one's=20 knees."
------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C0D32C.DDA87380-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 20:07:07 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Michael Werner Subject: Range and Variety In-Reply-To: <200105020354.f423sh126678@midway.uchicago.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit A few brief thoughts re the "Range and Variety" thread. As we think about how to include AI cultures of Alaska and Canada, we might also want to look south toward Mexico and, to a lesser extent, the Caribbean and Central America. As I see it, there are a number of important reasons for doing so. First, we cannot appreciate the history of many tribes in the present-day US without addressing their connections with peoples, land, and resources in what is today Mexico. Second, a more "southward" perspective also can give an important long-duree and comparative cast to our discussion of the relationship between "Indians" and "whites" in the southwestern and southeastern US. Third, if these connections generally are unrecognized by most of our students, my experience has been that they are very much on the minds of many Mexican/Mexican- American/Chicano students. Fourth, migrants from indigenous communities in Mexico and Central America are an increasing presence in many parts of the US (e.g., the Mixteco community on the west coast). Finally, this perspective might encourage students to think about US ethnic identities--and particularly AI identity--in new ways. What are your thoughts on this? Michael Werner Doctoral Student Department of History University of Chicago msw5@midway.uchicago.edu 5432 S. Kimbark Ave., #1F Chicago, IL 60615-5218 (773)288-6977 This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 00:21:26 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Eileen Walsh Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality I am teaching a history course on Indians of North America. I'll write in another thread of this forum about the range of the course. What draws me to this discussion of spirituality issues is that I have been having a very difficult time with one student in the class this semester. Without identifying him too closely, I will say that he is Indian, and considers himself a minister of the Lord (his term). The problem is that he insists that there is a commonality among all Indians, over all time--and not just in an abstract sense. He constantly refers to "we" and "us" and "our religion" without clarifying who that refers to-- and when I or students ask, the response is "Indians." He is willing to generalize that all Indians know certain things, all Indians have always believed certain things, all Indians aspire to certain things--in other words, he denies diversity among or within groups of Indians over time and in different places. It seems important to him; this isn't about him wanting to give me a hard time (though it is the most challenging sitution I can recall in 17 years of teaching). I think it is about his own identity, and therefore it is very important to him. However, it is historically inaccurate and I cannot let it go. Without ridiculing him, I have tried to present evidence to the contrary. We are using Nancy Shoemaker's new anthology, American Indians, which does a good job of showing a variety of perspectives over time. I'm not sure he's reading it, having dismissed me as an opponent. I was prepared to deal with this problem from non- native students, but that has not been the problem. It's an interesting reversal of my teacherly expectations! What is most interesting is that other Indian students have taken him on about that, as have some White students. Nobody wants to get into a big fight, though--northern Minnesotans don't seem to do that, whatever their ethnic heritage. Kindof a stoic cultural landscape. I wondered what you folks think of this situation? Oh, and I like Jack Betterly's quote in another thread--seems appropriate here, too: "In wide America, in this sprawling map of dizzily drawn borders, we find no common culture, nor should we expect to. Time has been at work, dilatorily, for a few hundred years in this nation, not even long enough for us to agree on a speed limit, let alone a culture." - America, New Mexico by Robert Leonard Reid. Tucson: University of Arizona Press p.181 Eileen Walsh History Department Bemidji State University Bemidji MN 56601 http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ walsh.html This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 00:50:29 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Eileen Walsh Subject: Re: Opening Statement (Range & Variety) It is delightful to have colleagues to talk with about these matters. I am the only historian at my university who teaches American Indian history, and I was restricted to developing only a one-semester course, despite the fact that the campus is in a border town near 3 Ojibwe reservations. Recognizing that this would have to be some survey (!), I decided not to focus tightly but rather to provide a good overview, trusting that long lives and popular culture will add to whatever students begin in this course. So it caught my eye when Professor Hoxie wrote: "6. RANGE AND VARIETY. Most classes and textbooks ignore Alaska and Canada. How (or should) these North American cases be brought into focus in our courses? Do they have distinctly different themes? Similarly, few courses or discussions place Native Americans in a global context. How can we do that? These comparisons are difficult because the national contexts for indigenous people have been so different and because those contexts have shaped Indian people." My course is titled, "Indians of North America." I decided that current national boundaries are important in the experiences of American Indians, but are not always the primary identifier in historical context. That point was reinforced on the first day of class when a student was introduced as being from Canada. I smiled and made some remark about welcoming a foreigner into the class, but he said, "I'm not foreign. I'm Ojibwe." I had to admit he had a point. He also graciously admitted that he does have dual citizenship. Our first reading material was Anne Cameron's Daughters of Copper Woman, which encompasses a huge amount of time, from creation stories to the 1980s, and is set in today's British Columbia. I did not use a book on northern Mexico, thinking we would use articles and chapters. We used Nancy Shoemaker's new anthology, American Indians, in part because of its wide coverage and in part because of its nice match of 2 primary documents with each scholarly essay. That has worked well, as primary documents so often do (especially the photographs). Students chose to read either Winona LaDuke's historical novel, Last Standing Woman, or Kent Nerburn's historical novel, Neither Wolf Nor Dog. The idea was to teach the book they read to the half of class that read the other book, placing it in historical context for them. It works great. I lectured to provide the narrative connecting all these things, though we lost a lot of time this semester to arguing with one student who consumed a lot of attention (see thread on spirituality for my story on that!). I'm afraid I did ignore Alaska. Poor Hawaii didn't stand a chance of getting in (of course it is not North American, but it is US-ian....) Some students expected to learn lists of tribes, languages, locations, etc. I recommended they head over to Anthropology, because I wasn't going to spend 16 weeks doing memorization. I am much more interested in teaching the complexity of American Indian experiences, before encounter, before conquest, before today. So what do you think? Eileen Walsh History Department Bemidji State University Bemidji MN 56601 http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ walsh.html This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 01:20:56 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Denise Jarvis Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Hello, I would think the question is , why wouldn't they want students Indian and non-Indian alike to be taught about spirituality when it is so much a part of Indian culture and life? >From: "Noonan, Ellen" >Reply-To: American Indians Forum > >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >Subject: teaching native spirituality >Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 15:59:39 -0400 > >I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies >Journal. >In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with >teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral >tradition), >the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native >students) about the aspects of Indigenous spirituality. > >My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I >should >do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world view is what >makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. and >most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what >and >how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never >understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will >never >understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to insist-- >that we , or else!! > >Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other everywhere assume (based >on >their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome >of > and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to >adhere >to their ways. > >So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature >or >Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the >underlying >philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a >generalizable philosophy) then I can't understand >why >I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to >teach >--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would >stand >in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to >understand about Tribal people. > >The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching >, but it raises a question that I hope this forum will >address: >is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native >spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed >to >such a discussion? > >What do you think? > >Phil Bellfy > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 10:06:32 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_79.1426000a.2822bfe8_boundary" --part1_79.1426000a.2822bfe8_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, First off, let me say that I am not a professional educator. However, I do educate. I am the editor of a biweekly online ezine that strives to teach the truths about our people. We operate with the belief that it's important to teach the correct history and to let others know that we are ALIVE. I also work with American Indians, Alaskan Natives and First Nations Peoples on a daily basis. So, my thoughts come from a Native perspective. I would like to address every question that was asked, but will begin with the question about terminology. Again, this comes straight from the people. In the U.S., the preferred method is to address a person by the tribal affiliation. Such as...Dakota, Choctaw, etc. If that is not known, American Indian is the second choice. American Indians often refer to themselves as "Indians." Most do not object to being acknowledged as Natives. Alaskan Natives wish to be addressed by their affiliation, also...ex. Aluet. And, if that is not known, Alaskan Natives should be used. Finally, in my experience, Canadian First Nations also prefer their band names to be used. Ex. Inuit, Cree, etc. Aboriginals and/or First Nations Peoples are also acceptable. It can be very confusing. I look forward to these discussions, and hope that I can add some insight, too. Pidamaya yedo, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_79.1426000a.2822bfe8_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
  First off, let me say that I am not a professional educator.  However, I
do educate. I am the editor of a biweekly online ezine that strives to teach
the truths about our people.  We operate with the belief that it's important
to teach the correct history and to let others know that we are ALIVE.  I
also work with American Indians, Alaskan Natives and First Nations Peoples on
a daily basis.  So, my thoughts come from a Native perspective.
   I would like to address every question that was asked, but will begin
with the question about terminology.  Again, this comes straight from the
people.
   In the U.S., the preferred method is to address a person by the tribal
affiliation.  Such as...Dakota, Choctaw, etc.  If that is not known, American
Indian is the second choice.  American Indians often refer to themselves as
"Indians."  Most do not object to being acknowledged as Natives.
   Alaskan Natives wish to be addressed by their affiliation, also...ex.
Aluet.  And, if that is not known, Alaskan Natives should be used.
   Finally, in my experience, Canadian First Nations also prefer their band
names to be used.  Ex. Inuit, Cree, etc.  Aboriginals and/or First Nations
Peoples are also acceptable.
   It can be very confusing.  

   I look forward to these discussions, and hope that I can add some
insight, too.

Pidamaya yedo,
Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_79.1426000a.2822bfe8_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 09:56:59 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Joseph Starrs Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" To all I hope this is not too much of a departure from the discussion. I would like to throw out the importance of language and culture. How possible is it to retain or recapture a sense of culture without the original language? I grew up on the Navajo Reservation ( I am Anglo or "Bilagana" as the Navajos say) and my friends who spoke their native language had a much deeper grasp ( I believe) of the Navajo Way. In teaching Native Studies, I would think a rudimentary understanding (at minimum) of the language would be critical. Joe in DC > -----Original Message----- > From: Leif Fearn [SMTP:lfearn@MAIL.SDSU.EDU] > Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 9:12 PM > To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture > > Thank you Barb Tracy. I don't know why it is, but you're correct > about the cultural perspective of "mainstream" students, those > students who do not identify themselves as being "of color." That > they move about with the notion of culture being what other peoples > have, and at the same time have the reputation of functioning rather > effectively, seems to call into question the necessity of explicit or > conscious cultural awareness. That aside, to begin with that > cultural sadness is correct if everyone is to identify with cultural > idiosyncrasies. > > Leif Fearn > SDSU > > > >Susie, > >I teach Native American Literature and would like to respond to two > points > >in your posting: > > > >First: > > >I would be interested in pursuing a discussion of the definition > > >of culture. My questions starts from the assumption that > > >culture is fluid and changeable and that it is always bound to > > >the land that it is lived on. > > > >I'm not sure that I undertand your definition, especially when we > >are talking about Native Americans, many of whom have had their land base > >taken away. Do you mean a feeling of conection to the land or an actual > >land base. Secondly, doesn't culture also include concepts of time, > >language, social structure, values, assumptions, shared experience? > > > >Second: > > >It is the following assertion that I'd would like some feedback > > >on: For non-native American students to be able to form a > > >cultural identity of themselves that truly reflects their > > >history, they will need to address their misunderstandings of > > >AIs and AI history. It is within this context of addressing > > >culture, that I believe AI history and issues may be able to > > >integrate (not assimilate) itself wholly into American history > > >curriculum rather than being relegated to a chapter or > > >specialized course. > > > > > >Has anyone addressed the issues of AMERICAN culturally identity > > >in the classroom as a segue or context for discussing AMERICAN > > >INDIAN cultural identity? > > > > > > >My non-native students often believe that culture is something that > _others_ > >have. So how do we teach respect and appreciation of all cultures if the > >student doesn't respect or even recognize his/her own? So I start there. > >We define culture, examine some indigenous cultures and then I ask them > to > >examine elements of culture in their own families or communities. They > >typcially spend some time with community and family members collecting > and > >examining histories, geography, stories, values, traditions, etc and then > >come back excited to share what they learned, then we go back to > indigenous > >cultures and the discussion takes on a very different tone than in the > >begining. > > > >Barb Tracy > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web > >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for > >teaching U.S. History. > > Leif Fearn > San Diego State University > School of Teacher Education > Phone: 594-1366 > FAX: 596-7828 > lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at > http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. > History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 11:55:47 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: David Hanson Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie In-Reply-To: <79.1426000a.2822bfe8@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; types="text/plain,text/html"; boundary="=====================_4054800==_.ALT" --=====================_4054800==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I have a friend named Uses Arrow who is a Lakota. I have not seem him for some time now, but as I recall, this squares with what he once told me. In essence he said, I'm a Lakota, but most people would not know that or what it means to be a Lakota. If they want to know, I will explain it to them. Otherwise they can call me an Indian, or a Native American, or a man. That is not important. Treating me with the same courtesy and respect as anyone else, that is the important thing. I teach college-level U.S. history survey courses and we have about 400 years to cover, so we really can't get down to the level of depth and detail that has been discussed so far in this forum. I think I'm doing well if I can get students to understand that the greatest threat to settlers going to Oregon and California in the 1840s was the natural elements, not hostile Indians. Even if I understood all the nuances of Indian nationality, culture and spirituality, I could not dwell on it our we would never get from Christopher Columbus to Jimmy Carter. Of course, it is different for those of you who teach specialized courses concentrating on American Indians. For those of us who teach U.S. history, it is important to treat all topics as fairly and accurately as possible. Most of us see the past and present through the filters of our own cultural experience and values. This is reflected in our teaching. My own experience is that of a middle-class, eastern/midwestern, male WASP, and I cannot escape that fact. This does not mean that I cannot teach about the African-American, female, or Indian experience in our nation's history. But it does limit my ability to understand and relate to students certain concepts. So I try to draw upon the words of other people, e.g., the former slave narratives ("Remembering Slavery") and other oral history. Any recommendations for good Indian oral history publications? Back to grading final exams.... Dave Hanson Professor of History Virginia Western --=====================_4054800==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" I have a friend named Uses Arrow who is a Lakota.  I have not seem him for some time now, but as I recall, this squares with what he once told me.  In essence he said, I'm a Lakota, but most people would not know that or what it means to be a Lakota.  If they want to know, I will explain it to them.  Otherwise they can call me an Indian, or a Native American, or a man.  That is not important.  Treating me with the same courtesy and respect as anyone else, that is the important thing.

I teach college-level U.S. history survey courses and we have about 400 years to cover, so we really can't get down to the level of depth and detail that has been discussed so far in this forum.  I think I'm doing well if I can get students to understand that the greatest threat to settlers going to Oregon and California in the 1840s was the natural elements, not hostile Indians.  Even if I understood all the nuances of Indian nationality, culture and spirituality, I could not dwell on it our we would never get from Christopher Columbus to Jimmy Carter.  Of course, it is different for those of you who teach specialized courses concentrating on American Indians.

For those of us who teach U.S. history, it is important to treat all topics as fairly and accurately as possible.  Most of us see the past and present through the filters of our own cultural experience and values.  This is reflected in our teaching.  My own experience is that of a middle-class, eastern/midwestern, male WASP, and I cannot escape that fact.  This does not mean that I cannot teach about the African-American, female, or Indian experience in our nation's history.  But it does limit my ability to understand and relate to students certain concepts.  So I try to draw upon the words of other people, e.g., the former slave narratives ("Remembering Slavery") and other oral history. 

Any recommendations for good Indian oral history publications?

Back to grading final exams....

Dave Hanson
Professor of History
Virginia Western

--=====================_4054800==_.ALT-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 09:07:37 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: SH Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture/Barb T. and Joseph S. In-Reply-To: <998FDA97A658D3118AA600609419F21CA0DF78@MAIL> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I have two responses, one to Barb Tracy's comments and the other to Joseph Starrs. First, Barb. I'm glad I was able to be clearer. I find these types of discussions easier in person where gesture and expression can help define what is not so easily put into words. I would love to hear suggestions, yours or others, of reading material to supplement a curriculum/lecture about the definition of culture. Another forum participant reminded me of an excellent text which I have used often, Philip Deloria's _Playing Indian_, but I loved to know of others. Books, chapters, articles. Thanks! Joseph: I would say yes and no to your questions. Language is important and I don't believe a departure from the discussion of history. I studied Japanese in college, and I learned more ABOUT Japanese culture through the structure of the language than if I had taken a history course. Language can teach us many things, but I also believe that there has been wonderful contributions from NA authors in English-language literature permeated with a native voice. By changing or making the language their own, they have made it a NA voice and given insight into NA worldviews. I don't think it is realistic, although it would be nice, to expect undergraduate institutions and high schools to teach NA languages as a prerequisite to NA studies. I think what is most important for any student in an NA class to remember is that the study of another culture is never done from a 'nowhere' standpoint. Another forum participant, Leif Fearn, made a comment earlier about that that highlights to me the danger of a people who consider themselves as coming from 'nowhere' culturally. He stated that the fact that they "have the reputation of functioning rather effectively [as a culture], seems to call into question the necessity of explicit or conscious cultural awareness." I apologize to Mr. Fearn if in excerpting his comments I have changed his intended meaning. I hope I haven't because I think it makes a great point. Non-native students so often approach the study of history; whether through traditional social studies classrooms, anthropology, ethnology, archaeology or some other discipline; with two underlying assumptions that are often never articulated and thus taint their studies. One we have already mentioned: that because the students do not see themselves as having a culture, they are unaware of the assumptions that their culture brings to the table already when talking/studying others. And two, which I read from Mr. Fearn's comments, if the students do not consider themselves as having a culture, yet at the same time view themselves functioning effectively, they will carry the belief to the table that those people who DO have an explicit cultural identity are less likely to be successful in the larger global or national community. With this in mind, language IS a wonderful medium for understanding a culture, and could be used through phrases, linguistics, literature that uses both a native language and English in its text, without having to enter into an immersion program. But I don't think it will help if the students are not first aware of how their own culture affects their perspective on others. Any comments, thoughts? I'd love some feedback. Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 11:38:21 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: yankeebird Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_01B3_01C0D3C5.8E0E6520" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01B3_01C0D3C5.8E0E6520 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable teaching native spiritualityThis is curious. We teach Students the = philosophical and world view of the ancient Greeks and Romans so why are = Indigeous philosophies and worldview off limits? Adesimba Bashir ASHP ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Noonan, Ellen=20 To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20 Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 3:59 PM Subject: teaching native spirituality I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies = Journal. In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral = tradition), the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native students) about the aspects of Indigenous spirituality. My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I = should do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world view is = what makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. = and most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand = what and how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will = never understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to = insist-- that we , or else!! Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other everywhere assume = (based on their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the = epitome of and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to = adhere to their ways. So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or = Literature or Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the = underlying philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a generalizable philosophy) then I can't understand = why I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to = teach --keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would = stand in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to understand about Tribal people. The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching , but it raises a question that I hope this forum will = address: is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be = exposed to such a discussion? What do you think? Phil Bellfy ------=_NextPart_000_01B3_01C0D3C5.8E0E6520 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable teaching native spirituality
This is curious. We teach Students the=20 philosophical and world view of the ancient Greeks and Romans so why are = Indigeous philosophies and worldview off limits?
Adesimba Bashir
 
ASHP
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Noonan,=20 Ellen
To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@= ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 = 3:59 PM
Subject: teaching native=20 spirituality

I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US = Native=20 Studies Journal.
In the course of our correspondence over my essay = (it had=20 to do with
teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of = the oral=20 tradition),
the editor wondered why I would teach students = (especially=20 non-Native
students) about the <sensitive> aspects of = Indigenous=20 spirituality.

My response was that, as a Native person teaching = native=20 Studies, I should
do nothing else.  That is, that our = spirituality and=20 world view is what
makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from = the=20 dominant society.  and
most importantly (in my view) is that = if=20 students don't understand what and
how we think about our (tribal) = place in=20 the world, they will never
understand any of our history or our = lifeways,=20 and certainly they will never
understand how and why the Europeans = insisted=20 --and continue to insist--
that we <assimilate>, or=20 else!!

Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other <Americans> = everywhere=20 assume (based on
their spirituality and worldview) that their way = of life=20 is the epitome of
<civilization> and they can't understand = why anyone=20 would prefer to adhere
to their <primitive> ways.

So, = if I=20 restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature = or
Economics=20 or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the = underlying
philosophy=20 of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a
generalizable=20 <Indigenous/Tribal> philosophy) then I can't understand = why
I'm a=20 teacher.  My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to=20 teach
--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the = classroom would=20 stand
in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my = students=20 to
understand about Tribal people.

The preceding is a = truncated and=20 simplified statement of my teaching
<philosophy>, but it = raises a=20 question that I hope this forum will address:
is it appropriate to = expose=20 students to a discussion about Native
spirituality?  Or, more=20 pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed to
such a=20 discussion?

What do you think?

Phil=20 Bellfy



------=_NextPart_000_01B3_01C0D3C5.8E0E6520-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 10:20:16 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Carl Benn, Thanks for the discussion on the mixing of names with Native societies. Didn't the term "aboriginal" (which I just saw on another H-AmIndian message a minute ago) first apply to the "natives" of Australia? I have been confused by the use of this term by Canadians (even as "First Nations" emerged a few years ago to challenge "Native Americans" and "Indians"). Could you or someone on the list offer the history of the use of the term "aboriginal" in Canada? Related to this is my confusion over the meaning of the term "Iroquois." It looks to someone like myself who took French several decades ago in HS and college to be the way that the French generalized about peoples with whom they interacted in western New York/southern Canada: the "Erie" (for whom the lake gets its name), and the French suffix "Quois" (also spelled "cois," as in "Francois"). I do not read people talking about this incorporation of French words into tribal nomenclature (nor do I see people mentioning the French diminution of the Ojibwe/Anishnaabe term "naandewesioux" for their enemies [which became "Sioux" in French records]). This move to "internationalize" the study of Native life in the area now called the United States has much possibility, but it also opens old wounds that I believe were left untouched when the previous generation of students and scholars looked at the obvious outrages of mistreatment and discrimination (in a nation devoted to freedom), and selected the images and evidence that fit the paradigm of Euro/American aggression. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >Hello everyone > >I would like to comment briefly on the issue of what terminology to use and >see what people think. > >First, as a Canadian, I find that 'Native-American' sounds exclusionary. As >well, it suggests that the First Nations do not have an identity different >from 'Irish-Americans,' 'Italian-Americans,' etc., which is unfortunate. The >word 'Amerindian' seems to have gone out of fashion, probably deservedly, >and words like 'aboriginal' and 'native' seem limiting and problematic, like >'white' and 'black' are. > >So, I created a kind of hierarchy in writing about First Nations that >attempts to have an equality in form between native and other designations. > >At base, I use the non-capitalized words 'native' 'aboriginal' 'indigenous' >alongside 'white' and 'black' to signify their limitations as >conceptualizations, given, for example, the intermixing of peoples in the >historic Great Lakes region, where my studies are concentrated. > >Above that level, at the tribal/national level, I capitalize, so that >'Mohawk,' for example, gets the same play as, say, 'English.' (I use 'tribe' >and 'nation' interchangeably, as seems to have been normal in the 18th- and >19th- century eras in which I work. > >Above that, words such as 'Iroquois' 'Iroquoian etc. are capitalized and >seen as equivalent to concepts such as 'British' and 'Scandinavian > >And, at the top of my little hierarchy, I used 'First Nations' as an >equivalency in status to words such as 'Europeans.' > >I haven't worked out yet what I want to do about English-language vs First >Nations names for people, although I currently use the name that most people >will know. So, for example, writing in Canada, the word 'Mohawk' is better >known than the indigenous name, but 'Akwesasne' is better known than the >Euroamerican name. > >What do people think? > >Cheers. > >Carl Benn > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 13:50:23 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: David Hanson Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: <01b601c0d3e7$179dd660$05382e3f@o4k7h3> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; types="text/plain,text/html"; boundary="=====================_10931725==_.ALT" --=====================_10931725==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I don't think the point is that Native American spirituality is "off limits." It's more a matter of how knowledgeable and comfortable many history instructors are with it--unless they are specialists on the subject--and how to work it into a course that covers the entire span of American history. If I were teaching a course on American Indians [which I don't believe I could], I would try to learn as much as possible about the culture, including religion and philosophy, and include that in the course. Dave Hanson Virginia Western At 11:38 AM 5/3/01 -0400, you wrote: > > This is curious. We teach Students the philosophical and world view of the > ancient Greeks and Romans so why are Indigeous philosophies and worldview off > limits? > Adesimba Bashir > > ASHP --=====================_10931725==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" I don't think the point is that Native American spirituality is "off limits."  It's more a matter of how knowledgeable and comfortable many history instructors are with it--unless they are specialists on the subject--and how to work it into a course that covers the entire span of American history.  If I were teaching a course on American Indians [which I don't believe I could], I would try to learn as much as possible about the culture, including religion and philosophy, and include that in the course.

Dave Hanson
Virginia Western

At 11:38 AM 5/3/01 -0400, you wrote:
This is curious. We teach Students the philosophical and world view of the ancient Greeks and Romans so why are Indigeous philosophies and worldview off limits?
Adesimba Bashir

ASHP

--=====================_10931725==_.ALT-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 09:25:43 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Caitlin Racine-Myers Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture/Barb Tracy MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I think it's a characteristic of the Mainstream culture to be unaware of itself - it's like seawater to a fish. When Mainstream people, or people whose experience is limited to a specific area, first encounter an alien culture, their first reaction is to look for differences outside what they consider the "norm." It's our task as educators to help them look inward as well as outward, and by reconciling the different views, to build perspective and context. Caitlin Racine-Myers Texas Cherokee/Piegan Blackfeet/Lakota -----Original Message----- From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US [mailto:blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US] Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 3:13 PM To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture/Barb Tracy SH @ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> on 05/02/2001 02:59:54 PM Please respond to American Indians Forum Sent by: American Indians Forum To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU cc: Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture/Barb Tracy Susie, Thanks for explaining this. It makes a lot of sense, and I like how you tie in the change of landscape with changing culture. I also discuss land as part of culture. Teaching here in Nebraska I have to chuckle when my white students who grew up on farms say that they don't have culture. It doesn't take them long to figure out that they do and that it is partly shaped by the land. In the assignment I mentioned earlier about investigating their own culture, I do ask them about how their family has moved from one place to another. I think I will add to that a question about how the change in landscape affected the family and then bring that into discussion of how removal affected tribes. Thanks! This was really helpful. Barb As for the land connection, I should have made myself clearer. I do not mean to bring in the often stereotypical use of connection to the land and closeness to the land that is associated with Native peoples, but rather I am making an assertion that a culture is shaped by its landscape. The ways in which a culture is manifested, through its social structure, values, and language, is affected by the land on which it is practiced. Because of the historic change of traditional land bases for Native peoples, their cultures have changed and are affected by the new landscape. I find this point important when teaching non-Native students about their own culture because so often they identify themselves with a culture which is based no where near their home. When in reality the greatest influence on the way they live their culture is the landscape in their backyard. IOW, there is an American culture, but it is very different depending on where you live. Getting this point across, makes a good segue I've found to addressing the difference in American Indian cultures across the continent. I hope that's a little clearer. Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 12:17:25 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Fred Hoxie Subject: Who Are We? In-Reply-To: <998FDA97A658D3118AA600609419F21CA0DF78@MAIL> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Greetings from the Heartland: It has been fun to read the responses to the forum as they have come in over the last two days. Phil Bellfy's comments on religion seem to have sparked the most response, but there have been several other comments on terminology, definitions of culture and the scope of our enterprise. Let me try to respond to some of these fascinating statements. 1. Phil asserts that religious values are "what set us off from the dominant society." They should therefore be at the core of a Native studies course. Two aspects of that statement are interesting. First, that there is something that sets Native Americans apart. What is that something? Historical experience? Social values? Spiritual orientation? Relationship to the landscape? I think there comes a point in a class, whether it be a history course or a "studies" course where it is important to indicate the distinctive elements that set Indian peoples apart. For me, I am not sure I could identify one element that was essential to that "distinctive identity" because the experiences of people across time and space were and are so various. Whatever our thoughts on the matter, however, I think one needs to get there--to that distinctive identity--at some point in the course. And for me again, I try to be open to varying definitions of that distinctive identity. It should be a subject for debate and discussion. I recall arguing about the late Francis Jennings's work years ago. Jennings asserted forcefully that American Indians in the colonial period acted for the same reasons as Europeans: to defend their self interests and to maximize their security. Race, he declared, was a myth. Well, if you questioned that assertion did it mean one must also reject his notion of an "Invasion" of America? The second half of Phil's sentence is also intriguing: "apart from the dominant society." Does Native American history need to be taught in relation to "the dominant society?" Is Indian history defined by the relationship of Natives to non-Indians? If not, why is it so important to define those elements that "set it apart" from the "mainstream?" I certainly have no final answer to this. I try to do both: to teach about the internal histories of Native people as well as to teach about how the impact of EuroAmericans has structured Native life. But again, these are questions I try to build into the syllabus so that students will engage them for themselves. 2. Culture. I agree that it is very difficult to get students to think about themselves and their cultural identities. I share the frustration of trying to respond to people who say they have "no culture" but I am also frustrated by those who believe their ethnicity provides them with a ready-made cultural identity. This is tricky and very personal and, given my Scandinavian heritage, something I instinctively approach with great caution (we are not great on feelings). Nevertheless, it is a central issue and one that needs to be brought constantly to center stage. I find autobiographies are useful ways at getting to some of these issues: William Apess's autobiography, Winnemucca, Eastman, Mary Crow Dog. How do these people define their "culture;" how do we? 3. Terminology. Great comments here. I like very much the notion of a "hierarchy" of terms (I always feel so disorganized on this score, whether to capitalize, etc.) I wonder if there are other thoughts. I don't think "First Nations" works in the US context because we are not a "confederation" in the way Canada is. We can imagine hierarchies of sovereignty in the US, but not splintered sovereignties. We settled that in the Civil War. But maybe there are more thoughts on that. 4. Reach: Again, impossible to include all the possible threads--Caribbean, Mexico, etc.--but essential, in my view, to include some. I haven't really figured that out yet except to spend some time on Canada, asking why it is different and the same. The UN Declarations and documents can also be effective ways of introducing comparative indigenous perspectives into a course. Who gets to be "national" and who gets to be "indigenous" and why"? I have gotten interested in the history of these terms and classifications; bringing this material in is also very important. This discussion can also dovetail quite nicely with a discussion of treaties. Not just Indian treaties, but the treaty between Britain and the US in 1783. I give that to students and ask them to discuss its implications for Indians. They say, "Indians aren't mentioned." And we go from there. So the question of "who" we are as teachers and students, how we define our subject, and what we decide should be the focus of the class should be something that is transparent in our teaching. It should be explained and discussed. On my first day of class in the first Native American history course I ever taught nearly 25 years ago, a hand shot up from the back of the room as the opening bell rang. "What qualifies you to teach this course?" the student asked. I have always been grateful for that question because the subject is so vast and the topic is so complicated (and we come to it from so many different places) that the structure and philosophy behind the course needs to be on the table from day one. We need to identify our terms--identity, culture, Indian, tribe, etc.--and explain how we arrived at our definitions. We need to figure out ways of talking about how we came to the organization we are presenting in our course. This is an additional "burden" of teaching this stuff, but it is also what can enliven the entire enterprise. I will keep checking in and will get back to you again soon. Fred Hoxie Frederick E. Hoxie Swanlund Endowed Chair Director of Graduate Studies Department of History University of Illinois 309 Gregory Hall 801 S. Wright St. Urbana, IL 61801 217-333-4931 Fax: 217-333-2297 Graduate Secretary: 217-244-2591 This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 12:55:22 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Opening Statement (Range & Variety) In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" What a wonderful history; no, anthropology; no, theology/philosophy; no, literature; no ... Oh what the hey. What a wonderful educational experience! We'd be far better citizens if the historical, literary, and philosophical heritage of the United States were routinely handled in such an educational spirit. Leif Fearn SDSU >It is delightful to have colleagues to talk with >about these matters. I am the only historian at my >university who teaches American Indian history, and >I was restricted to developing only a one-semester >course, despite the fact that the campus is in a >border town near 3 Ojibwe reservations. Recognizing >that this would have to be some survey (!), I >decided not to focus tightly but rather to provide >a good overview, trusting that long lives and >popular culture will add to whatever students begin >in this course. So it caught my eye when Professor >Hoxie wrote: > >"6. RANGE AND VARIETY. Most classes and textbooks >ignore Alaska and Canada. How (or should) these >North American cases be brought into focus in our >courses? Do they have distinctly different themes? >Similarly, few courses or discussions place Native >Americans in a global context. How can we do that? >These comparisons are difficult because the >national contexts for indigenous people have been >so different and because those contexts have shaped >Indian people." > >My course is titled, "Indians of North America." I >decided that current national boundaries are >important in the experiences of American Indians, >but are not always the primary identifier in >historical context. That point was reinforced on >the first day of class when a student was >introduced as being from Canada. I smiled and made >some remark about welcoming a foreigner into the >class, but he said, "I'm not foreign. I'm Ojibwe." >I had to admit he had a point. He also graciously >admitted that he does have dual citizenship. > >Our first reading material was Anne Cameron's >Daughters of Copper Woman, which encompasses a huge >amount of time, from creation stories to the 1980s, >and is set in today's British Columbia. I did not >use a book on northern Mexico, thinking we would >use articles and chapters. We used Nancy >Shoemaker's new anthology, American Indians, in >part because of its wide coverage and in part >because of its nice match of 2 primary documents >with each scholarly essay. That has worked well, >as primary documents so often do (especially the >photographs). Students chose to read either Winona >LaDuke's historical novel, Last Standing Woman, or >Kent Nerburn's historical novel, Neither Wolf Nor >Dog. The idea was to teach the book they read to >the half of class that read the other book, placing >it in historical context for them. It works great. >I lectured to provide the narrative connecting all >these things, though we lost a lot of time this >semester to arguing with one student who consumed a >lot of attention (see thread on spirituality for my >story on that!). > >I'm afraid I did ignore Alaska. Poor Hawaii didn't >stand a chance of getting in (of course it is not >North American, but it is US-ian....) > >Some students expected to learn lists of tribes, >languages, locations, etc. I recommended they head >over to Anthropology, because I wasn't going to >spend 16 weeks doing memorization. I am much more >interested in teaching the complexity of American >Indian experiences, before encounter, before >conquest, before today. > >So what do you think? > >Eileen Walsh >History Department >Bemidji State University >Bemidji MN 56601 >http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ >walsh.html > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 14:15:53 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: Who Are We? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== Fred Hoxie's comment in the general summary of thoughts about treaties other than those directly between the US and Indians is interesting. I had not thought of the implications of the 1783 Treaty of Paris in that light, though I do teach about the 1763 treaty of the same name ending the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War as a defining moment for Indian peoples of the eastern sector of North America. The loss of what Richard White called in his The Middle Ground the "gift-giving" process of the French, and the efforts of Sir William Johnson and others to restart the French-Indian fur trade (not to mention the uprising known as Pontiac's Rebellion) are all keyed to this treaty, as was colonial outrage at the Proclamation Line of 1763 (which shocked colonists who had thought the frontier was theirs for the taking). More importantly, and this is where the discussion might help those of us who also teach the history of the Southwest, is the place of Indians in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The Chicano movement focused upon this treaty as evidence of the "lost land," to quote John Chavez from his 1984 book of the same name, with the deeply held belief that the Indian-Hispano mixture of "mestizaje" (that the parents of the Chicanos had seemed to ignore out of shame or dislike of their "Indio" past) had its roots in a mystical homeland of northern New Mexico/southern Colorado ("Aztlan"). A new generation of students is revisiting this idea, and finds it quite attractive (even as there are stories now that Hopi elders claim that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo contained maps identifying the Aztec homeland as north of Hopiland, to wit: Utah). When Russell Means and the American Indian Movement came to Denver last October to protest the Italian-American Columbus Day parade, one of the spinoffs of the media coverage was this resurgence of interest in a Chicano-Indian bond (only this time the symbolism of the Aztecs, so prominently displayed on murals and buildings in the Latino section of Denver, had been replaced by that of the Oglala Lakota of the Plains: incense burning, sweat ceremonies, flute music, etc.). What I have not been able to learn from reading the literature of Chicanismo has been the place of Article Eleven of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The same Mexican officials who called for protection of Spanish/Mexican land grants (the ubiquitous Article Ten that the U.S. Congress removed before ratifying the document), and who also stated that "friendship" and "comity" would influence future relations between the two warring nations (the source of the promises of a choice of citizenship and maintenance of cultural traditions), asked American negotiators to promise that the US Army would stop the depradations of the "savage tribes" of the border and Southwest. These people, whom the Spanish had called "Los Indios Bravos" or "Los Indios Barbaros" (both referring to wildness and savagery), were excluded from the negotiation process while the Pueblos were granted the same rights of "citizenship" as Mexicans. For that reason, the semi-nomadic tribes of the southern Plains/desert Southwest had no land base to claim as their own, and they faced the wrath of the US military as it fulfilled a promise of the treaty (while ignoring others). The difference between the claims of the Pueblos (and the fact that they did not stare down the Army at the point of a gun) can still be seen today throughout the Southwest. Maybe Fred Hoxie's point will draw out other parallels between treaties in general and their impact on Indian peoples everywhere. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >Greetings from the Heartland: > >It has been fun to read the responses to the forum as they have come in >over the last two days. Phil Bellfy's comments on religion seem to have >sparked the most response, but there have been several other comments on >terminology, definitions of culture and the scope of our enterprise. Let >me try to respond to some of these fascinating statements. > >1. Phil asserts that religious values are "what set us off from the >dominant society." They should therefore be at the core of a Native >studies course. Two aspects of that statement are interesting. First, that >there is something that sets Native Americans apart. What is that >something? Historical experience? Social values? Spiritual >orientation? Relationship to the landscape? I think there comes a point >in a class, whether it be a history course or a "studies" course where it >is important to indicate the distinctive elements that set Indian peoples >apart. For me, I am not sure I could identify one element that was >essential to that "distinctive identity" because the experiences of people >across time and space were and are so various. Whatever our thoughts on >the matter, however, I think one needs to get there--to that distinctive >identity--at some point in the course. And for me again, I try to be open >to varying definitions of that distinctive identity. It should be a subject >for debate and discussion. I recall arguing about the late Francis >Jennings's work years ago. Jennings asserted forcefully that American >Indians in the colonial period acted for the same reasons as Europeans: to >defend their self interests and to maximize their security. Race, he >declared, was a myth. Well, if you questioned that assertion did it mean >one must also reject his notion of an "Invasion" of America? > >The second half of Phil's sentence is also intriguing: "apart from the >dominant society." Does Native American history need to be taught in >relation to "the dominant society?" Is Indian history defined by the >relationship of Natives to non-Indians? If not, why is it so important to >define those elements that "set it apart" from the "mainstream?" I >certainly have no final answer to this. I try to do both: to teach about >the internal histories of Native people as well as to teach about how the >impact of EuroAmericans has structured Native life. But again, these are >questions I try to build into the syllabus so that students will engage >them for themselves. > >2. Culture. I agree that it is very difficult to get students to think >about themselves and their cultural identities. I share the frustration of >trying to respond to people who say they have "no culture" but I am also >frustrated by those who believe their ethnicity provides them with a >ready-made cultural identity. This is tricky and very personal and, given >my Scandinavian heritage, something I instinctively approach with great >caution (we are not great on feelings). Nevertheless, it is a central issue >and one that needs to be brought constantly to center stage. I find >autobiographies are useful ways at getting to some of these issues: William >Apess's autobiography, Winnemucca, Eastman, Mary Crow Dog. How do these >people define their "culture;" how do we? > >3. Terminology. Great comments here. I like very much the notion of a >"hierarchy" of terms (I always feel so disorganized on this score, whether >to capitalize, etc.) I wonder if there are other thoughts. I don't think >"First Nations" works in the US context because we are not a >"confederation" in the way Canada is. We can imagine hierarchies of >sovereignty in the US, but not splintered sovereignties. We settled that in >the Civil War. But maybe there are more thoughts on that. > >4. Reach: Again, impossible to include all the possible >threads--Caribbean, Mexico, etc.--but essential, in my view, to include >some. I haven't really figured that out yet except to spend some time on >Canada, asking why it is different and the same. The UN Declarations and >documents can also be effective ways of introducing comparative indigenous >perspectives into a course. Who gets to be "national" and who gets to be >"indigenous" and why"? I have gotten interested in the history of these >terms and classifications; bringing this material in is also very >important. This discussion can also dovetail quite nicely with a >discussion of treaties. Not just Indian treaties, but the treaty between >Britain and the US in 1783. I give that to students and ask them to discuss >its implications for Indians. They say, "Indians aren't mentioned." And we >go from there. > >So the question of "who" we are as teachers and students, how we define our >subject, and what we decide should be the focus of the class should be >something that is transparent in our teaching. It should be explained and >discussed. On my first day of class in the first Native American history >course I ever taught nearly 25 years ago, a hand shot up from the back of >the room as the opening bell rang. "What qualifies you to teach this >course?" the student asked. I have always been grateful for that question >because the subject is so vast and the topic is so complicated (and we come >to it from so many different places) that the structure and philosophy >behind the course needs to be on the table from day one. We need to >identify our terms--identity, culture, Indian, tribe, etc.--and explain how >we arrived at our definitions. We need to figure out ways of talking about >how we came to the organization we are presenting in our course. This is >an additional "burden" of teaching this stuff, but it is also what can >enliven the entire enterprise. > >I will keep checking in and will get back to you again soon. > >Fred Hoxie > > >Frederick E. Hoxie >Swanlund Endowed Chair >Director of Graduate Studies >Department of History >University of Illinois >309 Gregory Hall >801 S. Wright St. >Urbana, IL 61801 >217-333-4931 >Fax: 217-333-2297 >Graduate Secretary: 217-244-2591 > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 17:05:15 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Sharbach, Sarah" Subject: Re: Who Are We? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Greetings: Thank you, Fred, for such a rich response and summary. This is an experience I shall value for some time to come. Like Eileen up in Minnesota, I too am the only one teaching AI history (& ditto for Latin American history, my other area) here at this small state college in New England. Listening in on these conversations is heartening for me, and although I have questions on Native history, in this message I want to address the ignorance of my colleagues, which is often appalling. This is my second year here, and I've had prejudiced comments directed at the subjects I teach--namely at Indians & Latin Americans. Additionally, one colleague told me when I was brand new that "there are no Indians left in New England," and I responded with "well, I just got here, and yet I see plenty of evidence of Native Americans!" My point is that we deal with general ignorance in our students head on in class, but I didn't expect the challenges I have faced in my own department! Is this a common experience, out there? I went to grad school in Seattle ten years ago and never considered I'd be working against stereotypes & inaccuracies that emanate from other professors-! So I'm wondering if it is regional, or simply the luck of the draw. [My own area of research examines stereotypes of Latin America here in the U.S., so I'm well aware of the durability of such images over time.] Do my reflections resonate at all? Best Wishes, Sarah Sharbach Worcester State College -----Original Message----- From: Fred Hoxie [mailto:hoxie@UX1.CSO.UIUC.EDU] Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2001 1:17 PM To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Who Are We? Greetings from the Heartland: It has been fun to read the responses to the forum as they have come in over the last two days. Phil Bellfy's comments on religion seem to have sparked the most response, but there have been several other comments on terminology, definitions of culture and the scope of our enterprise. Let me try to respond to some of these fascinating statements. 1. Phil asserts that religious values are "what set us off from the dominant society." They should therefore be at the core of a Native studies course. Two aspects of that statement are interesting. First, that there is something that sets Native Americans apart. What is that something? Historical experience? Social values? Spiritual orientation? Relationship to the landscape? I think there comes a point in a class, whether it be a history course or a "studies" course where it is important to indicate the distinctive elements that set Indian peoples apart. For me, I am not sure I could identify one element that was essential to that "distinctive identity" because the experiences of people across time and space were and are so various. Whatever our thoughts on the matter, however, I think one needs to get there--to that distinctive identity--at some point in the course. And for me again, I try to be open to varying definitions of that distinctive identity. It should be a subject for debate and discussion. I recall arguing about the late Francis Jennings's work years ago. Jennings asserted forcefully that American Indians in the colonial period acted for the same reasons as Europeans: to defend their self interests and to maximize their security. Race, he declared, was a myth. Well, if you questioned that assertion did it mean one must also reject his notion of an "Invasion" of America? The second half of Phil's sentence is also intriguing: "apart from the dominant society." Does Native American history need to be taught in relation to "the dominant society?" Is Indian history defined by the relationship of Natives to non-Indians? If not, why is it so important to define those elements that "set it apart" from the "mainstream?" I certainly have no final answer to this. I try to do both: to teach about the internal histories of Native people as well as to teach about how the impact of EuroAmericans has structured Native life. But again, these are questions I try to build into the syllabus so that students will engage them for themselves. 2. Culture. I agree that it is very difficult to get students to think about themselves and their cultural identities. I share the frustration of trying to respond to people who say they have "no culture" but I am also frustrated by those who believe their ethnicity provides them with a ready-made cultural identity. This is tricky and very personal and, given my Scandinavian heritage, something I instinctively approach with great caution (we are not great on feelings). Nevertheless, it is a central issue and one that needs to be brought constantly to center stage. I find autobiographies are useful ways at getting to some of these issues: William Apess's autobiography, Winnemucca, Eastman, Mary Crow Dog. How do these people define their "culture;" how do we? 3. Terminology. Great comments here. I like very much the notion of a "hierarchy" of terms (I always feel so disorganized on this score, whether to capitalize, etc.) I wonder if there are other thoughts. I don't think "First Nations" works in the US context because we are not a "confederation" in the way Canada is. We can imagine hierarchies of sovereignty in the US, but not splintered sovereignties. We settled that in the Civil War. But maybe there are more thoughts on that. 4. Reach: Again, impossible to include all the possible threads--Caribbean, Mexico, etc.--but essential, in my view, to include some. I haven't really figured that out yet except to spend some time on Canada, asking why it is different and the same. The UN Declarations and documents can also be effective ways of introducing comparative indigenous perspectives into a course. Who gets to be "national" and who gets to be "indigenous" and why"? I have gotten interested in the history of these terms and classifications; bringing this material in is also very important. This discussion can also dovetail quite nicely with a discussion of treaties. Not just Indian treaties, but the treaty between Britain and the US in 1783. I give that to students and ask them to discuss its implications for Indians. They say, "Indians aren't mentioned." And we go from there. So the question of "who" we are as teachers and students, how we define our subject, and what we decide should be the focus of the class should be something that is transparent in our teaching. It should be explained and discussed. On my first day of class in the first Native American history course I ever taught nearly 25 years ago, a hand shot up from the back of the room as the opening bell rang. "What qualifies you to teach this course?" the student asked. I have always been grateful for that question because the subject is so vast and the topic is so complicated (and we come to it from so many different places) that the structure and philosophy behind the course needs to be on the table from day one. We need to identify our terms--identity, culture, Indian, tribe, etc.--and explain how we arrived at our definitions. We need to figure out ways of talking about how we came to the organization we are presenting in our course. This is an additional "burden" of teaching this stuff, but it is also what can enliven the entire enterprise. I will keep checking in and will get back to you again soon. Fred Hoxie Frederick E. Hoxie Swanlund Endowed Chair Director of Graduate Studies Department of History University of Illinois 309 Gregory Hall 801 S. Wright St. Urbana, IL 61801 217-333-4931 Fax: 217-333-2297 Graduate Secretary: 217-244-2591 This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 14:46:02 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture In-Reply-To: <998FDA97A658D3118AA600609419F21CA0DF78@MAIL> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Joe in DC: You raise a very important, and in my part of the world contentious, point. The conversation around here has made me think of the role of my native language in my own formulation of culture. I took one of those ubiquitous forced distinction surveys in a workshop some time ago, leaning strongly toward "loyalty to family, cooperation, sensitivity to human needs, sensitivity to peer reinforcement, and well-defined sex role behaviors." Turned out those were what the leader had identified as the "Hispanic" cultural leanings; the leader said I was trying to hide my distaste for what I actually knew about my culture. What I was most interested in was how my native language affects what I believe to be true, valuable, known, good, and right. The leader told me, and the rest of us who speak English, that the culture-language connection isn't relevant in a European sense because Europeans aren't distinct, and our history of oppression has left us unable to understand the true meaning of culture. She was very well paid for being able to explain all that to me. Frankly, I think the Navajo children and youth in places like Many Farms and Lukachukai, though not necessarily in Shiprock and Leupp (close that they are to the "mainstream"), seem to "understand" the Navajo Way, not because they speak Navajo, but because the Navajo Way is translated in Navajo. If it were translated in Czech to Czech-speaking children, they'd understand it, too. Are the French French because they speak French? Is it native language, or can it be adopted language? I remember Raymond Nakai, past Tribal Chairman -- bilingual aerospace worker, engineer, I think; was he less a cultural Navajo because he could speak English and worked at NASA? I think of a man whose name I'm reluctant to use without his permission: scholar, tireless worker for four decades for the right of Indian people to control their destiny, husband and father of Navajo wife and children, prime mover in Navajo education, ethnic nonIndian. There doesn't exist a man of more fundamental Navajo nature. I don't think it's language, but I can be persuaded otherwise. Leif Fearn SDSU >To all > >I hope this is not too much of a departure from the discussion. I would >like to throw out the importance of language and culture. How possible is >it to retain or recapture a sense of culture without the original language? >I grew up on the Navajo Reservation ( I am Anglo or "Bilagana" as the >Navajos say) and my friends who spoke their native language had a much >deeper grasp ( I believe) of the Navajo Way. In teaching Native Studies, I >would think a rudimentary understanding (at minimum) of the language would >be critical. >Joe in DC > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Leif Fearn [SMTP:lfearn@MAIL.SDSU.EDU] > > Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 9:12 PM > > To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > > Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture > > > > Thank you Barb Tracy. I don't know why it is, but you're correct > > about the cultural perspective of "mainstream" students, those > > students who do not identify themselves as being "of color." That > > they move about with the notion of culture being what other peoples > > have, and at the same time have the reputation of functioning rather > > effectively, seems to call into question the necessity of explicit or > > conscious cultural awareness. That aside, to begin with that > > cultural sadness is correct if everyone is to identify with cultural > > idiosyncrasies. > > > > Leif Fearn > > SDSU > > > > > > >Susie, > > >I teach Native American Literature and would like to respond to two > > points > > >in your posting: > > > > > >First: > > > >I would be interested in pursuing a discussion of the definition > > > >of culture. My questions starts from the assumption that > > > >culture is fluid and changeable and that it is always bound to > > > >the land that it is lived on. > > > > > >I'm not sure that I undertand your definition, especially when we > > >are talking about Native Americans, many of whom have had their land base > > >taken away. Do you mean a feeling of conection to the land or an actual > > >land base. Secondly, doesn't culture also include concepts of time, > > >language, social structure, values, assumptions, shared experience? > > > > > >Second: > > > >It is the following assertion that I'd would like some feedback > > > >on: For non-native American students to be able to form a > > > >cultural identity of themselves that truly reflects their > > > >history, they will need to address their misunderstandings of > > > >AIs and AI history. It is within this context of addressing > > > >culture, that I believe AI history and issues may be able to > > > >integrate (not assimilate) itself wholly into American history > > > >curriculum rather than being relegated to a chapter or > > > >specialized course. > > > > > > > >Has anyone addressed the issues of AMERICAN culturally identity > > > >in the classroom as a segue or context for discussing AMERICAN > > > >INDIAN cultural identity? > > > > > > > > > >My non-native students often believe that culture is something that > > _others_ > > >have. So how do we teach respect and appreciation of all cultures if the > > >student doesn't respect or even recognize his/her own? So I start there. > > >We define culture, examine some indigenous cultures and then I ask them > > to > > >examine elements of culture in their own families or communities. They > > >typcially spend some time with community and family members collecting > > and > > >examining histories, geography, stories, values, traditions, etc and then > > >come back excited to share what they learned, then we go back to > > indigenous > > >cultures and the discussion takes on a very different tone than in the > > >begining. > > > > > >Barb Tracy > > > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web > > >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for > > >teaching U.S. History. > > > > Leif Fearn > > San Diego State University > > School of Teacher Education > > Phone: 594-1366 > > FAX: 596-7828 > > lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu > > > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at > > http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. > > History. > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 19:22:26 +0000 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: majacobs Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I recognize the problem you are having. I once encountered a young man (of Indian decent) who claimed that his genes were remembering his Indianness. I encouraged him to find out more about the people from whom he descended and to try to learn about his culture now though books and visits back to his homelands (I don't recall now which groups he was related to). I was teaching a course on Indian Education at the time at Cal State Long Beach. These Indian people that Gerald Vizenor calls 'terminal creeds' are an interesting, but misguided bunch. I call them the 'more Indian than thou' Indians. Most have issues with their own Indian identity and need to grow through those. Gerald Vizenor's writings may help you to understand the stereotyping of Indian people by Indians. They are hard to 'get into' but they do grow on you. Good luck. Mary Ann Jacobs (Lumbee) Doctoral Student -SSA University of Chicago Eileen Walsh wrote: > I am teaching a history course on Indians of North > America. I'll write in another thread of this > forum about the range of the course. What draws me > to this discussion of spirituality issues is that I > have been having a very difficult time with one > student in the class this semester. Without > identifying him too closely, I will say that he is > Indian, and considers himself a minister of the > Lord (his term). The problem is that he insists > that there is a commonality among all Indians, over > all time--and not just in an abstract sense. He > constantly refers to "we" and "us" and "our > religion" without clarifying who that refers to-- > and when I or students ask, the response is > "Indians." He is willing to generalize that all > Indians know certain things, all Indians have > always believed certain things, all Indians aspire > to certain things--in other words, he denies > diversity among or within groups of Indians over > time and in different places. > > It seems important to him; this isn't about him > wanting to give me a hard time (though it is the > most challenging sitution I can recall in 17 years > of teaching). I think it is about his own > identity, and therefore it is very important to > him. However, it is historically inaccurate and I > cannot let it go. Without ridiculing him, I have > tried to present evidence to the contrary. We are > using Nancy Shoemaker's new anthology, American > Indians, which does a good job of showing a variety > of perspectives over time. I'm not sure he's > reading it, having dismissed me as an opponent. > > I was prepared to deal with this problem from non- > native students, but that has not been the problem. > It's an interesting reversal of my teacherly > expectations! What is most interesting is that > other Indian students have taken him on about that, > as have some White students. Nobody wants to get > into a big fight, though--northern Minnesotans > don't seem to do that, whatever their ethnic > heritage. Kindof a stoic cultural landscape. I > wondered what you folks think of this situation? > > Oh, and I like Jack Betterly's quote in another > thread--seems appropriate here, too: > > "In wide America, in this sprawling map of dizzily > drawn borders, we find no common culture, nor > should we expect to. Time has been at work, > dilatorily, for a few hundred years in this nation, > not even long enough for us to agree on a speed > limit, let alone a culture." > - America, New Mexico > by Robert Leonard Reid. > Tucson: University of Arizona Press p.181 > > Eileen Walsh > History Department > Bemidji State University > Bemidji MN 56601 > http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ > walsh.html > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 20:34:40 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Who Are We? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_34.147da3d5.28235320_boundary" --part1_34.147da3d5.28235320_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings From Sunbury, Ohio, First off I must state that I am not a history teacher, or scholarly on the subject of History in general. I would like to share my perspective of history and that history matters. Most people I converse with are rooted in Euro-American history, unfortunately the schools we all attended gave us what I will call the white version of everything in this country. I as a 44 year old have seen for many years how this was a type of brainwashing. I got kicked out of my 7th grade History class for calling the teacher a liar, when he stated from the history book that Indians were savages. How right I was to call him a liar, as an adult who has read every Vine Deloria, Jrs. books, I now feel like I have received some real history about The many Native Tribes that inhabited this once beautiful land. I have a personal problem with religion being crammed into anyone's life, it is good to expose people to all of the many views. I personally hated the fact that in the community I grew up in, basically white and middle class, it was Christianity, Catholicism, or Protestant. Of which none of these did a thing for me. What seems important to offer concerning Native Nations History, would be, why did Euro-americans come to this country, (escaping persecution, greed, hunger)? Why did they feel the need to have power, control, and domination over Native Nations and the land? What types of trickery, lies, and false intentions were used to pit Native Nations against one another, were the Nations of Native people here already divided? Almost every history book I have read on the various American Indians, share some very common threads: invaded by white man (and the women who supported them), a marvelous skill for harmonious survival with their direct environment, and a spiritual bond with all living matter. I am one of those white women who is not proud of my heritage, I am sure if I researched it somewhere down the line one of my ancestors, got ahead in life by oppressing the Native people in America. However, I am told that history continues to repeat itself, it is just done in a different way as time goes on. Hey, don't forget to share the Native women in your History teachings, and what roles women played in the different Nations. Hope I have offered a new line of discussion, my major readings now are focused more on Women's History, but I plan on reading God Is Red by Vine DeloriaJr., the 5th time. In Sisterhood, Cathy --part1_34.147da3d5.28235320_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings From Sunbury, Ohio,
First off I must state that I am not a history teacher, or scholarly on the
subject of History in general. I would like to share my perspective of
history and that history matters.
Most people I converse with are rooted in Euro-American history,
unfortunately the schools we all attended gave us what I will call the white
version of everything in this country. I as a 44 year old have seen for many
years how this was a type of brainwashing. I got kicked out of my 7th grade
History class for calling the teacher a liar, when he stated from the history
book that Indians were savages. How right I was to call him a liar, as an
adult who has read every Vine Deloria, Jrs. books, I now feel like I have
received some real history about The many Native Tribes that inhabited this
once beautiful land.
I have a personal problem with religion being crammed into anyone's life, it
is good to expose people to all of the many views. I personally hated the
fact that in the community I grew up in, basically white and middle class, it
was Christianity, Catholicism, or Protestant. Of which none of these did a
thing for me.
What seems important to offer concerning Native Nations History, would be,
why did Euro-americans come to this country, (escaping persecution, greed,
hunger)? Why did they feel the need to have power, control, and domination
over Native Nations and the land? What types of trickery, lies, and false
intentions were used to pit Native Nations against one another, were the
Nations of Native people here already divided?
Almost every history book I have read on the various American Indians, share
some very common threads: invaded by white man (and the women who supported
them), a marvelous skill for harmonious survival with their direct
environment, and a spiritual bond with all living matter.
I am one of those white women who is not proud of my heritage, I am sure if
I researched it somewhere down the line one of my ancestors, got ahead in
life by oppressing the Native people in America. However, I am told that
history continues to repeat itself, it is just done in a different way as
time goes on.
Hey, don't forget to share the Native women in your History teachings, and
what roles women played in the different Nations.
Hope I have offered a new line of discussion, my major readings now are
focused more on Women's History, but I plan on reading God Is Red by Vine
DeloriaJr., the 5th time.
In Sisterhood,
Cathy
--part1_34.147da3d5.28235320_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 23:21:58 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ilze Choi Subject: Re: Who Are We? Comments: To: "Sarah E. Sharbach" I do not teach but have read a great deal about Indian history over the years, both general histories such as Angie Debo's A HISTORY OF THE INDIANS OF THE UNITED STATES or Paula Marks's IN A BARREN LAND, as well as histories of individual Indian nations. Knowing what I know, it has been astonishing how little sympathy or support there seems to be among the general public, even very liberal people, for Indians and their most important issues. What this means is that there is as Sarah correctly describes, "appalling ignorance" that is inexplicable. That her colleagues could be so ignorant and also racist (one leads to the other) is still suprising. This ignorance is a huge problem that I hope educators will try to eliminate by pushing for inclusion of Indian history with the history courses in Junior and Senior High School. As Professor Hoxie mentions, there will be limits on what to include unfortunately. What I think is most important is to stress the recent history which would show how Indian nations lost their treaty lands, how the BIA sold out Indian interests to corporate or white interests, the devastation of allotment (with specific examples), the efforts of Indian people to fight back perhaps using the Lone Wolf vs Hitchcock case, the struggle for self-determination and reclamation of land in the past 30 years. I believe that most non-Indians do not know this history and therefore can continue with erroneous beliefs that Indians are treated special and are poor because they are drunk and lazy. The casinos have also aroused hostility and the belief that Indians are getting special favors. Without the historic context as to why tribes had to resort to casinos, such hostility is will be widespread. This past weekend, a conservative friend of ours advocated a Marshall Plan for the inner cities. When I said that should apply also to reservations, he disagreed. This is one example of how ignorance about Indian history leads to misinformed thinking. The legislators in the states and in Washington are no doubt also poorly informed and that is detrimental to the Indian people. Therefore, I think this topic, teaching Indian history is so important. On Thu, 3 May 2001 17:05:15 -0400, Sharbach, Sarah wrote: >Greetings: Thank you, Fred, for such a rich response and summary. This is >an experience I shall value for some time to come. > Like Eileen up in Minnesota, I too am the only one teaching AI >history (& ditto for Latin American history, my other area) here at this >small state college in New England. Listening in on these conversations is >heartening for me, and although I have questions on Native history, in this >message I want to address the ignorance of my colleagues, which is often >appalling. > This is my second year here, and I've had prejudiced comments >directed at the subjects I teach--namely at Indians & Latin Americans. >Additionally, one colleague told me when I was brand new that "there are no >Indians left in New England," and I responded with "well, I just got here, >and yet I see plenty of evidence of Native Americans!" > My point is that we deal with general ignorance in our students head >on in class, but I didn't expect the challenges I have faced in my own >department! Is this a common experience, out there? I went to grad school >in Seattle ten years ago and never considered I'd be working against >stereotypes & inaccuracies that emanate from other professors-! So I'm >wondering if it is regional, or simply the luck of the draw. [My own area >of research examines stereotypes of Latin America here in the U.S., so I'm >well aware of the durability of such images over time.] Do my reflections >resonate at all? > >Best Wishes, >Sarah Sharbach >Worcester State College > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 09:13:22 -0400 Reply-To: cpitton@ae21.org Sender: American Indians Forum From: Charity Pitton Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture - language ideas MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I find language crucial to truly understanding a culture. I grew up in your typical average white middle-class Protestant household, and would have agreed that I did not have a distinctive culture. (Everyone else did, but not me! :-)) In college I studied Germant and I majored in Spanish. I began to see that there are some things we have words for in English that just don't exist in other languages, and things in Spanish and German that simply don't translate to English. I began to reflect on this, and while I recognize that this is mainly a *result* of the culture, it nevertheless has a profound effect upon the culture, particularly the permanence (for lack of a better term) of the culture. My husband is a pastor, and the same is true of Hebrew and Greek. Those languages have tenses that don't exist in English, which would mean that they are working to express ideas that we don't think about in English. You can't get inside someone's mind unless you know their language, and when you learn their language, it opens up wonderful new ideas that you'd never considered before. I think that's what Goethe was talking about when he said, "When one acquires another language, he acquires another soul." I know this seems to be getting way off the topic, but here's my point: Particularly for those of us who are not of American Indian descent, a rudimentary introduction to the language is essential. Something about their lips forming Indian words helps kids to recognize that it's not enough to know names, dates, and places. They need to get inside others' skin. While I know that can be hugely difficult to fit into survey courses (I teach high school American history.), it's not impossible to do if you select two or three languages, divide the kids into groups, and assign each group a language. I usually only spend about 10 minutes a year on AI languages, but I have found those 10 minutes to be very important. So there are my thoughts. Charity Pitton Leif Fearn wrote: > Joe in DC: > You raise a very important, and in my part of the world > contentious, point. The conversation around here has made me think > of the role of my native language in my own formulation of culture. > I took one of those ubiquitous forced distinction surveys in > a workshop some time ago, leaning strongly toward "loyalty to family, > cooperation, sensitivity to human needs, sensitivity to peer > reinforcement, and well-defined sex role behaviors." Turned out > those were what the leader had identified as the "Hispanic" cultural > leanings; the leader said I was trying to hide my distaste for what I > actually knew about my culture. What I was most interested in was > how my native language affects what I believe to be true, valuable, > known, good, and right. The leader told me, and the rest of us who > speak English, that the culture-language connection isn't relevant in > a European sense because Europeans aren't distinct, and our history > of oppression has left us unable to understand the true meaning of > culture. She was very well paid for being able to explain all that > to me. > Frankly, I think the Navajo children and youth in places like > Many Farms and Lukachukai, though not necessarily in Shiprock and > Leupp (close that they are to the "mainstream"), seem to "understand" > the Navajo Way, not because they speak Navajo, but because the Navajo > Way is translated in Navajo. If it were translated in Czech to > Czech-speaking children, they'd understand it, too. Are the French > French because they speak French? Is it native language, or can it > be adopted language? I remember Raymond Nakai, past Tribal Chairman > -- bilingual aerospace worker, engineer, I think; was he less a > cultural Navajo because he could speak English and worked at NASA? I > think of a man whose name I'm reluctant to use without his > permission: scholar, tireless worker for four decades for the right > of Indian people to control their destiny, husband and father of > Navajo wife and children, prime mover in Navajo education, ethnic > nonIndian. There doesn't exist a man of more fundamental Navajo > nature. > I don't think it's language, but I can be persuaded otherwise. > > Leif Fearn > SDSU > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 10:01:49 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Jeanette Stephens-El Subject: Re: Who Are We? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable A big problem is that Americans who have mixed ethnicity (Native American = with something else) are also prejudiced against their own Native American = ethnicity that they almost totally discount it and do not relate to = anything they see as Native American/Indian. Consequently, they have no = sympathy for the plight of Native Americans to have the true stories told, = to obtain redress for wrongs done under the auspices of the BIA, or = anything else pertaining to Native Americans. And, in turn, Native = Americans are suspicious of other mixed ethnicity Native Americans who do = not look like what they think the "typical" Native American is supposed to = look like. If my great grandfather was a Native American who spoke a = Native American language and his son (my grandfather) was thereby half = Native American and half some other ethnicity, am I to be considered = totally non-Native? I think not but many others who are like me wonder = why I even bother to acknowledge that part of my heritage and my perception= is that other Natives see me as totally foreign to them. Even in my = interaction with them, I see that they see me as being a part from them. = Nevertheless, I still follow the ways of my Native ancestors. Raining Deer Jeanette Stephens-El ________________________________ ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGED ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT NOTICE: This is a CONFIDENTIAL message and some or all of the information = may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not an intended recipient, please = note that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly = prohibited and notify the sender promptly by return e-mail if received in = error. >>> brinumi@EARTHLINK.NET 05/03/01 11:21PM >>> I do not teach but have read a great deal about Indian history over the years, both general histories such as Angie Debo's A HISTORY OF THE = INDIANS OF THE UNITED STATES or Paula Marks's IN A BARREN LAND, as well as = histories of individual Indian nations. Knowing what I know, it has been astonishing= how little sympathy or support there seems to be among the general public, even very liberal people, for Indians and their most important issues. = What this means is that there is as Sarah correctly describes, "appalling ignorance" that is inexplicable. That her colleagues could be so ignorant and also racist (one leads to the other) is still suprising. This ignorance is a huge problem that I hope educators will try to = eliminate by pushing for inclusion of Indian history with the history courses in Junior and Senior High School. As Professor Hoxie mentions, there will be limits on what to include unfortunately. What I think is most important = is to stress the recent history which would show how Indian nations lost = their treaty lands, how the BIA sold out Indian interests to corporate or white interests, the devastation of allotment (with specific examples), the efforts of Indian people to fight back perhaps using the Lone Wolf vs Hitchcock case, the struggle for self-determination and reclamation of = land in the past 30 years. I believe that most non-Indians do not know this history and therefore can continue with erroneous beliefs that Indians are treated special and are poor because they are drunk and lazy. The casinos have also aroused hostility and the belief that Indians are getting = special favors. Without the historic context as to why tribes had to resort to casinos, such hostility is will be widespread. This past weekend, a conservative friend of ours advocated a Marshall Plan for the inner cities. When I said that should apply also to reservations, he disagreed. This is one example of how ignorance about Indian history leads to misinformed thinking. The legislators in the states and in Washington are no doubt also poorly informed and that is detrimental to = the Indian people. Therefore, I think this topic, teaching Indian history is = so important. On Thu, 3 May 2001 17:05:15 -0400, Sharbach, Sarah wrote: >Greetings: Thank you, Fred, for such a rich response and summary. This = is >an experience I shall value for some time to come. > Like Eileen up in Minnesota, I too am the only one teaching AI >history (& ditto for Latin American history, my other area) here at this >small state college in New England. Listening in on these conversations = is >heartening for me, and although I have questions on Native history, in = this >message I want to address the ignorance of my colleagues, which is often >appalling. > This is my second year here, and I've had prejudiced comments >directed at the subjects I teach--namely at Indians & Latin Americans. >Additionally, one colleague told me when I was brand new that "there are = no >Indians left in New England," and I responded with "well, I just got = here, >and yet I see plenty of evidence of Native Americans!" > My point is that we deal with general ignorance in our students head >on in class, but I didn't expect the challenges I have faced in my own >department! Is this a common experience, out there? I went to grad = school >in Seattle ten years ago and never considered I'd be working against >stereotypes & inaccuracies that emanate from other professors-! So I'm >wondering if it is regional, or simply the luck of the draw. [My own = area >of research examines stereotypes of Latin America here in the U.S., so = I'm >well aware of the durability of such images over time.] Do my reflections= >resonate at all? > >Best Wishes, >Sarah Sharbach >Worcester State College > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at = http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. = History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 10:27:56 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Dawn Thomas Subject: Re: Definitions of Culture In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I have been reading your comments with great interest for several days and especially appreciate the comments by Barb Tracy and Leif Fearn. I am at the University of Illinois and work with a federally funded project that, in turn, serves Head Start and Early Head Start programs across the nation. "Culture" is something of a magic term these days, it seems. Every meeting I attend, every conference in which I participate--all have something that seeks to address culture. In this past year, I have been told by "leaders" in something they refer to as the "cultural movement" that I do not have a culture. Since I a white, anglo-saxon, and protestant mixed with a Seminole background from my Great-grandmother, I was told that my culture was simply part of the "melting pot" that made up American history and that my job was to learn and appreciate the other cultures that were not part of the majority in our nation. With attitudes like that, it is no wonder that mainstream students may not identify with any culture. Or have any appreciation or desire to raise their cultural awareness. Dawn V. Thomas Project Coordinator University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL At 06:11 PM 05/02/2001 -0700, you wrote: >Thank you Barb Tracy. I don't know why it is, but you're correct >about the cultural perspective of "mainstream" students, those >students who do not identify themselves as being "of color." That >they move about with the notion of culture being what other peoples >have, and at the same time have the reputation of functioning rather >effectively, seems to call into question the necessity of explicit or >conscious cultural awareness. That aside, to begin with that >cultural sadness is correct if everyone is to identify with cultural >idiosyncrasies. > >Leif Fearn >SDSU > > >>Susie, >>I teach Native American Literature and would like to respond to two points >>in your posting: >> >>First: >> >I would be interested in pursuing a discussion of the definition >> >of culture. My questions starts from the assumption that >> >culture is fluid and changeable and that it is always bound to >> >the land that it is lived on. >> >>I'm not sure that I undertand your definition, especially when we >>are talking about Native Americans, many of whom have had their land base >>taken away. Do you mean a feeling of conection to the land or an actual >>land base. Secondly, doesn't culture also include concepts of time, >>language, social structure, values, assumptions, shared experience? >> >>Second: >> >It is the following assertion that I'd would like some feedback >> >on: For non-native American students to be able to form a >> >cultural identity of themselves that truly reflects their >> >history, they will need to address their misunderstandings of >> >AIs and AI history. It is within this context of addressing >> >culture, that I believe AI history and issues may be able to >> >integrate (not assimilate) itself wholly into American history >> >curriculum rather than being relegated to a chapter or >> >specialized course. >> > >> >Has anyone addressed the issues of AMERICAN culturally identity >> >in the classroom as a segue or context for discussing AMERICAN >> >INDIAN cultural identity? >> > >> >>My non-native students often believe that culture is something that _others_ >>have. So how do we teach respect and appreciation of all cultures if the >>student doesn't respect or even recognize his/her own? So I start there. >>We define culture, examine some indigenous cultures and then I ask them to >>examine elements of culture in their own families or communities. They >>typcially spend some time with community and family members collecting and >>examining histories, geography, stories, values, traditions, etc and then >>come back excited to share what they learned, then we go back to indigenous >>cultures and the discussion takes on a very different tone than in the >>begining. >> >>Barb Tracy >> >>This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >>site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >>teaching U.S. History. > >Leif Fearn >San Diego State University >School of Teacher Education >Phone: 594-1366 >FAX: 596-7828 >lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 10:36:18 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Dawn Thomas Subject: Re: Opening Statement (Range & Variety) In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I, too, am excited about being a part of this forum. I wondered if it was possible for any of you to recommend readings, books, or other resources for those of us who want to learn as much as we can about American Indians. I have been studying and reading for several years on this subject due to a personal journey of my own, but am wondering about some of the titles or resources that I have read about in this forum. I would greatly appreciate any help from you all! Dawn Thomas UIUC At 12:50 AM 05/03/2001 -0400, you wrote: >It is delightful to have colleagues to talk with >about these matters. I am the only historian at my >university who teaches American Indian history, and >I was restricted to developing only a one-semester >course, despite the fact that the campus is in a >border town near 3 Ojibwe reservations. Recognizing >that this would have to be some survey (!), I >decided not to focus tightly but rather to provide >a good overview, trusting that long lives and >popular culture will add to whatever students begin >in this course. So it caught my eye when Professor >Hoxie wrote: > >"6. RANGE AND VARIETY. Most classes and textbooks >ignore Alaska and Canada. How (or should) these >North American cases be brought into focus in our >courses? Do they have distinctly different themes? >Similarly, few courses or discussions place Native >Americans in a global context. How can we do that? >These comparisons are difficult because the >national contexts for indigenous people have been >so different and because those contexts have shaped >Indian people." > >My course is titled, "Indians of North America." I >decided that current national boundaries are >important in the experiences of American Indians, >but are not always the primary identifier in >historical context. That point was reinforced on >the first day of class when a student was >introduced as being from Canada. I smiled and made >some remark about welcoming a foreigner into the >class, but he said, "I'm not foreign. I'm Ojibwe." >I had to admit he had a point. He also graciously >admitted that he does have dual citizenship. > >Our first reading material was Anne Cameron's >Daughters of Copper Woman, which encompasses a huge >amount of time, from creation stories to the 1980s, >and is set in today's British Columbia. I did not >use a book on northern Mexico, thinking we would >use articles and chapters. We used Nancy >Shoemaker's new anthology, American Indians, in >part because of its wide coverage and in part >because of its nice match of 2 primary documents >with each scholarly essay. That has worked well, >as primary documents so often do (especially the >photographs). Students chose to read either Winona >LaDuke's historical novel, Last Standing Woman, or >Kent Nerburn's historical novel, Neither Wolf Nor >Dog. The idea was to teach the book they read to >the half of class that read the other book, placing >it in historical context for them. It works great. >I lectured to provide the narrative connecting all >these things, though we lost a lot of time this >semester to arguing with one student who consumed a >lot of attention (see thread on spirituality for my >story on that!). > >I'm afraid I did ignore Alaska. Poor Hawaii didn't >stand a chance of getting in (of course it is not >North American, but it is US-ian....) > >Some students expected to learn lists of tribes, >languages, locations, etc. I recommended they head >over to Anthropology, because I wasn't going to >spend 16 weeks doing memorization. I am much more >interested in teaching the complexity of American >Indian experiences, before encounter, before >conquest, before today. > >So what do you think? > >Eileen Walsh >History Department >Bemidji State University >Bemidji MN 56601 >http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ >walsh.html > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 12:16:50 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_62.e65010d.28242ff2_boundary" --part1_62.e65010d.28242ff2_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, It is almost impossible, when teaching about Native Peoples, to ignore the spiritual. For example, if one were talking about mascots, it might be prudent to inform the students that for our people, feathers are not toys. They are as important to us as some of the "symbols" of other religions are. Perhaps explaining that the use of feathers are similiar to the use of "holy water" might make sense to students. When we were in the initial stages of starting our site, we did some surfing. One site, by a teacher in West Virginia, was the "lightening bolt" that convinced us to do what we do. This woman was discussing Kachinas...in the discussion, she continued to say Kachinas were, the Hopi used to, etc...then, she had her class "make" Kachina dolls. To the Hopi, the Kachina is very much a real, alive part of their culture/spirituality and is neither "past" nor something to play with. Pete Catches, a Lakota Holy Man, believed that it was important to share some of the spiritual teachings with those who "asked" for those teachings. I'm not sure that he had a classroom setting in mind. For example, there was a drum group, made up mostly of non-Natives who went to him for advice. He told them to use this drum as a teaching tool...to give presentations to young people (non-Native), in such a way as to teach them respect for the drum and the songs. My point is that it is impossible to teach about our People without including some of the spiritual. It's also vital to have an understanding of what one is teaching. Native American's are not generic, and knowing the difference in culture/traditions also needs to be taught. Not an easy task. Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_62.e65010d.28242ff2_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
 
  It is almost impossible, when teaching about Native Peoples, to ignore the
spiritual.  For example, if one were talking about mascots, it might be
prudent to inform the students that for our people, feathers are not toys.  
They are as important to us as some of the "symbols" of other religions are.  
Perhaps explaining that the use of feathers are similiar to the use of "holy
water" might make sense to students.  
  When we were in the initial stages of starting our site, we did some
surfing.  One site, by a teacher in West Virginia, was the "lightening bolt"
that convinced us to do what we do.  This woman was discussing Kachinas...in
the discussion, she continued to say Kachinas were, the Hopi used to,
etc...then, she had her class "make" Kachina dolls.  To the Hopi, the Kachina
is very much a real, alive part of their culture/spirituality and is neither
"past" nor something to play with.
  Pete Catches, a Lakota Holy Man, believed that it was important to share
some of the spiritual teachings with those who "asked" for those teachings.  
I'm not sure that he had a classroom setting in mind.  For example, there was
a drum group, made up mostly of non-Natives who went to him for advice.  He
told them to use this drum as a teaching tool...to give presentations to
young people (non-Native), in such a way as to teach them respect for the
drum and the songs.  
   My point is that it is impossible to teach about our People without
including some of the spiritual.  It's also vital to have an understanding of
what one is teaching.  Native American's are not generic, and knowing the
difference in culture/traditions also needs to be taught.
  Not an easy task.

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_62.e65010d.28242ff2_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 09:36:17 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Caitlin Racine-Myers Subject: The Language of Spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Are you all aware that there is a wonderful dialogue held most years since 1991 on precisely this subject? This year's dialogue will be held in July. There's some excellent thinking on the Language of Spirituality available on that website: http://www.seedopenu.org/hot/language.htm And try the text excerpt at http://www.seedopenu.org/hot/language99.htm This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 10:34:46 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Janet Katz Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: <3AF1AFF2.97515AFF@midway.uchicago.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII majacobs and Eileen- On the issue of who has what type of genes. I once saw Sherman Alexie do a wonderful parody on the topic of those who have a speck of Indian blood in them getting back to their roots. He told the audience that he had just discovered he was 1/16th British and that he now had a picture of the Queen in his home and was learning to eat crumpets and tea. It was really funny and the audience was stunned and pleased by the recognition of the situation (a mainly non Indian audience). Janet R. Katz Washington State University College of Nursing Spokane, WA On Thu, 3 May 2001, majacobs wrote: > I recognize the problem you are having. I once encountered a young man (of Indian decent) who claimed that his genes were remembering his Indianness. > I encouraged him to find out more about the people from whom he descended and to try to learn about his culture now though books and visits back to his > homelands (I don't recall now which groups he was related to). I was teaching a course on Indian Education at the time at Cal State Long Beach. > These Indian people that Gerald Vizenor calls 'terminal creeds' are an interesting, but misguided bunch. I call them the 'more Indian than thou' > Indians. Most have issues with their own Indian identity and need to grow through those. Gerald Vizenor's writings may help you to understand the > stereotyping of Indian people by Indians. They are hard to 'get into' but they do grow on you. Good luck. > Mary Ann Jacobs > (Lumbee) > Doctoral Student -SSA > University of Chicago > > Eileen Walsh wrote: > > > I am teaching a history course on Indians of North > > America. I'll write in another thread of this > > forum about the range of the course. What draws me > > to this discussion of spirituality issues is that I > > have been having a very difficult time with one > > student in the class this semester. Without > > identifying him too closely, I will say that he is > > Indian, and considers himself a minister of the > > Lord (his term). The problem is that he insists > > that there is a commonality among all Indians, over > > all time--and not just in an abstract sense. He > > constantly refers to "we" and "us" and "our > > religion" without clarifying who that refers to-- > > and when I or students ask, the response is > > "Indians." He is willing to generalize that all > > Indians know certain things, all Indians have > > always believed certain things, all Indians aspire > > to certain things--in other words, he denies > > diversity among or within groups of Indians over > > time and in different places. > > > > It seems important to him; this isn't about him > > wanting to give me a hard time (though it is the > > most challenging sitution I can recall in 17 years > > of teaching). I think it is about his own > > identity, and therefore it is very important to > > him. However, it is historically inaccurate and I > > cannot let it go. Without ridiculing him, I have > > tried to present evidence to the contrary. We are > > using Nancy Shoemaker's new anthology, American > > Indians, which does a good job of showing a variety > > of perspectives over time. I'm not sure he's > > reading it, having dismissed me as an opponent. > > > > I was prepared to deal with this problem from non- > > native students, but that has not been the problem. > > It's an interesting reversal of my teacherly > > expectations! What is most interesting is that > > other Indian students have taken him on about that, > > as have some White students. Nobody wants to get > > into a big fight, though--northern Minnesotans > > don't seem to do that, whatever their ethnic > > heritage. Kindof a stoic cultural landscape. I > > wondered what you folks think of this situation? > > > > Oh, and I like Jack Betterly's quote in another > > thread--seems appropriate here, too: > > > > "In wide America, in this sprawling map of dizzily > > drawn borders, we find no common culture, nor > > should we expect to. Time has been at work, > > dilatorily, for a few hundred years in this nation, > > not even long enough for us to agree on a speed > > limit, let alone a culture." > > - America, New Mexico > > by Robert Leonard Reid. > > Tucson: University of Arizona Press p.181 > > > > Eileen Walsh > > History Department > > Bemidji State University > > Bemidji MN 56601 > > http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ > > walsh.html > > > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > Janet R. Katz RN, MSN, RN,C katz@gonzaga.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 22:18:02 +0400 Reply-To: Alexander Shterenberg Sender: American Indians Forum From: Alexander Shterenberg Subject: Re: Who Are We? In-Reply-To: <34.147da3d5.28235320@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=koi8-r Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Dear all: I would like to draw your attention to the posting made by Cathy from Ohio. No offence, but it seems that Cathy directly or inidireltly reflected all existing stereotypes in popular Native Americans Studies. Let's start from the sources. Cathy, do you seriously beleive that by rereading Deloria's God is Red and his other books for the fifth time, you will learn much about Indian history and spirituality? With all my due respect for Deloria's role in waking up public opinion to Native American issues (especially with his Custer Dies for Your Sins). I doubt that we will teach our students critical thinking if we expose them to only Deloria books, or books written by Joseph Epes Brown or, say, Neihardt's Black Elk Speaks. I realize that I go againt the currently popular fashion that encourages people to follow a false dichotomy: traditional (Indian, African, Asian, native Siberian)/ecological/spiritual philosophy against Western (Euroamerican) rationalist philosphy and culture. But life is not simplistic. If in addition to Deloria, you go to, let's say, Colin Colloway's New World for All, then proceed, for example, to Steltenkamp's Black Elk: Holy Man of Oglala, Biolsi's Orginizing the Lakota, Richard White's Middle Ground, or Peter Iverson's When Indians Became Cowboys, and finish, let's say, with Krech's Ecological Indian, you will see how our new age stereotypes will start to fall apart. Yes, the reading of these books and other similar ones might take time and work. But I think it is worth doing this. Otherwise we will be doomed to repeat such gimmicks that native peoples had lived here (somewhere before 1500) in the state of paradise without wars and conflicts enjoying their ecological spirituality, which they supposedly maintained unchanged to the present day. And the last thing. Unlike Cathy, who writes that she is ashamed of her Western heritage, I am a foreigner and, therefore, is devoid of a sense of internal guilt because my anscestors did not come here. Cathy, what do you think about it? After coming to the US I noticed that such a stance (internal guilt for the real or imagined deeds committed by your ansectors againt Native Americans) is quite widespeard among educated American public. So you are not alone. Still, for some reason, this riminds me of those Native Americans at the turn of the 1900 who were similalry ashamed of their Indian origion. Why do not approach each culture, including you own, without exteremes (without praise or condamnation)? with warm regards, Alexander P.S. I also read all Deloria books (not five times, but only twice), but they posed more questions (for me) that answers. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 14:53:51 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Opening Statement (Range & Variety) In-Reply-To: <4.1.20010504103325.00c701d0@staff.uiuc.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Dawn Thomas: Indian cultures and histories are carried in the voices of Indian people, not people, Indian or nonIndian, telling readers how they're supposed to understand Indians. Therefore, readings for the purpose you specify have to be biographical and/or autobiographical. Leonard Crow Day and Richard Erdoes. (1995). Crow Dog. Harper Perennial. R. Eli Paul (1997). Autobiography of Red Cloud. Montana Historical Society Press. Larry McMurtry (1999). Crazy Horse. Lipper/Viking. John. G. Neihardt (1972). Black Elk Speaks. Pocket Books. That's a start. Have a good time! Leif Fearn SDSU >I, too, am excited about being a part of this forum. I wondered if it was >possible for any of you to recommend readings, books, or other resources >for those of us who want to learn as much as we can about American Indians. > I have been studying and reading for several years on this subject due to >a personal journey of my own, but am wondering about some of the titles or >resources that I have read about in this forum. I would greatly appreciate >any help from you all! > >Dawn Thomas >UIUC > >At 12:50 AM 05/03/2001 -0400, you wrote: > >It is delightful to have colleagues to talk with > >about these matters. I am the only historian at my > >university who teaches American Indian history, and > >I was restricted to developing only a one-semester > >course, despite the fact that the campus is in a > >border town near 3 Ojibwe reservations. Recognizing > >that this would have to be some survey (!), I > >decided not to focus tightly but rather to provide > >a good overview, trusting that long lives and > >popular culture will add to whatever students begin > >in this course. So it caught my eye when Professor > >Hoxie wrote: > > > >"6. RANGE AND VARIETY. Most classes and textbooks > >ignore Alaska and Canada. How (or should) these > >North American cases be brought into focus in our > >courses? Do they have distinctly different themes? > >Similarly, few courses or discussions place Native > >Americans in a global context. How can we do that? > >These comparisons are difficult because the > >national contexts for indigenous people have been > >so different and because those contexts have shaped > >Indian people." > > > >My course is titled, "Indians of North America." I > >decided that current national boundaries are > >important in the experiences of American Indians, > >but are not always the primary identifier in > >historical context. That point was reinforced on > >the first day of class when a student was > >introduced as being from Canada. I smiled and made > >some remark about welcoming a foreigner into the > >class, but he said, "I'm not foreign. I'm Ojibwe." > >I had to admit he had a point. He also graciously > >admitted that he does have dual citizenship. > > > >Our first reading material was Anne Cameron's > >Daughters of Copper Woman, which encompasses a huge > >amount of time, from creation stories to the 1980s, > >and is set in today's British Columbia. I did not > >use a book on northern Mexico, thinking we would > >use articles and chapters. We used Nancy > >Shoemaker's new anthology, American Indians, in > >part because of its wide coverage and in part > >because of its nice match of 2 primary documents > >with each scholarly essay. That has worked well, > >as primary documents so often do (especially the > >photographs). Students chose to read either Winona > >LaDuke's historical novel, Last Standing Woman, or > >Kent Nerburn's historical novel, Neither Wolf Nor > >Dog. The idea was to teach the book they read to > >the half of class that read the other book, placing > >it in historical context for them. It works great. > >I lectured to provide the narrative connecting all > >these things, though we lost a lot of time this > >semester to arguing with one student who consumed a > >lot of attention (see thread on spirituality for my > >story on that!). > > > >I'm afraid I did ignore Alaska. Poor Hawaii didn't > >stand a chance of getting in (of course it is not > >North American, but it is US-ian....) > > > >Some students expected to learn lists of tribes, > >languages, locations, etc. I recommended they head > >over to Anthropology, because I wasn't going to > >spend 16 weeks doing memorization. I am much more > >interested in teaching the complexity of American > >Indian experiences, before encounter, before > >conquest, before today. > > > >So what do you think? > > > >Eileen Walsh > >History Department > >Bemidji State University > >Bemidji MN 56601 > >http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ > >walsh.html > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at > >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 14:35:03 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Who Are We? In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" The message I keep getting from Indian people is a hope that nonIndians will eventually get over their sympathy for Indians and their need to support Indian people. When I look from my teacher perspective at the tribal elementary, middle, and/or secondary schools built by Apaches at White Mountain, Makahs at Neah Bay, Navajos at Rough Rock, and countless others on their reservations, it's clear the last thing in the world they need is my support, and if they think I have anything to contribute, they'll call and pay for it just as everyone else does. NonIndian sympathy for Indian people has the likely effect of strong hands tightening around the collective Indian throat. Indian people are folks. They aren't more or less spiritual than anyone else. They aren't in possession of deeper cultural anchors, nor are they more noble. They strip mine at St. Michaels, clear cut in Washington, and gill net on northwest rivers. They dance and sing, believe in what they believe, work hard to raise their children to be effective citizens, and willingly run off to war when their nation needs them. They don't benefit from having a "plight" (Why are Indian people the only ones with a plight?), they don't grow strong by being protected, and they don't need anyone's sympathy. Indian people have the right to be right and the right to be wrong, just as everyone else does. They have the right to succeed and the right to fail. They have a right to their language(s) and entree into the mainstream when they learn the mainstream language, just as everyone else does. They have land on which to live, which they own, and being formal and legal owners doesn't compromise their spiritual connection to the land today any more than their informal ownership, based on "being there," compromised their spirituality a thousand, or a hundred, years ago. Indian people came from wherever they came from (Russell Means disputes the land bridge theory) and took possession of wherever they landed. They took it from whomever or whatever was here when they arrived, lived on it and used its resources and had it taken from them. The cycle isn't very appealing, but it's the natural way throughout the world throughout the world's history. Go see Indian people where they are. Learn from them by being part of the world in which they live. And leave the sympathy, the concern, the wringing hands, the collective guilt, the sense of plight at the door. It gets in the way. Leif Fearn SDSU >I do not teach but have read a great deal about Indian history over the >years, both general histories such as Angie Debo's A HISTORY OF THE INDIANS >OF THE UNITED STATES or Paula Marks's IN A BARREN LAND, as well as histories >of individual Indian nations. Knowing what I know, it has been astonishing >how little sympathy or support there seems to be among the general public, >even very liberal people, for Indians and their most important issues. What >this means is that there is as Sarah correctly describes, "appalling >ignorance" that is inexplicable. That her colleagues could be so ignorant >and also racist (one leads to the other) is still suprising. >This ignorance is a huge problem that I hope educators will try to eliminate >by pushing for inclusion of Indian history with the history courses in >Junior and Senior High School. As Professor Hoxie mentions, there will be >limits on what to include unfortunately. What I think is most important is >to stress the recent history which would show how Indian nations lost their >treaty lands, how the BIA sold out Indian interests to corporate or white >interests, the devastation of allotment (with specific examples), the >efforts of Indian people to fight back perhaps using the Lone Wolf vs >Hitchcock case, the struggle for self-determination and reclamation of land >in the past 30 years. I believe that most non-Indians do not know this >history and therefore can continue with erroneous beliefs that Indians are >treated special and are poor because they are drunk and lazy. The casinos >have also aroused hostility and the belief that Indians are getting special >favors. Without the historic context as to why tribes had to resort to >casinos, such hostility is will be widespread. >This past weekend, a conservative friend of ours advocated a Marshall Plan >for the inner cities. When I said that should apply also to reservations, >he disagreed. This is one example of how ignorance about Indian history >leads to misinformed thinking. The legislators in the states and in >Washington are no doubt also poorly informed and that is detrimental to the >Indian people. Therefore, I think this topic, teaching Indian history is so >important. > > >On Thu, 3 May 2001 17:05:15 -0400, Sharbach, Sarah >wrote: > > >Greetings: Thank you, Fred, for such a rich response and summary. This is > >an experience I shall value for some time to come. > > Like Eileen up in Minnesota, I too am the only one teaching AI > >history (& ditto for Latin American history, my other area) here at this > >small state college in New England. Listening in on these conversations is > >heartening for me, and although I have questions on Native history, in this > >message I want to address the ignorance of my colleagues, which is often > >appalling. > > This is my second year here, and I've had prejudiced comments > >directed at the subjects I teach--namely at Indians & Latin Americans. > >Additionally, one colleague told me when I was brand new that "there are no > >Indians left in New England," and I responded with "well, I just got here, > >and yet I see plenty of evidence of Native Americans!" > > My point is that we deal with general ignorance in our students >head > >on in class, but I didn't expect the challenges I have faced in my own > >department! Is this a common experience, out there? I went to grad school > >in Seattle ten years ago and never considered I'd be working against > >stereotypes & inaccuracies that emanate from other professors-! So I'm > >wondering if it is regional, or simply the luck of the draw. [My own area > >of research examines stereotypes of Latin America here in the U.S., so I'm > >well aware of the durability of such images over time.] Do my reflections > >resonate at all? > > > >Best Wishes, > >Sarah Sharbach > >Worcester State College > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 12:21:04 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Walter Johnson Subject: Re: Opening Statement (Range & Variety) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Dawn, I work with a non-profit organization here in the bay area, Berkeley to be exact, California. the organization is called OYATE, a great resource for Literature by Native Indian Authors, check them out, at .....www.oyate.org. OGI This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 17:46:48 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Carl Benn Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Michael Welsh, Thanks for your comments on the issue of naming. I think 'aboriginal' came into Canadian usage as people became uncomfortable with 'Indian' and began to cast about for alternatives, while First Nations perhaps is a term linked to expanding the concept of Canada's 'two founding' French and British nations to be more sensitive. In any case, First Nations seems to work well given that it also affirms the tremendous diversity of native polities of historic North America because of its implied anti-homogenization, in contrast to, say, Native-Americans, which I don't like for other reasons as mentioned earlier. You also asked about the term Iroquois. It is, as you note, of French derivation, and referred initially to the five nations in the Iroquois confederacy, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas (who were joined in the 1720s by the Tuscaroras to form the 'Six Nations'). Other people went to live with them, mainly Algonkians, such as Delawares, and who had a major influence from the 18th century, tend to get overlooked by much history and did not join the Confederacy in the same way the Tuscaroras did. There were, of course, many other Iroquoian peoples, such as the Eries you mentioned, along with such groups as the Wenros, Kahkwas, as well as the nations that formed such confederacies as the Huron, Petun, and Neutral confederacies. I hope this helps a bit. For a nice study of the names of Iroquoian groups, I think the Handbook of North American Indians, vol. 15 'The Northeast' is the place to go. Cheers. Carl This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 20:50:36 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Who Are We? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_b8.153bc6c8.2825f9dc_boundary" --part1_b8.153bc6c8.2825f9dc_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, In response to Lief Fearn, you are absolutely right, The first known inhabitants of the USA as we know it do not need sympathy. I am very discouraged by all of the mail I receive from Christian and Catholic Religious organizations who have placed their forts on Reservations. They send me their mission to help starving children and people in poverty, and I am turned off right away. I see this as another form of control by Euro-Americans, I am very disappointed that History on one hand is supposed to teach us something and yet it repeats itself? When will we ever learn from it? If it is so important to teach American Indians history please give this task to someone who has been given the oral history from the Native Nations and who is a part of this culture. This reminds me of a mouse trying to teach a Vulture how to hide in a burrowed hole. To me an interesting aspect that I learned from the many readings I have digested about The First Known Americans, is that the very balance of nature, watching the food chain, and finding a way to place themselves in a form of balance to this, and not disrupting it to a point of extinction is what I have gained. This is a lesson that many people don't understand, and they probably won't because we have come mostly from places where everything was altered in extremes to accommodate humans,(Euro-Americans), why else would people venture, they screw up one place and move to another to reap its reward, create destruction, benefit and who knows where people will go next, the moon hopefully. In Spirit, Cathy --part1_b8.153bc6c8.2825f9dc_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
In response to Lief Fearn, you are absolutely right, The first known
inhabitants of the USA as we know it do not need sympathy.
I am very discouraged by all of the mail I receive from Christian and
Catholic Religious organizations who have placed their forts on Reservations.
They send me their mission to help starving children and people in poverty,
and I am turned off right away.
I see this as another form of control by Euro-Americans, I am very
disappointed that History on one hand is supposed to teach us something and
yet it repeats itself? When will we ever learn from it?
If it is so important to teach American Indians history please give this task
to someone who has been given the oral history from the Native Nations and
who is a part of this culture. This reminds me of a mouse trying to teach a
Vulture how to hide in a burrowed hole.
To me an interesting aspect that I learned from the many readings I have
digested about The First Known Americans, is that the very balance of nature,
watching the food chain, and finding a way to place themselves in a form of
balance to this, and not disrupting it to a point of extinction is what I
have gained. This is a lesson that many people don't understand, and they
probably won't because we have come mostly from places where everything was
altered in extremes to accommodate humans,(Euro-Americans), why else would
people venture, they screw up one place and move to another to reap its
reward, create destruction, benefit and who knows where people will go next,
the moon hopefully.
In Spirit,
Cathy
--part1_b8.153bc6c8.2825f9dc_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 20:52:02 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Carl Benn, Thanks for the clarifications on the terms "aborginal," "Iroquois," etc., as they relate to a Canadian perspective. Wasn't "aboriginal" once considered pejorative by the native societies of Australia, leading to the decline of its use on that continent? If so, why would Canadians adopt it? As for Iroquois, if "quois" is the French suffix for "people," what is the origin for the root word "Iro" (or however it originally was spelled)? Finally, what should we make of the French diminution of "naandewesioux" into "Sioux?" I have been told that it translates from the Anishnaabe/Ojibwe term "Snakes sliding backward in the grass." What would the French have had in mind to keep the "Sioux" root word? In Francis Parkman's The Oregon Trail (1847), he claimed that the term "Sioux" had no translation ("it was a nonsense word," Parkman wrote). Again, thanks for bringing your expertise on the French/Canadian perspective to bear on these requests for information. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado PS: The Ojibwe term for the Lakota is interesting in light of an earlier statement on the Hoxie thread that stated that the Lakota were "driven out" of their woodland homes, not saying how/when/why, or what the reaction was of the Tsitsistas/Cheyenne, the Kiowa, and the Absalooka/Crow when the Lakota returned to the Black Hills and demanded that each tribe vacate the Lakota "Paha Sapa" (sacred homelands). >Hi Michael Welsh, > >Thanks for your comments on the issue of naming. > >I think 'aboriginal' came into Canadian usage as people became uncomfortable >with 'Indian' and began to cast about for alternatives, while First Nations >perhaps is a term linked to expanding the concept of Canada's 'two founding' >French and British nations to be more sensitive. In any case, First Nations >seems to work well given that it also affirms the tremendous diversity of >native polities of historic North America because of its implied >anti-homogenization, in contrast to, say, Native-Americans, which I don't >like for other reasons as mentioned earlier. > >You also asked about the term Iroquois. It is, as you note, of French >derivation, and referred initially to the five nations in the Iroquois >confederacy, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas (who were >joined in the 1720s by the Tuscaroras to form the 'Six Nations'). Other >people went to live with them, mainly Algonkians, such as Delawares, and who >had a major influence from the 18th century, tend to get overlooked by much >history and did not join the Confederacy in the same way the Tuscaroras did. > >There were, of course, many other Iroquoian peoples, such as the Eries you >mentioned, along with such groups as the Wenros, Kahkwas, as well as the >nations that formed such confederacies as the Huron, Petun, and Neutral >confederacies. I hope this helps a bit. > >For a nice study of the names of Iroquoian groups, I think the Handbook of >North American Indians, vol. 15 'The Northeast' is the place to go. > >Cheers. > >Carl > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teac This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 12:39:02 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: yankeebird Subject: Events at American Musuem of National History in NYC MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0163_01C0D629.87CDF980" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0163_01C0D629.87CDF980 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi all Each weekend during the month of May there will be special Education = programs on INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: PERSPECTIVES AND PERCEPTIONS at the NYC = American Museum of National History . More information is available on = the web at www.amnh.org/education. Click on Multicultural Programs. This past Sat. Prof. Cynthia Jones (ASHP Faculty Fellow) and I attend a = performance of the musical legacy of her Majesty Queen Lili'uokalni ( of = Hawaii), a film screening of BLACK INDIANS: AN AMERICAN STORY, and a = Cultural Presentation of the Cherokee Language and Cultural Circle. Each event provided excellent data for classroom use and scholarship Adesimba Bashir ASHP Faculty Fellow ------=_NextPart_000_0163_01C0D629.87CDF980 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi all
Each weekend during the month of May=20 there will be special Education programs on INDIGENOUS=20 PEOPLES: PERSPECTIVES AND PERCEPTIONS  at the NYC American = Museum of=20 National History . More information is available on the web at www.amnh.org/education. Click = on=20 Multicultural Programs.
 
This past Sat. Prof. Cynthia Jones = (ASHP Faculty=20 Fellow) and I attend a performance of the musical legacy of her Majesty = Queen=20 Lili'uokalni ( of Hawaii), a film screening of BLACK INDIANS: AN = AMERICAN STORY,=20 and a Cultural Presentation of the Cherokee Language and Cultural=20 Circle.
 
Each event provided excellent data for = classroom=20 use and scholarship
Adesimba Bashir
ASHP
Faculty = Fellow
------=_NextPart_000_0163_01C0D629.87CDF980-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 22:46:22 +0400 Reply-To: Alexander Shterenberg Sender: American Indians Forum From: Alexander Shterenberg Subject: Who Are We? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=koi8-r Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Regarding the second posting from Cathy: In my message by stressing that our knowledge of the American Indians should be reduced to the "Deloria-like" books, I did not mean to diminish the role these books might have played in your life . If they raised you to a new spiritual level, this is fine. I am myself, for example, was under the spells of aother book, Black Elk Speaks, a piece of fictional literature that played a crucial role in my life when I was eighteen. Yet, the purposes of this message is to address you second posted message. You write, "If it is so important to teach American Indians history please give this task > to someone who has been given the oral history from the Native Nations and > who is a part of this culture. This reminds me of a mouse trying to teach a > Vulture how to hide in a burrowed hole." Why do you place such a huge emphasis on the oral history? Yes, oral history of Native Americans was neglected for many years. Now it bacame a part of sources on Native American history along with other sources (written records belonging to "white" and "Indian" authors, archeological evidence, etc). To create a balanced account (instead of a one-sided one) of Native American history, you have to take into account many pieces of evidence. In your message I also sense a desire to restrict the job of teaching Native American history to people of Native American descent, who are supposedly more familiar with Native history. Am I right in my assumption? Can people of all ethnic descents teach Native American history if they are knowledgeable enough about what they are teaching? Some of them ("whites," American Indians and even Malaysians) devote their whole lives to styding histories of Native American tribes. I thought history and knowledge do not have ethnic borders. I guess I was wrong. Sorry that I am picking on you again. You wrote , "To me an interesting aspect that I learned from the many readings I have > digested about The First Known Americans, is that the very balance of nature, > watching the food chain, and finding a way to place themselves in a form of > balance to this, and not disrupting it to a point of extinction is what I > have gained." What books did you read that taught you that "The First Known Americans" (I guess it is time to introduce one more neologism) maintained "the very balance of nature, watching the food chain, and finding a way to place themselves in a form of balance to this"? Do not we begin romanticizing the Indians again? Somebody on the forum list already mentioned: the Indians are just "folks" like us, like you, like me, no more and no less spiritual or ecological. And "here we go again." I still strongly recommend you to read Krech's Ecological Indian or Andrew Isenberg, Destruction of the Bison. The first one could be successflly used in a classroom, by the way. These scholars are not conservative dinosaurs as you may think. Please, do not dismiss these two titles, just take them and read. You also wrote that "we have come mostly from places where everything was altered in extremes to accommodate humans,(Euro-Americans), why else would people venture, they screw up one place and move to another to reap its reward, create destruction, benefit and who knows where people will go next." Do not present-day Native Americans enjoy fruits, benefits and drawbacks of this cursed and damned Euro-American civilization? I hope you do not seriously want to "unscrew" these "screwed" places and turn them back to state of "eternal" "pre-Columbian paradise'? I doubt that Native Americans will support you. Again, do get me wrong: ecological movement/desire to protect environment and a belief that American Indians have "ecological wisdom" (that supposedly might teach us something or that we will never understand) are two different things. with best regards, A. Shterenberg This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 17:54:58 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: David Hanson Subject: Re: Who Are We? In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Just a few comments: Of course, many Europeans came to American to exploit the continent's rich natural resources. But people came for a variety of reasons, and the interaction between Europeans and the environment was varied, complex, and not entirely destructive. Certainly both culture and technology in the 19th and 20th centuries did much damage to the natural environment on a scale unimaginable centuries ago. But is it not true that Native Americans often destructively altered the natural environment of the continent (on a much smaller scale of course), for example by using fire to clear land, and by excessively (and wastefully) hunting and fishing some species? My point is that Native Americans were not always "at peace with Nature." Man has always been "at war" with nature to some degree, and it is not accurate or constructive to suggest otherwise. Likewise, the effects of European diseases, culture, and technology on Native American people were devastating, but sometimes Native Americans benefitted from immigrants and the plants and animals they brought from Europe. History is too often clouded with characterizations of "good" people v. "bad" people. Along with this is a tendancy toward moralistic blame and sympathy, based on a romanticized view of the past, that permeates contemporary human relations and is seldom helpful. Dave Hanson Professor of History Virginia Western This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 18:04:12 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Anthony Tothe Subject: A response to some comments MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_000E_01C0D656.F4965BC0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000E_01C0D656.F4965BC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable NonIndian sympathy for Indian people > has the likely effect of strong hands tightening around the > collective Indian throat. On what do you base this statement? How exactly does support for, say, = the Zapatistas in this country and around the world-there are support = groups all over the world-have the effect "of strong hands tightening = around the collective Indian throat" All evidence that I am aware of is = contrary to this. In fact, if it wasn't for the support that the = Zapatistas have received from others, the death squads would have = probably dealt with them a long time ago. Please remember that support = from US citizens is especially important given the relationship that = Mexico has with the US. (Why are Indian people the only ones with a plight?) I know of no one who says that the "Indians are the only ones with = plight." There are plenty of choices for one to dedicate their efforts = given the nature of US Foreign Policy. It's up to you to decide where = ones time is best spent. This discussion is about Native Americans, so = I assume that's why the focus of it is on their "plight." , they > don't grow strong by being protected, and they don't need anyone's > sympathy. What does this statement mean? Do they the "grow strong"-whatever that = means-by standing by and watching as they are wiped out? And how do you know if Native Peoples "don't need anyone's sympathy." = As if you KNOW better than those who actually seek out the help of = others. Again, I know of no activists group that doesn't seek out the = help and support of others in their efforts. The effort to get Leonard = Peltier pardoned is a case in point. Is it wrong for non Native = Americans to try to work for his pardon, especially when one learns the = facts of the case and realizes what a injustice it is. > > and took possession of > wherever they landed. They took it from whomever or whatever was > here when they arrived, lived on it and used its resources and had it > taken from them. =20 Lets just say for the sake of argument that this is 100% correct. It = isn't, but lets just say that it is. So what? This then justifies = genocide committed against Native peoples by the US government? =20 The cycle isn't very appealing, but it's the > natural way throughout the world throughout the world's history. I have to take strong exception to this. There are no laws to history, = nor is history fatalistic as this implies. =20 Does slavery still exists? How did the 8 hour work day come about? How = is it that Native Rights have come into the consciousness of the general = population? How did the Soviet Union disappear? There is "no natural = way throughout the world throughout the world's history." That's a = justification for violence and oppression. You are right in a certain sense that power will work in it's own = interest. Nation states are violent to the extent that they are = powerful. The state will work in the interest of those that dominate it. = So yeah, the removing of people who stand in the way of the interest of = the state is not uncommon in world history. There are plenty of current = examples. Nor is it uncommon for others to rebel and protest against = that power and violence. There is a choice to be made as to where one = stands on the matter, but it does well to remember that it is a choice. = To give one final example as to how the weak-and it this case indigenous = peoples-can resist the strong, how do you explain the "defeat" of the US = in Vietnam? Here you have a text book example of a colonial power-first = the French and then the US when it was obvious the French were lost- = trying to prevent a popular revolution from happening. Remember, this = was peasant society that resisted the greatest military machine in = history. How did that happen? The Vietnamese-nor anyone else-can compete = with the US when it comes to the use of violence in order to achieve a = goal. Well, if what you say above is correct, how did this happen? > Go see Indian people where they are. Learn from them by > being part of the world in which they live. And leave the sympathy, > the concern, the wringing hands, the collective guilt, the sense of > plight at the door. I don't how this is humanly possible. How does one view suffering and = misery, especially when the culprit is close to home, and not have = feelings of sympathy, concern, guilt? =20 As one great historian that I greatly admire has put it, "You can't be = neutral on a moving train."-Tony ------=_NextPart_000_000E_01C0D656.F4965BC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
NonIndian sympathy=20 for Indian people
> has the likely effect of strong hands = tightening=20 around the
> collective Indian throat.

On what do you base this statement? =  How exactly=20 does support for, say, the Zapatistas in this country and around the = world-there=20 are support groups all over the world-have the effect "of strong hands=20 tightening around the collective Indian throat"  All evidence that = I am=20 aware of is contrary to this.  In fact, if it wasn't for the = support that=20 the Zapatistas have received from others, the death squads would have = probably=20 dealt with them a long time ago. Please remember that support from US = citizens=20 is especially important given the relationship that Mexico has with the=20 US.



(Why are Indian people the only ones with a=20 plight?)

I know = of no one who=20 says that the "Indians are the only ones with plight."  There are = plenty of=20 choices for one to dedicate their efforts given the nature of US Foreign = Policy.=20  It's up to you to decide where ones time is best spent.  This = discussion is about Native Americans, so I assume that's why the focus = of it is=20 on their "plight."



,=20 they
> don't grow strong by being protected, and they don't need=20 anyone's
> sympathy.

 What does this statement mean? Do they the "grow=20 strong"-whatever that means-by standing by and watching as they are = wiped=20 out?

And how do = you know if=20 Native Peoples "don't need anyone's sympathy."  As if you KNOW = better than=20 those who actually seek out the help of others. Again, I know of no = activists=20 group that doesn't seek out the help and support of others in their = efforts.=20  The effort to get Leonard Peltier pardoned is a case in point. =  Is it=20 wrong for non Native Americans to try to work for his pardon, especially = when=20 one learns the facts of the case and realizes what a injustice it=20 is.


 > =         >=20         and took possession = of
>=20 wherever they landed.  They took it from whomever or whatever = was
>=20 here when they arrived, lived on it and used its resources and had = it
>=20 taken from them.  


Lets just say for the sake of argument that this is 100% = correct. It=20 isn't, but lets just say that it is.  So what?  This then = justifies=20 genocide committed against Native peoples by the US=20 government?  



The cycle isn't very appealing, but it's the
> = natural way=20 throughout the world throughout the world's = history.

I have to take strong exception to this. =  There are=20 no laws to history, nor is history fatalistic as this implies.=20  

Does = slavery still=20 exists?  How did the 8 hour work day come about? How is it that = Native=20 Rights have come into the consciousness of the general population?=20   How did the Soviet Union disappear? There is "no natural way = throughout the world throughout the world's history."  That's a=20 justification for violence and oppression.

You are right in a certain sense that power = will work in=20 it's own interest. Nation states are violent to the extent that they are = powerful. The state will work in the interest of those that dominate it. = So=20 yeah, the removing of people who stand in the way of the interest of the = state=20 is not uncommon in world history. There are plenty of current examples.=20  Nor is it uncommon for others to rebel and protest against that = power and=20 violence. There is a choice to be made as to where one stands on the = matter, but=20 it does well to remember that it is a=20 choice.  

To give=20 one final example as to how the weak-and it this case indigenous = peoples-can=20 resist the strong, how do you explain the "defeat" of the US in Vietnam? =  Here you have a text book example of a colonial power-first the = French and=20 then the US when it was obvious the French were lost- trying to prevent = a=20 popular revolution from happening.  Remember, this was peasant = society that=20 resisted the greatest military machine in history. How did that happen? = The=20 Vietnamese-nor anyone else-can compete with the US when it comes to the = use of=20 violence in order to achieve a goal. Well, if what you say above is = correct, how=20 did this happen?


 >=20         Go see Indian people = where they=20 are.  Learn from them by
> being part of the world in which = they=20 live.  And leave the sympathy,
> the concern, the wringing = hands, the=20 collective guilt, the sense of
> plight at the=20 door.

 I = don't how this=20 is humanly possible. How does one view suffering and misery, especially = when the=20 culprit is close to home, and not have feelings of sympathy, concern, = guilt?=20  

As one = great historian=20 that I greatly admire has put it, "You can't be neutral on a moving=20 train."-Tony



------=_NextPart_000_000E_01C0D656.F4965BC0-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 17:07:53 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: SH Subject: Suggestions Wanted In-Reply-To: <001101c0d691$a1c63f60$d7452cd8@pavilion> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii This forum gives us a wonderful oppotrunity to share the resources we trust. As a librarian, I'd love to come away from this month of discussion with a strong bibliography of materials on AI history. There are the classics as well as some good anthologies, but it can be difficult to find an accessible non-fiction and reference materials for young adults (age 14 to 22). I'd be glad to compile people's suggestions and repost them at the end of the month. As for myself, I have found some wonderful young adult resources from the Oyate catalog (http://www.oyate.org). Another forum participant mentioned the organization earlier as well. Thanks! Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 19:35:00 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Alexander Shterenberg Subject: Re: Who Are We? Just a comment: With all my heart I agree with the statement made by Professor Dave Hanson, especially with his last point, which I will take a pleasure to quote: "History is too often clouded with characterizations of "good" people v. "bad" people. Along with this is a tendancy toward moralistic blame and sympathy, based on a romanticized view of the past, that permeates contemporary human relations and is seldom helpful." I always suggest that my students take a note that there are two approaches to history: a moral assessment and historical assessment. Unfortunately, these two frequently do not go together. If we want to please somebody (it could be a tribal group in our case or, like in the former former Soviet Union, it could be a communist party), we certainly can sweep aside "inconvenient" facts and make history smooth and bright as the Pocohontas cartoon movie. Recently in American Quarterly one reviewer (of two books on the topic of American Indian identity) even suggested that tribal groups should enforce/exercise more control over histories written by university academics. In our noble desire to let "native voices" being heard, do not we cross a dangerous border? Sincerely, A. Shterenberg This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 08:26:24 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Chambers, Jacqueline M." Subject: Re: the term "aboriginal" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Greetings all, A few words about the term "aboriginal." My American Heritage dictionary states that the word means "1. Having existed in a region from the beginning. 2. Of or relating to aborigines." The word "aborigine" is Latin and means "original inhabitant." The fact that the first people of Australia are called "aborigines" indicates that whites didn't even bother to learn the name the people gave themselves, didn't even bother to invent an Anglicized name. The word itself is not inherently offensive, but has taken on unfortunate associations. On another, tangential, subject--if teaching about Indian history is reserved only to Indians, only more Euro-American ignorance will ensue because there are simply not enough people available in all regions to teach this important subject. If the message is that people of non-Indian origins cannot possibly comprehend any Indian culture or history, then the insistence on greater awareness and understanding is self-defeating. Jackie Chambers -----Original Message----- From: mewelsh [mailto:mewelsh@BENTLEY.UNIVNORTHCO.EDU] Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2001 9:52 PM To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Carl Benn, Thanks for the clarifications on the terms "aborginal," "Iroquois," etc., as they relate to a Canadian perspective. Wasn't "aboriginal" once considered pejorative by the native societies of Australia, leading to the decline of its use on that continent? If so, why would Canadians adopt it? As for Iroquois, if "quois" is the French suffix for "people," what is the origin for the root word "Iro" (or however it originally was spelled)? Finally, what should we make of the French diminution of "naandewesioux" into "Sioux?" I have been told that it translates from the Anishnaabe/Ojibwe term "Snakes sliding backward in the grass." What would the French have had in mind to keep the "Sioux" root word? In Francis Parkman's The Oregon Trail (1847), he claimed that the term "Sioux" had no translation ("it was a nonsense word," Parkman wrote). Again, thanks for bringing your expertise on the French/Canadian perspective to bear on these requests for information. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado PS: The Ojibwe term for the Lakota is interesting in light of an earlier statement on the Hoxie thread that stated that the Lakota were "driven out" of their woodland homes, not saying how/when/why, or what the reaction was of the Tsitsistas/Cheyenne, the Kiowa, and the Absalooka/Crow when the Lakota returned to the Black Hills and demanded that each tribe vacate the Lakota "Paha Sapa" (sacred homelands). >Hi Michael Welsh, > >Thanks for your comments on the issue of naming. > >I think 'aboriginal' came into Canadian usage as people became uncomfortable >with 'Indian' and began to cast about for alternatives, while First Nations >perhaps is a term linked to expanding the concept of Canada's 'two founding' >French and British nations to be more sensitive. In any case, First Nations >seems to work well given that it also affirms the tremendous diversity of >native polities of historic North America because of its implied >anti-homogenization, in contrast to, say, Native-Americans, which I don't >like for other reasons as mentioned earlier. > >You also asked about the term Iroquois. It is, as you note, of French >derivation, and referred initially to the five nations in the Iroquois >confederacy, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas (who were >joined in the 1720s by the Tuscaroras to form the 'Six Nations'). Other >people went to live with them, mainly Algonkians, such as Delawares, and who >had a major influence from the 18th century, tend to get overlooked by much >history and did not join the Confederacy in the same way the Tuscaroras did. > >There were, of course, many other Iroquoian peoples, such as the Eries you >mentioned, along with such groups as the Wenros, Kahkwas, as well as the >nations that formed such confederacies as the Huron, Petun, and Neutral >confederacies. I hope this helps a bit. > >For a nice study of the names of Iroquoian groups, I think the Handbook of >North American Indians, vol. 15 'The Northeast' is the place to go. > >Cheers. > >Carl > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teac This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 18:13:31 +0400 Reply-To: Alexander Shterenberg Sender: American Indians Forum From: Alexander Shterenberg Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted In-Reply-To: <20010507000753.95205.qmail@web11805.mail.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=koi8-r Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Dear Susie Husted: In response to you inquiry regardring readings materials for young adults, the series of popular books published by Chelsea House Publishers might be a good source. Written in a nice clear language, these (unbulky) books are specially designated for young adults and deal with specific native groups. By the way, the book by the moderator of our forum, Hoxie, Frederick E. was published in the same series: The Crow by Frederick E. Hoxie ; Frank W. Porter III, general editor. New York : Chelsea House Publishers, 1989. To look for other books in the same series (on many other tribal groups) in the same series, type in your electronic catalogue (OCLC or another one) "Chelsea House Publishers," them limit your search to "Frank W. Porter" and all the book will show up. I hope this will help, sincerely, A. Shterenberg This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 07:19:24 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Abear Subject: Re: Who Are We? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00DC_01C0D6C6.0B44C9A0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00DC_01C0D6C6.0B44C9A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Alexander took the time to write: >Snipped< I am myself, for example, was under the spells of aother book, Black Elk Speaks, a piece of fictional literature that played a crucial role in my life when I was eighteen. Neilhardt was a rather interesting writer. He operated off of translations from Lakota to English, and it is a known fact among Lakota and others, that Grabdfather Black Elk actually said things in error on purpose. His joke on the man. I actually think I will stick to the Deloria books, am glad you gained from this fantasy book however. Teaching is an interesting thing. To teach, you must know something. Some people get this knowledge from books, and they teach from books. This, for me is information, not knowledge, and certainly not wisdom. You teach what you know, and this does require some understanding of culture...not just from books, but from FN eyes and heart. Culture is the language, is the oral history, is the traditions, is the ceremonies, and is the life of the people lived out every day. Yes, many have been severely affected by assimilation of Euro's, and the Euro's have done their job quite well. They have not won yet, but they have done a fine job of brain scrambling....especially black robes and christianity....but adapting is what has happened...a duality... surviving. Are you aware of the treaties of this land? How they were acquired many times? Have you read these treaties, looked at a map, then seen the land removed from a tribe. There were a few acts that sure took what was wanted and desired....land. But treaties....as legal and binding as they get....and many tribes figuring this out and going to court and winning. Try reading a treaty. Look at the land given to a tribe, then look at the land of their reservation today.....is all part of the history. History is alive and well...living and breathing...in the Elders....not books, and certainly not in books written by Euro/whites Respectfully, Mitakuye Oyasin, Lexi "Guard your tongue in youth, and you may grow old enough to nurture a thought that may be of benefit to your People"--Lakota "Better to die on one's feet than live on one's knees." ------=_NextPart_000_00DC_01C0D6C6.0B44C9A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Alexander took the=20 time to write:
>Snipped<
I am myself, for example, was = under the=20 spells of aother book, Black Elk Speaks, a piece of fictional literature = that=20 played a crucial role in my life when I was eighteen.
 
    = Neilhardt was a rather interesting writer.  He = operated off of=20 translations from Lakota to English, and it is a known fact among Lakota = and=20 others, that Grabdfather Black Elk actually said things in error on=20 purpose.  His joke on the man.  I actually think I will stick = to the=20 Deloria books, am glad you gained from this fantasy book=20 however.
        Teaching is an interesting thing. To teach, you must know=20 something.  Some people get this knowledge from books, and they = teach from=20 books.  This, for me is information, not knowledge, and certainly = not=20 wisdom.  You teach what you know, and this does require some = understanding=20 of culture...not just from books, but from FN eyes and heart. Culture is = the=20 language, is the oral history, is the traditions, is the ceremonies, and = is the=20 life of the people lived out every day.  Yes, many have been = severely=20 affected by assimilation of Euro's, and the Euro's have done their job = quite=20 well.  They have not won yet, but they have done a fine job of = brain=20 scrambling....especially black robes and christianity....but adapting is = what=20 has happened...a duality... surviving.  Are you aware of the = treaties of=20 this land?  How they were acquired many times?  Have you read = these=20 treaties, looked at a map, then seen the land removed from a = tribe.  There=20 were a few acts that sure took what was wanted and = desired....land.  But=20 treaties....as legal and binding as they get....and many tribes figuring = this=20 out and going to court and winning. Try reading a treaty.  Look at = the land=20 given to a tribe, then look at the land of their reservation = today.....is all=20 part of the history. History is alive and well...living and = breathing...in the=20 Elders....not books, and certainly not in books written by=20 Euro/whites
           =          =20 Respectfully,
         &n= bsp;          =20 Mitakuye=20 Oyasin,
          &n= bsp;           &nb= sp; =20 Lexi
"Guard your tongue in youth, and you may
grow old = enough to=20 nurture a thought that
may be of benefit to your=20 People"--Lakota        =
"Better=20 to die on one's feet than live on one's=20 knees."
------=_NextPart_000_00DC_01C0D6C6.0B44C9A0-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 09:33:49 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Eileen Walsh Subject: Re: the term "aboriginal" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" "Aboriginal" is technically useful but has a connotation of "primitive" for me. Perhaps that is because of its common British usage. I confess to struggling with knee-jerk anti-British prejudice. I learned it early. My dad left England as a young man due to the racism he experienced there -- he was born in Ireland. As long as some of you have your dictionaries out, would you check out the word "indigenous." A non-stellar student insists that it means dark-skinned. That was news to me, but I meant to look it up. Of course, it's also the name of a really impressive pop-rock band, but "dark-skinned" is a relative term (as my father found out). Eileen Walsh -- Eileen Walsh, Ph.D. History Department Bemidji State University Bemidji MN 56601 http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/walsh.html This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 08:34:42 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: the term "aboriginal" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Jackie Chambers, Thanks for the dictionary reference to the word "aboriginal." My initial query for Carl Benn and anyone else in the discussion is related to the history of the word's adoption in Canada as preferable to "American Indian" or "Native American." "Ab" in Latin means "before;" "origen" means what it looks like (origins). That is what the English thought when they came to Australia and saw people who "originated before them." The use of the term "aboriginal" in Australia, as far as I have been able to determine, underwent the same scrutiny as "Indian" in the US (a word seen in Foucaultian/Derridaian terms as "imperialist"). Hence the use of tribal names, and no scholarly reference (again, as far as I can tell from a distance) to "aboriginal" in the "original" place of its usage. Thus I solicit from others on the list how and why Canadian scholars/activits would adopt such a term, and when that happened. In the case of "Indian" in North America, at least the word had been used for centuries by all conquering cultures, and then incorporated into Native lexicons as a badge of pride. Does Canada have a similary history of the use of the term "aboriginal?" The best that I can tell from French/Indian interaction is the use of words likes "Indien," and "sauvages" (which also applied to the young single French males who "ran through the woods" [coureurs des bois] and formed the basis of Richard White's "middle ground"). On Jackie Chambers's second point (the argument that only Indians can tell their story). This, like so much of the discussions out there today on H-Net boards on race and gender, sounds much like the arguments of the 1960s: only blacks can tell a black story, only Latinos can tell their story, etc. You might want to read the chapters in Peter Novick's That Noble Dream: The American Historical Profession and the "Objectivity Question" (Cambridge U. Press, 1989). Novick argues that the relativism of the 1960s (as seen from a distance of 20-plus years through the consciousness of an historian of France) had its tragic and bizarre overtones as excluded groups sought their voice and face in the larger narrative of America. As a young professor at another university told me recently: "The quest for purity can lead to hypocrisy." Novick offers several examples of academics trying to become "relevant" in a age of "relativism" (or what Novick sometimes calls "hyperrelativism"). One was the story of Robert Starobin, a young scholar of slavery who committed suicide not long after several black academics criticized him at a conference panel which they shared for even trying to understand black pain and suffering. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >Greetings all, > >A few words about the term "aboriginal." My American Heritage dictionary >states that the word means "1. Having existed in a region from the >beginning. 2. Of or relating to aborigines." The word "aborigine" is Latin >and means "original inhabitant." The fact that the first people of >Australia are called "aborigines" indicates that whites didn't even bother >to learn the name the people gave themselves, didn't even bother to invent >an Anglicized name. The word itself is not inherently offensive, but has >taken on unfortunate associations. > >On another, tangential, subject--if teaching about Indian history is >reserved only to Indians, only more Euro-American ignorance will ensue >because there are simply not enough people available in all regions to teach >this important subject. If the message is that people of non-Indian origins >cannot possibly comprehend any Indian culture or history, then the >insistence on greater awareness and understanding is self-defeating. > >Jackie Chambers > >-----Original Message----- >From: mewelsh [mailto:mewelsh@BENTLEY.UNIVNORTHCO.EDU] >Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2001 9:52 PM >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >Subject: Re: Opening Statement from Prof. Hoxie > > >>===== Original Message From American Indians Forum > ===== > >For Carl Benn, > >Thanks for the clarifications on the terms "aborginal," "Iroquois," etc., as >they relate to a Canadian perspective. Wasn't "aboriginal" once considered >pejorative by the native societies of Australia, leading to the decline of >its >use on that continent? If so, why would Canadians adopt it? As for >Iroquois, >if "quois" is the French suffix for "people," what is the origin for the >root >word "Iro" (or however it originally was spelled)? Finally, what should we >make >of the French diminution of "naandewesioux" into "Sioux?" I have been told >that >it translates from the Anishnaabe/Ojibwe term "Snakes sliding backward in >the >grass." What would the French have had in mind to keep the "Sioux" root >word? > >In Francis Parkman's The Oregon Trail (1847), he claimed that the term >"Sioux" >had no translation ("it was a nonsense word," Parkman wrote). Again, thanks >for >bringing your expertise on the French/Canadian perspective to bear on these >requests for information. > >Michael Welsh >History Department >University of Northern Colorado > >PS: The Ojibwe term for the Lakota is interesting in light of an earlier >statement on the Hoxie thread that stated that the Lakota were "driven out" >of >their woodland homes, not saying how/when/why, or what the reaction was of >the >Tsitsistas/Cheyenne, the Kiowa, and the Absalooka/Crow when the Lakota >returned >to the Black Hills and demanded that each tribe vacate the Lakota "Paha >Sapa" >(sacred homelands). > > > > > >>Hi Michael Welsh, >> >>Thanks for your comments on the issue of naming. >> >>I think 'aboriginal' came into Canadian usage as people became >uncomfortable >>with 'Indian' and began to cast about for alternatives, while First Nations >>perhaps is a term linked to expanding the concept of Canada's 'two >founding' >>French and British nations to be more sensitive. In any case, First Nations >>seems to work well given that it also affirms the tremendous diversity of >>native polities of historic North America because of its implied >>anti-homogenization, in contrast to, say, Native-Americans, which I don't >>like for other reasons as mentioned earlier. >> >>You also asked about the term Iroquois. It is, as you note, of French >>derivation, and referred initially to the five nations in the Iroquois >>confederacy, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas (who >were >>joined in the 1720s by the Tuscaroras to form the 'Six Nations'). Other >>people went to live with them, mainly Algonkians, such as Delawares, and >who >>had a major influence from the 18th century, tend to get overlooked by much >>history and did not join the Confederacy in the same way the Tuscaroras >did. >> >>There were, of course, many other Iroquoian peoples, such as the Eries you >>mentioned, along with such groups as the Wenros, Kahkwas, as well as the >>nations that formed such confederacies as the Huron, Petun, and Neutral >>confederacies. I hope this helps a bit. >> >>For a nice study of the names of Iroquoian groups, I think the Handbook of >>North American Indians, vol. 15 'The Northeast' is the place to go. >> >>Cheers. >> >>Carl >> >>This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teac > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 10:37:47 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Michelle Hermann Subject: Labels In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Another source to check out is Michael Yellow Bird's recent article in _AIQ_: "What We Want to Be Called: Indigenous Peoples' Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Identity Labels." Yellow Bird does a good job of tracing out the genealogies of the terms "American Indian," "Native American," and "Redskin." In addition, he surveys a number of Indian professors to ascertain whether they prefer to be called American Indian or Native American. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 10:46:12 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Whitman, Torrey S." Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----_=_NextPart_001_01C0D704.75E98C3B" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C0D704.75E98C3B Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Here are a few thoughts on reading for college-aged students, based on positive classroom experiences at a small liberal arts college: Colin Calloway's __New Worlds for All__ looks at the period 1500-1800, and emphasizes Indian-European interactions and cultural exchanges. Calloway also has two good documents collections, __World Turned Upside Down__, dealing with the colonial and early national periods, and __Our Hearts Fell to the Ground__, regarding the Plains Indians in the 19th century. =20 James Brooks has edited __Andele: A Mexican-Kiowa Captive__, a captivity narrative taken down by J.J. Methvin in the 1880s. Andele was a Mexican living in New Mexico who was adopted into the Kiowa in the 1870s. He lived through their last conflicts with U.S. troops and the ensuing reservation period. Greg Dowd's __A Spirited Resistance__ is an excellent account of efforts to create Indian unity in the Ohio Valley, 1745-1815. Dean Snow's __The Iroquois__ provides a narrative history and anthropology that reaches from pre-contact cultures to the current time. Lynda Shaffer's __Native Americans before 1492__ is a brief and readable account of the moundbuilding cultures exemplified by Poverty Point, Hopewell/Adena, and the Mississippian sites at Cahokia and elsewhere. Theda Perdue's __Cherokee Women__ emphasizes cultural persistence rather than change and destruction in looking at the lifeways of its subjects. Looking forward to seeing other contributions, Steve Whitman, Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, MD 21727 -----Original Message----- From: SH [mailto:susie_husted@YAHOO.COM] Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 8:08 PM To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Suggestions Wanted This forum gives us a wonderful oppotrunity to share the resources we trust. As a librarian, I'd love to come away from this month of discussion with a strong bibliography of materials on AI history. There are the classics as well as some good anthologies, but it can be difficult to find an accessible non-fiction and reference materials for young adults (age 14 to 22). I'd be glad to compile people's suggestions and repost them at the end of the month. As for myself, I have found some wonderful young adult resources from the Oyate catalog (http://www.oyate.org). Another forum participant mentioned the organization earlier as well. Thanks! Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C0D704.75E98C3B Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable RE: Suggestions Wanted

Here are a few thoughts on reading for college-aged = students, based on positive classroom experiences at a small liberal = arts college:

Colin Calloway's __New Worlds for All__ looks at the = period 1500-1800, and emphasizes Indian-European interactions and = cultural exchanges.  Calloway also

has two good documents collections, __World Turned = Upside Down__, dealing with
the colonial and early national periods, and __Our = Hearts Fell to the Ground__,
regarding the Plains Indians  in the 19th = century. 

James Brooks has edited __Andele: A Mexican-Kiowa = Captive__, a captivity narrative taken down by J.J. Methvin in the = 1880s. Andele was a Mexican living

in New Mexico who was adopted into the Kiowa in the = 1870s. He lived through their
last conflicts with U.S. troops and the ensuing = reservation period.

Greg Dowd's __A Spirited Resistance__  is an = excellent account of efforts to
create Indian unity in the Ohio Valley, = 1745-1815.

Dean Snow's __The Iroquois__ provides a narrative = history and anthropology that
reaches from pre-contact cultures to the current = time.

Lynda Shaffer's __Native Americans before 1492__ is a = brief and readable account
of the moundbuilding cultures exemplified by Poverty = Point, Hopewell/Adena, and
the Mississippian sites at Cahokia and = elsewhere.

Theda Perdue's __Cherokee Women__ emphasizes cultural = persistence rather than
change and destruction in looking at the lifeways of = its subjects.

       Looking forward = to seeing other contributions,

       Steve = Whitman,
       Mount St. Mary's = College,
       Emmitsburg, MD = 21727





-----Original Message-----
From: SH [mailto:susie_husted@YAHOO.COM]=
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 8:08 PM
To: = AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Suggestions Wanted


This forum gives us a wonderful oppotrunity to share = the
resources we trust.  As a librarian, I'd love to = come away from
this month of discussion with a strong bibliography = of materials
on AI history.

There are the classics as well as some good = anthologies, but it
can be difficult to find an accessible non-fiction = and reference
materials for young adults (age 14 to 22).  I'd = be glad to
compile people's suggestions and repost them at the = end of the
month.

As for myself, I have found some wonderful young adult = resources
from the Oyate catalog (http://www.oyate.org).  Another = forum
participant mentioned the organization earlier as = well.
Thanks!

Susie Husted
Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great = prices
http://auctions.yahoo.com/=

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please = visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu = for more resources for teaching U.S. History.

------_=_NextPart_001_01C0D704.75E98C3B-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 19:21:08 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Who Are We? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_75.145b3fd7.282887e4_boundary" --part1_75.145b3fd7.282887e4_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My comments are about "who" is qualified to teach American Indian history. We (Native people) know that it would be impossible to suggest that history only be taught by Natives. But, it would be much better if the outdated, inaccurate history books were tossed and new, correct books implemented. I realize that doing this would be quite expensive and not an easy task. But, it's being done in some areas. Dorreen Yellow Bird, an Arikara woman and a journalist, along with Mandan's and Hidatsu's, has just written a new history book to be used in the state of North Dakota. Other states are taking on the same type projects. By utilizing tribal historians, the real history can be told. One thing that I observe is that Native historians don't romanticize their stories. They have no reason to. One other thought/comment. I have noticed that there is a growing "movement" to bring Natives into the school systems for inservice training. Again, this is one way for educators to hear the truth and to see that we are not an extinct people. Working together, we can teach history....real history. Pidamaya yedo, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_75.145b3fd7.282887e4_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My comments are about "who" is qualified to teach American Indian history.  
We (Native people) know that it would be impossible to suggest that history
only be taught by Natives.  But, it would be much better if the outdated,
inaccurate history books were tossed and new, correct books implemented.  

I realize that doing this would be quite expensive and not an easy task.  
But, it's being done in some areas.  Dorreen Yellow Bird, an Arikara woman
and a journalist, along with Mandan's and Hidatsu's, has just written a new
history book to be used in the state of North Dakota.  Other states are
taking on the same type projects.  

By utilizing tribal historians, the real history can be told.  One thing that
I observe is that Native historians don't romanticize their stories.  They
have no reason to.

One other thought/comment.  I have noticed that there is a growing "movement"
to bring Natives into the school systems for inservice training.  Again, this
is one way for educators to hear the truth and to see that we are not an
extinct people.

Working together, we can teach history....real history.

Pidamaya yedo,
Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota"
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_75.145b3fd7.282887e4_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 20:31:35 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Who Are We? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_59.ac301c7.28289867_boundary" --part1_59.ac301c7.28289867_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings Vicki, I am so grateful for your website offering, I pass it on to others when you send it to me. You are right, it may not be realistic at this point to have only Native people teach Native History, but my point was to bring about an awareness concerning a job that could be well suited for a Native person to have, amongst many other jobs. Thank-you for responding about my concern for the History books that are in the school curriculums. I know for a fact that the book that was to fill my brain back in the 60's was very destructive for a youth, especially if you weren't able to do critical thinking. Fortunately the 60's taught me to do critical thinking, so I was able to speak up even if it did get me in trouble. Keep up the good work on your site, and have you had Buffy Saint-Marie on there yet? What books would you recommend for accurate Native Studies and History for adults? I'm grateful that you are taking part in this forum, In Sisterhood, Cathy --part1_59.ac301c7.28289867_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings Vicki,
I am so grateful for your website offering, I pass it on to others when you
send it to me.
You are right, it may not be realistic at this point to have only Native
people teach Native History, but my point was to bring about an awareness
concerning a job that could be well suited for a Native person to have,
amongst many other jobs.
Thank-you for responding about my concern for the History books that are in
the school curriculums. I know for a fact that the book that was to fill my
brain back in the 60's was very destructive for a youth, especially if you
weren't able to do critical thinking. Fortunately the 60's taught me to do
critical thinking, so I was able to speak up even if it did get me in trouble.
Keep up the good work on your site, and have you had Buffy Saint-Marie on
there yet?
What books would you recommend for accurate Native Studies and History for
adults?
I'm grateful that you are taking part in this forum,
In Sisterhood,
Cathy
--part1_59.ac301c7.28289867_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 05:52:12 +0400 Reply-To: Alexander Shterenberg Sender: American Indians Forum From: Alexander Shterenberg Subject: Who Are We? In-Reply-To: <75.145b3fd7.282887e4@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=koi8-r Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Dear Vicki Lockard: Thank you for your message about the current attempts of Native American authors to write tribal/general Native American histories. You mentioned the name of Dorreen Yellow Bird, who wrote on these texts. Could you, please, give the leads about the title of this new textbook? Is it a tribal history of a general history of Native Americans in the United States? I am sure the other list members will be interested to see this information posted. With warm regards, AS This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 00:15:17 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Denise Jarvis Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Dear Ms. Walsh, I read with interest about your student who seems to feel that all Indians think and feel the same way about spirituality. I think you're right when you say this is part of his idenity. I think it does no harm for him to think this way, even if it isn't accurate! It could be said all human beings have the same thoughts and feelings regarding spiritulality- and that statement would be just as true, no matter what religion or belief system you have- there is a common thread or feeling for people who believe in a power higher than themselves. I think there is a connection between all human beings as well, even if some people aren't aware of it. In closing, I would say you're doing a good job by opening up the possibility to him that his view is not one shared by most people, Indian or non-Indian. However, it's also my opinion that his view has some merit! Sincerely, Denise Jarvis >From: Eileen Walsh >Reply-To: American Indians Forum > >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality >Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 00:21:26 -0400 > >I am teaching a history course on Indians of North >America. I'll write in another thread of this >forum about the range of the course. What draws me >to this discussion of spirituality issues is that I >have been having a very difficult time with one >student in the class this semester. Without >identifying him too closely, I will say that he is >Indian, and considers himself a minister of the >Lord (his term). The problem is that he insists >that there is a commonality among all Indians, over >all time--and not just in an abstract sense. He >constantly refers to "we" and "us" and "our >religion" without clarifying who that refers to-- >and when I or students ask, the response is >"Indians." He is willing to generalize that all >Indians know certain things, all Indians have >always believed certain things, all Indians aspire >to certain things--in other words, he denies >diversity among or within groups of Indians over >time and in different places. > >It seems important to him; this isn't about him >wanting to give me a hard time (though it is the >most challenging sitution I can recall in 17 years >of teaching). I think it is about his own >identity, and therefore it is very important to >him. However, it is historically inaccurate and I >cannot let it go. Without ridiculing him, I have >tried to present evidence to the contrary. We are >using Nancy Shoemaker's new anthology, American >Indians, which does a good job of showing a variety >of perspectives over time. I'm not sure he's >reading it, having dismissed me as an opponent. > >I was prepared to deal with this problem from non- >native students, but that has not been the problem. >It's an interesting reversal of my teacherly >expectations! What is most interesting is that >other Indian students have taken him on about that, >as have some White students. Nobody wants to get >into a big fight, though--northern Minnesotans >don't seem to do that, whatever their ethnic >heritage. Kindof a stoic cultural landscape. I >wondered what you folks think of this situation? > >Oh, and I like Jack Betterly's quote in another >thread--seems appropriate here, too: > >"In wide America, in this sprawling map of dizzily >drawn borders, we find no common culture, nor >should we expect to. Time has been at work, >dilatorily, for a few hundred years in this nation, >not even long enough for us to agree on a speed >limit, let alone a culture." > - America, New Mexico > by Robert Leonard Reid. > Tucson: University of Arizona Press p.181 > >Eileen Walsh >History Department >Bemidji State University >Bemidji MN 56601 >http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ >walsh.html > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 10:01:26 +0000 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: majacobs Subject: Re: Who Are We? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------3ECD1B7965566B2AED5C2680" --------------3ECD1B7965566B2AED5C2680 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have been reading the comments about Native people teaching Native studies. I think that anyone who has an interest and the necessary education can and should teach Native studies (or any other subject that they may choose). BUT, non-Native people who choose to teach Native studies (especially to Native students) must realize that they will be resented by some of their students. That resentment comes from having to learn about your own history from someone who ultimately benefited from your people's disenfranchisement. Non-native people who teach Native American studies have a duty to contribute to the Native American communities that surround them. Bring Native people into the classroom who are involved in their communities and have life experience and or professional experience that will benefit your students' education. Practice what you teach. Mary Ann Jacobs Doctoral Student Univ. of Chicago, SSA CATSTEP16@AOL.COM wrote: > Greetings Vicki, > I am so grateful for your website offering, I pass it on to others > when you > send it to me. > You are right, it may not be realistic at this point to have only > Native > people teach Native History, but my point was to bring about an > awareness > concerning a job that could be well suited for a Native person to > have, > amongst many other jobs. > Thank-you for responding about my concern for the History books that > are in > the school curriculums. I know for a fact that the book that was to > fill my > brain back in the 60's was very destructive for a youth, especially if > you > weren't able to do critical thinking. Fortunately the 60's taught me > to do > critical thinking, so I was able to speak up even if it did get me in > trouble. > Keep up the good work on your site, and have you had Buffy Saint-Marie > on > there yet? > What books would you recommend for accurate Native Studies and History > for > adults? > I'm grateful that you are taking part in this forum, > In Sisterhood, > Cathy --------------3ECD1B7965566B2AED5C2680 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit     I have been reading the comments about Native people teaching Native studies.  I think that anyone who has an interest and the necessary education can and should teach Native studies (or any other subject that they may choose).  BUT,  non-Native people who choose to teach Native studies (especially to Native students) must realize that they will be resented by some of their students.  That resentment comes from having to learn about your own history from someone who ultimately benefited from your people's disenfranchisement.
    Non-native people who teach Native American studies have a duty to contribute to the Native American communities that surround them.  Bring Native people into the classroom who are involved in their communities and have life experience and or professional experience that will benefit your students' education.  Practice what you teach.
Mary Ann Jacobs
Doctoral Student
Univ. of Chicago, SSA

CATSTEP16@AOL.COM wrote:

Greetings Vicki,
I am so grateful for your website offering, I pass it on to others when you
send it to me.
You are right, it may not be realistic at this point to have only Native
people teach Native History, but my point was to bring about an awareness
concerning a job that could be well suited for a Native person to have,
amongst many other jobs.
Thank-you for responding about my concern for the History books that are in
the school curriculums. I know for a fact that the book that was to fill my
brain back in the 60's was very destructive for a youth, especially if you
weren't able to do critical thinking. Fortunately the 60's taught me to do
critical thinking, so I was able to speak up even if it did get me in trouble.
Keep up the good work on your site, and have you had Buffy Saint-Marie on
there yet?
What books would you recommend for accurate Native Studies and History for
adults?
I'm grateful that you are taking part in this forum,
In Sisterhood,
Cathy
--------------3ECD1B7965566B2AED5C2680-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 07:27:36 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Anthony J. Silva" Subject: Curtis: North american Indian In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Although this may not bear directly upon our ongoing discussion, forum members may be interested in the following posting I received from H-California. Anthony J. Silva From: Denise Spooner Subject: Web Resource: Edward S. Curtis' The North American Indian To: H-CALIFORNIA@H-NET.MSU.EDU [x-post from H-West] Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 22:49:57 -0400 From: Jeremy Morse Northwestern University Library announces the release on April 26, 2001 by the Library of Congress National Digital Library Program of: "Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian: Photographic Images" http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/ienhtml/curthome.html The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis is one of the most significant and controversial representations of traditional American Indian culture ever produced. Issued in a limited edition from 1907-1930, the publication continues to exert a major influence on the image of Indians in popular culture. Curtis said he wanted to document "the old time Indian, his dress, his ceremonies, his life and manners." In over 2,000 photogravure plates and narrative, Curtis portrayed the traditional customs and lifeways of eighty Indian tribes. The twenty volumes, each with an accompanying portfolio, are organized by tribes and culture areas encompassing the Great Plains, Great Basin, Plateau Region, Southwest, California, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. In 1998, Northwestern University Library was awarded a grant from the Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition to support the digitization of all of the illustrations contained in the volumes and portfolios of its copy of The North American Indian. Northwestern also created detailed indexing that permits retrieval of the images by personal name, tribal affiliation, geocultural region, and subject. A special section of the digital collection, "Edward S. Curtis in Context," presents a map, timeline, and essays by noted scholars reflecting on how Curtis has been viewed in his time and today. Please direct any questions about the collection to nai@northwestern.edu. With a gift from Ameritech, the Library of Congress sponsored a three-year competition to enable public, research, and academic libraries, museums, historical societies, and archival institutions (except federal institutions) to create digital collections of primary resources. These digital collections complement and enhance the collections of the National Digital Library Program at the Library of Congress (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amhome.html). Curtis' life and lasting influence are portrayed in "Coming to Light: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indians," a documentary film by Anne Makepeace, which premiered in the PBS "American Masters" series on April 23, 2001 (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/). Local station broadcast dates may vary. Jeremy Morse This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 09:51:51 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Austin Manghan Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Dear Ms Walsh, You might want to check out "Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?", by Beverly Tatum. Peace, Austin Manghan --- Denise Jarvis wrote: > Dear Ms. Walsh, > I read with interest about your student who seems to > feel that all Indians > think and feel the same way about spirituality. I > think you're right when > you say this is part of his idenity. I think it > does no harm for him to > think this way, even if it isn't accurate! It could > be said all human > beings have the same thoughts and feelings regarding > spiritulality- and that > statement would be just as true, no matter what > religion or belief system > you have- there is a common thread or feeling for > people who believe in a > power higher than themselves. I think there is a > connection between all > human beings as well, even if some people aren't > aware of it. In closing, I > would say you're doing a good job by opening up the > possibility to him that > his view is not one shared by most people, Indian or > non-Indian. However, > it's also my opinion that his view has some merit! > Sincerely, Denise Jarvis > > > >From: Eileen Walsh > >Reply-To: American Indians Forum > > > >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > >Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality > >Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 00:21:26 -0400 > > > >I am teaching a history course on Indians of North > >America. I'll write in another thread of this > >forum about the range of the course. What draws me > >to this discussion of spirituality issues is that I > >have been having a very difficult time with one > >student in the class this semester. Without > >identifying him too closely, I will say that he is > >Indian, and considers himself a minister of the > >Lord (his term). The problem is that he insists > >that there is a commonality among all Indians, over > >all time--and not just in an abstract sense. He > >constantly refers to "we" and "us" and "our > >religion" without clarifying who that refers to-- > >and when I or students ask, the response is > >"Indians." He is willing to generalize that all > >Indians know certain things, all Indians have > >always believed certain things, all Indians aspire > >to certain things--in other words, he denies > >diversity among or within groups of Indians over > >time and in different places. > > > >It seems important to him; this isn't about him > >wanting to give me a hard time (though it is the > >most challenging sitution I can recall in 17 years > >of teaching). I think it is about his own > >identity, and therefore it is very important to > >him. However, it is historically inaccurate and I > >cannot let it go. Without ridiculing him, I have > >tried to present evidence to the contrary. We are > >using Nancy Shoemaker's new anthology, American > >Indians, which does a good job of showing a variety > >of perspectives over time. I'm not sure he's > >reading it, having dismissed me as an opponent. > > > >I was prepared to deal with this problem from non- > >native students, but that has not been the problem. > >It's an interesting reversal of my teacherly > >expectations! What is most interesting is that > >other Indian students have taken him on about that, > >as have some White students. Nobody wants to get > >into a big fight, though--northern Minnesotans > >don't seem to do that, whatever their ethnic > >heritage. Kindof a stoic cultural landscape. I > >wondered what you folks think of this situation? > > > >Oh, and I like Jack Betterly's quote in another > >thread--seems appropriate here, too: > > > >"In wide America, in this sprawling map of dizzily > >drawn borders, we find no common culture, nor > >should we expect to. Time has been at work, > >dilatorily, for a few hundred years in this nation, > >not even long enough for us to agree on a speed > >limit, let alone a culture." > > - America, New Mexico > > by Robert Leonard Reid. > > Tucson: University of Arizona Press p.181 > > > >Eileen Walsh > >History Department > >Bemidji State University > >Bemidji MN 56601 > >http://cal.bemidji.msus.edu/history/faculty/ > >walsh.html > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please > visit our Web site at > >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources > for teaching U.S. History. > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > http://explorer.msn.com > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please > visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu > for more resources for teaching U.S. History. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 14:00:35 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Noonan, Ellen" Subject: Sports team "mascots" Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I am not currently teaching myself, but a friend who teaches college in Cleveland was telling me recently about her experiences trying to engage students with the question of the use of American Indian representations in professional sports logos and names. She was struck by the number of students in her African-American history class, where they spend plenty of time on cultural representations of African Americans, who wore Cleveland Indians caps and shirts. When she tried to get them to examine the sports logo critically, they resisted making the connection between what they were studying and what they were wearing. I assume this must come up in other classrooms as well, so can people share their strategies and experiences with students around this question? Thanks. Ellen Ellen Noonan American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning The Graduate Center, City University of New York 365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 7301.10 New York, NY 10016 (212) 817-1969 enoonan@gc.cuny.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 14:12:13 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: David Hanson Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Good question, Ellen. I often wonder why so many people think "Redskins" is okay but probably wouldn't like to see "Darkies" or "Crackers" on team hats and shirts. Dave Hanson At 02:00 PM 5/8/01 -0400, you wrote: >I am not currently teaching myself, but a friend who teaches college in >Cleveland was telling me recently about her experiences trying to engage >students with the question of the use of American Indian representations in >professional sports logos and names. She was struck by the number of >students in her African-American history class, where they spend plenty of >time on cultural representations of African Americans, who wore Cleveland >Indians caps and shirts. When she tried to get them to examine the sports >logo critically, they resisted making the connection between what they were >studying and what they were wearing. > >I assume this must come up in other classrooms as well, so can people share >their strategies and experiences with students around this question? > >Thanks. > >Ellen > > > >Ellen Noonan >American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning >The Graduate Center, City University of New York >365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 7301.10 >New York, NY 10016 >(212) 817-1969 >enoonan@gc.cuny.edu > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 13:23:35 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Susan Witt Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" In-Reply-To: <8FA4DA62F212D4119AD3009027CCB4EC2BAA87@www.nres.uiuc.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Regarding Ellen Noonan's post: >>>...a friend who teaches college in Cleveland was telling me recently about her experiences trying to engage students with the question of the use of American Indian representations in professional sports logos and names. She was struck by the number of students in her African-American history class, where they spend plenty of time on cultural representations of African Americans, who wore Cleveland Indians caps and shirts. When she tried to get them to examine the sports logo critically, they resisted making the connection between what they were studying and what they were wearing. >>>I assume this must come up in other classrooms as well, so can people share their strategies and experiences with students around this question?<<< Sometimes you have to step back and deal with issues in an indirect way. The more you try to argue it, the more set others become. Have you ever read "Heart of a Chief", by Joseph Bruchac? This book deals with this subject directly. Although it is fiction, it presents the problems in a true to life way, as the subject of the story tells his feelings about what he sees going on. Perhaps some excerpts from this book might contribute some. It won't change everyone in the room, of course, but it will give a few some food for thought. I gave it to my niece for Christmas last year, to help her explain my feelings about it. Beyond expressing my feelings, I felt it best not to dwell on the topic. But indirectly, I can let her know why I feel the way I do. Susan Susan Mari Witt Secretary 240 ERML 1201 W. Gregory Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 333-1965 I am not currently teaching myself, but Thanks. Ellen Ellen Noonan American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning The Graduate Center, City University of New York 365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 7301.10 New York, NY 10016 (212) 817-1969 enoonan@gc.cuny.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 14:35:37 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Eileen Walsh Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality On Tue, 8 May 2001 00:15:17 -0400, Denise Jarvis wrote: >Dear Ms. Walsh, >I read with interest about your student who seems to feel that all Indians >think and feel the same way about spirituality. [snip] The real problem is not the way he feels about spirituality, but that he wishes to extrapolate from that feeling to assume a genetic knowledge of history. Two very different things. I recall in the late 1970s hearing one of my fellow grad students in a women's history seminar assert that women could intuit women's history, with or without evidence. I thought that was the most ahistorical nonsense I'd ever heard, and eventually attributed it to the newness of women's history as a subfield at the time. We were all learning a lot, very rapidly. Now this fellow is making basically the same argument (or should I say "essentially" the same argument?). It is not early in the subfield of American Indian history, though it probably is early in this individual's investigation of historical methods. I think that's all it really comes down to. Eileen This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 15:00:30 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Anthony Tothe Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is an excellent point, Ellen. On another but similar note, I find in interesting that US Army helicopters are often sent on "humanitarian"-so it's claimed- missions to prevent, say, ethnic cleansing with names like "Apache" and "Blackhawk." The mainstream press always seems to miss the irony.-Tony ----- Original Message ----- From: Noonan, Ellen To: Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 11:00 AM Subject: Sports team "mascots" > I am not currently teaching myself, but a friend who teaches college in > Cleveland was telling me recently about her experiences trying to engage > students with the question of the use of American Indian representations in > professional sports logos and names. She was struck by the number of > students in her African-American history class, where they spend plenty of > time on cultural representations of African Americans, who wore Cleveland > Indians caps and shirts. When she tried to get them to examine the sports > logo critically, they resisted making the connection between what they were > studying and what they were wearing. > > I assume this must come up in other classrooms as well, so can people share > their strategies and experiences with students around this question? > > Thanks. > > Ellen > > > > Ellen Noonan > American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning > The Graduate Center, City University of New York > 365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 7301.10 > New York, NY 10016 > (212) 817-1969 > enoonan@gc.cuny.edu > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 14:45:17 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Dory Nason Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Eileen, As faculty advisor for Native American Student Body at KSU, we have tried to educate our community on this issue for many years (the local high school has an indian mascot). We recently purchased the documentary entitled "In whose Honor" that deals directly with the issue. The documentary follows University of Illinois student Charlene Teters quest to end the Chief Illinewek mascot. It is geared towards a "unaware" audience and it really got a lot of people to realize our side when we held a viewing on campus. We had a dialogue afterwards and answered many questions. You can obtain a copy of "In whose Honor" if you go to their website. It is kind of pricey for educators, but the video comes with curriculum materials. (i think the website is inwhosehonor.com). It is a great tool for this issue and worthwhile to own. I think if you attempt to teach this issue, you really have to present all sides of the argument, not just have students examine the images because they have no context for them. I also think that you must address reasons why Indians do not feel "honored" by such mascots and portrayals (this is usually the first question/argument). This is where history is useful because you can educate students on what inaccuracies these images represent and you can discuss how schools' misuse of things like eagle feathers offend NA groups. Finally, I think you have to make the issue more than a symbolic one--present to your students why this is a "real" issue for many NA groups. How does it relate to contemporary hardships like teen suicide and addiction? Often, students think it is a non-issue and dismiss it as we are being "oversensitive". Relating to other stereotypes is sometimes useful, but I think that most outside of Indian culture do not know what an Indian stereotype is and what is "real", so this argument is lost on them. I hope this is helpul :) Dory Nason KSU NASB Faculty Advisor PILOTS Program Instructor Kansas State University __________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 14:58:04 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Eileen Walsh Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" One Euro-American student this semester presented results of a survey she did on attitudes towards American Indian sport mascots, and was self-reflective enough to note that while she would use the word "redskins" as an example, she would say "the n word" rather than use the word nigger. She wondered aloud if the two terms were equivalently insulting and inappropriate, and if her willingness to use "the r word" should change. I was glad to see a student thinking, and inviting the class into her process. The discussion in class moved away from that issue, however, perhaps because there are no African American students in the class. It focused instead on this: that the real problem is not so much the specific words used (whether they are honorifics or not, e.g., braves, warriors, chiefs, redskins) but that the terms objectify real, living people. Nobody cares if the Minnesota Vikings (that's a pro football team) reflects on their Scandinavian heritage, because nobody identifies as a Viking. In other words, anachronistic terms are preferable to current terms, positive or negative. I think they would feel differently if a team were named "Chattel" but you get their point, I suspect. Nobody likes being objectified. Eileen This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 12:45:06 -0600 Reply-To: Deborah Chaplin Sender: American Indians Forum From: Deborah Chaplin Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Hanson" To: Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 12:12 PM Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" Good question, Ellen. I often wonder why so many people think "Redskins" is okay but probably wouldn't like to see "Darkies" or "Crackers" on team hats and shirts. Dave Hanson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Redskins" is even more insidious than darkies or crackers-- it is a term used by bounty hunters/trappers when returning to the east from expeditions west, in their tallies of scalps they brought back. deb chaplin This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 22:16:36 +0400 Reply-To: Alexander Shterenberg Sender: American Indians Forum From: Alexander Shterenberg Subject: Who Are We? In-Reply-To: <59.ac301c7.28289867@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=koi8-r Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Dear Cathy: I apologize for not answering your previous message and for not asking you the name of the book about native Americans that had aroused your indignation back in the 1960s. I certainly would like to know the title. Please, give it to me if you can. As far as the other books that can be used in aclassroom, the text by Wendel Oswalt, This Land was Theirs: A Study of Native Americans (a new updated edition is published almost each year) successfully blends history and anthropology. It also, instead of a topical or chronological approach, takes a tribal appraoch (it covers ethnohistories of selected tribes that represent various "cultural areas")The text is very accessible to both first year students and adults, and, in my opinion, can be used in honor classes in high school. Now about the 60s and critical thinking. You write that 60s taught you critical thinking and to speak up. This is great. And from what I read (I had been only ten years old in 1970 and lived in another country where, unfortunately, people could not speak up) at that time, US really needed critical thinkers to break apart the walls of conservatisim, military jingoism and the neglect of minorities' interests. And I guess we agree on this. Our disagreements start at the point where critical thinking is applied selectively. What if "critical thinkers" (generation of the 1960s)and their ideas become dominant in our society? Should be make them immune to criticism? What happens when "critical thinkers" come to power (universities, government, media) and take their ideas to the extreme (the only "correct ideas" in their view) or make them into an established fashion? I guess I lived enough under totalitarianism to accept any orthodoxy no matter what political spectrum it comes fro! m. To get back to your previous message. You challenged me by reminding me of the 1890 Wounded-Knee massacre and the tragic fate of Lost Bird. Still, you missed my point. I only tried to suggest that so-called Indian-White relations were not a total battleground. In addition to wars and conflicts and facts of genocide, we should enlighten our students about such activities as pan-Indian Society of American Indians, Native American Church and Handsome Lake religion (which tried to merge Christian and Native traditions bringing to life a new culture) or about so much cursed "black robes," some of whom had helped demorilized native communities. Moreover, in senior classes we may try to expose students to how different historians write Native American history by giving them samples of such histories: for example, De Brown, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Black Elk Speaks, Deloria and at the same time, for instance, Colin Colloway, New World for All, Merill's Catawba's New World, or ! Steltenkamp's Black Elk. And then let students make a judgement who writes better histories. Or may be they will simply draw a conclusion that there are many visions of history and we shpuld at least try to accomodate them? With my warm reagards, AS This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 12:26:00 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Dugaw Michael Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" How about the famous minor league baseball team the Atlanta Crackers? -----Original Message----- From: David Hanson [mailto:dhanson@VW.CC.VA.US] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 11:12 AM To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" Good question, Ellen. I often wonder why so many people think "Redskins" is okay but probably wouldn't like to see "Darkies" or "Crackers" on team hats and shirts. Dave Hanson At 02:00 PM 5/8/01 -0400, you wrote: >I am not currently teaching myself, but a friend who teaches college in >Cleveland was telling me recently about her experiences trying to engage >students with the question of the use of American Indian representations in >professional sports logos and names. She was struck by the number of >students in her African-American history class, where they spend plenty of >time on cultural representations of African Americans, who wore Cleveland >Indians caps and shirts. When she tried to get them to examine the sports >logo critically, they resisted making the connection between what they were >studying and what they were wearing. > >I assume this must come up in other classrooms as well, so can people share >their strategies and experiences with students around this question? > >Thanks. > >Ellen > > > >Ellen Noonan >American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning >The Graduate Center, City University of New York >365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 7301.10 >New York, NY 10016 >(212) 817-1969 >enoonan@gc.cuny.edu > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 13:31:39 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Ellen Noonan, RE: Cleveland Indians baseball caps on black students Did you ask your students what the angry Indian on the cap represented to them? It has been common knowledge among gang members in midwestern cities that the reversal of the Indian imagery has appeal to other youth of color. The Oakland Raiders used this logic in their silver-and-black colors, and their menacing face on their logo (Raiders' jackets have been the target of thefts/strong-arm burglaries for young gang members). The appeal of the Indian-as-resistor-of-oppression iconography is what motivates some inner-city youth to appropriate symbols that others find repugnant/racist/sexist/hegemonic, etc. You also might look at how street gangs of Paris in the 1920s adopted what they thought were the "savage" symbols from American western films, and dressed in what they called the "Apache" style. Paris also was adopting black icons in the music scene they called "le jazz haute," or "Hot Jazz" performed by whites and blacks in the style that they had heard and seen from WWI black soldiers. It is little surprise that by 1927 Al Jolson is making a film about the jazz scene by wearing blackface (itself an old white appropriation of blackness now seen as racist and insensitive). It would be interesting to have other opinions on the use of the "wrong" Indian symbols by groups whom we might assume had a sympathy for oppressed peoples other than themselves (I have often wondered if the ad campaign for Crazy Horse malt liquor, intended for black males in inner-cities, did not follow this logic). Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado > This is an excellent point, Ellen. > > On another but similar note, I find in interesting that US Army >helicopters are often sent on "humanitarian"-so it's claimed- missions to >prevent, say, ethnic cleansing with names like "Apache" and "Blackhawk." >The mainstream press always seems to miss the irony.-Tony > > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Noonan, Ellen >To: >Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 11:00 AM >Subject: Sports team "mascots" > > >> I am not currently teaching myself, but a friend who teaches college in >> Cleveland was telling me recently about her experiences trying to engage >> students with the question of the use of American Indian representations >in >> professional sports logos and names. She was struck by the number of >> students in her African-American history class, where they spend plenty of >> time on cultural representations of African Americans, who wore Cleveland >> Indians caps and shirts. When she tried to get them to examine the sports >> logo critically, they resisted making the connection between what they >were >> studying and what they were wearing. >> >> I assume this must come up in other classrooms as well, so can people >share >> their strategies and experiences with students around this question? >> >> Thanks. >> >> Ellen >> >> >> >> Ellen Noonan >> American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning >> The Graduate Center, City University of New York >> 365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 7301.10 >> New York, NY 10016 >> (212) 817-1969 >> enoonan@gc.cuny.edu >> >> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. >> > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 18:21:43 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_99.147837ae.2829cb77_boundary" --part1_99.147837ae.2829cb77_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Eileen, Very good point to bring up concerning Sport Team "mascots," I am wondering why we don't Have for example the Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington White Man Givers, or possibly Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to direct this at a specific state I am just putting a white name with the first state I think of. Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly think it is hard to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in their offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. This may be one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is hard to find one deserving of a team sport. Is it possible that Native people are used to signify team spirit, power and romantic gestures, because whites just don't get it? Is it possible that history viewed through Euro-Americans eyes saw and maybe still see a people who have endured, haven't left on boats to some unknown continent and taken control of it's inhabitants? Is it possible that a culture of people want to take a stand for their Native lands and keep the faith alive rather than destroy another culture elsewhere? I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has been an ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they were and make the situation there work for them? I don't mean to get off the subject of Mascots or even American Indians History, but I feel like if I could answer this question it would help me answer the question of why venture elsewhere and why did people stay???? Why didn't they just take a vacation, like many do today and enjoy the surroundings and then return to the land where you were born? Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, and this is the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land here it is the only land I know and believe me I do everything I can possibly think of to treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my ancestors thinking like this in Europe? If they were then why venture, other than for change or new experience what would drive so many people to leave a country they born into? Still Wondering, In Sisterhood, Cathy --part1_99.147837ae.2829cb77_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Eileen,
Very good point to bring up concerning Sport Team "mascots," I am wondering
why we don't Have for example the Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington White
Man Givers, or possibly Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to direct
this at a specific state I am just putting a white name with the first state
I think of. Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly think it
is hard to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in their
offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. This may be
one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is hard to find
one deserving of a team sport.
Is it possible that Native people are used to signify team spirit, power and
romantic gestures, because whites just don't get it?
Is it possible that history viewed through Euro-Americans eyes saw and maybe
still see a people who have endured, haven't left on boats to some unknown
continent and taken control of it's inhabitants?
Is it possible that a culture of people want to take a stand for their Native
lands and keep the faith alive rather than destroy another culture elsewhere?
I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has been an
ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they were and
make the situation there work for them? I don't mean to get off the subject
of Mascots or even American Indians History, but I feel like if I could
answer this question it would help me answer the question of why venture
elsewhere and why did people stay???? Why didn't they just take a vacation,
like many do today and enjoy the surroundings and then return to the land
where you were born?
Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, and this is
the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land here it is the
only land I know and believe me I do everything I can possibly think of to
treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my ancestors thinking like this
in Europe? If they were then why venture, other than for change or new
experience what would drive so many people to leave a country they born into?
Still Wondering,
In Sisterhood,
Cathy
--part1_99.147837ae.2829cb77_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 18:39:54 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Who Are We? (Book suggestions) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_38.15cf1065.2829cfba_boundary" --part1_38.15cf1065.2829cfba_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, I'd like to thank Cathy for the kind words. And, have put together a list of books that might inspire, challenge, or just make sense. "Standing in the Light" by Severt Young Bear "Oceti Wakan" by Pete Catches "Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions" by John Fire Lame Deer "Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James Loewen "The Heirs of Columbus" by Gerald Vizenor "Indian Givers" by Jack Weatherford "Killing the White Man's Indian" by Fergus Bordewich "Indians Are Us?" by Ward Churchill "A Little Matter of Genocide" by Churchill "Waterlilly" by Ella Deloria "Growing Up Native American" edited by Patricia Riley "Black Elk's Story" by Julian Rice "Before the Great Spirit" Rice "Ella Deloria's The Buffalo People" Rice For fiction, anything by Sherman ALexie, Louise Erdrich, Winona LaDuke. I hope this list helps, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_38.15cf1065.2829cfba_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
  I'd like to thank Cathy for the kind words.  And, have put together a list
of books that might inspire, challenge, or just make sense.  

"Standing in the Light" by Severt Young Bear
"Oceti Wakan" by Pete Catches
"Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions" by John Fire Lame Deer
"Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James Loewen
"The Heirs of Columbus" by Gerald Vizenor
"Indian Givers" by Jack Weatherford
"Killing the White Man's Indian" by Fergus Bordewich
"Indians Are Us?" by Ward Churchill
"A Little Matter of Genocide" by Churchill
"Waterlilly" by Ella Deloria
"Growing Up Native American" edited by Patricia Riley
"Black Elk's Story" by Julian Rice
"Before the Great Spirit" Rice
"Ella Deloria's The Buffalo People" Rice

For fiction, anything by Sherman ALexie, Louise Erdrich, Winona LaDuke.

I hope this list helps,

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_38.15cf1065.2829cfba_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 16:48:46 -0600 Reply-To: Deborah Chaplin Sender: American Indians Forum From: Deborah Chaplin Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_002A_01C0D7DE.C00D9100" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_002A_01C0D7DE.C00D9100 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear Cathy -- this has to do with Europeans being the Keepers of the = Fire, the Medicine Wheel, and the whole larger scheme of things. And = that is a whole different topic. deb chaplin ----- Original Message -----=20 From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM=20 To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20 Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 4:21 PM Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" Eileen,=20 Very good point to bring up concerning Sport Team "mascots," I am = wondering=20 why we don't Have for example the Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington = White=20 Man Givers, or possibly Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to = direct=20 this at a specific state I am just putting a white name with the first = state=20 I think of. Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly = think it=20 is hard to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in = their=20 offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. This = may be=20 one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is hard to = find=20 one deserving of a team sport.=20 Is it possible that Native people are used to signify team spirit, = power and=20 romantic gestures, because whites just don't get it?=20 Is it possible that history viewed through Euro-Americans eyes saw and = maybe=20 still see a people who have endured, haven't left on boats to some = unknown=20 continent and taken control of it's inhabitants?=20 Is it possible that a culture of people want to take a stand for their = Native=20 lands and keep the faith alive rather than destroy another culture = elsewhere?=20 I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has = been an=20 ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they = were and=20 make the situation there work for them? I don't mean to get off the = subject=20 of Mascots or even American Indians History, but I feel like if I = could=20 answer this question it would help me answer the question of why = venture=20 elsewhere and why did people stay???? Why didn't they just take a = vacation,=20 like many do today and enjoy the surroundings and then return to the = land=20 where you were born?=20 Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, and = this is=20 the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land here it = is the=20 only land I know and believe me I do everything I can possibly think = of to=20 treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my ancestors thinking = like this=20 in Europe? If they were then why venture, other than for change or new = experience what would drive so many people to leave a country they = born into?=20 Still Wondering,=20 In Sisterhood,=20 Cathy=20 ------=_NextPart_000_002A_01C0D7DE.C00D9100 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dear Cathy -- = this has to do=20 with Europeans being the Keepers of the Fire, the Medicine Wheel, and = the whole=20 larger scheme of things.  And that is a whole different=20 topic.
 
deb=20 chaplin
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 CATSTEP16@AOL.COM
To: AMERICANINDIA= NSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 = 4:21 PM
Subject: Re: Sports team = "mascots"

Eileen,
Very good point to bring up = concerning=20 Sport Team "mascots," I am wondering
why we don't Have for example = the=20 Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington White
Man Givers, or possibly = Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to direct
this at a = specific=20 state I am just putting a white name with the first state
I think = of.=20 Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly think it =
is hard=20 to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in their=20
offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. = This may=20 be
one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is = hard to=20 find
one deserving of a team sport.
Is it possible that Native = people=20 are used to signify team spirit, power and
romantic gestures, = because=20 whites just don't get it?
Is it possible that history viewed = through=20 Euro-Americans eyes saw and maybe
still see a people who have = endured,=20 haven't left on boats to some unknown
continent and taken control = of it's=20 inhabitants?
Is it possible that a culture of people want to take = a stand=20 for their Native
lands and keep the faith alive rather than = destroy=20 another culture elsewhere?
I guess the biggest question that keeps = entering my head and this has been an
ongoing question for me, why = didn't=20 Euro-Americans stay where they were and
make the situation there = work for=20 them? I don't mean to get off the subject
of Mascots or even = American=20 Indians History, but I feel like if I could
answer this question = it would=20 help me answer the question of why venture
elsewhere and why did = people=20 stay???? Why didn't they just take a vacation,
like many do today = and=20 enjoy the surroundings and then return to the land
where you were = born?=20
Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, = and this=20 is
the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land = here it=20 is the
only land I know and believe me I do everything I can = possibly=20 think of to
treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my = ancestors=20 thinking like this
in Europe? If they were then why venture, other = than=20 for change or new
experience what would drive so many people to = leave a=20 country they born into?
Still Wondering,
In Sisterhood, =
Cathy=20
------=_NextPart_000_002A_01C0D7DE.C00D9100-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 18:52:42 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Who Are We? Tribal histories MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_80.ad2c0d0.2829d2ba_boundary" --part1_80.ad2c0d0.2829d2ba_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Greetings AS and others, =A0=A0=A0Dorreen Yellow Bird's project is a tribal history of the Three Affl= iated=20 Tribes (Arikara, Mandan, Hidatsu). =A0We published an article about this boo= k,=20 and I'm happy to share the link with you and others. =A0I will also write to= =20 Dorreen today, and see if the book has been released. =A0When we did the=20 article (April) it had not yet been released, but was soon to be. =A0=A0Here= is=20 the link to the article. http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues01/Co04072001/CO_04072001_Dorreen.htm. Thank you so much for asking, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_80.ad2c0d0.2829d2ba_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Greetings AS and others,
=A0=A0=A0Dorreen Yellow Bird's project is a tribal history of the Three=20= Affliated=20
Tribes (Arikara, Mandan, Hidatsu). =A0We published an article about this= book,=20
and I'm happy to share the link with you and others. =A0I will also writ= e to=20
Dorreen today, and see if the book has been released. =A0When we did the= =20
article (April) it had not yet been released, but was soon to be. =A0= =A0Here is=20
the link to the article.
http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues01/Co04072001/CO_04072001_Dorreen.htm.

Thank you so much for asking,

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_80.ad2c0d0.2829d2ba_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 09:33:10 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Susan Witt Subject: Re: Why people came here; and white guilt In-Reply-To: <8FA4DA62F212D4119AD3009027CCB4EC2BAAA1@www.nres.uiuc.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cathy asked an interesting question, and I'd like to respond to it. >>>>> I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has been an ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they were and make the situation there work for them? <<<<< I you have any grandparents left, you might consider asking them. My paternal grandmother was somewhat interested in her genealogy, and she talked occasionally about where my family came from. I wasn't interested at the time, so I missed most of it. I do know that on both sides of my family, we came around the time of and slightly after the American Civil War. My general understanding of the time is that there were major economic depressions in Europe, in part caused by the development of the plow and the mass farming of land here in the Central U.S. It led to a drop in grain prices. It also led to consolidation of land in Europe -- you had to have enough land to justify the expense of the plows -- which meant that the smaller farmers lost their land. They were pretty much pushed out. At the same time, advertising in Europe depicted a land that was cheap and uninhabited. Not true, of course, but that was what people were led to believe. I was also told by my maternal grandmother that a number of people left Germany at that time to avoid the draft. This might seem cowardly and unpatriotic to people who have been raised to believe that you should fight to protect your country, but it could also mean that people didn't think it was worth dying to fight in someone else's war that you didn't believe in. When people with power decide that they have some argument with some other powerful person, or want to extend their power or land holdings, they don't do the fighting themselves, they use the less powerful people under their jurisdiction to become cannon fodder for them. Interestingly, I just started reading a history book that relates American Indian history to world history. Don't remember the name of it, and I have it at home so I can't check right now. However, I'm still at the pre-history stage, and one of the things it notes is that there were a number of migrations here in the Americas, in a number of directions. One comment that it made was that not everyone sees migrations across the Bering Strait as being only in one direction -- people seem to have moved back and forth in both directions. Similarly, there seem to have been a number of migrations in a number of directions here throughout history. Although American Indians did not conquer nations across continents, they do seem to have moved around quite a bit within these particular continents (North & South American, and northeast Asia). This is not to justify, of course, what Europeans did here. By the way, America is not the only place that Europeans went and treated this way. England, for example, was particularly brutal in Ireland -- sort of did a trial run there before they headed out for the Americas. Seems like we're always led to believe the war in Ireland is about religious beliefs -- it isn't. Just happens that the English interlopers were Protestant (thanks to Henry VIII), and the Irish are Catholic. It has to do with being the conqueror vs. being the conquered, and the associated economic and political disparity. (For that matter, it may be that the English were originally descended from some of the Germanic tribes in Europe, pushed the Welsh and Scots towards the fringes -- but I'm not so sure about that one.) It used to be, that I did not want to think about where I came from. I associated being white (particularly German) with everything I hated. Slavery, taking land from Native Americans, and Hitler in Germany. However, looking more closely at it, I can honestly say my ancestors did not take part in those particular activities. Coming here as landless skilled or semi-skilled craftsmen during or after the Civil War, they did not own slaves. Coming here before World War II, they did not take part in Nazi Germany. Settling here in the Midwest after the Indian Wars has pushed the Indians farther west, they did not take part in those wars. On the other hand, they did share the cultural attitudes that led to each of those activities. I cannot change what people in the past have done, nor could I change the racist actions and attitudes I have observed my parents and grandparents engaging in. I do not control them, and do not feel any great need to feel guilty about things I have no control over. I do, however, have control over how I live my life out, the decisions I make, and the impact I have on other people. I sometimes think that this tendency towards guilt is one of the more unhealthy aspects of my own culture. (This is not to say that I reject my culture outright -- only that I can see with clear eyes that there are undesirable aspects of it.) To the extent that it helps us grow towards more responsible ways of doing things, it could be healthy. On the other hand, sometimes it seems to do more to paralyze us and lead us to feel helpless -- we're just bad people and can't do anything to change that, any more than we can change the past. It's a bunch of bull, since, although we can't change the past, we can determine what kind of impact we have on the future. Sometimes, in an odd sort of way, our guilt gives us an excuse not to do anything. We pay for things by punishing ourselves with guilt, and then, since we've paid for it with bad feelings, we don't have to make amends because we've already paid the price. It's okay to do something bad as long as you feel guilty for it afterwards. At any rate, this drive towards feeling guilty does seem to be part of the religious heritage we brought from Europe. We may separate it from religion, but it did come as part and parcel of the religious beliefs that were brought here. Calvinism, Puritanism, and Catholicism all seem to include this in their informal doctrines. A large number of us have dropped the God parts, but kept the guilt thing. (Should have been the other way around, I think.) ; ) When I was taking a class in African-American studies, one of the students made a comment that when you see an injustice taking place, and you do nothing to stop it, you are just as much of the problem as the people who are committing the injustice. As she said that, I was thinking about how the people who did not believe in Hitler but did nothing to stop him also contributed to his success against the Jewish people. I think there is a lot of truth in that. The question of what I do is really important. At the same time, it is also true that when white people get involved in other people's struggles, we tend to take over and control the agendas, pushing our own viewpoints and ideas for action. This is also a cultural thing. We are taught to direct, to manipulate, to push. Kids that get the most attention in school are the kids who most aggressively push for it. If we don't learn to interrupt, we often don't get to state our point of view. Adults get excited when their babies learn to pick up objects and do things with them. We are taught to learn by doing instead of learning by watching. We have shorter wait times between speaking terms than a number of other cultures. Much of what we do is unintentional, but the fact remains that we often push our own view before we listen to others. This also happens when men and women are put together in a group, for instance (the men often tend to dominate), and when adults and youth are put together (the youth will get very silent, and feel they are not being listened to - and they will be right). So, what is the balance? In the posting from the Anthony Tothe, the support that he noted as helpful is asked for, and allows those doing the asking to remain in control. Part of it is a matter of understanding what the problems are what the historical background to the problems are, and sharing that understanding with other people. Support can mean direct involvement, or it can mean indirect pressures. It has to be connected to respecting and giving deference to the concerns of the people to whom you are offering your support. And it has to leave them in control of their own destinies. Susan This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 01:25:52 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ann Haugo Subject: Re: Sports Team "Mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Another useful essay to use in the classroom is Philip Deloria's "I Am Not a Mascot." It's anthologized in Lawana Trout's NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE and in Fred Hoxie's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. In the latter text, it appears as the entry titled, "Mascots and Other Public Appropriations of Indians and Indian Culture by Whites." I've taught this essay along with images from Ableza's "Honor and Pain" virtual gallery (www.ableza.org, follow "Honor and Pain" link). Artist Diane Way has taken several commodified images and parodically altered their representation, then juxtaposed those images with contemporary Native art. In reading the difference between these images as well as the colonial assumptions parodied by Way's recreations, students can begin to see the mythology which fuels product images like the Land O Lakes "princess." My theory so far: If I begin with images in which my students are less personally invested (I teach in central Illinois, home of 'chief' illiniwek), the critique of the 'chief' and other mascots emerges from a broader context -- educating students about the mythologies which make "noble savage" or "indian princess" images seductive to the American public. Ann Haugo Illinois State University This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 06:34:38 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Danny Packer Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi. My name is Danny Packer and I teach high school American studies. David's observation is accurate in my experience. When I have spoken to students about the mascot issue, I make the analogy you describe. How would people respond to the Detroit Darkies or the New York Kikes. My kids seem to really get this point, and it is my sense that when they see "Redskins" or the cartooonish Cleveland Indian image as being essentially the same as using Darkie or Kike then they can begin to reject the indian as mascot. Figuring out what to do about it is another thing, but recognizing the issue is a big first step. danny David Hanson wrote: > > Good question, Ellen. I often wonder why so many people think "Redskins" > is okay but probably wouldn't like to see "Darkies" or "Crackers" on team > hats and shirts. > > Dave Hanson > > At 02:00 PM 5/8/01 -0400, you wrote: > >I am not currently teaching myself, but a friend who teaches college in > >Cleveland was telling me recently about her experiences trying to engage > >students with the question of the use of American Indian representations in > >professional sports logos and names. She was struck by the number of > >students in her African-American history class, where they spend plenty of > >time on cultural representations of African Americans, who wore Cleveland > >Indians caps and shirts. When she tried to get them to examine the sports > >logo critically, they resisted making the connection between what they were > >studying and what they were wearing. > > > >I assume this must come up in other classrooms as well, so can people share > >their strategies and experiences with students around this question? > > > >Thanks. > > > >Ellen > > > > > > > >Ellen Noonan > >American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning > >The Graduate Center, City University of New York > >365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 7301.10 > >New York, NY 10016 > >(212) 817-1969 > >enoonan@gc.cuny.edu > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at > http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > > > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 08:40:30 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Stuart Manson Subject: "Aboriginal" in Canada MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0029_01C0D863.B43AD3D0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0029_01C0D863.B43AD3D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable An item of note, with regard to the recent discussion of the use of = "aboriginal" in Canada: The term was, no doubt, used in British North = America for decades, but it rose to prominence in modern Canada in 1982 = when it was included in Section 35 of our constitution. The "aboriginal = peoples of Canada" were described therein as "Indian, Inuit and M=E9tis = peoples." -Stuart Manson ------=_NextPart_000_0029_01C0D863.B43AD3D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

An item of note, with regard to the recent discussion of the use of=20 "aboriginal" in Canada: The term was, no doubt, used in British North = America=20 for decades, but it rose to prominence in modern Canada in 1982 when it = was=20 included in Section 35 of our constitution. The "aboriginal peoples of = Canada"=20 were described therein as "Indian, Inuit and M=E9tis peoples."

-Stuart Manson

------=_NextPart_000_0029_01C0D863.B43AD3D0-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 09:54:49 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: "Aboriginal" in Canada Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Original Message From American Indians Forum =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D For Stuart Manson, Thanks for the clarification on the official use of the term "aboriginal" in Canada. Where might one find a copy of the Canadian constitution of 1982 that could be downloaded and distributed to students in an American Indian history course? Where also could one read about the decision to make "aboriginal" the unifying term for Canada's vast heritage of Native/mixed-race peoples? Michael Welsh History Dep >An item of note, with regard to the recent discussion of the use of "aboriginal" in Canada: The term was, no doubt, used in British North America for decades, but it rose to prominence in modern Canada in 1982 when it was included in Section 35 of our constitution. The "aboriginal >peoples of Canada" were described therein as "Indian, Inuit and M=E9tis peoples." > >-Stuart Manson This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 13:28:31 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Stuart Manson Subject: Re: "Aboriginal" in Canada MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit The Constitution Act, 1982 can be found at: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/const/index.html . Canada's original constitution, the British North America Act, 1867, is available there too. Incidentally, that legilsation refers only to "Indians and lands reserved for Indians." While not directly addressing Micheal Welsh's second question, an interesting but brief analysis of the period and a commentary on the terminology issue are included in Thomas Flanagan's recent and controversial book _First Nations? Second Thoughts_. > >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum > ===== > > For Stuart Manson, > > Thanks for the clarification on the official use of the term "aboriginal" in > Canada. Where might one find a copy of the Canadian constitution of 1982 that > could be downloaded and distributed to students in an American Indian history > course? Where also could one read about the decision to make "aboriginal" > the unifying term for Canada's vast heritage of Native/mixed-race peoples? > > Michael Welsh > History Dep > > > > > > >An item of note, with regard to the recent discussion of the use of > "aboriginal" in Canada: The term was, no doubt, used in British North America > for decades, but it rose to prominence in modern Canada in 1982 when it was > included in Section 35 of our constitution. The "aboriginal > >peoples of Canada" were described therein as "Indian, Inuit and Métis > peoples." > > > >-Stuart Manson > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 12:29:55 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Reece, Jo A" Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" The issue of mascot names came up in a Tribal Governance Symposium that I attended here at OU in March. It was mentioned that the University of Oklahoma did away with our sports mascot "Little Red" in the 1970s, and it seems like it has taken a long time for other schools and sports teams to recognize that such figures are offensive to most native peoples. One of our OU art professors, Edgar Heap of Birds, did a really striking painting of the Cleveland Redskins mascot with the words, "Smile for Racism" below it. However, in a book which I edited recently, a revised edition of "American Indians: Answers to Today's Questions" by Jack Utter that we will publish this fall, the author includes a photo of the RED MESA REDSKINS sign in front of Red Mesa High School on the Navajo Reservation. About 99 percent of the students at the school are Navajo, and they chose the name of their school mascot. So the issue of stereotypes can be confusing and, as Utter notes, "words that reflect one person's prejudice can sometimes reflect another person's pride." It's fascinating to read all the ideas, questions, and answers that are being discussed in this forum. My thanks to Professor Hoxie and everyone involved! Jo Ann Reece Jo Ann Reece Acquisitions Editor American Indian and Latin American studies University of Oklahoma Press 1005 Asp Avenue Norman, OK 73019 jreece@ou.edu (405) 325-2734 > -----Original Message----- > From: Dory Nason [SMTP:DorNason@NETSCAPE.NET] > Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 1:45 PM > To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" > > Eileen, > > As faculty advisor for Native American Student Body at KSU, we have tried > to educate our community on this issue for many years (the local high > school has an indian mascot). We recently purchased the documentary > entitled "In whose Honor" that deals directly with the issue. The > documentary follows University of Illinois student Charlene Teters quest > to end the Chief Illinewek mascot. It is geared towards a "unaware" > audience and it really got a lot of people to realize our side when we > held a viewing on campus. We had a dialogue afterwards and answered many > questions. > > You can obtain a copy of "In whose Honor" if you go to their website. It > is kind of pricey for educators, but the video comes with curriculum > materials. (i think the website is inwhosehonor.com). It is a great tool > for this issue and worthwhile to own. > > I think if you attempt to teach this issue, you really have to present all > sides of the argument, not just have students examine the images because > they have no context for them. > > I also think that you must address reasons why Indians do not feel > "honored" by such mascots and portrayals (this is usually the first > question/argument). This is where history is useful because you can > educate students on what inaccuracies these images represent and you can > discuss how schools' misuse of things like eagle feathers offend NA > groups. > > Finally, I think you have to make the issue more than a symbolic > one--present to your students why this is a "real" issue for many NA > groups. How does it relate to contemporary hardships like teen suicide > and addiction? Often, students think it is a non-issue and dismiss it as > we are being "oversensitive". Relating to other stereotypes is sometimes > useful, but I think that most outside of Indian culture do not know what > an Indian stereotype is and what is "real", so this argument is lost on > them. > > I hope this is helpul :) > > Dory Nason > KSU NASB Faculty Advisor > PILOTS Program Instructor > Kansas State University > > __________________________________________________________________ > Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at > http://webmail.netscape.com/ > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at > http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. > History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 15:54:19 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Anthony Tothe Subject: Re: Why people came here; and white guilt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: Susan Witt To: Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2001 7:33 AM Subject: Re: Why people came here; and white guilt > > > > So, what is the balance? In the posting from the Anthony Tothe, the support > that he noted as helpful is asked for, and allows those doing the asking to > remain in control. Part of it is a matter of understanding what the problems > are what the historical background to the problems are, and sharing that > understanding with other people. Support can mean direct involvement, or it > can mean indirect pressures. It has to be connected to respecting and > giving deference to the concerns of the people to whom you are offering your > support. And it has to leave them in control of their own destinies. > > Susan Susan, I think your post is excellent....I just want to clarify something. Being a rather well off white person of privilege, it seems to me that I have options that others don't. I can offer my help to others involved in actions that I agree with. I don't impose my help on them. If I offer help and others don't want it, then I think it is right to respect their wishes. This is very rare though....most groups are usually looking for the help they can get. Human beings are moral agents, states and other instruments of power-like corporations-are not. You're responsible for the predictable consequences of your action/inaction. So that gives us a choice whenever we see some kind of oppression that others are facing. A)Do nothing, or B)act in such a way to try to mitigate the oppression. That's a choice we make. It also helps to keep in mind that one person can't do a hell of a lot. To point is to raise awareness of something, organize around it and then act as a mass movement for change. That's how you make the world a better place. That's how all advances in humanity have taken place. You are also right that we can't do anything about the past. So we should concentrate on what we can do something about. So I focus on what the United States is doing, not,say, Norway. Those decisions I can have a say in, especially given that the government is suppose to be a democracy. Whether it is or not is a separate issue. I also think you're right that guilt can be a obstacle to action. I think that if one looks at history as honestly as they can, the world is a better place than it was 100 years ago. It is a never ending struggle, but I think that we start today on a higher plane than we did in the past.. Just to give a very trivial example that pertains to this group, when I was kid it was very common to play cowboys and Indians. The Indians were always the bad guys, the savages, looking to kill the cowboys. No one thought that there was anything wrong with this. That's sort of like little German kids playing Aryans and Jews. I don't think kids play cowboys and Indians today, at least not the way I did when I was a youngster. I think that is cultural advancement for society.-Tony > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 09:29:44 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Noonan, Ellen" Subject: Let's Be Specific (from F. Hoxie) In-Reply-To: Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Dear Friends: After a brief absence, I am now back reading the exchanges and questions (and answers) flying around our virtual classroom. I keep feeling like the instructor who has too many precocious students who want to take us in all sorts of interesting directions. Great! And we have a month, so there will be time to pursue these threads. First let me summarize some points that seem pretty widely agreed upon: 1. Language is a very important way to access the values of a culture. Understanding Native languages can be a very important way to gain insights into the encounters between Indians and non-Indians. (While generally agreed upon, it is remarkable to me that few people have really explored this insight with a detailed, linguisitically informed analysis of a treaty council, the translation of a religious document, or a personal relationship that crossed cultural borders. DeMallie's Sixth Grandfather, to me comes closest but that is not really focused on languge per se. Keith Basso's Wisdom Sits in Places also veers close. 2. Whatever terms are to be used should be explained to students and alternative discussed. 3. It is good (how is another problem) to bring contemporary issues and dilemmas into historical discussions of Native Americans. 4. While we may disagree about "Indian-ness" there seems to be general agreement that Native American culture and ethnicity are complicated, affected as they are by historical disruptions, intermarriage and technological change. You can see I am starting with the easy stuff. Then there are the questions of sources. A few comments. The Chelsea House series (now nearly 20 years in the past) remains an excellent set of introductory texts for young readers. They are generally quite reliable and contain good bibliographies. They were written by "experts" (people who were at the time engaged in larger projects on their assigned tribe) but they were very poorly edited. Little attention was paid to photographs and captions, so unless an author got very involved personally, some of the books contain unfortunate errors. In general I would recommend the series, but the books have been out long enough that librarians can check out reviews if they want to avoid the more problematic titles. The publishers also produced a series of even simpler versions of many of the books--almost always without consulting the original authors--so there are more titles available for even younger readers. Exercise caution there. Second, I was the general editor for a series of 24 Time-Life books on American Indians. These are still in print. More than 2 million have been sold (no, I don't get royalties!). It is easy to denigrate books that are hawked on late night television, but I am actually quite proud of this series. Each book had an "expert" who oversaw the research and writing of the volume. The photo research was the most extensive and professional I have ever seen. The books are beautiful. They are written in the anonymous Time-Life style, but they contain wonderful pictures, many original maps and diagrams, and good bibliographies. The authors for the volumes are "The Editors of Time Life," but they should not be too hard to locate. Many titles have shown up in used and remaindered book shelves. Third, I would suggest having a look at my ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, published in 1996 by Houghton Mifflin. This is a one-volume book that I designed to be "the one book you should start with" when it comes to Native American history and culture. You tell me if it works, but there are about 400 entries by 250 or so people. It is not a dictionary--not every tribe has an entry and many individuals are not included--but the entries are relatively long and many of the entries are written by Native American authors. (I tried to have a tribal member write each of the 100 tribal entries, but didn't make it.) Finally, many of you have mentioned good websites. There are a number that are excellent. One not mentioned yet is the American Indian list serve that is part of H-Net. It is called H-Amindian and it focuses on Native American history. It is maintained by the history department at Arizona State; mostly by graduate students who do an excellent job. It contains a daily digest of news stories which I find fascinating and absolutely impossible to keep up with! As for our areas of disagreement: Of what use is "white sympathy?" Can there be "Indian history" that is not based on oral sources? Should Indian people be presented as "natural," virtuous" and "ecological"--particularly to students who are ignorant of both Native American cultures and the horrors visited upon them? How and where should "Indian voices" be brought into history courses? And which voices are "Indian?" How do we know? These are very broad questions--and I may be misrepresenting someone--but it seems to me that the most productive approach to addressing them might be to think small. Specifics. Details. If our concern is history, how do we present specific events and people? Would a discussion of historical specifics help us eventually address the "big" questions? Let's see: Here are some suggestions: John Smith and Pocahantas? (What was that all about?) The Fur Trade? (Who killed all the beaver and why?) Colonial alliances? (Iroquois/English, Algonquin/French, etc. Who manipulated whom?) Fallen Timbers? (Who won and why? Did Greenville mean anything?) Cherokee "civilization" in the early 19th century? Sioux expansion onto the plains? The impact of European ideas on Native American gender relations (that's pretty broad, but one could focus on the fur trade or the Cherokees or contemporary reservation politics)? Wounded Knee I? Lives of "mediators" from Joseph Brant to Keokuk to Spotted Tail to Sara Winnemuca to Ben Campbell? AIM and the 1960s-70s? I hesitate to list more. I feel we have had a good start to our discussion. Let's move on to some specifics. At the risk of overload, let me make one more suggestion: We might focus as well on some individual titles that may or may not be useful for classroom use or personal inspiration. Let me list three: Fergus Bordewich, Killing the White Man's Indian Joseph Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks E.H. Spicer, Cycles of Conquest Are any of them models of scholarship? I am tuned in! Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 15:37:05 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" In-Reply-To: <99.147837ae.2829cb77@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="============_-1222674670==_ma============" --============_-1222674670==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" It's always been hard for anyone to offend me without my cooperation, so while the term "EuroAmerican" leaps off the page as one of those comedy routines from Politically Incorrect, it's less offensive to me than embarrassing for people who use it. Why are so many people so wrapped up in a sense of responsibility for attributing labels and attributes to other people? If someone wants to be an African American, Mexican American, Native American and/or Working Class American, that's their business, and the business must fulfill a need. Terrific! Is there some reason why the need isn't fulfilled for everyone, and those for whom the need to label isn't fulfilled there is the need to label everyone else? The labeling doesn't serve to clarify anything, for "EuroAmerican" doesn't mean anything at all about what a person is other than an accident of birth, in my case, three generations removed. I'm far more accurately an "agriAmerican" than a "EuroAmerican"; or a "PennAmerican," a" literoAmerican," or an" instructoAmerican" than a "EuroAmerican." But for those whose need systerm is to label themselves, and everyone else, have at it. "EuroAmerican" is inelegant and sounds comedic, but offensive only to people who cooperate in the offense. Leif Fearn SDSU Leif Fearn >Eileen, >Very good point to bring up concerning Sport Team "mascots," I am wondering >why we don't Have for example the Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington White >Man Givers, or possibly Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to direct >this at a specific state I am just putting a white name with the first state >I think of. Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly think it >is hard to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in their >offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. This may be >one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is hard to find >one deserving of a team sport. >Is it possible that Native people are used to signify team spirit, power and >romantic gestures, because whites just don't get it? >Is it possible that history viewed through Euro-Americans eyes saw and maybe >still see a people who have endured, haven't left on boats to some unknown >continent and taken control of it's inhabitants? >Is it possible that a culture of people want to take a stand for their Native >lands and keep the faith alive rather than destroy another culture elsewhere? >I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has been an >ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they were and >make the situation there work for them? I don't mean to get off the subject >of Mascots or even American Indians History, but I feel like if I could >answer this question it would help me answer the question of why venture >elsewhere and why did people stay???? Why didn't they just take a vacation, >like many do today and enjoy the surroundings and then return to the land >where you were born? >Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, and this is >the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land here it is the >only land I know and believe me I do everything I can possibly think of to >treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my ancestors thinking like this >in Europe? If they were then why venture, other than for change or new >experience what would drive so many people to leave a country they born into? >Still Wondering, >In Sisterhood, >Cathy Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu --============_-1222674670==_ma============ Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii" Times_New_RomanIt's always been hard for anyone to offend me without my cooperation, so while the term "EuroAmerican" leaps off the page as one of those comedy routines from Politically Incorrect, it's less offensive to me than embarrassing for people who use it. Why are so many people so wrapped up in a sense of responsibility for attributing labels and attributes to other people? If someone wants to be an African American, Mexican American, Native American and/or Working Class American, that's their business, and the business must fulfill a need. Terrific! Is there some reason why the need isn't fulfilled for everyone, and those for whom the need to label isn't fulfilled there is the need to label everyone else? The labeling doesn't serve to clarify anything, for "EuroAmerican" doesn't mean anything at all about what a person is other than an accident of birth, in my case, three generations removed. I'm far more accurately an "agriAmerican" than a "EuroAmerican"; or a "PennAmerican," a" literoAmerican," or an" instructoAmerican" than a "EuroAmerican." But for those whose need systerm is to label themselves, and everyone else, have at it. "EuroAmerican" is inelegant and sounds comedic, but offensive only to people who cooperate in the offense. Leif Fearn SDSU Leif Fearn Eileen, Very good point to bring up concerning Sport Team "mascots," I am wondering why we don't Have for example the Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington White Man Givers, or possibly Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to direct this at a specific state I am just putting a white name with the first state I think of. Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly think it is hard to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in their offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. This may be one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is hard to find one deserving of a team sport. Is it possible that Native people are used to signify team spirit, power and romantic gestures, because whites just don't get it? Is it possible that history viewed through Euro-Americans eyes saw and maybe still see a people who have endured, haven't left on boats to some unknown continent and taken control of it's inhabitants? Is it possible that a culture of people want to take a stand for their Native lands and keep the faith alive rather than destroy another culture elsewhere? I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has been an ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they were and make the situation there work for them? I don't mean to get off the subject of Mascots or even American Indians History, but I feel like if I could answer this question it would help me answer the question of why venture elsewhere and why did people stay???? Why didn't they just take a vacation, like many do today and enjoy the surroundings and then return to the land where you were born? Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, and this is the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land here it is the only land I know and believe me I do everything I can possibly think of to treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my ancestors thinking like this in Europe? If they were then why venture, other than for change or new experience what would drive so many people to leave a country they born into? Still Wondering, In Sisterhood, Cathy Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu --============_-1222674670==_ma============-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 08:59:29 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: "Aboriginal" in Canada Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Original Message From American Indians Forum =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D For Stuart Manson, Many thanks for the link to the 1982 Canadian constitution, and the reference to the Flanagan book on First Nations. I will see how my students deal with the history of words relating to Native societies when we do our "what's in a name?" exercise on the first day of class next week. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >The Constitution Act, 1982 can be found at: >http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/const/index.html . Canada's original >constitution, the British North America Act, 1867, is available there too. >Incidentally, that legilsation refers only to "Indians and lands reserved >for Indians." > >While not directly addressing Micheal Welsh's second question, an >interesting but brief analysis of the period and a commentary on the >terminology issue are included in Thomas Flanagan's recent and controversial >book _First Nations? Second Thoughts_. > > >> >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Original Message From American Indians Forum >> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D >> >> For Stuart Manson, >> >> Thanks for the clarification on the official use of the term "aboriginal" >in >> Canada. Where might one find a copy of the Canadian constitution of 1982 >that >> could be downloaded and distributed to students in an American Indian >history >> course? Where also could one read about the decision to make >"aboriginal" >> the unifying term for Canada's vast heritage of Native/mixed-race peoples? >> >> Michael Welsh >> History Dep >> >> >> >> >> >> >An item of note, with regard to the recent discussion of the use of >> "aboriginal" in Canada: The term was, no doubt, used in British North >America >> for decades, but it rose to prominence in modern Canada in 1982 when it >was >> included in Section 35 of our constitution. The "aboriginal >> >peoples of Canada" were described therein as "Indian, Inuit and M=E9tis >> peoples." >> > >> >-Stuart Manson >> >> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. >> > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 10:20:53 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Susan Witt Subject: Re: "Aboriginal" in Canada In-Reply-To: <8FA4DA62F212D4119AD3009027CCB4EC2BAACE@www.nres.uiuc.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Michael Welsh, What is your "What's in a Name" exercise? Susan Susan Mari Witt Secretary 240 ERML 1201 W. Gregory Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 333-1965 -----Original Message----- I will see how my students deal with the history of words relating to Native societies when we do our "what's in a name?" exercise on the first day of class next week. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 11:25:25 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ann Haugo Subject: Sports Team "Mascots" and Colonialism MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I want to belabor a point that has received some general agreement thus far in the discussion about mascots, and that is the rather popular comparison of team mascots like "Redskins" to invented names like the "Darkies" or "Kikes." The comparison may work well with certain teams like the Washington Redskins or the Cleveland Indians (whose chief wahoo logo is very cartoonlike). But its effectiveness ends there; the comparison doesn't address the mascots whose performance is even more insidious. The more difficult cases, like the University of Illinois' 'chief' illiniwek, are not cartoonlike with hook noses, etc. In IN WHOSE HONOR?, Charlene Teters remarks that it would almost be better if 'chief' illiniwek was cartoonlike, because then he would at least be transparently artificial and ridiculous. Instead, a fairly large population of non-Native people continue to insist that the 'chief' is not offensive, that the mascot/symbol and its performance in fact 'honors' Native people. The discourse that these defenses engage in is a particularly colonial one, and I'm not convinced that comparing Indian mascots to hypothetical team names or to racialized names that have already been done away with (like the Pekin 'chinks') educates students about why we still confront the problem. Why are Indian mascots so beloved? And why are they proving so difficult to remove? Why do non-Native people insist, despite plenty of argument from Native and non-Native people and organizations, that 'their' mascot 'honors' Native people? Do we talk about colonialism in our classrooms as something that is ongoing, and not "the colonial period" which (allegedly) ended with the end of the American Revolution? Can we frame the mascot controversy as a colonial battle, albeit an ideological one? Ann Haugo Department of Theatre/Women's Studies Program Illinois State University This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 09:07:29 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Jo Ann Reece, Your comment about the Red Mesa Redskins is quite interesting. In 1992, when the American Indian Movement was canvassing states for the number of schools with mascots and nicknames related to Indians (everything from Redskins to Chiefs/Braves/Warriors, etc.), they discovered that 34 schools in New Mexico had such names. Of these, eight were Indian schools (either BIA or community). When a reporter for the Santa Fe New Mexican did a story on this phenomenon, the conclusion drawn from interviews with students/teachers/coaches/alumni of the schools indicated that the terms might mean something to others elsewhere, but that they were "badges of pride" for the town/school in question. The New Mexican reporter surprisingly did nothing with the most obvious disconnect in Indian symbolism right in the heart of Santa Fe: the name of the old BIA (now Pueblo-managed) Santa Fe Indian School. Their boys' teams are called the "Running Braves," while the girls' teams are the "Lady Braves." Anyone driving south from downtown Santa Fe along Cerrillos Road notices the sign on the school campus announcing the athletic events in which both boys' and girls' teams participate, with their names prominently displayed. It would be interesting for someone to revisit this idea nearly a decade after the push to change mascots/nicknames, and to compare this idea of pride with the claims of non-Indians at such schools as the University of Illinois, the University of North Dakota (the "Fighting Sioux"), or the many high schools now undergoing name changes of their own. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >The issue of mascot names came up in a Tribal Governance Symposium that I >attended here at OU in March. It was mentioned that the University of >Oklahoma did away with our sports mascot "Little Red" in the 1970s, and it >seems like it has taken a long time for other schools and sports teams to >recognize that such figures are offensive to most native peoples. One of >our OU art professors, Edgar Heap of Birds, did a really striking painting >of the Cleveland Redskins mascot with the words, "Smile for Racism" below >it. > However, in a book which I edited recently, a revised edition of >"American Indians: Answers to Today's Questions" by Jack Utter that we will >publish this fall, the author includes a photo of the RED MESA REDSKINS sign >in front of Red Mesa High School on the Navajo Reservation. About 99 >percent of the students at the school are Navajo, and they chose the name of >their school mascot. So the issue of stereotypes can be confusing and, as >Utter notes, "words that reflect one person's prejudice can sometimes >reflect another person's pride." > It's fascinating to read all the ideas, questions, and answers >that are being discussed in this forum. My thanks to Professor Hoxie and >everyone involved! >Jo Ann Reece >Jo Ann Reece >Acquisitions Editor >American Indian and Latin American studies >University of Oklahoma Press >1005 Asp Avenue >Norman, OK 73019 >jreece@ou.edu >(405) 325-2734 > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Dory Nason [SMTP:DorNason@NETSCAPE.NET] >> Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 1:45 PM >> To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >> Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" >> >> Eileen, >> >> As faculty advisor for Native American Student Body at KSU, we have tried >> to educate our community on this issue for many years (the local high >> school has an indian mascot). We recently purchased the documentary >> entitled "In whose Honor" that deals directly with the issue. The >> documentary follows University of Illinois student Charlene Teters quest >> to end the Chief Illinewek mascot. It is geared towards a "unaware" >> audience and it really got a lot of people to realize our side when we >> held a viewing on campus. We had a dialogue afterwards and answered many >> questions. >> >> You can obtain a copy of "In whose Honor" if you go to their website. It >> is kind of pricey for educators, but the video comes with curriculum >> materials. (i think the website is inwhosehonor.com). It is a great tool >> for this issue and worthwhile to own. >> >> I think if you attempt to teach this issue, you really have to present all >> sides of the argument, not just have students examine the images because >> they have no context for them. >> >> I also think that you must address reasons why Indians do not feel >> "honored" by such mascots and portrayals (this is usually the first >> question/argument). This is where history is useful because you can >> educate students on what inaccuracies these images represent and you can >> discuss how schools' misuse of things like eagle feathers offend NA >> groups. >> >> Finally, I think you have to make the issue more than a symbolic >> one--present to your students why this is a "real" issue for many NA >> groups. How does it relate to contemporary hardships like teen suicide >> and addiction? Often, students think it is a non-issue and dismiss it as >> we are being "oversensitive". Relating to other stereotypes is sometimes >> useful, but I think that most outside of Indian culture do not know what >> an Indian stereotype is and what is "real", so this argument is lost on >> them. >> >> I hope this is helpul :) >> >> Dory Nason >> KSU NASB Faculty Advisor >> PILOTS Program Instructor >> Kansas State University >> >> __________________________________________________________________ >> Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at >> http://webmail.netscape.com/ >> >> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >> http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. >> History. > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 11:56:48 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Jack Betterly Subject: Re: Let's Be Specific (from F. Hoxie) In-Reply-To: Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit > The Fur Trade? (Who killed all the beaver and why?) I'll take a shot. I have taught world history for the last ten or fifteen years but, believe it or not, back when I taught nothing but U.S. History (I refused to call it American History) for decades, I used the fur trade to talk about the importance of globalization in trade. The market was international. It impacted at one time or another on everyone from the French to the Iroquois and the Chinese to the Nez Perce, not to speak of Mexico. The growth of industrial technology, the railroads, mass marketing. It was part of a complex phenomenon which which destroy the bison on the one hand and slavery on the other. It brought silver to the Indians which fused with Mexican jewelry and Indian turquoise. I usually tried to make it clear that there were whites who were victims, and blacks, and - particularly - Amerindians, and that it was a process which was out of control very early. It was good background when I got to imperialism and, finally, global warming, the ozone layer, and teenage alchoholism. The introduction of fur hats is a good time to ask whether consumer fads are, in and of themselves, good things which we control, be they fur hats, SUVs or crack. -- Jack Betterly Emma Willard School, Emeritus Troy, NY 12180-5294 E-mail: Site: (New Buddhist section) _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 09:10:39 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" In-Reply-To: <99.147837ae.2829cb77@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="============_-1222611455==_ma============" --============_-1222611455==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Houston Honkies would work just fine on a flag; I suppose no one uses it because it doesn't appeal to anyone. Having spent a good bit of my life among Indian people on their terms, and in their high schools, I didn't find any Honkies, White Men Givers, or Pale Faces. So I can't help your wonderings. Maybe a check of the various Indian listservs, in which you could pose your wonderings, would reveal why there are no Honkies anywhere. Leif Fearn SDSU >Eileen, >Very good point to bring up concerning Sport Team "mascots," I am wondering >why we don't Have for example the Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington White >Man Givers, or possibly Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to direct >this at a specific state I am just putting a white name with the first state >I think of. Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly think it >is hard to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in their >offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. This may be >one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is hard to find >one deserving of a team sport. >Is it possible that Native people are used to signify team spirit, power and >romantic gestures, because whites just don't get it? >Is it possible that history viewed through Euro-Americans eyes saw and maybe >still see a people who have endured, haven't left on boats to some unknown >continent and taken control of it's inhabitants? >Is it possible that a culture of people want to take a stand for their Native >lands and keep the faith alive rather than destroy another culture elsewhere? >I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has been an >ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they were and >make the situation there work for them? I don't mean to get off the subject >of Mascots or even American Indians History, but I feel like if I could >answer this question it would help me answer the question of why venture >elsewhere and why did people stay???? Why didn't they just take a vacation, >like many do today and enjoy the surroundings and then return to the land >where you were born? >Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, and this is >the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land here it is the >only land I know and believe me I do everything I can possibly think of to >treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my ancestors thinking like this >in Europe? If they were then why venture, other than for change or new >experience what would drive so many people to leave a country they born into? >Still Wondering, >In Sisterhood, >Cathy Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu --============_-1222611455==_ma============ Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii" Times_New_RomanHouston Honkies would work just fine on a flag; I suppose no one uses it because it doesn't appeal to anyone. Having spent a good bit of my life among Indian people on their terms, and in their high schools, I didn't find any Honkies, White Men Givers, or Pale Faces. So I can't help your wonderings. Maybe a check of the various Indian listservs, in which you could pose your wonderings, would reveal why there are no Honkies anywhere. Leif Fearn SDSU Eileen, Very good point to bring up concerning Sport Team "mascots," I am wondering why we don't Have for example the Houston Honkies, or maybe Washington White Man Givers, or possibly Pennsylvania Pale Faces, this is not meant to direct this at a specific state I am just putting a white name with the first state I think of. Aren't white people worthy of a mascot name? I certainly think it is hard to look eye to eye with many white heroes, that were noble in their offerings to empower people rather than find self serving deeds. This may be one reason Euro-Americans aren't used as mascots, maybe it is hard to find one deserving of a team sport. Is it possible that Native people are used to signify team spirit, power and romantic gestures, because whites just don't get it? Is it possible that history viewed through Euro-Americans eyes saw and maybe still see a people who have endured, haven't left on boats to some unknown continent and taken control of it's inhabitants? Is it possible that a culture of people want to take a stand for their Native lands and keep the faith alive rather than destroy another culture elsewhere? I guess the biggest question that keeps entering my head and this has been an ongoing question for me, why didn't Euro-Americans stay where they were and make the situation there work for them? I don't mean to get off the subject of Mascots or even American Indians History, but I feel like if I could answer this question it would help me answer the question of why venture elsewhere and why did people stay???? Why didn't they just take a vacation, like many do today and enjoy the surroundings and then return to the land where you were born? Even though I am white whatever that means, I still don't get it, and this is the most frustrating part of History for me, I love this land here it is the only land I know and believe me I do everything I can possibly think of to treat it with respect. I wonder however, were my ancestors thinking like this in Europe? If they were then why venture, other than for change or new experience what would drive so many people to leave a country they born into? Still Wondering, In Sisterhood, Cathy Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu --============_-1222611455==_ma============-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 10:16:35 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: "Aboriginal" in Canada Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Susan Witt, Dear Susan, On the first day of my American Indian history class, I have the students work through the complexity of "naming" as a way to introduce them to the challenges of understanding. This includes my own lecture notes on the many ways that Indians named themselves and other tribes before the Europeans arrived; the terminology applied to tribes by the Europeans (sometimes because of a behavior pattern/a saint's feast day when the Catholics came to that village/even a body part [the "Gros Ventre," for example], or a food that the people ate [the "Mescaleros"]). Then we look at academic arguments about names, beginning with Indian, moving to Native American, and now that I am reading this thread from HistoryMatters, the uses of terminology from Canada like First Nations and Aboriginal. Because I specialize in the story of the Southwest, I add the Indianization of the Hispano identity that anchors Chicanismo (in the 1960s it was Aztec warrior symbolism, but now the young Chicanos in Denver are adopting the style of the largest/most vocal segment of the local chapter of the American Indian Movement, to wit: Oglala Lakota ritual and ceremony]). From there we can examine the ways that identity is not only contested and constructed, as the postmodernists have taught us, but also see how the words of a moment are a window on the past. We then engage the idea that words always have meaning, even if we find them odious today, and that identifying oneself in opposition to others is not the domain of one group only. I hope that this helps. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado PS: How do your students address the "name game" when you discuss it with them? >Michael Welsh, > >What is your "What's in a Name" exercise? > >Susan > > > >Susan Mari Witt >Secretary >240 ERML >1201 W. Gregory >Urbana, IL 61801 >(217) 333-1965 > > >-----Original Message----- > I will see how my students deal with >the history of words relating to Native societies when we do our "what's in >a name?" exercise on the first day of class next week. > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 12:02:40 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Susan Witt Subject: Re: Sports Team "Mascots" and Colonialism In-Reply-To: <8FA4DA62F212D4119AD3009027CCB4EC2BAAD2@www.nres.uiuc.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Kevin Locke (Hunkpapa/Lakota and Anishinabe) once said that when people get over their need to objectify Indian people, then they won't need the Indian mascots. I suspect there is a lot of truth in that. The mascots are a symptom of a greater problem, and getting rid of the symptom won't necessary get rid of the underlying problem. On the other hand, the continued use of the mascots reinforces those tendencies to objectify, as well as the associated stereotypes, and gets in the way of dealing with the underlying problems. At the same time, the continued conversations that crop up around the use of the mascots provides a forum from which to raise peoples awareness about the issues involved. By the way, I suspect that in spite of the Board's clear refusal to drop the Chief here at the University of Illinois, that he is dying a slow, protracted death. I know when I was young, the image of the chief was on the official stationery, and was the major symbol used for just about everything here. It has been off the stationery for quite a while, and the University is slowly trying to implement a new symbol (the "I" symbol, which is an I that looks something like a column on a Greek or Roman building), and gradually getting people to connect that symbol instead of the chief. If you don't go to sports events or go into stores selling paraphernalia that caters to the chief fans, you can pretty much avoid the automatic association of the chief to the University. In attempts to limit the controversy, sports events are the only official depictions of the chief allowed anymore. It would be a nice gesture a make an important statement if the Board would decide to let the chief die a quicker, less protracted death, but they aren't ready to do that yet. Too many people still feel a need to objectify Indians and turn them into symbols. They aren't ready to look at the humanness of real human beings. Perhaps it fills a need to deny the reality of our collective history, or to admit that we have many of the advantages we have because they were created at the expense of other people. Seems to me like sometimes you have to face up to things before you can move on and work to create a better world. On the other hand, sometimes shoving things in people's faces before they are ready to look at them straight on can make the people work harder to become more set in their ways, to protect their sense of self. Sometimes approaching something indirectly, through a back door, is more effective in the long run. I suspect that the people who are working to create a new association between the "I" symbol and the University of Illinois are taking that approach (although they may not consciously realize this is what they are doing). Let the new symbol creep into people's awareness, and gradually replace the old associations. Simply dropping the chief logo from official sources did not prove to be enough -- people needed some kind of symbol - a visual shorthand to represent a bigger concept. The chief is a symbol of our collective associations and beliefs about American Indians. An important part of getting rid of it is to educate ourselves and our communities about the humanity of the people whose continuing existence we persist in denying. Susan Mari Witt Secretary 240 ERML 1201 W. Gregory Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 333-1965 This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 09:55:13 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Sports Team "Mascots" In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" I'd suggest that no one, and no thing, is a mascot. Here at San Diego State University, there has been a controversy for quite a while about the use of the term "Aztec," its representation on various flags and shirts, and the human representation at ball games. It appears the university is going to make some adjustments, following the report from a campus committee on the matter. When I think of what a university is and its role in the larger society, a football game and a mascot that appears there seems like pretty small potatoes. The sciences are underfunded, education is under the gun, and we can't afford a volleyball team. But then this controversy isn't about the university; it's about the use of an Indian representation as a mascot. It's about the effect of that Indian representation on Indian people. In that regard, I wrote: "We should all hope that President Weber (SDSU president) does the right thing with respect to the larger "Aztec" issue. In spite of the apparently very strong opinions people hold, no one knows (emphasis on the KNOWS) what the right thing is; nevertheless, we hope President Weber selects it. The selection of the right thing made, changes in the lives of Indian people will abound. The sense of cultural self among people at Standing Rock and Santo Domingo will be enhanced. Unemployed people at Dulce and Peach Springs will go to work. Men and women at Neah Bay and Lukachukai who drink overmuch will put their bottles down and pay greater attention to their children. The effect in Chihuahua and rural Chiapas will take a litle longer because the decision at San Diego State University will have to be translated into several Indian languages, and the importance explained. It is impossible to determine the magnitude of the impact on the lives of native peoples in Mexico when they learn that there will no longer be a stylized mascot at San Diego State football games." I know this topic generates enormous passions among peoples of all backgrounds. In a class discussion recently, a woman of Mexican decent began to cry. I don't intend to denigrate the importance. But I don't want to give the topic more importance than it deserves, either. Elimination of Indian representations at educational institutions across the country will have no impact whatsoever on the institutions, or Indian people. For those who are impassioned about Indian peoples and the pragmatic and spiritual world in which they live, take a semester off, go to the nearest Indian community (they're all around), and volunteer as a teacher aid in a tribal, BIA, or state school classroom. Offer to volunteer peer counseling services in a tribal drug rehab facility. Be a candy striper for three months at the US Public Health hospital in Gallup. Be a Head Start volunteer in a tribal community action program. If you can handle a hammer, join a tribal housing development program and help build houses. If the world in which Indian people live is important, it's important enough to do something substantive about. We can call the representations whatever we want to call them, and remove them, but there will remain a whole lot of boys and girls needlessly cold in the winter, miseducated, ill-clothed, and ill-housed. They'll probably not even know that Southwestern College is no longer known as the "Apaches," but they'll know they don't read well enough to go there. How about volunteering to teach them to read. Leif Fearn SDSU >Another useful essay to use in the classroom is Philip Deloria's "I Am Not a >Mascot." It's anthologized in Lawana Trout's NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE and >in Fred Hoxie's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. In the latter text, >it appears as the entry titled, "Mascots and Other Public Appropriations of >Indians and Indian Culture by Whites." > >I've taught this essay along with images from Ableza's "Honor and Pain" >virtual gallery (www.ableza.org, follow "Honor and Pain" link). Artist Diane >Way has taken several commodified images and parodically altered their >representation, then juxtaposed those images with contemporary Native art. >In reading the difference between these images as well as the colonial >assumptions parodied by Way's recreations, students can begin to see the >mythology which fuels product images like the Land O Lakes "princess." My >theory so far: If I begin with images in which my students are less >personally invested (I teach in central Illinois, home of 'chief' illiniwek), >the critique of the 'chief' and other mascots emerges from a broader context >-- educating students about the mythologies which make "noble savage" or >"indian princess" images seductive to the American public. > >Ann Haugo >Illinois State University > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 10:07:11 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" In-Reply-To: <372E9068C013D211891F00805F9FD1C206D31116@mail3.oulan.ou.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" The Red Mesa Redskins, on the north east side of the Chuska Mountains, just below Buffalo Butte and facing the Shiprock, isn't the only example. However, I would suggest that Indian people's choice to use an Indian mascot at a high school doesn't lessen the investment in the larger issue. If we think it inappropriate to use such representations, then the Detroit Darkies, would be inappropriate no matter who used it. My point remains that this is a controversy of symbolism, not substance. Words do, in fact, mean things, and I am not making an argument to keep Indian mascots. I am making the argument that there are substantive needs among Indian peoples, as there are among all peoples, and if we're profoundly impassioned about substantive needs, we ought to invest ourselves in doing something about them. Leif Fearn SDSU >The issue of mascot names came up in a Tribal Governance Symposium that I >attended here at OU in March. It was mentioned that the University of >Oklahoma did away with our sports mascot "Little Red" in the 1970s, and it >seems like it has taken a long time for other schools and sports teams to >recognize that such figures are offensive to most native peoples. One of >our OU art professors, Edgar Heap of Birds, did a really striking painting >of the Cleveland Redskins mascot with the words, "Smile for Racism" below >it. > However, in a book which I edited recently, a revised edition of >"American Indians: Answers to Today's Questions" by Jack Utter that we will >publish this fall, the author includes a photo of the RED MESA REDSKINS sign >in front of Red Mesa High School on the Navajo Reservation. About 99 >percent of the students at the school are Navajo, and they chose the name of >their school mascot. So the issue of stereotypes can be confusing and, as >Utter notes, "words that reflect one person's prejudice can sometimes >reflect another person's pride." > It's fascinating to read all the ideas, questions, and answers >that are being discussed in this forum. My thanks to Professor Hoxie and >everyone involved! >Jo Ann Reece >Jo Ann Reece >Acquisitions Editor >American Indian and Latin American studies >University of Oklahoma Press >1005 Asp Avenue >Norman, OK 73019 >jreece@ou.edu >(405) 325-2734 > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Dory Nason [SMTP:DorNason@NETSCAPE.NET] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 1:45 PM > > To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > > Subject: Re: Sports team "mascots" > > > > Eileen, > > > > As faculty advisor for Native American Student Body at KSU, we have tried > > to educate our community on this issue for many years (the local high > > school has an indian mascot). We recently purchased the documentary > > entitled "In whose Honor" that deals directly with the issue. The > > documentary follows University of Illinois student Charlene Teters quest > > to end the Chief Illinewek mascot. It is geared towards a "unaware" > > audience and it really got a lot of people to realize our side when we > > held a viewing on campus. We had a dialogue afterwards and answered many > > questions. > > > > You can obtain a copy of "In whose Honor" if you go to their website. It > > is kind of pricey for educators, but the video comes with curriculum > > materials. (i think the website is inwhosehonor.com). It is a great tool > > for this issue and worthwhile to own. > > > > I think if you attempt to teach this issue, you really have to present all > > sides of the argument, not just have students examine the images because > > they have no context for them. > > > > I also think that you must address reasons why Indians do not feel > > "honored" by such mascots and portrayals (this is usually the first > > question/argument). This is where history is useful because you can > > educate students on what inaccuracies these images represent and you can > > discuss how schools' misuse of things like eagle feathers offend NA > > groups. > > > > Finally, I think you have to make the issue more than a symbolic > > one--present to your students why this is a "real" issue for many NA > > groups. How does it relate to contemporary hardships like teen suicide > > and addiction? Often, students think it is a non-issue and dismiss it as > > we are being "oversensitive". Relating to other stereotypes is sometimes > > useful, but I think that most outside of Indian culture do not know what > > an Indian stereotype is and what is "real", so this argument is lost on > > them. > > > > I hope this is helpul :) > > > > Dory Nason > > KSU NASB Faculty Advisor > > PILOTS Program Instructor > > Kansas State University > > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at > > http://webmail.netscape.com/ > > > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at > > http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. > > History. > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 12:58:02 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Martha Bartter Subject: Useful books for adults Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Daniel R. Mandell has published a very useful (and accessible) history of contact between whites and Indians in Massachusetts in the 18th Century: _Behind the Frontier_ Bison Books, Nebraska UP, 1996. Incidentally, I thought that Cameron had withdrawn _Daughters of Copper Woman_ some years ago -- partly (as I recall) for inaccuracy, and partly because she did not have permission to retell those stories. I enjoyed the book very much myself, but have not used it recently for that reason. A clear contrast to Neihardt's _Black Elk Speaks_ is _Wooden Leg_ by Thomas B. Marquis. While Neihardt clearly edited Black Elk's tale to appeal to 1930s sensibility, particularly the ending (as testified by DeMaillie in _The Sixth Grandfather_), Marquis claims to have translated Wooden Leg's story not from Lakota but from sign language. It's exciting, clear, and -- for an "as told to" story -- rather racy. I would appeal to posters not to include the whole history of the posts they reply to. I get this in digest form and like to print it out -- but page after page of repeated text seems very wasteful. It's possible to cut and paste the information you wish to refer to, at least in most e-mail systems. Martha Bartter Truman State University Division of Language & Literature Kirksville, MO 63501 This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 14:45:02 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Dory Nason Subject: Re: mascots Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Mr. Fearn, Perhaps, what you say about the immediate impact of eliminating mascots has some merit or truth but I think your recent entry may be a bit too dismissive. I have been active in my campus Native American community for the past 8 years and I too never really engaged the mascot issue with much seriousness until the last year and a half. I felt it was a symbolic issue and that more “concrete” needs had to be dealt within native communities. While I still think those needs are pressing, I have since learned that the mascot issue is more than symbolic, based on the same reasons so many on this listserv have spent much time debating just what to name “indian” peoples. A Missoria-Oto-Ioway friend related the issue to me in this way. She hadn’t thought much about it, until her daughter saw a local “Indians” high school t-shirt and asked her mother why the people wearing them were making fun of “indians”. Her daughter was only 6 years old, but she recognized what these images represented and it hurt. No, the elimination of mascots will not instantly eradicate alcoholism nor drastically reduce unemployment rates on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Yet, the elimination of mascots will tell those N.A. students and young people (who are fully aware of the implications of these stereotypes) that racial mascots are no longer socially acceptable in our public institutions. I think that is an important and powerful message to send—and one that has real impact. As educators, (and I realize most of you are historians), I think that it is important to realize that no matter how fair and accurate you portray N.A. history, literature, science, or philosophy, if the institution you teach at continues to openly stereotype NA peoples, your efforts are seriously hindered or, at the very least, hypocritical. As for donating your time to teach and work on reservations, I believe that would be most helpful (provided it doesn’t come from a patronizing need to “save” us poor indians). But, ignoring the racist practices of outside institutions should not be forgotten or ignored as “small potatoes”. Dory Nason NASB Faculty Advisor Kansas State University __________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 12:32:12 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: mascots In-Reply-To: <4FDBE6F9.5B7877EF.0071F214@netscape.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" ; format="flowed" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dory Nelson: You make several legitimate arguments. You are correct that=20 reference to "small potatoes" is dismissive -- unnecessarily and=20 inappropriately so. I suspect it happens to all of us; when some of=20 my words come back to me, I hear and read them through a screen=20 different from the one I used when I spoke or wrote them. My reference to service and participation was and remains=20 serious, and I make that reference on the assumption that the motive=20 is to learn and serve. All of us on this thread are serious-minded=20 folks whose motives would preclude the archaic and often crude=20 patronizing image so characteristic of many people's contact with=20 Indian people. My assumption is that people like us would help our=20 students make the arrangements and then teach them how to approach=20 the opportunity as an adventure in clarifying self, in understanding=20 community, and in contributing to the general integrity and welfare=20 of another human being. Thank you for the commentary. Leif Fearn SDSU >Mr. Fearn, > >Perhaps, what you say about the immediate impact of eliminating >mascots has some merit or truth but I think your recent entry may >be a bit too dismissive. > >I have been active in my campus Native American community for >the past 8 years and I too never really engaged the mascot >issue with much seriousness until the last year and a half. >I felt it was a symbolic issue and that more =93concrete=94 needs >had to be dealt within native communities. > >While I still think those needs are pressing, I have since >learned that the mascot issue is more than symbolic, based on >the same reasons so many on this listserv have spent much time >debating just what to name =93indian=94 peoples. > >A Missoria-Oto-Ioway friend related the issue to >me in this way. She hadn=92t thought much about it, until her >daughter saw a local =93Indians=94 high school t-shirt and asked >her mother why the people wearing them were making fun of =93indians=94. >Her daughter was only 6 years old, but she recognized what these >images represented and it hurt. > >No, the elimination of mascots will not instantly eradicate >alcoholism nor drastically reduce unemployment rates on the >Pine Ridge Reservation. Yet, the elimination of mascots will >tell those N.A. students and young people (who are fully aware >of the implications of these stereotypes) that racial mascots >are no longer socially acceptable in our public institutions. >I think that is an important and powerful message to send=97and >one that has real impact. > >As educators, (and I realize most of you are historians), >I think that it is important to realize that no matter how >fair and accurate you portray N.A. history, literature, science, >or philosophy, if the institution you teach at continues to openly >stereotype NA peoples, your efforts are seriously hindered or, at >the very least, hypocritical. > >As for donating your time to teach and work on reservations, >I believe that would be most helpful (provided it doesn=92t >come from a patronizing need to =93save=94 us poor indians). >But, ignoring the racist practices of outside institutions should >not be forgotten or ignored as =93small potatoes=94. > >Dory Nason >NASB Faculty Advisor >Kansas State University > > >__________________________________________________________________ >Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at=20 >http://webmail.netscape.com/ > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web=20 >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for=20 >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 =46AX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 13:06:54 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Janet Katz Subject: Re: mascot In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=X-UNKNOWN Content-Transfer-Encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE Regarding names and Euro AMerican- The reason to use EuroAmerican is to give non Indians and non Hispanic white people a name! Otherwise white people are just the people-at the center of it all you don't have to have a label because you are ejttjust are the peoeeveryone else is the other.t exist It is ethnocentric to think of whites of European descent as labelless as long as people of color are identified with labels. It reminds me of students (college nursing students) who say, "Well, we are all just human, so why do we use labels?" Yes, those are always the white students who say that. The students from the Spokane or NezPerce tribes don't say that. The Vietnamese or Japanese students don't say that. The Gambian, Kenyan and African American students don't say that. =20 Janet Katz Washington State University College of Nursing On Thu, 10 May 2001, Leif Fearn wrote: > Dory Nelson: >=20 > You make several legitimate arguments. You are correct that=20 > reference to "small potatoes" is dismissive -- unnecessarily and=20 > inappropriately so. I suspect it happens to all of us; when some of=20 > my words come back to me, I hear and read them through a screen=20 > different from the one I used when I spoke or wrote them. > My reference to service and participation was and remains=20 > serious, and I make that reference on the assumption that the motive=20 > is to learn and serve. All of us on this thread are serious-minded=20 > folks whose motives would preclude the archaic and often crude=20 > patronizing image so characteristic of many people's contact with=20 > Indian people. My assumption is that people like us would help our=20 > students make the arrangements and then teach them how to approach=20 > the opportunity as an adventure in clarifying self, in understanding=20 > community, and in contributing to the general integrity and welfare=20 > of another human being. > Thank you for the commentary. >=20 > Leif Fearn > SDSU >=20 >=20 > >Mr. Fearn, > > > >Perhaps, what you say about the immediate impact of eliminating > >mascots has some merit or truth but I think your recent entry may > >be a bit too dismissive. > > > >I have been active in my campus Native American community for > >the past 8 years and I too never really engaged the mascot > >issue with much seriousness until the last year and a half. > >I felt it was a symbolic issue and that more =93concrete=94 needs > >had to be dealt within native communities. > > > >While I still think those needs are pressing, I have since > >learned that the mascot issue is more than symbolic, based on > >the same reasons so many on this listserv have spent much time > >debating just what to name =93indian=94 peoples. > > > >A Missoria-Oto-Ioway friend related the issue to > >me in this way. She hadn=92t thought much about it, until her > >daughter saw a local =93Indians=94 high school t-shirt and asked > >her mother why the people wearing them were making fun of =93indians=94. > >Her daughter was only 6 years old, but she recognized what these > >images represented and it hurt. > > > >No, the elimination of mascots will not instantly eradicate > >alcoholism nor drastically reduce unemployment rates on the > >Pine Ridge Reservation. Yet, the elimination of mascots will > >tell those N.A. students and young people (who are fully aware > >of the implications of these stereotypes) that racial mascots > >are no longer socially acceptable in our public institutions. > >I think that is an important and powerful message to send=97and > >one that has real impact. > > > >As educators, (and I realize most of you are historians), > >I think that it is important to realize that no matter how > >fair and accurate you portray N.A. history, literature, science, > >or philosophy, if the institution you teach at continues to openly > >stereotype NA peoples, your efforts are seriously hindered or, at > >the very least, hypocritical. > > > >As for donating your time to teach and work on reservations, > >I believe that would be most helpful (provided it doesn=92t > >come from a patronizing need to =93save=94 us poor indians). > >But, ignoring the racist practices of outside institutions should > >not be forgotten or ignored as =93small potatoes=94. > > > >Dory Nason > >NASB Faculty Advisor > >Kansas State University > > > > > >__________________________________________________________________ > >Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at=20 > >http://webmail.netscape.com/ > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web=20 > >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for=20 > >teaching U.S. History. >=20 > Leif Fearn > San Diego State University > School of Teacher Education > Phone: 594-1366 > FAX: 596-7828 > lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu >=20 > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at = http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. >=20 Janet R. Katz RN, MSN, RN,C katz@gonzaga.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 14:18:55 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: mascot Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Original Message From American Indians Forum =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D For Janet Katz, Excellent comment about the need to create a "one-size-fits-all" moniker for the descendants of the people from Europe, even as we struggle with the practice of similar names for "Indians." One point that always fascinated me about Euro-American was its relationship to people whose ancestors (one way or another) could be traced back to Spain. Chicanismo claimed pride in the "indigenous" portion of their heritage/DNA, all the while retaining pride in the language and naming practices of the European nation from which had sprung the conquest ideology that they despised. This posed no small degree of confusion among Indian students in the Southwest (most notably those communities where Spanish-Indian interaction had been the most pronounced). Chicano scholars never did address, as far as I can determine, the dichotomy of "having it both ways:" pride in the parts of Spain that were appealing/shame about the "black legend" of conquest, as well as pride in the things indigenous (mostly Aztec male symbolism) while ignoring the brutality of conquest by the "dog people" from the "far north" who entered the valley of Mexico and claimed it as their own. It is true that many 1960s activists of the Southwest dislike how their parents' generation had exhibited a "fantasy heritage" about Spain (to use Carey McWilliams' famous phrase), which ignored the racial mixtures of their past to create instead a "whiter"/more "European" heritage. No amount of evidence about the racism facing their parents by Anglos in the pre-1960s era, however, could deter those eager to bond with the 1960s white/Euro-American fascination with the nobility of Indians (the list of movies with themes such as this are long). How that dichotomy will work itself out through the next generation will be fascinating to watch. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >Regarding names and Euro AMerican- The reason to use EuroAmerican is to >give non Indians and non Hispanic white people a name! Otherwise white >people are just the people-at the center of it all you don't have to have >a label because you are ejttjust are the peoeeveryone else is the >other.t exist > It >is ethnocentric to think of whites of European descent as labelless as >long as people of color are identified with labels. It reminds me of >students (college nursing students) who say, "Well, we are all just human, >so why do we use labels?" Yes, those are always the white students who say >that. The students from the Spokane or NezPerce tribes don't say that. The >Vietnamese or Japanese students don't say that. The Gambian, Kenyan and >African American students don't say that. >Janet Katz >Washington State University >College of Nursing > >On Thu, 10 May 2001, Leif Fearn wrote: > >> Dory Nelson: >> >> You make several legitimate arguments. You are correct that >> reference to "small potatoes" is dismissive -- unnecessarily and >> inappropriately so. I suspect it happens to all of us; when some of >> my words come back to me, I hear and read them through a screen >> different from the one I used when I spoke or wrote them. >> My reference to service and participation was and remains >> serious, and I make that reference on the assumption that the motive >> is to learn and serve. All of us on this thread are serious-minded >> folks whose motives would preclude the archaic and often crude >> patronizing image so characteristic of many people's contact with >> Indian people. My assumption is that people like us would help our >> students make the arrangements and then teach them how to approach >> the opportunity as an adventure in clarifying self, in understanding >> community, and in contributing to the general integrity and welfare >> of another human being. >> Thank you for the commentary. >> >> Leif Fearn >> SDSU >> >> >> >Mr. Fearn, >> > >> >Perhaps, what you say about the immediate impact of eliminating >> >mascots has some merit or truth but I think your recent entry may >> >be a bit too dismissive. >> > >> >I have been active in my campus Native American community for >> >the past 8 years and I too never really engaged the mascot >> >issue with much seriousness until the last year and a half. >> >I felt it was a symbolic issue and that more =93concrete=94 needs >> >had to be dealt within native communities. >> > >> >While I still think those needs are pressing, I have since >> >learned that the mascot issue is more than symbolic, based on >> >the same reasons so many on this listserv have spent much time >> >debating just what to name =93indian=94 peoples. >> > >> >A Missoria-Oto-Ioway friend related the issue to >> >me in this way. She hadn=92t thought much about it, until her >> >daughter saw a local =93Indians=94 high school t-shirt and asked >> >her mother why the people wearing them were making fun of =93indians=94. >> >Her daughter was only 6 years old, but she recognized what these >> >images represented and it hurt. >> > >> >No, the elimination of mascots will not instantly eradicate >> >alcoholism nor drastically reduce unemployment rates on the >> >Pine Ridge Reservation. Yet, the elimination of mascots will >> >tell those N.A. students and young people (who are fully aware >> >of the implications of these stereotypes) that racial mascots >> >are no longer socially acceptable in our public institutions. >> >I think that is an important and powerful message to send=97and >> >one that has real impact. >> > >> >As educators, (and I realize most of you are historians), >> >I think that it is important to realize that no matter how >> >fair and accurate you portray N.A. history, literature, science, >> >or philosophy, if the institution you teach at continues to openly >> >stereotype NA peoples, your efforts are seriously hindered or, at >> >the very least, hypocritical. >> > >> >As for donating your time to teach and work on reservations, >> >I believe that would be most helpful (provided it doesn=92t >> >come from a patronizing need to =93save=94 us poor indians). >> >But, ignoring the racist practices of outside institutions should >> >not be forgotten or ignored as =93small potatoes=94. >> > >> >Dory Nason >> >NASB Faculty Advisor >> >Kansas State University >> > >> > >> >__________________________________________________________________ >> >Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at >> >http://webmail.netscape.com/ >> > >> >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >> >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >> >teaching U.S. History. >> >> Leif Fearn >> San Diego State University >> School of Teacher Education >> Phone: 594-1366 >> FAX: 596-7828 >> lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu >> >> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. >> > >Janet R. Katz RN, MSN, RN,C >katz@gonzaga.edu > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 13:33:43 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: mascot In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" ; format="flowed" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable So if I read it right, the scenario goes like this: "If I=20 name myself, and I name other people, I have to name you, too,=20 because it isn't right if everyone has a name except for you." I'm not nameless. I have a name. I chose it. Just like=20 everyone else, I don't need others to name me. Invariably, the=20 characteristics others connect to the name they attribute to others=20 aren't even accurate. Leif Fearn SDSU >Regarding names and Euro AMerican- The reason to use EuroAmerican is to >give non Indians and non Hispanic white people a name! Otherwise white >people are just the people-at the center of it all you don't have to have >a label because you are ejttjust are the peoeeveryone else is the >other.t exist > It >is ethnocentric to think of whites of European descent as labelless as >long as people of color are identified with labels. It reminds me of >students (college nursing students) who say, "Well, we are all just human, >so why do we use labels?" Yes, those are always the white students who say >that. The students from the Spokane or NezPerce tribes don't say that. The >Vietnamese or Japanese students don't say that. The Gambian, Kenyan and >African American students don't say that. >Janet Katz >Washington State University >College of Nursing > >On Thu, 10 May 2001, Leif Fearn wrote: > > > Dory Nelson: > > > > You make several legitimate arguments. You are correct that > > reference to "small potatoes" is dismissive -- unnecessarily and > > inappropriately so. I suspect it happens to all of us; when some of > > my words come back to me, I hear and read them through a screen > > different from the one I used when I spoke or wrote them. > > My reference to service and participation was and remains > > serious, and I make that reference on the assumption that the motive > > is to learn and serve. All of us on this thread are serious-minded > > folks whose motives would preclude the archaic and often crude > > patronizing image so characteristic of many people's contact with > > Indian people. My assumption is that people like us would help our > > students make the arrangements and then teach them how to approach > > the opportunity as an adventure in clarifying self, in understanding > > community, and in contributing to the general integrity and welfare > > of another human being. > > Thank you for the commentary. > > > > Leif Fearn > > SDSU > > > > > > >Mr. Fearn, > > > > > >Perhaps, what you say about the immediate impact of eliminating > > >mascots has some merit or truth but I think your recent entry may > > >be a bit too dismissive. > > > > > >I have been active in my campus Native American community for > > >the past 8 years and I too never really engaged the mascot > > >issue with much seriousness until the last year and a half. > > >I felt it was a symbolic issue and that more =ECconcrete=EE needs > > >had to be dealt within native communities. > > > > > >While I still think those needs are pressing, I have since > > >learned that the mascot issue is more than symbolic, based on > > >the same reasons so many on this listserv have spent much time > > >debating just what to name =ECindian=EE peoples. > > > > > >A Missoria-Oto-Ioway friend related the issue to > > >me in this way. She hadn=EDt thought much about it, until her > > >daughter saw a local =ECIndians=EE high school t-shirt and asked > > >her mother why the people wearing them were making fun of =ECindians=EE= =2E > > >Her daughter was only 6 years old, but she recognized what these > > >images represented and it hurt. > > > > > >No, the elimination of mascots will not instantly eradicate > > >alcoholism nor drastically reduce unemployment rates on the > > >Pine Ridge Reservation. Yet, the elimination of mascots will > > >tell those N.A. students and young people (who are fully aware > > >of the implications of these stereotypes) that racial mascots > > >are no longer socially acceptable in our public institutions. > > >I think that is an important and powerful message to send=F3and > > >one that has real impact. > > > > > >As educators, (and I realize most of you are historians), > > >I think that it is important to realize that no matter how > > >fair and accurate you portray N.A. history, literature, science, > > >or philosophy, if the institution you teach at continues to openly > > >stereotype NA peoples, your efforts are seriously hindered or, at > > >the very least, hypocritical. > > > > > >As for donating your time to teach and work on reservations, > > >I believe that would be most helpful (provided it doesn=EDt > > >come from a patronizing need to =ECsave=EE us poor indians). > > >But, ignoring the racist practices of outside institutions should > > >not be forgotten or ignored as =ECsmall potatoes=EE. > > > > > >Dory Nason > > >NASB Faculty Advisor > > >Kansas State University > > > > > > > > >__________________________________________________________________ > > >Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Webmail account today at > > >http://webmail.netscape.com/ > > > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web > > >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for > > >teaching U.S. History. > > > > Leif Fearn > > San Diego State University > > School of Teacher Education > > Phone: 594-1366 > > FAX: 596-7828 > > lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu > > > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web=20 >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for=20 >teaching U.S. History. > > > >Janet R. Katz RN, MSN, RN,C >katz@gonzaga.edu > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web=20 >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for=20 >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 =46AX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 16:52:23 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Melissa Meyer Subject: sports mascots I have restrained myself from introducing this diversion, but when someone mentioned the impact that team mascots had on a 6 year old I felt that I would take my missive to this forum as well. I teach at UCLA. I have grown accustomed to the stereotypes (usually romanticized) that university students bring to classes. But when my daughter entered kindergarten 4 years ago, I was in shock. She is enrolled in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. When she came home from her Thanksgiving party with a photo of her wearing long black yarn braids, with a chicken feather headdress labelled "Indian Princess," I nearly keeled over. Since that time, I have aborted a similar pageant through an understanding Chinese-American 1st grade teacher who got my point about why this was unacceptable. That was a good experience. I have put together a presentation about real Wampanoags that I have done every year since, last year 4 times (the 2nd grade teachers asked me to do it again). The 1st grade teacher told the hip principal that I would like to reform the kindergarten curriculum, if you can call it that. He approached me and I thought we were finally going to get somewhere. My little boy was to start kindergarten this past fall and I wanted it cleaned up. I gave the principal Arlene Hirschfelder's "American Indian Stereotypes in the World of Children" which has a chapter called "The Thanksgiving Epidemic." I photocopied and gave to him the entire website of Plimoth Plantation, which reflects the gazillion questions they get about Thanksgiving. I gave him a copy of a pamphlet called "Thanksgiving: A Native Perspective." He reported to me that the curriculum reform had been completed and I thanked him and felt satisfied that things would be different. As I worked in the kindergarten class during the weeks where preparations were being made for the feast I saw disturbing signs. Long black yarn had appeared. So-called leather vests were being fashioned out of cheesecloth painted brown with symbols of tipis on them. Finally a cute little boy asked if I could help him with his headdress, and I just had to leave the room. The curriculum reform consisted of eliminating feathers, because they understood them to be sacred objects now. I wrote a letter detailing the problem to all 7 kindergarten teachers and the new principal. She contacted the director (who is native) of Indian Education in the Los Angeles Unified School District, who said it was OK as long as they weren't doing anything offensive. So the feast was on. After all, the long yarn braids were already made!! So I kept my son out of school that day and at least he learned something. When his friends asked him why he didn't come, he said "Because it's faky and disrespectful" with a slight lisp. But it was the biggest professional failure I have faced, to be unable to educate 7 well-meaning teachers in one of the top ranked schools in the district. My point to this list after all of that, is that it needs to start a long time before high school or college. The people who cling to the mascots are often the ones who played Indian in kindergarten, Boy Scouts, or the YMCA Indian Guides and Princesses programs. The American preoccupation with playing Indian has a long history, as Phil Deloria's book of the name points out so well. I'm just reaching out to advocates wherever I can find them. Think of the little ones as you try to figure out how to teach to the grown-ups. Cheers (and hello, Fred) Melissa Meyer This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 14:12:51 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: sports mascots In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Melissa: You are on precisely the right track. Because the nonindependent schools to which we send our sons and daughters are our schools ("public" serves as possessive in the term), we have a responsibility to affect them on our terms. What you did and are doing relative to stereotypes reflects what you know and believe. You provided illustrative instructional material and when the change you coveted didn't "take," you made it an object lesson by keeping your son out of school on the offending day. That is our parental responsibility -- to use our knowledge and passions for as an object lesson for children our own children, not other people's children unless they agree. Leif Fearn >I have restrained myself from introducing this diversion, but when someone >mentioned the impact that team mascots had on a 6 year old I felt that I >would take my missive to this forum as well. > >I teach at UCLA. I have grown accustomed to the stereotypes (usually >romanticized) that university students bring to classes. But when my >daughter entered kindergarten 4 years ago, I was in shock. She is enrolled >in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. When she came home from her >Thanksgiving party with a photo of her wearing long black yarn braids, with >a chicken feather headdress labelled "Indian Princess," I nearly keeled >over. Since that time, I have aborted a similar pageant through an >understanding Chinese-American 1st grade teacher who got my point about why >this was unacceptable. That was a good experience. I have put together a >presentation about real Wampanoags that I have done every year since, last >year 4 times (the 2nd grade teachers asked me to do it again). > >The 1st grade teacher told the hip principal that I would like to reform the >kindergarten curriculum, if you can call it that. He approached me and I >thought we were finally going to get somewhere. My little boy was to start >kindergarten this past fall and I wanted it cleaned up. I gave the >principal Arlene Hirschfelder's "American Indian Stereotypes in the World of >Children" which has a chapter called "The Thanksgiving Epidemic." I >photocopied and gave to him the entire website of Plimoth Plantation, which >reflects the gazillion questions they get about Thanksgiving. I gave him a >copy of a pamphlet called "Thanksgiving: A Native Perspective." > >He reported to me that the curriculum reform had been completed and I >thanked him and felt satisfied that things would be different. As I worked >in the kindergarten class during the weeks where preparations were being >made for the feast I saw disturbing signs. Long black yarn had appeared. >So-called leather vests were being fashioned out of cheesecloth painted >brown with symbols of tipis on them. Finally a cute little boy asked if I >could help him with his headdress, and I just had to leave the room. The >curriculum reform consisted of eliminating feathers, because they understood >them to be sacred objects now. > >I wrote a letter detailing the problem to all 7 kindergarten teachers and >the new principal. She contacted the director (who is native) of Indian >Education in the Los Angeles Unified School District, who said it was OK as >long as they weren't doing anything offensive. So the feast was on. After >all, the long yarn braids were already made!! So I kept my son out of >school that day and at least he learned something. When his friends asked >him why he didn't come, he said "Because it's faky and disrespectful" with a >slight lisp. But it was the biggest professional failure I have faced, to >be unable to educate 7 well-meaning teachers in one of the top ranked >schools in the district. > >My point to this list after all of that, is that it needs to start a long >time before high school or college. The people who cling to the mascots are >often the ones who played Indian in kindergarten, Boy Scouts, or the YMCA >Indian Guides and Princesses programs. The American preoccupation with >playing Indian has a long history, as Phil Deloria's book of the name points >out so well. > >I'm just reaching out to advocates wherever I can find them. Think of the >little ones as you try to figure out how to teach to the grown-ups. >Cheers (and hello, Fred) >Melissa Meyer > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 15:13:05 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: sports mascots Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Melissa Meyer, To add to the confusion about the "playing Indian" theme at kindergarten/elementary school Thanksgiving pageants: for the past decade or so, I have noticed that the Pilgrims no longer are represented when the false Indian images are tricked out. I teach my students that we have lost not only historical accuracy (as per your comment), but also the context of racial/cultural interaction (not to mention the difference between the Separatists and Puritans who used to be represented as Pilgrims; itself a critical distinction). The results are manyfold, among them an inability for teachers to explain why Thanksgiving dinner is nearly all New England Native food (and why non-Indians labor for hours over hot stoves in late November to cultivate this "American tradition"). Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >I have restrained myself from introducing this diversion, but when someone >mentioned the impact that team mascots had on a 6 year old I felt that I >would take my missive to this forum as well. > >I teach at UCLA. I have grown accustomed to the stereotypes (usually >romanticized) that university students bring to classes. But when my >daughter entered kindergarten 4 years ago, I was in shock. She is enrolled >in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. When she came home from her >Thanksgiving party with a photo of her wearing long black yarn braids, with >a chicken feather headdress labelled "Indian Princess," I nearly keeled >over. Since that time, I have aborted a similar pageant through an >understanding Chinese-American 1st grade teacher who got my point about why >this was unacceptable. That was a good experience. I have put together a >presentation about real Wampanoags that I have done every year since, last >year 4 times (the 2nd grade teachers asked me to do it again). > >The 1st grade teacher told the hip principal that I would like to reform the >kindergarten curriculum, if you can call it that. He approached me and I >thought we were finally going to get somewhere. My little boy was to start >kindergarten this past fall and I wanted it cleaned up. I gave the >principal Arlene Hirschfelder's "American Indian Stereotypes in the World of >Children" which has a chapter called "The Thanksgiving Epidemic." I >photocopied and gave to him the entire website of Plimoth Plantation, which >reflects the gazillion questions they get about Thanksgiving. I gave him a >copy of a pamphlet called "Thanksgiving: A Native Perspective." > >He reported to me that the curriculum reform had been completed and I >thanked him and felt satisfied that things would be different. As I worked >in the kindergarten class during the weeks where preparations were being >made for the feast I saw disturbing signs. Long black yarn had appeared. >So-called leather vests were being fashioned out of cheesecloth painted >brown with symbols of tipis on them. Finally a cute little boy asked if I >could help him with his headdress, and I just had to leave the room. The >curriculum reform consisted of eliminating feathers, because they understood >them to be sacred objects now. > >I wrote a letter detailing the problem to all 7 kindergarten teachers and >the new principal. She contacted the director (who is native) of Indian >Education in the Los Angeles Unified School District, who said it was OK as >long as they weren't doing anything offensive. So the feast was on. After >all, the long yarn braids were already made!! So I kept my son out of >school that day and at least he learned something. When his friends asked >him why he didn't come, he said "Because it's faky and disrespectful" with a >slight lisp. But it was the biggest professional failure I have faced, to >be unable to educate 7 well-meaning teachers in one of the top ranked >schools in the district. > >My point to this list after all of that, is that it needs to start a long >time before high school or college. The people who cling to the mascots are >often the ones who played Indian in kindergarten, Boy Scouts, or the YMCA >Indian Guides and Princesses programs. The American preoccupation with >playing Indian has a long history, as Phil Deloria's book of the name points >out so well. > >I'm just reaching out to advocates wherever I can find them. Think of the >little ones as you try to figure out how to teach to the grown-ups. >Cheers (and hello, Fred) >Melissa Meyer > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 06:42:19 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: murri chase Subject: Re: mascots Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Ms.Nason - Bravo, you have saved me from posting almost the identical thoughts. Although I did smile while reading Mr. Fearn's letter and enjoyed the humor and irony, unfortunately too many people are espousing the same thoughts and whole-heartedly meaning them. I recently read a letter, posted in response to changing a team name, the Savages (using an Indian logo), in which it was stated that the "Native Americans should be using their hundreds of thousands of free American dollars to be addressing the issues of their alcoholism, drug abuse and poor schools" instead of worrying about such things as mascots. murri chase _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 14:58:56 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable In regards to recomended texts, I don't recognize a lot of the authors mentioned as being Native American. A recent release that I feel is important for Native Studies is Craig Womack's _Red on Red_ Womack (Creek) asks how can we call classes Native American Lit if the texts are not written by Native Americans. I'd like to extend that question to Native American History and ask if we can call this Native American His= tory if the classroom text is written by non-Indians. While I won't say tha= t whites don't have the right to write Native History or African History or Eqyptian history, etc. I do wonder what difference it makes to Historians when selecting a class= room text. Isn't there some concern that cultural bias or cultural perspective influences how the author interprets and presents tribal history? Also after reading Jam= es Lowen, I fear that many writers depend on old unreliable sources that continu= e to feed inaccuracies into history. Also I wonder if as we discuss and recomend books, If we could also men= tion which if any tribe the authors are from? Barb Tracy "Whitman, Torrey S." @ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> on 05/07/2001 09:46:12 AM Please respond to American Indians Forum Sent by: American Indians Forum To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU cc: Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted Here are a few thoughts on reading for college-aged students, based on positive classroom experiences at a small liberal arts college: Colin Calloway's __New Worlds for All__ looks at the period 1500-1800, = and emphasizes Indian-European interactions and cultural exchanges.=A0 Call= oway also has two good documents collections, __World Turned Upside Down__, deali= ng with the colonial and early national periods, and __Our Hearts Fell to the Ground__, regarding the Plains Indians=A0 in the 19th century. James Brooks has edited __Andele: A Mexican-Kiowa Captive__, a captivit= y narrative taken down by J.J. Methvin in the 1880s. Andele was a Mexican= living in New Mexico who was adopted into the Kiowa in the 1870s. He lived thr= ough their last conflicts with U.S. troops and the ensuing reservation period. Greg Dowd's __A Spirited Resistance__=A0 is an excellent account of eff= orts to create Indian unity in the Ohio Valley, 1745-1815. Dean Snow's __The Iroquois__ provides a narrative history and anthropol= ogy that reaches from pre-contact cultures to the current time. Lynda Shaffer's __Native Americans before 1492__ is a brief and readabl= e account of the moundbuilding cultures exemplified by Poverty Point, Hopewell/Ad= ena, and the Mississippian sites at Cahokia and elsewhere. Theda Perdue's __Cherokee Women__ emphasizes cultural persistence rathe= r than change and destruction in looking at the lifeways of its subjects. =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Looking forward to seeing other contributions, =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Steve Whitman, =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Mount St. Mary's College, =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Emmitsburg, MD 21727 -----Original Message----- From: SH [mailto:susie_husted@YAHOO.COM] Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 8:08 PM To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Suggestions Wanted This forum gives us a wonderful oppotrunity to share the resources we trust.=A0 As a librarian, I'd love to come away from this month of discussion with a strong bibliography of materials on AI history. There are the classics as well as some good anthologies, but it can be difficult to find an accessible non-fiction and reference materials for young adults (age 14 to 22).=A0 I'd be glad to compile people's suggestions and repost them at the end of the month. As for myself, I have found some wonderful young adult resources from the Oyate catalog (http://www.oyate.org).=A0 Another forum participant mentioned the organization earlier as well. Thanks! Susie Husted Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site a= t http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. Hist= ory. = This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 15:00:48 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Tom Anderson Subject: ...lotsa questions about how indians resolved conflict... Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="============_-1222511245==_ma============" --============_-1222511245==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello colleagues, (Pardon my conversational prose) ...a question i have, and hope will be touched in this course, has to do with the way indians dealt with conflict and conflict resolution...i have three categories of conflict in mind.. 1...inter-group conflict -- when there was incompatibility between the actions/goals of two or more groups, such as between tribes, families, or a tribe and a colonial government. 2...intra-group conflict -- when someone within a group acted in ways or entertained goals that were incompatible with the group's mores, leadership patterns, codes, traditions, such as, a woman doesn't like the way the meat was divided after the last buffalo hunt... 3...inter-personal conflict -- when there was incompatibility between the goals/actions of two persons, that did not fall within the scope of inter- and intra-group conflicts, such as two young men wanted the same girl friend, or one young man stole another young man's flint knife, etc... ...listed below is an undisciplined, free flowing of questions and ignorance...i hope to get some of it untangled... ...does anyone know of examples in the indian cultures (primarily in the midwest or plains areas) that explain how they viewed conflict and conflict resolution?... ...the movies and pop literature lead me to believe that these societies operated within a very autocratic, code-bound system -- one that revolved around the interpretations of the chief...this chief appeared to make most of the decisions, with the occasional influence of the medicine men...is this a reasonable picture?, i suspect not...in addition, the movies make it seem like the only two resolution strategies available were to fight, or give in?... ...how important was the spiritual life in dealing with conflict?...was there a peace pipe tradition?...what did it mean and what types of conflict was it reputed to resolve, or prevent, if any?... ...what notions of negotiation, mediation and arbitration did the indians have?...how did these notions interact with the notions of negotiation, mediation and arbitration that the euro-americans brought and imposed on the ensuing inter-group conflicts?...etc... ...please pardon my naivete in these matters, but it's very difficult for me to get beyond the racist blinders that i find convenient to lug along... Tom Anderson Professor Educational Psychology UofI, Urbana Champaign --============_-1222511245==_ma============ Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii" GenevaHello colleagues, (Pardon my conversational prose) ...a question i have, and hope will be touched in this course, has to do with the way indians dealt with conflict and conflict resolution...i have three categories of conflict in mind.. 1...inter-group conflict -- when there was incompatibility between the actions/goals of two or more groups, such as between tribes, families, or a tribe and a colonial government. 2...intra-group conflict -- when someone within a group acted in ways or entertained goals that were incompatible with the group's mores, leadership patterns, codes, traditions, such as, a woman doesn't like the way the meat was divided after the last buffalo hunt... 3...inter-personal conflict -- when there was incompatibility between the goals/actions of two persons, that did not fall within the scope of inter- and intra-group conflicts, such as two young men wanted the same girl friend, or one young man stole another young man's flint knife, etc... ...listed below is an undisciplined, free flowing of questions and ignorance...i hope to get some of it untangled... ...does anyone know of examples in the indian cultures (primarily in the midwest or plains areas) that explain how they viewed conflict and conflict resolution?... ...the movies and pop literature lead me to believe that these societies operated within a very autocratic, code-bound system -- one that revolved around the interpretations of the chief...this chief appeared to make most of the decisions, with the occasional influence of the medicine men...is this a reasonable picture?, i suspect not...in addition, the movies make it seem like the only two resolution strategies available were to fight, or give in?... ...how important was the spiritual life in dealing with conflict?...was there a peace pipe tradition?...what did it mean and what types of conflict was it reputed to resolve, or prevent, if any?... ...what notions of negotiation, mediation and arbitration did the indians have?...how did these notions interact with the notions of negotiation, mediation and arbitration that the euro-americans brought and imposed on the ensuing inter-group conflicts?...etc... ...please pardon my naivete in these matters, but it's very difficult for me to get beyond the racist blinders that i find convenient to lug along... Tom Anderson Professor Educational Psychology UofI, Urbana Champaign --============_-1222511245==_ma============-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 16:41:58 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Michelle Hermann Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Thanks for mentioning Craig Womack's wonderful _Red on Red_. Not only does it provide excellent insights into thinking about Native American Studies, Womack has an incredible sense of humor. Some Indian-authored texts I've used in literature courses with varying degrees of success in the past include: Gerald Alfred, _Heeding the Voices of Our Ancestors: Kahnawake Mohawk Politics and the Rise of Native Nationalism_=20 Brenda Child, ed., _Boarding School Seasons_ Elizabeth Cook-Lynn, _Why I Can't Read Wallace Stegner and other Essays: A Tribal Voice_=20 Steven Crum, _Road on Which We Came: A History of the Western Shoshone_ Philip Deloria, _Playing Indian_=20 Annette Jaimes, _The State of Native America: Genocide, Colonization, and Resistance_ Lucy Lippard, ed., _Partial Recall: Photographs of Native North Americans_ (contains essays by N. Scott Momaday, Joy Harjo, Rayna Green, etc.) Tsianina Lomawaima, _They Called It Prairie Light: The Story of Chilocco Indian School_ Devon Mihesuah, ed., _Natives and Academics: Researching and Writing about American Indians_ and _Repatriation Reader: Who Owns American Indian Remains_ (Haven't read this one yet--any comments?) Gerald Vizenor, _Manifest Manners: Postindian Warriors of Survivance_=20 Robert Allen Warrior, _Tribal Secrets: Recovering American Indian Intellectual Traditions_ Jace Weaver, _That the People May Live: Native American Literatures and Native American Community_ Best, Michelle Hermann Raheja At 02:58 PM 05/11/2001 -0500, you wrote: >In regards to recomended texts, I don't recognize a lot of the >authors mentioned as being Native American. A recent release that >I feel is important for Native Studies is Craig Womack's _Red on Red_ >Womack (Creek) asks how can we call classes Native American Lit if the >texts are >not written by Native Americans. I'd like to extend that question to >Native American History and ask if we can call this Native American History >if the classroom text is written by non-Indians. While I won't say that >whites don't >have the right to write Native History or African History or Eqyptian >history, etc. I >do wonder what difference it makes to Historians when selecting a classroom >text. >Isn't there some concern that cultural bias or cultural perspective >influences how the > author interprets and presents tribal history? Also after reading James >Lowen, > I fear that many writers depend on old unreliable sources that continue to >feed >inaccuracies into history. >Also I wonder if as we discuss and recomend books, If we could also mention >which >if any tribe the authors are from? >Barb Tracy > > > > >"Whitman, Torrey S." @ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> on >05/07/2001 09:46:12 AM > >Please respond to American Indians Forum > > >Sent by: American Indians Forum > > > >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >cc: > >Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted > > > > >Here are a few thoughts on reading for college-aged students, based on >positive classroom experiences at a small liberal arts college: > >Colin Calloway's __New Worlds for All__ looks at the period 1500-1800, and >emphasizes Indian-European interactions and cultural exchanges.=A0 Calloway >also > >has two good documents collections, __World Turned Upside Down__, dealing >with >the colonial and early national periods, and __Our Hearts Fell to the >Ground__, >regarding the Plains Indians=A0 in the 19th century. > >James Brooks has edited __Andele: A Mexican-Kiowa Captive__, a captivity >narrative taken down by J.J. Methvin in the 1880s. Andele was a Mexican >living > >in New Mexico who was adopted into the Kiowa in the 1870s. He lived through >their >last conflicts with U.S. troops and the ensuing reservation period. > >Greg Dowd's __A Spirited Resistance__=A0 is an excellent account of efforts >to >create Indian unity in the Ohio Valley, 1745-1815. > >Dean Snow's __The Iroquois__ provides a narrative history and anthropology >that >reaches from pre-contact cultures to the current time. > >Lynda Shaffer's __Native Americans before 1492__ is a brief and readable >account >of the moundbuilding cultures exemplified by Poverty Point, Hopewell/Adena, >and >the Mississippian sites at Cahokia and elsewhere. > >Theda Perdue's __Cherokee Women__ emphasizes cultural persistence rather >than >change and destruction in looking at the lifeways of its subjects. > >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Looking forward to seeing other contributions, > >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Steve Whitman, >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Mount St. Mary's College, >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Emmitsburg, MD 21727 > > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: SH [mailto:susie_husted@YAHOO.COM] >Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 8:08 PM >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >Subject: Suggestions Wanted > >This forum gives us a wonderful oppotrunity to share the >resources we trust.=A0 As a librarian, I'd love to come away from >this month of discussion with a strong bibliography of materials >on AI history. > >There are the classics as well as some good anthologies, but it >can be difficult to find an accessible non-fiction and reference >materials for young adults (age 14 to 22).=A0 I'd be glad to >compile people's suggestions and repost them at the end of the >month. > >As for myself, I have found some wonderful young adult resources >from the Oyate catalog (http://www.oyate.org).=A0 Another forum >participant mentioned the organization earlier as well. >Thanks! > >Susie Husted >Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices >http://auctions.yahoo.com/ > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 15:31:17 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii In Native American Lit., there is concern that too many of us are teaching the big 4: Welch Blackfeet-Gros Ventre), Momaday (Kiowa) Erdrich (Chipewa), and Silko (Laguna Pueblo). So I'd like to add to the recent literary recommendations some perhaps lesser known but excellent Native American writers: Thomas King (Cherokee) Sherman Alexie (Spokane-Couer d'Alene) Beth Brant (Mohawk) Diane Glancy (Cherokee) Joy Harjo (Creek) Linda Hogan (Chickasaw) Maurice Kenny (Mohawk) Simon Ortiz (Acoma Pueblo) Wendy Rose (Hopi-Miwok) Maria Campbell (Metis) Luther Standing Bear (Teton Sioux) Anna Lee Walters (Pawnee-Otoe-Missouria) Lee Maracle (Metis) Jeanette Armstrong (Okanagan) Marilou Awiakta (Cherokee) Tomson Highway (Cree) Laura Tohe (Navajo) Gerald Vizenor (Anishinabe) I hope that there are those of you that would argue that some of these names are not really lesser known such as Vizenor, Hogan, and Ortiz, but there does seem to be a trend in teaching the big 4 more so than any of these other names. By the way some of these would fit in really well in a history class, such as Linda Hogan's _Mean Spirit_ a fictional account of the Reign of Terror in Oklahoma. Or for contemporary issues: I taught Walter's _Ghost Dancer_ during the height of the publicity over the mishandling of Indian remains here at the University of Nebraska and it moved my students beyond thinking "what's the big deal about some old bones." Barb Tracy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 15:39:10 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" It seems to me that the major problem with the rationale inferred in your post is time. Of course, my participation in this conversation is tinted by my frame of reference, which is also heavily loaded by time. If it's true that Indian history is best, perhaps most authentically, written by Indian people, and it follows that African history is most authentically written by Africans, and so forth; the premise is likely something akin to experiential and/or cultural authenticity that comes from connectedness. While I know of no evidence to document the possibility of authenticity eventuating from connectedness, I'm not making that argument here. The argument here is time. If we cannot trust the authenticity of a history because the historian who wrote it does not live it, or did not, how are we to trust the authenticity of any history not written by someone who wasn't there and/or doesn't base the writing on the trustworthy reports of someone who was there? Refer, for example, to Greek history during the period of the Persian wars. Was any of that history written by participants, or people who talked with participants? Do we trust the authenticity of their screens? If the historian must have direct experience, we can't trust the authenticity of any history. But, of course, we depend on primary sources. In that case, the historian doesn't have to have been there; (s)he can write on the basis of trustworthy reports of trustworthy people who were there. So we read from the most trustworthy primary sources available, we thread together truth from what we can find, we're as true to the voices as we can possibly be, and we run all that through the time screen that separates us from the event. Once written, the reader must beware, and it's the history teacher's responsibility to ensure that young history readers understand what "beware" means. Given all that, a nonIndian can easily write Indian history. (S)he needs the voices of the people about whom the history is to be written, just as an Indian writer would. (S)he threads the voices, the primary sources, into a narrative, just as would an Indian writer, running it through the nonIndian screen, in the same way an Indian writer would run it through his/her Indian screen. Once written, by an Indian or nonIndian writer, the reader would have to be aware that, like all histories, this one is a best effort read, not as historical fact, but as the most authentic try by an earnest scholar. We aren't going to suggest that an Indian writing Indian history is more earnest, more scholarly, or less likely to compromise truth because he or she has a more insightful, honest, intelligent, or culturally sensitive screen, are we? Certainly not, unless, of course, we assume that Indian culture is a monolith, so any Indian can do better justice to any Indian history than can any nonIndian. Leif Fearn >In regards to recomended texts, I don't recognize a lot of the >authors mentioned as being Native American. A recent release that >I feel is important for Native Studies is Craig Womack's _Red on Red_ >Womack (Creek) asks how can we call classes Native American Lit if the >texts are >not written by Native Americans. I'd like to extend that question to >Native American History and ask if we can call this Native American History >if the classroom text is written by non-Indians. While I won't say that >whites don't >have the right to write Native History or African History or Eqyptian >history, etc. I >do wonder what difference it makes to Historians when selecting a classroom >text. >Isn't there some concern that cultural bias or cultural perspective >influences how the > author interprets and presents tribal history? Also after reading James >Lowen, > I fear that many writers depend on old unreliable sources that continue to >feed >inaccuracies into history. >Also I wonder if as we discuss and recomend books, If we could also mention >which >if any tribe the authors are from? >Barb Tracy > > > > >"Whitman, Torrey S." @ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> on >05/07/2001 09:46:12 AM > >Please respond to American Indians Forum > > >Sent by: American Indians Forum > > > >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >cc: > >Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted > > > > >Here are a few thoughts on reading for college-aged students, based on >positive classroom experiences at a small liberal arts college: > >Colin Calloway's __New Worlds for All__ looks at the period 1500-1800, and >emphasizes Indian-European interactions and cultural exchanges. Calloway >also > >has two good documents collections, __World Turned Upside Down__, dealing >with >the colonial and early national periods, and __Our Hearts Fell to the >Ground__, >regarding the Plains Indians in the 19th century. > >James Brooks has edited __Andele: A Mexican-Kiowa Captive__, a captivity >narrative taken down by J.J. Methvin in the 1880s. Andele was a Mexican >living > >in New Mexico who was adopted into the Kiowa in the 1870s. He lived through >their >last conflicts with U.S. troops and the ensuing reservation period. > >Greg Dowd's __A Spirited Resistance__ is an excellent account of efforts >to >create Indian unity in the Ohio Valley, 1745-1815. > >Dean Snow's __The Iroquois__ provides a narrative history and anthropology >that >reaches from pre-contact cultures to the current time. > >Lynda Shaffer's __Native Americans before 1492__ is a brief and readable >account >of the moundbuilding cultures exemplified by Poverty Point, Hopewell/Adena, >and >the Mississippian sites at Cahokia and elsewhere. > >Theda Perdue's __Cherokee Women__ emphasizes cultural persistence rather >than >change and destruction in looking at the lifeways of its subjects. > > Looking forward to seeing other contributions, > > Steve Whitman, > Mount St. Mary's College, > Emmitsburg, MD 21727 > > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: SH [mailto:susie_husted@YAHOO.COM] >Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 8:08 PM >To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU >Subject: Suggestions Wanted > >This forum gives us a wonderful oppotrunity to share the >resources we trust. As a librarian, I'd love to come away from >this month of discussion with a strong bibliography of materials >on AI history. > >There are the classics as well as some good anthologies, but it >can be difficult to find an accessible non-fiction and reference >materials for young adults (age 14 to 22). I'd be glad to >compile people's suggestions and repost them at the end of the >month. > >As for myself, I have found some wonderful young adult resources >from the Oyate catalog (http://www.oyate.org). Another forum >participant mentioned the organization earlier as well. >Thanks! > >Susie Husted >Librarian, Educator and Philosophy student > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices >http://auctions.yahoo.com/ > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > > > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 07:37:27 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_3c.b9421d1.282e7a77_boundary" --part1_3c.b9421d1.282e7a77_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings Barb, Thank-you for the list of Native American Writers, some of them were familiar and some were new to me. I just realized I was born and raised and have lived in Ohio all of my life and am not truly aware of the history here concerning the Native Americans. Could you recommend any books written by Native Americans who have done research on the Ohio region? What I have been exposed to here is Chief Leatherlips, Tecumseh, and Moundbuilders. Thank you again for your offering! In Sisterhood, Cathy --part1_3c.b9421d1.282e7a77_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings Barb,
Thank-you for the list of Native American Writers, some of them were familiar
and some were new to me.
I just realized I was born and raised and have lived in Ohio all of my life
and am not truly aware of the history here concerning the Native Americans.
Could you recommend any books written by Native Americans who have done
research on the Ohio region?
What I have been exposed to here is Chief Leatherlips, Tecumseh, and
Moundbuilders.
Thank you again for your offering!
In Sisterhood,
Cathy
--part1_3c.b9421d1.282e7a77_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 09:30:13 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: sports mascots MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_18.cb0a4c5.282e94e5_boundary" --part1_18.cb0a4c5.282e94e5_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, This is obviously a topic that many of us have concerns about. I have been working to eliminate the use of mascots for several years. My simplistic reasoning to the mascot issue is the use of a symbol is offensive to others, and/or causes a child to feel uncomfortable about who they are, then that symbol is wrong...it's not my place to tell another what is offensive. I work with a Menominee man who was his school's mascot in the 60's. Richie's story is touching and truly tells why these mascots need to be eliminated. His story is at: http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues01/Co02242001/CO_02242001_Richie.htm. Also, I work with a group called STAR (Students, Teachers Against Racism). This past week, Dr. Cornel Pewewardy (Comanche-Kiowa) an assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Leadership, School of Education at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He teaches multicultural education courses at the undergraduate and graduate level at KU and a course in Teaching Native Students at Haskell Indian Nations University, offered us the use of a paper that he had presented on mascots. You can access it at: http://www.turtletrack.org/ManyVoices/Issue_8/Pewewardy_Mascots.htm I hope that these two excellent articles may shed more light on this subject. Thank you, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org legal/political editor "We Have Many Voices" http://www.turtletrack.org/ManyVoices --part1_18.cb0a4c5.282e94e5_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
  This is obviously a topic that many of us have concerns about.  I have
been working to eliminate the use of mascots for several years.  My
simplistic reasoning to the mascot issue is the use of a symbol is offensive
to others, and/or causes a child to feel uncomfortable about who they are,
then that symbol is wrong...it's not my place to tell another what is
offensive.
  I work with a Menominee man who was his school's mascot in the 60's.  
Richie's story is touching and truly tells why these mascots need to be
eliminated.  His story is at:
http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues01/Co02242001/CO_02242001_Richie.htm.
  Also, I work with a group called STAR (Students, Teachers Against Racism).
 This past week, Dr. Cornel Pewewardy (Comanche-Kiowa) an assistant professor
in the Department of Teaching and Leadership, School of Education at the
University of Kansas, Lawrence. He teaches multicultural education courses at
the undergraduate
and graduate level at KU and a course in Teaching Native Students at Haskell
Indian Nations University, offered us the use of a paper that he had
presented on mascots.  You can access it at:
http://www.turtletrack.org/ManyVoices/Issue_8/Pewewardy_Mascots.htm

   I hope that these two excellent articles may shed more light on this
subject.

Thank you,
Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
legal/political editor "We Have Many Voices"
http://www.turtletrack.org/ManyVoices
--part1_18.cb0a4c5.282e94e5_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 14:08:12 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vania Gulston Subject: Re: Suggestions Wanted In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Barb, I think your concerns are very important ones. I think people really need to take into consideration the possibility of cultural bias and and prejudice when reading accounts of groups of people by those who are not "insiders" of that group. At the same time, I think that there are some negatives to writing about a group as an insider of that group. There might be a problem with maintaining the same degree of objectivity as someone writing as an outsider; and thus, certain aspects of that culture, for instance, might be missed in analysis because they are taken for granted. Being so close to that culture and operating within it, may make an objective and thorough analysis of it more difficult in some respects than it would for an outsider. However, an insider will have access to certain aspects of that group's life that an outsider may not have. This is where part of the value lies in including works by, in this case, Native Americans in a course on Native American History. But I think works by non-Native Americans could offer a unique insight that Native Americans themselves might not be able to provide. If I was a designing a course in Native American history and culture, I would try to include both. I am speaking as an African American woman who is planning to start graduate study in African American folklore this fall. --Vania This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 17:01:25 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: correction MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii That would be Walter's _Ghost Singer_ not Ghost Dancer. Sorry. It's Friday. Barb Tracy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 11:30:36 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Sources? Voices? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Several postings have revolved around the need to bring Native American voices into classrooms. I wonder if people who feel they have done this successfully might share some of their experiences. Specifically: 1. What have your experiences been with Native American speakers in class--or with videos that focus on a single individual (such as In Whose Honor)? How do you avoid having that person become stereotypical, a representation of all Indians? (I am particularly thinking of largely non-Indian classes, but this would be the case elsewhere. A visitor or a video comes with the instructor's authority--such as it is--and is therefore presumed to represent 'Indinanness' in some way.) 2. How about Indian music? I have tried beginning classes in my Native American history survey course with excerpts from a wide variety of Native American music, from pow-wow songs to Oneida hymns. I like bringing Native American voices literally into class. But I am not sure that I always am successful introducing and contextualizing them. Anyone else tried this? 3. Indian or first person texts. The suggestions in the forum for Native American literature titles have been great. But what about pre-1930 texts? Autobiographies (Apess? Winnemucca?), trveller's accounts and captivities that contain substantial information (Tanner? Jesuit Relations?). These all have problems. They need to be taken apart and read carefully. But they provide valuable insights into the range and diverstiy of Indian life. Thoughts? (I just published "Talking Back to Civilization: Indian Voices from the Progressive Era," a collection of Indian statements from the turn of the century, as one example.) I'll be listening. Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 13:41:14 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Carl Benn Subject: Re: Sources? Voices? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, I have a couple of suggestions re First Nations voices. There is a really great film called produced by the Seneca Nation in New York recently called 'Land of Our Ancestors' that explores life at the Allegeny Reservation on the eve of its flooding for the Kinzua Dam in the mid 1960s. It's about 45-minutes long, all the footage comes from around 1964-65 time, and my third-year University of Toronto students love it. (Even some of the most urban cynics in the class have teary eyes at the end.) I think the university a-v people bought it directly from the Seneca Nation Museum. Going way back, the _Journal of Major John Norton, 1816_ (Toronto: Champlain Society, 1970) is quite exciting. Norton was born in Scotland in 1771, the son of a Cherokee man and a Scottish woman. (His dad, when a teenager, had been captures/rescued by a Scottish soldier during a raid against Keowee during the Cherokee War.) John Norton moved to Canada as a soldier in the 1780s, deserted, and entered the aboriginal world, becoming an adopted Mohawk in 1799 and a chief a year later under Joseph Brant's patronage. Between about 1809 and 1816, he worked on an enormous manuscript, which sat unpublished until 1970. It consists of three main parts: first, a history of the Six Nations, based, I think, largely on data he got from Joseph Brant (who had been working on a history, which raises the question of whether or not Norton's effort was the completion of Brant's project. Interestingly, much of the material Brant?/Norton used came from Euroamerican published histories, especially for earlier times, but the American Revolution seems largely based on oral material from participants. (Neither man seems to have had a lot of confidence in oral tradition - ouch!) The second part of his journal consists of Norton's adventures on a journey from the Grand River in Canada to visit his relatives in the Cherokee world to the south in 1809-10. It's absolutely fascinating and full of great data. The third part consists of his memoirs as a Mohawk leader in the War of 1812 - quite an exciting read, which I am editing and annotating for a publication of First Nations memoirs from the war. I came across Norton while researching my recent book, _The Iroquois in the War of 1812_ (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1998) and found him to be very, very useful, and, luckily, remarkably reliable. On another topic, what do people think about Black Hawk's Autobiography? Also, has anyone worked much with Eleazer Williams scattered papers? One problem I seem to be having with Williams is that he seems to fib a lot. What do people think about the handful of dictated memoirs from the early nineteenth century? Cheers. Carl Benn This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 14:24:53 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Michelle Hermann Subject: Re: Sources? Voices? In-Reply-To: <90.14224347.282eb11c@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" In response to Fred Hoxie's query: >1. What have your experiences been with Native American speakers in class--or >with videos that focus on a single individual (such as In Whose Honor)? How >do you avoid having that person become stereotypical, a representation of all >Indians? (I am particularly thinking of largely non-Indian classes, but this >would be the case elsewhere. A visitor or a video comes with the instructor's >authority--such as it is--and is therefore presumed to represent >'Indinanness' in some way.) Some films I've used in literature classes have included a four-part interview series with Native American novelists (Vizenor, Silko, Welch and Momaday), Malinda Maynor's "Real Indian," the PBS documentary "In the White Man's Image," Shelly Niro and Anna Gronau's "It Starts with a Whisper," Randy Redroad's "High Horse," Gerald Vizenor's "Harold of Orange," the Connecticut Public Television documentary "As We Tell Our Stories," Saundra Sharpe's "Picking Tribes," "Smoke Signals," and "Navajo Talking Picture," all of which feature Indian speakers/actors/filmmakers, etc. I haven't really found that students, Indian or not, see either speakers in films or in 'real life' as representative, any more than they find voices in texts speaking from positions of steadfast authority. I guess I've been lucky so far in that students interpret each individual speaker as representative only of his or her own experience, even if that speaker purports to be the voice of authenticity. Maybe this is because I've tried to include many different and divergent voices in classes, never setting up a single text, video or speaker as the students' sole access to Indian (or any other) experience. Or maybe this is just less of an issue in literature courses than it is in history courses. Best, Michelle This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 15:30:09 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Sources? Voices? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_76.a84bb8c.282ee941_boundary" --part1_76.a84bb8c.282ee941_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, I'd like to reply to the question about bringing folks in to talk to students. I've recently been involved with this at Mankato State U. A program was developed for any who wished to attend. All but two of the presenters were AI's who are involved in some fairly diverse work. One was the woman who is responsible for the development of NAGPRA...her story is told with humor and with the realities of modern day AI life. Another is in charge of the Badlands Bombing Range Project on Pine Ridge...Emma is a well educated woman, who speaks of life on Pine Ridge amongst MANY live bombs. Then, there was the college professor who is doing work about the life of Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala Sa) who was elected Secretary of the Society of American Indians in 1916 and who founded the National Congress of American Indians in 1926 and wrote numerous books. My point is that these are real AI's doing real work in today's society. Not one of these people promote any stereotype, yet, they all speak with passion and honesty about the realities of NDN life. I watched the audience during these talks and the students were very attentive and asked good questions. I feel that perhaps some myths were dispelled that day. Another project that I work on is an Education Day for the Mankato School District. On the day before one of the best powwows around, we bring every third grader out to the grounds. There, they are taught by over 32 AI's. These "presenters" take groups of children and show them different aspects of AI life. We have crafts people, a drum, storytellers, people who teach about games, regalia, food, you name it...we teach it. This program has run for 15 years and last year, we had over 750 children. What we have seen from Education Day, is a generation of children who get to meet and really talk with REAL, ALIVE Indians!!!! Not only do the children learn and realize that our culture is not extinct, they learn that AI's do pretty neat stuff!! And, the presenters are able to get a sense of satisfaction in dispelling some stereotypes and myths. Both of these learning experiences can be adapted to being done anywhere. It just requires getting out and finding people in the communities who are willing and able to share themselves. And, it's well worth the effort. Thanks, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_76.a84bb8c.282ee941_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
  I'd like to reply to the question about bringing folks in to talk to
students.  I've recently been involved with this at Mankato State U.   A
program was developed for any who wished to attend.  All but two of the
presenters were AI's who are involved in some fairly diverse work.  One was
the woman who is responsible for the development of NAGPRA...her story is
told with humor and with the realities of modern day AI life.  Another is in
charge of the Badlands Bombing Range Project on Pine Ridge...Emma is a well
educated woman, who speaks of life on Pine Ridge amongst MANY live bombs.  
Then, there was the college professor who is doing work about the life of
Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala Sa) who was elected Secretary of the Society
of American Indians in 1916 and who founded the National Congress of American
Indians in 1926 and wrote numerous books.

My point is that these are real AI's doing real work in today's society.  Not
one of these people promote any stereotype, yet, they all speak with passion
and honesty about the realities of NDN life.  I watched the audience during
these talks and the students were very attentive and asked good questions.  I
feel that perhaps some myths were dispelled that day.

Another project that I work on is an Education Day for the Mankato School
District.  On the day before one of the best powwows around, we bring every
third grader out to the grounds.  There, they are taught by over 32 AI's.  
These "presenters" take groups of children and show them different aspects of
AI life.  We have crafts people, a drum, storytellers, people who teach about
games, regalia, food, you name it...we teach it.  This program has run for 15
years and last year, we had over 750 children.

What we have seen from Education Day, is a generation of children who get to
meet and really talk with REAL, ALIVE Indians!!!!  Not only do the children
learn and realize that our culture is not extinct, they learn that AI's do
pretty neat stuff!!  And, the presenters are able to get a sense of
satisfaction in dispelling some stereotypes and myths.

Both of these learning experiences can be adapted to being done anywhere.  It
just requires getting out and finding people in the communities who are
willing and able to share themselves.  And, it's well worth the effort.

Thanks,

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_76.a84bb8c.282ee941_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 13:59:34 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Sources? Voices? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I'm very fortunate that I live in Nebraska and have the benefit of many Indian resources from a variety of cultures other than my own. We begin talking about identity immediately and the uniqueness of not only tribal identity but individual identity. I bring in speakers from various tribes and usually have the opportunity to attend at least one local tribal event such as the recent honoring pow wow for the graduating tribal youth of our city. I think it's very important that speakers are there because they have some specific information to share. For example we recently read an article written and published by a Cherokee student at the U in which he discussed Children's lit. It was in a special edition of SAIL which focused on Children's Native American Lit. We read several of the articles from that issue and then we had Daniel, the student from UNL, visit our class. Clearly he was there to talk about his article, the issue of SAIL, and his thoughts on Children's literature written about Indians. In this way, Daniel did not come in as an expert on everything Indian, or an expert of Cherokees, but an expert on this particular topic and one who can talk about it from an Indian point of view. Another speaker who just visited last week is a well known Kiowa story teller, who lives in our community. He talked to the students specifically about the art of story telling and how to collect stories within their own families and communities. In the past I've had a student involved with the repatriation issue at the U speak to my class while we were reading _Ghost Singer_ a novel dealing with a similar situation. These are a few exmaples. Barb Tracy 1. What have your experiences been with Native American speakers in class--or with videos that focus on a single individual (such as In Whose Honor)? How do you avoid having that person become stereotypical, a representation of all Indians? (I am particularly thinking of largely non-Indian classes, but this would be the case elsewhere. A visitor or a video comes with the instructor's authority--such as it is--and is therefore presumed to represent 'Indinanness' in some way.) 2. How about Indian music? I have tried beginning classes in my Native American history survey course with excerpts from a wide variety of Native American music, from pow-wow songs to Oneida hymns. I like bringing Native American voices literally into class. But I am not sure that I always am successful introducing and contextualizing them. Anyone else tried this? 3. Indian or first person texts. The suggestions in the forum for Native American literature titles have been great. But what about pre-1930 texts? Autobiographies (Apess? Winnemucca?), trveller's accounts and captivities that contain substantial information (Tanner? Jesuit Relations?). These all have problems. They need to be taken apart and read carefully. But they provide valuable insights into the range and diverstiy of Indian life. Thoughts? (I just published "Talking Back to Civilization: Indian Voices from the Progressive Era," a collection of Indian statements from the turn of the century, as one example.) I'll be listening. Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 14:06:17 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Sources? Voices? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I'd also like to do more with music and would like some suggestions. We recently listened to Joy Harjo a Creek poet who puts her work to jazz music and plays the saxaphone. We then also listened to recordings by Indigenous (Yankton Sioux) a jazz/blues band from nearby South Dakota. This gave us the opportunity to discuss contemporary Indian musicians, music as a form of storytelling, and possible connections with Jazz. Barb Tracy 2. How about Indian music? I have tried beginning classes in my Native American history survey course with excerpts from a wide variety of Native American music, from pow-wow songs to Oneida hymns. I like bringing Native American voices literally into class. But I am not sure that I always am successful introducing and contextualizing them. Anyone else tried this? This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 16:18:21 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Laura Janson Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Greetings to Eileen and all forum members - I am prompted to write my thoughts that came from reading about your student - that you did not expect this type of thought/behavior from an Indian student, but thought it would come from a nonIndian student. It brought to mind the main point that we kept coming back to in an "Indigenous Thought" class that I took. What the AI professor wanted us to realize is that there are Indian people who think/utilize the "colonizer's mindset", (to use popular terminology) and there are nonIndian people out there who think with AI philosophy/thought. What I gained from the class experience is that AI issues are very complicated, and that one has to talk with people to find out where they are coming from. One cannot generalize/stereotype just by saying "oh that person is Indian so s/he will have this opinion or think in this way. Likewise, the same is true, you can't look at an Anglo or Black or Asian or Chicano/Hispanic or whoever and assume they will think in a particular manner/philosophy. In this class we kept talking about AI identity issues, having a roll number, being "full-blood" or not, etc. And maybe the concern about "blood quantum" stems from the adaptation/acceptance of the "colonizer's" thinking to the point that it becomes divisive to indigenous people - it's like falling right into the colonizer's trap of divide and conquer! It is the acceptance/holding onto of a concept based on exclusion instead of inclusion. A real interesting exercise he had the class (about 5 AI's and 3 nonIndians) do was to make an identity map, draw it on the board and share/discuss it. I think all of us students struggled with this. A couple of the AI students seemed to have a clear sense of identity stemming from clan membership (one lady drew a corn plant). It was interesting because for the most part the AI students talked of their spirituality providing a strong sense of identity, whereas several of the nonIndian students only thought of themselves in relation to "others" who they thought were really weird people. It was also interesting because after this public exercise in identity, the AI students began to acknowledge my presence/contribution to the class. I know they originally thought "what the heck is this white lady doing in here?" but once they got to know where I was coming from, I was OK and was included in their socializing outside of the classroom. I think the exercise was good because it made us (students) stretch our minds individually and gave us a way to know each other better. Maybe this will be a new idea for some of the professors out there to try in their classes. Thanks for listening. Laura Janson BA in American Studies, minor in Native American Studies in the year 2000 at age 50! Heading off to grad work in Public History! This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 18:26:00 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Laura Janson Subject: Re: The Evolution of Traditions. Comments: To: Jack Betterly Greetings to Prof. Betterly and forum members - I wanted to tell you that I enjoyed reading your message. I think you have a really good viewpoint on life and philosophy in that you see things in a broad, not narrow, vision; that you provided students with worldviews/ philosophies in the hope that they would use it as food for thought and growth and creation of their own personal philosophy/journey in life. I would have liked being in your classroom. In attending Native American classes, discussing, reading and writing of research papers I have often struggled with the idea of "tradition", whether it is something static or can it change? When tradition is really investigated, I think one often finds that yes, changes have occurred, that it is not the same exact tradition of years ago; yet the spirit/essence of the tradition remains the same. There is probably some reason for why it can't be exactly the same as in previous times - from different social conditions to the now unavailability of a particular material resource. In my readings I often come across the labels of "traditional" and "progressive" and it seems that a lot of divisiveness exists because people name others as such. Maybe people get so hung up on their concept of "tradition" that they lose sight of the essential meaning within the activity itself. The other interesting point in your message is that Buddhism is a part of who you are and your life. I can't think of hearing about wanna-be Buddhists, its like, if a nonAsian person wants to be of the Buddhist faith, that's OK. Yet, there is much discourse over the issue of nonIndian people accepting Native American spirituality into their life - they are stereotyped as "wanna-bes". In order to grow, one often needs to think outside of the "box" that they were born into, brought up with or taught by. What you call a "single vision" I am calling a "box". Maybe some people of all ethnicities have gotten too dogmatic and exclusionary of what other people can and cannot do or be. Just as Indian people have been stereotyped, I think nonIndian people have also suffered from stereotypes, especially in this area of spirituality. If another path, another philosophy "fits" who I am better than that which I was born/brought up with, yes, I am going to want to adapt to that other way of thinking/acting. I think I should be able to do so in the spirit of freedom that does not belittle one for choosing to live one's life within the concepts of a different philosophy than one is assumed to have. I think the difference is that you live Buddhism on a personal basis, just as I strive to bring Native American philosophy/spirituality into my life on a personal basis. We are not out there to make money on it through proclaiming ourselves as "experts", conducting weekend workshops and turning it into a commercial enterprise. I run the risk of being judged as a "wannabe" but I also gained the respect of a AI friend who said "I never liked "white-eyes" until I met you. You have given me a new understanding of my medicine colors, in that white is one of them and I need to bring an understanding of that color into my being for my own growth." Guess what - based upon inclusion, we both grow from that experience. These are the thoughts that your writing brought to me. Thank you for the sharing and growth. Laura Janson This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 14 May 2001 20:08:45 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_6.168a64f3.2831cd8d_boundary" --part1_6.168a64f3.2831cd8d_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, I am not well liked in the work atmosphere I am in basically because I only work around white males. I am a Union Tradeswomen Carpenter from Sunbury, Ohio. My philosophy is that there is an inner feeling and being that tells us that we must be cautious, aware, and true to what feels right to our own being. For me that means, that I must not be bought into a system that excludes people because they don't believe in a certain religion, or are not willing to degrade others to make myself feel superior. I have been exposed to enough (white is right religion to last me a life time), what I haven't been exposed to is enough what is right and feels right spirituality). Being a woman is already a downfall, as our male counterparts have us to believe, however, I feel that being a female gives us a perspective that men and boys will never perceive. It is important that woman and womyn, keep a perspective on our female youth coming up before us and that they are given strength and wisdom that will place them in a position of power rather than powerlessness. Women continually place young girls in a position of vulnerability, and this only perpetuates the continuum of powerlessness. We as women need to teach the power of women, be it Native American, African American, Jewish American, Hispanic American, whatever your ethnic background, please open a forum for women to have a voice. Make that forum a listening tool not a lecturing tool, but allow women and girls to have a voice in what makes them feel alive, what helps them to feel that they are significant in this male dominated culture. This brings up my question that has been a long lasting question for me, I have always felt that many Native Americans philosophies fit into my life, however one aspect that has kept me distant is the role of women. Can anyone clarify for me what tribes or nations respected women as other than caretaker and what role those women played in that society? In Sisterhood, Cathy --part1_6.168a64f3.2831cd8d_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
I am not well liked in the work atmosphere I am in basically because I only
work around white males. I am a Union Tradeswomen Carpenter from Sunbury,
Ohio.  My philosophy is that there is an inner feeling and being that tells
us that we must be cautious, aware, and true to what feels right to our own
being.
For me that means, that I must not be bought into a system that excludes
people because they don't believe in a certain religion, or are not willing
to degrade others to make myself feel superior.
I have been exposed to enough (white is right religion to last me a life
time), what I haven't been exposed to is enough what is right and feels right
spirituality).
Being a woman is already a downfall, as our male counterparts have us to
believe, however, I feel that being a female gives us a perspective that men
and boys will never perceive.
It is important that woman and womyn, keep a perspective on our female youth
coming up before us and that they are given strength and wisdom that will
place them in a position of power rather than powerlessness.
Women continually place young girls in a position of vulnerability, and this
only perpetuates  the continuum of powerlessness.
We as women need to teach the power of women, be it Native American, African
American, Jewish American, Hispanic American, whatever your ethnic
background, please open a forum for women to have a voice. Make that forum a
listening tool not a lecturing tool, but allow women and girls to have a
voice in what makes them feel alive, what helps them to feel that they are
significant in this male dominated culture.
This brings up my question that has been a long lasting question for me, I
have always felt that many Native Americans philosophies fit into my life,
however one aspect that has kept me distant is the role of women.
Can anyone clarify for me what tribes or nations respected women as other
than caretaker and what role those women played in that society?
In Sisterhood,
Cathy
--part1_6.168a64f3.2831cd8d_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 00:22:54 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: murri chase Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Cathy - you wrote: >This brings up my question that has been a long lasting question for me, I >have always felt that many Native Americans philosophies fit into my life, >however one aspect that has kept me distant is the role of women. >Can anyone clarify for me what tribes or nations respected women as other >than caretaker and what role those women played in that society? I think you might be interested in http://www.turtletrack.org/ManyVoices/ read the story: Now Is A Time For Renewal and Honoring of the Female Spirit murri chase _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 09:52:32 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Sources? Voices? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii My questions last week provoked some interesting answers, but I haven't really received an answer, partly I think because of the sensitive nature of the questions but mainly because a lot of folks have started summer break. I'd like to restate the questions and then also ask Dr. Hoxie a couple of questions: First for the group: 1. What criteria do you or would you use to select texts for a Native American History class? 1a. What difference does Tribal affiliation make in that decision? 1b. How does the author's affiliation or non-affiliation impact your decision? Especially what additional qualifications do you look for? How does say a Lakota tribal historian, with minimal college education, writing about his/her tribe match up to a non-Indian who with a Ph.D. who has done extensive library research? 1c. What if the material written by a tribal member conflicts with numerous other histories written by researchers outside of the tribe? 2. What history texts written by Native Americans would you recommend? What tribes do these authors come from and why would you recommend their texts? For Dr. Hoxie: In teaching a class of possible future educators, how would you advise those students in selecting texts not only for Native American History classes but American History classes in respect to the treatment of tribal history? What criteria might you recommend? Second, Devon Mihesuah (Choctaw) in _Natives and Academics: Researching and Writing about American Indians_ focuses on the need for non-Indian scholars to be sensitive and respectful of tribal concerns regarding the textualization of tribal history. How would you direct say a graduate student or colleague who wants to write about a tribe of which their only knowledge so far is library research? What would you say has to happen for this to be an accurate, sensitive piece of scholarship? Respectfully, Barb Tracy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 10:00:18 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Cathy, This is a myth perpetuated my television, film, and literature. Indian women had and have considerable power within their tribes. This differs, of course, in degree from tribe to tribe. Also Colonialism weakened the power of women. I recommend two great books to get at myths like this and to answer some of your other questions: Devon Mihesuah. (Choctaw) _American Indians: Stereotypes and Realities_ Marilou Awiakta. (Cherokee) _Selu_ These are all available through amazon.com if you can't find them in your local bookstores. Barb Tracy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 18:32:22 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Criteria MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Forum Folk: I am glad to discuss criteria I use for selecting books and tactics for advising students. On books: For courses not directly on Native American topics, I suggest using documents and statements that present Indian perspectives. If you only have a short time for Indian stuff in a colonial section, for example, you can include something from the Jesuit Relations (there is a collection of excerpts in the Bedford Books series). If you want to introduce Native American aspects of Jacksonian America, the Cherokee cases provide a window on how the expansion of democracy worked against Indians. (Theda Perdue's collection on Cherokee removal in the Bedford series is another useful source for first person statements.) These examples could go on. Another excellent source for these kinds of things is Colin Calloway's textbook. Each chapter is accompanied by primary documents. (I would mention here as well Peter Iverson and Al Hurtado's Major Problems book; a good collection of essays and documents.) I emphasize first person accounts and primary documents because these often introduce the complexity of cross cultural encounters and the the misunderstandings, the deceptions and the stereotypes that characterize these events. I have an instinctive aversion to textbooks in Native American history (even though I am writing one!) because the subject needs discussion, analysis and debate. It isn't a simple story. For courses that focus on Native Americans I usually use a variety of materials--primary documents such as treaties and court decisions, memoirs, first person accounts, and "histories." The point here is that cross cultural encounters can be understood in a variety of ways and their "truth" is not self evident. The criteria for selecting these is hard to define--that is why this is a good question. I would say my goal is to get at Native perceptions and understandings of events, to understand what all of the actors at a particular time or place were thinking, and to get at specific situations and people. Using those criteria, I often use: Native American autobiographies (Apess,Eastman, Winnemucca, Black Hawk, John Stands in Timber, Crashing Thunder, Mary Crow Dog, Russell Means etc. Good surveys of historical events that can serve as a background: Ian Steele's Warpaths (I liked it more than the students did), Deloria's Nations Within, Warrior and Smith's Like A Hurricane. I have a hard time using my own stuff but I think A Final Promise would fit here. Documents; The Prucha collection of documents of U.S. Indian Policy is a good source but students usually can't take the whole thing. Over the years I have collected supreme court decisions. It is always fun to throw Martinez, Oliphant, the Washington fishing rights case, Smith (the terrible 1990 peyote decision), Go Road, etc. at them. Novels: One contributor mentioned Mean Spirit. Others that have worked for me are Ceremony, The Surrounded, Fools Crow, The Death of Jim Loney, Love Medicine. There are lots here and I confess I am stuck in the "Welch, Silko, Erdrich syndrome. There are lots of younger people like Treuer who I want very much to use in the future. For me, personally, Momaday is too literary, almost too beautifully written to be subjected to my clumsy historical analysis. But I know his books work for many people. Then there are books that don't really fit any category. I used Howard Harrod's The Animals Came Dancing last fall and it generated a lot of discussion. Gerald Vizenor's essays do the same. The Mihesuah collection mentioned by others is also good food for thought. I should add that my courses are "history" classes not "studies" classes so my criteria is partially "coverage." (time, place, etc.) My criteria are also accuracy (as best as I can determine from my own knowledge, reviews, etc.), readability, and whether the book will challenge stereotypes and provoke a reassessment of the past. That doesn't always work, but you can hope! I haven't addressed the authors' DNA because I don't consider that very important. Obviously an author's experience and sensitivity are crucially important, but those don't necessarily go along with blood quantum. In some areas--autobiographies--Native Americn ancestry is by definition essential. In others, overviews, it is not. At the same time, books like Warrior and Smith's account of AIM and D'Arcy McNickle's Tribalism book should be seen as expressions of Native American thought as well as "objective" histories of a moment. So there, heritage is important. And finally, as for advising students: In my experience today's students don't need to be told this, but if they are historians in training they must in their research make a connection to contemporary heirs of their research topic. That does not mean that they should accept contemporary perspectives on events as gospel--I don't believe oral history by definition trumps all other sources--but it does mean that understanding contemporary communities helps us interpret the past. In my book on the Crows for example, Parading Through History, I conducted several oral history interviews and discussed the topics in my book with a number of community scholars. And I spent time in the Crow communtiy. Few of those interviews made it into the text of the book, but the knowledge and insight I gained from people in the contemporary Crow community helped me put the documents together more effectively and, I hope, with greater sensitivity. We can discuss all of these topics more fully in the coming days. Our month is already half over! Best wishes, Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 12:29:03 +0200 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "A. Esteban" Subject: Jesuit Relations digitalized Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="=====================_5241832==_.ALT" --=====================_5241832==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Professor Hoxie mentioned the Jesuit Relations. You can download directly from Internet a digitalized version of the entire English translation of the The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, originally compiled and edited by Reuben Gold Thwaites, in the following page managed by Rev. R. Bucko, of Creighton University (Nebraska) http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/relations/ Aitor Esteban University of Deusto --=====================_5241832==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Professor Hoxie mentioned the Jesuit Relations. You can download directly from Internet a digitalized version of the entire English translation of the The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, originally compiled and edited by Reuben Gold Thwaites, in the following page managed by Rev. R. Bucko, of Creighton University (Nebraska)

http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/relations/


Aitor Esteban
University of Deusto --=====================_5241832==_.ALT-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 09:10:30 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Sources? Voices? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_d8.65bf0ad.283527c6_boundary" --part1_d8.65bf0ad.283527c6_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Greetings, Here is an excellent list of books that are recommended by the Lakota=20 Student Alliance and us. :) BIBLIOGRAPHY of BOOKS, 2000/2001 Compiled by Mark Ashurst-McGee The following is a partial list of Native Studies books that appeared during the 2000-2001 academic year.=A0 They are listed alphabetically, and categorized as follows: NON-FICTION ARCHAEOLOGY NOVELS SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS POETRY PLAYS ISBN numbers are included for your convenience. NON-FICTION (Other than Archaeology) Adamson, Joni. __American Indian Literature, Environmental Justice, And Ecocriticism: The Middle Place__. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2001. ISBN: 0816517916 Baughman, Mike, and Charlotte Hadella. __Warm Springs Millennium; Voices from the Reservation__. Austin, Tex: University of Texas Press, 2000. ISBN: 0292708866 Berlo, Janet Catherine. _Spirit Beings and Sun Dancers: Black Hawk's Vision of the Lakota World__. New York: George Braziller, 2000. ISBN: 0807614653 Blackburn, Carole. __Harvest of Souls: The Jesuit Missions and Colonialism in North America, 1632-1650__. Toronto: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2000. ISBN: 0773520473 Bruman, Henry J. __Alcohol in Ancient Mexico__. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2000. ISBN: 0874806585 Cobb, Amanda J. __Listening to Our Grandmothers' Stories: The Bloomfield Academy for Chickasaw Females, 1852-1949__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803215096 Cochran, Mary E. __Dakota Cross-Barer: The Life and World of a Native American Bishop__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803215118 Crawford, James. __At War with Diversity: U.S. Language Policy in an Age of Anxiety__. Clevedon, England; Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters, 2000. ISBN: 1853595055 Curtis, Edward S. __Sites and Structures: The Architectural Photographs of Edward S. Curtis__, edited by Dan Solomon, Mary Solomon, and Simon Lowinsky. San Francisco: Chronicle Books,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0811829383 Dodge, Richard Irving. __The Indian Territory Journals of Colonel Richard Irving Dodge__, edited by Wayne R. Kime. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2000. ISBN: 0806132574 Elm, Demus, and Harvey Antone. __The Oneida Creation Story__, translated and edited by Floyd G. Lounsbury and Bryan Gick. Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803267428 Fiske, Jo-Anne. __Cis Dideen Kat: The Way of the Lake Babine Nation__. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2000. ISBN: 077480811X Fowler, Don D. __A Laboratory for Anthropology: Science and Romanticism in the American Southwest, 1846-1930__. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2000. ISBN: 0826320368 Gandert, Miguel A. __Nuevo Mexico Profundo: Rituals of an Indo-Hispano Homeland__. Musuem of New Mexico Press, 2000. ISBN: 0890133484 Griffin-Pierce, Trudy. __Native Peoples of the Southwest__. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2000. ISBN: 0826319076 Hoffer, Peter Charles. __The Brave New World: A History of Early America__. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. ISBN: 0669394769 Huhndorf, Shari M. __Going Native: Indians in the American Cultural Imagination__. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 2001. ISBN: 0801438322 Irwin, Lee, ed. __Native American Spirituality: A Critical Reader__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0803282613 Joyce, Rosemary A. __Gender and Power in Prehispanic Mesoamerica__. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2000. ISBN: 0292740654 La Vere, David. __Contrary Neighbors: Southern Plains and Removed Indians in Indian Territory__. ISBN: 0806132515 Leckie, Shirley A. __Angie Debo: Pioneering Historian__. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0806132566 McKee, Christopher. __Treaty Talks in British Columbia: Negotiating a Mutually Beneficial Future__. University of British Columbia Press, 2000. ISBN: 0774808241 Milton, Giles. __Big Chief Elizabeth: The Adventures and Fate of the First English__.=A0 2000. ISBN: 0374265011 Mitchell, Rose. __Tall Woman: The Life Story of Rose Mitchell, a Navajo Woman, c. 1874-1977__, edited by Charlotte J. Frisbie. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2001. ISBN: 0826322034 Mulcahy, Joanne B. __Birth and Rebirth on an Alaskan Island: The Life of an Alutiiq Healer__. Georgia Press, 2001. ISBN: 0820322539 Murray, David. __Indian Giving: Economies of Power In Indian-White Exchanges__. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 2000. ISBN: 1558492445 Niezen, Ronald. __Spirit Wars: Native North American Religions in the Age of Nation Building__. University of California Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0520219872 Pickering, Kathleen Ann. __Lakota Culture, World Economy__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803236905 Plank, Geoffrey Gilbert. __An Unsettled Conquest: The British Campaign against the Peoples of Acadia__. ISBN: 0812235711 Rios, Theodore. __Telling a Good One: The Process of a Native American Collaborative__. Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803292813 Rusco, Elmer R. __A Fateful Time: The Background and Legislative History of the Indian Reorganization Act__. Reno, Nev.: University of Nevada Press, 2000. ISBN: 0874173450 Schwartz, Stuart B. __Victors and Vanquished: Spanish and Nahua Views of the Conquest of Mexico__. 2000. ISBN: 0312228171 Sefa, George J., ed. __Indigenous Knowledges in Global Contexts: Multiple Readings of Our World__. University of Toronto Press, 2000. ISBN: 0802080596 Shoemaker, Nancy. __American Indians__. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2000. ISBN: 0631219943 Smith, Claire, ed. __Indigenous Cultures in an Interconnected World__. University of British Columbia Press, 2000. ISBN: 0774808063 Smith, Sherry Lynn. __Reimagining Indians: Native Americans through Anglo Eyes, 1880-1940__. New York: Oxford University, 2000. ISBN: 0195136357 Sokolow, Gary A. __Native Americans and the Law: A Dictionary__. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2000. ISBN: 0874368774 Spindel, Carol. __Dancing at Halftime: Sports and the Controversy over American Indian Mascots__. New York: New York University Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0814781268 Sugden, John. __Blue Jacket: Warrior of the Shawnees__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803242883 Trafzer, Clifford E. __As Long As the Grass Shall Grow and Rivers Flow__. 2000. ISBN: 0155038575 Wickett, Murray R. __Contested Territory: Whites, Native Americans, and African Americans in University Press__. 2000. ISBN: 0807125849 Wilkinson, Charles F. __Messages from Frank's Landing: A Story of Salmon, Treaties, and the Indian__. ISBN: 0295980117 Wyss, Hilary E. __Writing Indians__. ISBN: 155849264X Zimmerman, Larry J., and Brian Leigh Molyneaux. __Native North America__. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0806132868 ARCHEOLOGY __Beyond Cloth and Cordage: Archaeological Textile Research in the Americas__. University of Utah Press, 2000. ISBN: 0874806623 Birmingham, Robert A., and Leslie E. Eisenberg. __Indian Mounds of Wisconsin__. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2000. ISBN: 0299168743 Clark, Jeffery J. __Tracking Prehistoric Migrations: Pueblo Settlers among the Tonto Basin Hohokam__. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2001. ISBN: 0816520879 Mandel, Rolfe D. __Geoarchaeology in the Great Plains__. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2000. ISBN: 0806132612 Mihesuah, Devon A, ed. __Repatriation Reader: Who Owns American Indian Remains?__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803282648 Poirier, David A., and Kenneth L. Feder. __Dangerous Places: Health, Safety, and Archaeology__. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 2000. ISBN: 0897896327 Stein, Julie K. __Exploring Coast Salish Prehistory: The Archaeology of San Juan Island__. Seattle: University of Washington Press/Burke Museum of=A0 Natural History and Culture, 2000. ISBN: 0295979577 Webster, David L., AnnCorinne Freter, and Nancy Gonlin. __Cop An: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Maya Kingdom__. Fort Worth: Harcourt College Publishers, 2000. ISBN: 0155058088 FICTION Novels Johnston, Terry C. __Lay the Mountains Low: The Flight of the Nez Perce from Idaho and the Battle of the Big Hole, August 9-10, 1877__. New York: St. Martin's Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0312261896 King, Thomas. __Truth & Bright Water__. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2000. ISBN: 0871138182 Medawar, Mardi Oakley. __The Ft. Larned Incident__. New York: St. Martin's Minotaur,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0312208782 Mitchell, Kirk. __Spirit Sickness__. New York: Bantam Books,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0553108948 Robinson, Eden. __Monkey Beach__. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. ISBN: 0618073272 Short Stories Collections Kenny, Maurice. __Stories for a Winter's Night: Short Fiction by Native Americans__. Buffalo, N.Y.: White Pine Press, 2000. ISBN: 1877727962 Kilcup, Karen. __Native American Women's Writing:=A0 An Anthology, c. 1800-1924__. Oxford, UK ; Malden, Mass. :=A0 Blackwell Publishers,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0631205179 Mihesuah, Devon A. __The Roads Of My Relations: Stories__. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2000. ISBN: 0816520402 Penn, W. S. __This Is the World__. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2000. ISBN: 0870135619 Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. __Grandpa Was a Cowboy and an Indian and Other Stories__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN: 0803242743 Poetry Louis, Adrian C. __Ancient Acid Flashes Back: Poems__. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2000. ISBN: 0874173523 Salisbury, Ralph J. __Rainbows of Stone__. Tucson: University of Arizona Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0816520364 Play Yellow Robe, William S. __Where the Pavement Ends: Five Native American Plays__. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press,=A0 2000. ISBN: 0806132655 Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_d8.65bf0ad.283527c6_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Greetings,
  Here is an excellent list of books that are recommended by=20= the Lakota=20
Student Alliance and us. :)


BIBLIOGRAPHY of BOOKS, 2000/2001
Compiled by Mark Ashurst-McGee

The following is a partial list of Native Studies books that appeared
during the 2000-2001 academic year.=A0 They are listed alphabetically, a= nd
categorized as follows:

NON-FICTION
ARCHAEOLOGY
NOVELS
SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS
POETRY
PLAYS
ISBN numbers are included for your convenience.

NON-FICTION (Other than Archaeology)

Adamson, Joni. __American Indian Literature, Environmental Justice, And
Ecocriticism: The Middle Place__. Tucson: University of Arizona Press,
2001.
ISBN: 0816517916

Baughman, Mike, and Charlotte Hadella. __Warm Springs Millennium; Voices

from the Reservation__. Austin, Tex: University of Texas Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0292708866

Berlo, Janet Catherine. _Spirit Beings and Sun Dancers: Black Hawk's
Vision
of the Lakota World__. New York: George Braziller, 2000.
ISBN: 0807614653

Blackburn, Carole. __Harvest of Souls: The Jesuit Missions and
Colonialism
in North America, 1632-1650__. Toronto: McGill-Queen's University Press,

2000.
ISBN: 0773520473

Bruman, Henry J. __Alcohol in Ancient Mexico__. Salt Lake City:
University
of Utah Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0874806585

Cobb, Amanda J. __Listening to Our Grandmothers' Stories: The Bloomfield

Academy for Chickasaw Females, 1852-1949__. Lincoln: University of
Nebraska
Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803215096

Cochran, Mary E. __Dakota Cross-Barer: The Life and World of a Native
American Bishop__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803215118

Crawford, James. __At War with Diversity: U.S. Language Policy in an Age

of
Anxiety__. Clevedon, England; Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters, 2000.
ISBN: 1853595055

Curtis, Edward S. __Sites and Structures: The Architectural Photographs
of
Edward S. Curtis__, edited by Dan Solomon, Mary Solomon, and Simon
Lowinsky. San Francisco: Chronicle Books,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0811829383

Dodge, Richard Irving. __The Indian Territory Journals of Colonel
Richard
Irving Dodge__, edited by Wayne R. Kime. Norman, OK: University of
Oklahoma
Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0806132574

Elm, Demus, and Harvey Antone. __The Oneida Creation Story__, translated

and edited by Floyd G. Lounsbury and Bryan Gick. Lincoln, Neb.:
University
of Nebraska Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803267428

Fiske, Jo-Anne. __Cis Dideen Kat: The Way of the Lake Babine Nation__.
Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2000.
ISBN: 077480811X

Fowler, Don D. __A Laboratory for Anthropology: Science and Romanticism
in
the American Southwest, 1846-1930__. Albuquerque: University of New
Mexico
Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0826320368

Gandert, Miguel A. __Nuevo Mexico Profundo: Rituals of an Indo-Hispano
Homeland__. Musuem of New Mexico Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0890133484

Griffin-Pierce, Trudy. __Native Peoples of the Southwest__. Albuquerque:

University of New Mexico Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0826319076

Hoffer, Peter Charles. __The Brave New World: A History of Early
America__.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
ISBN: 0669394769

Huhndorf, Shari M. __Going Native: Indians in the American Cultural
Imagination__. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 2001.
ISBN: 0801438322

Irwin, Lee, ed. __Native American Spirituality: A Critical Reader__.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0803282613

Joyce, Rosemary A. __Gender and Power in Prehispanic Mesoamerica__.
Austin:
University of Texas Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0292740654

La Vere, David. __Contrary Neighbors: Southern Plains and Removed
Indians
in Indian Territory__.
ISBN: 0806132515

Leckie, Shirley A. __Angie Debo: Pioneering Historian__. Norman:
University
of Oklahoma Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0806132566

McKee, Christopher. __Treaty Talks in British Columbia: Negotiating a
Mutually Beneficial Future__. University of British Columbia Press,
2000.
ISBN: 0774808241

Milton, Giles. __Big Chief Elizabeth: The Adventures and Fate of the
First
English__.=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0374265011

Mitchell, Rose. __Tall Woman: The Life Story of Rose Mitchell, a Navajo
Woman, c. 1874-1977__, edited by Charlotte J. Frisbie. Albuquerque:
University of New Mexico Press, 2001.
ISBN: 0826322034

Mulcahy, Joanne B. __Birth and Rebirth on an Alaskan Island: The Life of

an
Alutiiq Healer__. Georgia Press, 2001.
ISBN: 0820322539

Murray, David. __Indian Giving: Economies of Power In Indian-White
Exchanges__. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 2000.
ISBN: 1558492445

Niezen, Ronald. __Spirit Wars: Native North American Religions in the
Age
of Nation Building__. University of California Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0520219872

Pickering, Kathleen Ann. __Lakota Culture, World Economy__. Lincoln:
University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803236905

Plank, Geoffrey Gilbert. __An Unsettled Conquest: The British Campaign
against the Peoples of Acadia__.
ISBN: 0812235711

Rios, Theodore. __Telling a Good One: The Process of a Native American
Collaborative__. Nebraska Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803292813

Rusco, Elmer R. __A Fateful Time: The Background and Legislative History

of
the Indian Reorganization Act__. Reno, Nev.: University of Nevada Press,

2000.
ISBN: 0874173450

Schwartz, Stuart B. __Victors and Vanquished: Spanish and Nahua Views of

the Conquest of Mexico__. 2000.
ISBN: 0312228171

Sefa, George J., ed. __Indigenous Knowledges in Global Contexts:
Multiple
Readings of Our World__. University of Toronto Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0802080596

Shoemaker, Nancy. __American Indians__. Malden, MA: Blackwell
Publishers, 2000.
ISBN: 0631219943

Smith, Claire, ed. __Indigenous Cultures in an Interconnected World__.
University of British Columbia Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0774808063

Smith, Sherry Lynn. __Reimagining Indians: Native Americans through
Anglo
Eyes, 1880-1940__. New York: Oxford University, 2000.
ISBN: 0195136357

Sokolow, Gary A. __Native Americans and the Law: A Dictionary__. Santa
Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2000.
ISBN: 0874368774

Spindel, Carol. __Dancing at Halftime: Sports and the Controversy over
American Indian Mascots__. New York: New York University Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0814781268

Sugden, John. __Blue Jacket: Warrior of the Shawnees__. Lincoln:
University
of Nebraska Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803242883

Trafzer, Clifford E. __As Long As the Grass Shall Grow and Rivers
Flow__. 2000.
ISBN: 0155038575

Wickett, Murray R. __Contested Territory: Whites, Native Americans, and
African Americans in University Press__. 2000.
ISBN: 0807125849

Wilkinson, Charles F. __Messages from Frank's Landing: A Story of
Salmon,
Treaties, and the Indian__.
ISBN: 0295980117

Wyss, Hilary E. __Writing Indians__.
ISBN: 155849264X

Zimmerman, Larry J., and Brian Leigh Molyneaux. __Native North
America__.
Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0806132868


ARCHEOLOGY

__Beyond Cloth and Cordage: Archaeological Textile Research in the
Americas__. University of Utah Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0874806623

Birmingham, Robert A., and Leslie E. Eisenberg. __Indian Mounds of
Wisconsin__. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0299168743

Clark, Jeffery J. __Tracking Prehistoric Migrations: Pueblo Settlers
among
the Tonto Basin Hohokam__. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2001.
ISBN: 0816520879

Mandel, Rolfe D. __Geoarchaeology in the Great Plains__. Norman, OK:
University of Oklahoma Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0806132612

Mihesuah, Devon A, ed. __Repatriation Reader: Who Owns American Indian
Remains?__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803282648

Poirier, David A., and Kenneth L. Feder. __Dangerous Places: Health,
Safety, and Archaeology__. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 2000.
ISBN: 0897896327

Stein, Julie K. __Exploring Coast Salish Prehistory: The Archaeology of
San
Juan Island__. Seattle: University of Washington Press/Burke Museum
of=A0 Natural History and Culture, 2000.
ISBN: 0295979577

Webster, David L., AnnCorinne Freter, and Nancy Gonlin. __Cop An: The
Rise
and Fall of an Ancient Maya Kingdom__. Fort Worth: Harcourt College
Publishers, 2000.
ISBN: 0155058088


FICTION

Novels

Johnston, Terry C. __Lay the Mountains Low: The Flight of the Nez Perce
from Idaho and the Battle of the Big Hole, August 9-10, 1877__. New
York:
St. Martin's Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0312261896

King, Thomas. __Truth & Bright Water__. New York: Atlantic Monthly
Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0871138182

Medawar, Mardi Oakley. __The Ft. Larned Incident__. New York: St.
Martin's
Minotaur,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0312208782

Mitchell, Kirk. __Spirit Sickness__. New York: Bantam Books,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0553108948

Robinson, Eden. __Monkey Beach__. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
ISBN: 0618073272


Short Stories Collections

Kenny, Maurice. __Stories for a Winter's Night: Short Fiction by Native
Americans__. Buffalo, N.Y.: White Pine Press, 2000.
ISBN: 1877727962

Kilcup, Karen. __Native American Women's Writing:=A0 An Anthology, c.
1800-1924__. Oxford, UK ; Malden, Mass. :=A0 Blackwell Publishers,=A0 20= 00.
ISBN: 0631205179

Mihesuah, Devon A. __The Roads Of My Relations: Stories__. Tucson:
University of Arizona Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0816520402

Penn, W. S. __This Is the World__. East Lansing: Michigan State
University
Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0870135619

Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. __Grandpa Was a Cowboy and an Indian and
Other Stories__. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0803242743


Poetry

Louis, Adrian C. __Ancient Acid Flashes Back: Poems__. Reno: University
of
Nevada Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0874173523

Salisbury, Ralph J. __Rainbows of Stone__. Tucson: University of Arizona

Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0816520364

Play

Yellow Robe, William S. __Where the Pavement Ends: Five Native American
Plays__. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press,=A0 2000.
ISBN: 0806132655

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_d8.65bf0ad.283527c6_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 20:07:10 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Criteria MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_35.151d62d0.2834702e_boundary" --part1_35.151d62d0.2834702e_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings Mr. Hoxie, I happen to own a copy of the Encyclopedia of North Americans Indians that you were instrumental in creating. I have mostly referenced treaties, significant women, water rights, urban indians, mound builders, and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Can you direct to me relevant research on Ohio history concerning the Native Americans and is there any history that is offered by the Native Americans interpretation? This has become a major concern of mine through the years that having a voice is something that our society silences, and the voices that are silenced are those who are and have been from other ethnic, cultures, religions and gender backgrounds. In other words they are not your typical White Euro-American male. Was fear used to dominate this country, and will this cycle continue through history? I know I have learned what this word means and unfortunately I know what it feels like, I live it everyday! Sometimes I think History can be summed up quite easily, screwed or be screwed, this is what I have learned on the construction site by white males. I am not sure what tactics are used in the scholarly world, but my senses tell me it is the same, just not so cold and blatant. I am sure it is done with a wonderful sugar coat, and that those surrounding the people that feel they have power are tricked. It seems important to me that History has been in my life a repeated episode and that people learn from it's sadness, how not to become victims of it's trickery. Unfortunately, the true lessons of History are not taught, except to continue it's control and domination over those who are of different colors, cultures, class, gender, religions, and lifestyles. I love to read about history but it discourages me, because it doesn't appear to me that our society is learning from it's loss, silence, extinction, exclusion, and glorifying of heroes that truly were self serving. History could be a good lesson to our youth, unfortunately they are brought up to distrust, be self reliant, be independent, but yet if you don't support those who control and have power you will be conquered. This leaves a young adult with a very dismal future, they are left with a repeated History, that perpetuates self destruction.\ How do we offer a new path that is not so negative, and how do we instill a History that offers the truth, and the consequences to a true offering. How do we tell our youth that there have been many wrong-doings, and that there are privileged people and that you don't fit that category? What real role can History play other than a repeat? History does matter, but only if it tells the truth, and if all people are given a voice and hear the past of their ancestors, and if their voices were heard and if they weren't persecuted for their livelihoods. History unfortunately is not History because it is now, today, it is only a different time, the feelings are the same, the understanding that some classes of people feel the need to control and dominate, it is what makes them feel worthy, they do not know how to enjoy a simple act of life. The cracking of a robins egg, oh the blind baby bird ready to feel food in it's belly, warmth of it's mother, flight, freedom, and survival, and if possible the chance to give live again. I somehow feel that they do not have to live with fear of their own kind before they have something to offer. For some reason I believe this type of head game comes only from humans, humans who do not feel important unless they have control over others. In Spirit, Cathy --part1_35.151d62d0.2834702e_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings Mr. Hoxie,
I happen to own a copy of the Encyclopedia of North Americans Indians that
you were instrumental in creating. I have mostly referenced treaties,
significant women, water rights, urban indians, mound builders, and the
Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.
Can you direct to me relevant research on Ohio history concerning the Native
Americans and is there any history that is offered by the Native Americans
interpretation?
This has become a major concern of mine through the years that having a voice
is something that our society silences, and the voices that are silenced are
those who are and have been from other ethnic, cultures, religions and gender
backgrounds. In other words they are not your typical White Euro-American
male.
Was fear used to dominate this country, and will this cycle continue through
history? I know I have learned what this word means and unfortunately I know
what it feels like, I live it everyday!
Sometimes I think History can be summed up quite easily, screwed or be
screwed, this is what I have learned on the construction site by white males.
I am not sure what tactics are used in the scholarly world, but my senses
tell me it is the same, just not so cold and blatant. I am sure it is done
with a wonderful sugar coat, and that those surrounding the people that feel
they have power are tricked.
It seems important to me that History has been in my life a repeated episode
and that people learn from it's sadness, how not to become victims of it's
trickery. Unfortunately, the true lessons of History are not taught, except
to continue it's control and domination over those who are of different
colors, cultures, class, gender, religions, and lifestyles.
I love to read about history but it discourages me, because it doesn't appear
to me that our society is learning from it's loss, silence, extinction,
exclusion, and glorifying of heroes that truly were self serving.
History could be a good lesson to our youth, unfortunately they are brought
up to distrust, be self reliant, be independent, but yet if you don't support
those who control and have power you will be conquered.
This leaves a young adult with a very dismal future, they are left with a
repeated History, that perpetuates self destruction.\
How do we offer a new  path that is not so negative, and how do we instill a
History that offers the truth, and the consequences to a true offering. How
do we tell our youth that there have been many wrong-doings, and that there
are privileged people and that you don't fit that category?
What real role can History play other than a repeat? History does matter, but
only if it tells the truth, and if all people are given a voice and hear the
past of their ancestors, and if their voices were heard and if they weren't
persecuted for their livelihoods.
History unfortunately is not History because it is now, today, it is only a
different time, the feelings are the same, the understanding that some
classes of people feel the need to control and dominate, it is what makes
them feel worthy, they do not know how to enjoy a simple act of life. The
cracking of a robins egg, oh the blind baby bird ready to feel food in it's
belly, warmth of it's mother, flight, freedom, and survival, and if possible
the chance to give live again.
I somehow feel that they do not have to live with fear of their own kind
before they have something to offer. For some reason I believe this type of
head game comes only from humans, humans who do not feel important unless
they have control over others.
In Spirit,
Cathy
--part1_35.151d62d0.2834702e_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 10:15:00 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Michael Welsh Subject: Denver Post.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="------------0E91CB17F4A83CDD24A6F680" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------0E91CB17F4A83CDD24A6F680 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit http://www.denverpost.com/news/griego.htm/ This column that appeared in the May 14 issue of the Denver Post might interest subscribers to the H-AmIndian listserv. Note the problems that urban Indian youth have in a public school district that is 53 percent Latino, and especially Denver West High School, where over 50 percent of the students speak Spanish as their first language. The neighborhood around West High was the center of Chicano activism in Denver in the 1960s. Denver Chicanos claim credit for fostering the birth of the nationwide protest movement because they hosted the famed 1969 World Youth Conference. If one views the 1996 PBS video, Chicano! one sees the poet Alurista declaring that Chicanos were not Spanish but Indian, and that the Indo-Hispano bond with the people of the Valley of Mexico (the Aztecs) was the symbol that needed to be promoted. Murals and sculptures of Aztec imagery adorn public and commercial structures around West High School today. How that generation saw their Indianness, and how their children view it in light of Tina Griego's column, might be of some value to the discussion about teaching the Indian story today. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado --------------0E91CB17F4A83CDD24A6F680 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Base: "http://www.denverpost.com/news/griego. htm/" Content-Location: "http://www.denverpost.com/news/griego. htm/" Denver Post.com = =
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=
tina griego

American Indian grads shine pride on their challenges

By Tina Griego
Denver Post Columnist

= = = 3D"Griego = Monday, May 14, 2001 - = In the next few weeks, 27 American Indian seniors will graduate from Den= ver Public Schools. This is seven fewer students than last year, when the= district saw its largest-ever graduating class of American Indians.

<= !-- Vignette V/5 Thu May 17 10:09:20 2001 --> I mention this because American Indians are the smallest minority group i= n Denver high schools - about 200 students this year, according to the di= strict. As few as they are, fewer will graduate.

For four of the past five years, American Indian high school students hav= e had double-digit dropout rates. Each school year has ended with the sam= e question: Which group had the highest dropout rate - Hispanics or Ameri= can Indians?

Some students return to their reservation or homeland, are never tracked = and so are counted as dropouts, says Rose Maguire of the district's India= n Education Project. Some quit because they want to work. Some quit becau= se they have to work. Some leave because when you are one of five or 10 I= ndians in a school of 2,000, it's hard not to feel alone.

If you are Iona Long Soldier or Ben Eklogray Jacobs or Jaime Kee, if you = are Dine, Pueblo, Lakota, Eastern Shoshone, Osage, Apache, you find not o= nly are you a minority because you are American Indian but because you ar= e and proud to say so.

"How many Indians go to my school?" Iona Long Soldier, a senior at West, = repeats when I ask. "You mean the ones who admit it? The ones who don't s= ay they're Hispanic just to fit in?"

They have come from people who have had their land and language stripped = from them, who have endured and thrived despite discrimination. So unders= tand what it means for Jan Jacobs when she stands before American Indian = seniors and their families. Understand what it means to see her own son, = Ben, the president of the East High School American Indian club, winner o= f a full-ride scholarship to the University of Denver, among those senior= s. Understand why her voice trembles as she speaks.

"They've had their ups and downs," she says, "but come the next few weeks= they are going to walk across the stage, shake someone's hand and take t= hat diploma in their hand, and no will be able to take that from them." <= P> The seniors were honored last week at a special ceremony given by the Ind= ian Education Project. An elder prayed, a Kiowa man sang, the students we= re surrounded by their families and draped with handmade quilts, gorgeous= , white with a single, colorful star emblazoned in the center.

"Even though in some ways these are just made of cloth, these students ar= e being wrapped by their people as they walk out the door," Jacobs said. =

I think about the city outside the open cafeteria door and wonder if thes= e young men and women know how lucky they are to be a part of such a comm= unity, to be bound to each other by blood and tradition and history, to b= e enveloped. This cocoon can suffocate as easily as it protects. But ther= e is no denying its strength.

"It's a special thing," Jaime Kee tells me later. A Navajo, she will grad= uate from North. "I can't really put it into words. It means so much." Earlier in the evening, Rick Williams, the executive director of the Amer= ican Indian College Fund, told them how he once visited a Cheyenne River = medicine man to ask a question.

"Before I could speak he said, "You already have the answer to the questi= on,' and I said, "Wait, I was...' and he said, "You already have the answ= er.

""Whatever you want to do in this world, if you want it bad enough, you c= an do it. Everyone has a spirit inside of them, and if you do good things= it will grow, and if you do more good things, it will grow more and it w= ill guide you.'

"So if you want to get an education, take the next step, go on to college= ; you can do it."

Repeat after me, he told them, "I do what I do because in my heart, I do = it for my people. I do it for my people."

In the next few weeks, 27 American Indian students will graduate from Den= ver Public Schools. Let's wish them well.

Tina Griego's column appears on the editorial page on Saturdays and in De= nver and The West on Mondays and Wednesdays. She can be reached at tgriego@denverpost.com or 303-820= -1698. =

 

Printable View

= Email= a Copy of this Article

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All contents Copyright 2001 The Denver Post or other copyright holders. A= ll rights reserved. = This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed= for any commercial purpose.
Terms of use | Pr= ivacy policy

=

=

Go to Section
= = =

=
3D"Related
= May. 12:
= A child in my womb

May. 7:
Tina Griego: In stories about real people, not all= endings happy

May. 5:
A wish for my father

Apr. 30:
Helping children of poverty = name their dreams

Apr. 28:
Choosing words (wisely)

Apr. 25: Tina Griego: 'Somethi= ng powerful': Diverse women find community

Apr. 23:
Envisioning a hospital th= at heals body and spirit

Apr. 21:
From this ritual flow comfort, strength=

Apr. 18:
Tina Griego: Death of punk leaves behind lively memories

Apr. = 9:
Something = I have to do

Apr. 7:
The identity crisis of Latinas

Apr. 4: Principal takes bigge= st chance of all - he cares

Apr. 2:
Readers affirm family love, cultural dive= rsity

Mar. 28:
A round trip: Journey home closes a circle of life

Ma= r. 21:
Hispan= ics a multicultural nation of our own

Mar. 20:
Count shouldn't define us<= P>Mar. 19:
Profoundly injured rediscover their dignity

Mar. 12:
= About that photo - learn= to live with it




= --------------0E91CB17F4A83CDD24A6F680-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 13:59:35 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Mary C. Canzoneri" Subject: Re: Criteria MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------E7F70071B436E3053B80F8CD" --------------E7F70071B436E3053B80F8CD Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bravo Cathy! Well said....history repeats because voices are silenced, the lessons of possibilities are there but excluded.... peace, mcc CATSTEP16@AOL.COM wrote: > Greetings Mr. Hoxie, > I happen to own a copy of the Encyclopedia of North Americans Indians > that > you were instrumental in creating. I have mostly referenced treaties, > significant women, water rights, urban indians, mound builders, and > the > Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. > Can you direct to me relevant research on Ohio history concerning the > Native > Americans and is there any history that is offered by the Native > Americans > interpretation? > This has become a major concern of mine through the years that having > a voice > is something that our society silences, and the voices that are > silenced are > those who are and have been from other ethnic, cultures, religions and > gender > backgrounds. In other words they are not your typical White > Euro-American > male. > Was fear used to dominate this country, and will this cycle continue > through > history? I know I have learned what this word means and unfortunately > I know > what it feels like, I live it everyday! > Sometimes I think History can be summed up quite easily, screwed or be > > screwed, this is what I have learned on the construction site by white > males. > I am not sure what tactics are used in the scholarly world, but my > senses > tell me it is the same, just not so cold and blatant. I am sure it is > done > with a wonderful sugar coat, and that those surrounding the people > that feel > they have power are tricked. > It seems important to me that History has been in my life a repeated > episode > and that people learn from it's sadness, how not to become victims of > it's > trickery. Unfortunately, the true lessons of History are not taught, > except > to continue it's control and domination over those who are of > different > colors, cultures, class, gender, religions, and lifestyles. > I love to read about history but it discourages me, because it doesn't > appear > to me that our society is learning from it's loss, silence, > extinction, > exclusion, and glorifying of heroes that truly were self serving. > History could be a good lesson to our youth, unfortunately they are > brought > up to distrust, be self reliant, be independent, but yet if you don't > support > those who control and have power you will be conquered. > This leaves a young adult with a very dismal future, they are left > with a > repeated History, that perpetuates self destruction.\ > How do we offer a new path that is not so negative, and how do we > instill a > History that offers the truth, and the consequences to a true > offering. How > do we tell our youth that there have been many wrong-doings, and that > there > are privileged people and that you don't fit that category? > What real role can History play other than a repeat? History does > matter, but > only if it tells the truth, and if all people are given a voice and > hear the > past of their ancestors, and if their voices were heard and if they > weren't > persecuted for their livelihoods. > History unfortunately is not History because it is now, today, it is > only a > different time, the feelings are the same, the understanding that some > > classes of people feel the need to control and dominate, it is what > makes > them feel worthy, they do not know how to enjoy a simple act of life. > The > cracking of a robins egg, oh the blind baby bird ready to feel food in > it's > belly, warmth of it's mother, flight, freedom, and survival, and if > possible > the chance to give live again. > I somehow feel that they do not have to live with fear of their own > kind > before they have something to offer. For some reason I believe this > type of > head game comes only from humans, humans who do not feel important > unless > they have control over others. > In Spirit, > Cathy --------------E7F70071B436E3053B80F8CD Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bravo Cathy!    Well said....history repeats because voices are silenced, the lessons of possibilities are there but excluded....
peace,
mcc

CATSTEP16@AOL.COM wrote:

Greetings Mr. Hoxie,
I happen to own a copy of the Encyclopedia of North Americans Indians that
you were instrumental in creating. I have mostly referenced treaties,
significant women, water rights, urban indians, mound builders, and the
Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.
Can you direct to me relevant research on Ohio history concerning the Native
Americans and is there any history that is offered by the Native Americans
interpretation?
This has become a major concern of mine through the years that having a voice
is something that our society silences, and the voices that are silenced are
those who are and have been from other ethnic, cultures, religions and gender
backgrounds. In other words they are not your typical White Euro-American
male.
Was fear used to dominate this country, and will this cycle continue through
history? I know I have learned what this word means and unfortunately I know
what it feels like, I live it everyday!
Sometimes I think History can be summed up quite easily, screwed or be
screwed, this is what I have learned on the construction site by white males.
I am not sure what tactics are used in the scholarly world, but my senses
tell me it is the same, just not so cold and blatant. I am sure it is done
with a wonderful sugar coat, and that those surrounding the people that feel
they have power are tricked.
It seems important to me that History has been in my life a repeated episode
and that people learn from it's sadness, how not to become victims of it's
trickery. Unfortunately, the true lessons of History are not taught, except
to continue it's control and domination over those who are of different
colors, cultures, class, gender, religions, and lifestyles.
I love to read about history but it discourages me, because it doesn't appear
to me that our society is learning from it's loss, silence, extinction,
exclusion, and glorifying of heroes that truly were self serving.
History could be a good lesson to our youth, unfortunately they are brought
up to distrust, be self reliant, be independent, but yet if you don't support
those who control and have power you will be conquered.
This leaves a young adult with a very dismal future, they are left with a
repeated History, that perpetuates self destruction.\
How do we offer a new  path that is not so negative, and how do we instill a
History that offers the truth, and the consequences to a true offering. How
do we tell our youth that there have been many wrong-doings, and that there
are privileged people and that you don't fit that category?
What real role can History play other than a repeat? History does matter, but
only if it tells the truth, and if all people are given a voice and hear the
past of their ancestors, and if their voices were heard and if they weren't
persecuted for their livelihoods.
History unfortunately is not History because it is now, today, it is only a
different time, the feelings are the same, the understanding that some
classes of people feel the need to control and dominate, it is what makes
them feel worthy, they do not know how to enjoy a simple act of life. The
cracking of a robins egg, oh the blind baby bird ready to feel food in it's
belly, warmth of it's mother, flight, freedom, and survival, and if possible
the chance to give live again.
I somehow feel that they do not have to live with fear of their own kind
before they have something to offer. For some reason I believe this type of
head game comes only from humans, humans who do not feel important unless
they have control over others.
In Spirit,
Cathy
--------------E7F70071B436E3053B80F8CD-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 08:36:27 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Stuart Manson Subject: Mascots MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0082_01C0DF75.A1124270" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0082_01C0DF75.A1124270 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable FYI. This tidbit is from H-AmIndian: "District Voters Support Indian Name," The Associated Press State & = Local Wire, May 16, 2001. ["BOICEVILLE, N.Y. -- Voters in this Catskill Mountains school district supported a nonbinding referendum to keep Onteora High School the home = of the Indians. The referendum was placed on the ballot Tuesday a year = after a raucous debate erupted here over the use of a nickname some residents = found offensive."] ------=_NextPart_000_0082_01C0DF75.A1124270 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
FYI. This tidbit is from = H-AmIndian:
 
 
"District Voters Support Indian Name," The = Associated=20 Press State & Local
Wire, May 16, 2001.

["BOICEVILLE, N.Y. = --=20 Voters in this Catskill Mountains school district
supported a = nonbinding=20 referendum to keep Onteora High School the home of
the Indians. The=20 referendum was placed on the ballot Tuesday a year after a
raucous = debate=20 erupted here over the use of a nickname some residents=20 found
offensive."]
------=_NextPart_000_0082_01C0DF75.A1124270-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 19:52:01 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Robbi Ferron Organization: @Home Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0DF0A.D7427E20" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0DF0A.D7427E20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable teaching native spiritualityHello. The dialogue on this topic was very = interesting. I was hoping that someone would contribute thoughts about = "appropriation" as it is deemed by scholars in my current institution to = be related to teaching of spirituality. =20 I no longer teach American Indian Studies, which I did do at Montana = State University and Eastern Montana College some years ago. My = interest is not to make any one or position right or wrong, but to add = to my knowledge on this narrow aspect of teaching native spirituality. Prof. Hoxie, can you (or anyone else) give me citations related to this = aspect? ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Noonan, Ellen=20 To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20 Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 12:59 PM Subject: teaching native spirituality I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies = Journal. In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral = tradition), the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native students) about the aspects of Indigenous spirituality. My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I = should do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world view is = what makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society. = and most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand = what and how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will = never understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to = insist-- that we , or else!! Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other everywhere assume = (based on their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the = epitome of and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to = adhere to their ways. So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or = Literature or Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the = underlying philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a generalizable philosophy) then I can't understand = why I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to = teach --keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would = stand in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to understand about Tribal people. The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching , but it raises a question that I hope this forum will = address: is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be = exposed to such a discussion? What do you think? Phil Bellfy ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0DF0A.D7427E20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable teaching native spirituality
Hello.  The dialogue on this topic = was very=20 interesting.  I was hoping that someone would contribute thoughts = about=20 "appropriation" as it is deemed by scholars in my current = institution to be=20 related to teaching of spirituality. 
 
I no longer teach American Indian = Studies, which I=20 did do at Montana State University and Eastern Montana College some = years=20 ago.  My interest is not to make any one or position right or = wrong, but to=20 add to my knowledge on this narrow aspect of teaching native=20 spirituality.
 
Prof. Hoxie, can you (or anyone else) = give me=20 citations related to this aspect?
----- Original Message -----
From:=20
Noonan,=20 Ellen
To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@= ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 = 12:59=20 PM
Subject: teaching native=20 spirituality

I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US = Native=20 Studies Journal.
In the course of our correspondence over my essay = (it had=20 to do with
teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of = the oral=20 tradition),
the editor wondered why I would teach students = (especially=20 non-Native
students) about the <sensitive> aspects of = Indigenous=20 spirituality.

My response was that, as a Native person teaching = native=20 Studies, I should
do nothing else.  That is, that our = spirituality and=20 world view is what
makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from = the=20 dominant society.  and
most importantly (in my view) is that = if=20 students don't understand what and
how we think about our (tribal) = place in=20 the world, they will never
understand any of our history or our = lifeways,=20 and certainly they will never
understand how and why the Europeans = insisted=20 --and continue to insist--
that we <assimilate>, or=20 else!!

Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other <Americans> = everywhere=20 assume (based on
their spirituality and worldview) that their way = of life=20 is the epitome of
<civilization> and they can't understand = why anyone=20 would prefer to adhere
to their <primitive> ways.

So, = if I=20 restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature = or
Economics=20 or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the = underlying
philosophy=20 of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a
generalizable=20 <Indigenous/Tribal> philosophy) then I can't understand = why
I'm a=20 teacher.  My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to=20 teach
--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the = classroom would=20 stand
in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my = students=20 to
understand about Tribal people.

The preceding is a = truncated and=20 simplified statement of my teaching
<philosophy>, but it = raises a=20 question that I hope this forum will address:
is it appropriate to = expose=20 students to a discussion about Native
spirituality?  Or, more=20 pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed to
such a=20 discussion?

What do you think?

Phil=20 Bellfy



------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0DF0A.D7427E20-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 07:43:39 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Mary C. Canzoneri" Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------CB57263EEB10D866D11F2D84" --------------CB57263EEB10D866D11F2D84 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi....and what do I think? Phil Bellfry below is right on target....tribal spirituality should be shared with students...a world view whose time has come, as in the past, and again now during this time of oil and gas greed...to end private ownership of the earth's domain. Tribal spirtuality can teach us all about harmony with nature and how to conserve. Private ownership is indeed primitive and destructive to the ecosystem/biosystem. peace, mcc. Robbi Ferron wrote: > Hello. The dialogue on this topic was very interesting. I was hoping > that someone would contribute thoughts about "appropriation" as it is > deemed by scholars in my current institution to be related to teaching > of spirituality. I no longer teach American Indian Studies, which I > did do at Montana State University and Eastern Montana College some > years ago. My interest is not to make any one or position right or > wrong, but to add to my knowledge on this narrow aspect of teaching > native spirituality. Prof. Hoxie, can you (or anyone else) give me > citations related to this aspect? > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Noonan, Ellen > To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 12:59 PM > Subject: teaching native spirituality > I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native > Studies Journal. > In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to > do with > teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the > oral tradition), > the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially > non-Native > students) about the aspects of Indigenous > spirituality. > > My response was that, as a Native person teaching native > Studies, I should > do nothing else. That is, that our spirituality and world > view is what > makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant > society. and > most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't > understand what and > how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they > will never > understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly > they will never > understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue > to insist-- > that we , or else!! > > Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other everywhere > assume (based on > their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is > the epitome of > and they can't understand why anyone would > prefer to adhere > to their ways. > > So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or > Literature or > Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, > the underlying > philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there > is a > generalizable philosophy) then I can't > understand why > I'm a teacher. My spirituality and worldview are what > compels me to teach > --keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the > classroom would stand > in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my > students to > understand about Tribal people. > > The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my > teaching > , but it raises a question that I hope this > forum will address: > is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about > Native > spirituality? Or, more pointedly, should non-Native > students be exposed to > such a discussion? > > What do you think? > > Phil Bellfy > > > > --------------CB57263EEB10D866D11F2D84 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi....and what do I think?   Phil Bellfry below is right on target....tribal spirituality should be shared with students...a world view whose time has come, as in the past, and again now during this time of oil and gas greed...to end private ownership of the earth's domain.     Tribal spirtuality can teach us all about harmony with nature and how to conserve.   Private ownership is indeed primitive and destructive  to the ecosystem/biosystem.

peace,
mcc.

Robbi Ferron wrote:

Hello.  The dialogue on this topic was very interesting.  I was hoping that someone would contribute thoughts about "appropriation" as it is deemed by scholars in my current institution to be related to teaching of spirituality. I no longer teach American Indian Studies, which I did do at Montana State University and Eastern Montana College some years ago.  My interest is not to make any one or position right or wrong, but to add to my knowledge on this narrow aspect of teaching native spirituality. Prof. Hoxie, can you (or anyone else) give me citations related to this aspect?
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 12:59 PM
Subject: teaching native spirituality
 I recently had a short essay rejected by a major US Native Studies Journal.
In the course of our correspondence over my essay (it had to do with
teaching Native Studies while adhering to precepts of the oral tradition),
the editor wondered why I would teach students (especially non-Native
students) about the <sensitive> aspects of Indigenous spirituality.

My response was that, as a Native person teaching native Studies, I should
do nothing else.  That is, that our spirituality and world view is what
makes us Tribal --it is what sets us off from the dominant society.  and
most importantly (in my view) is that if students don't understand what and
how we think about our (tribal) place in the world, they will never
understand any of our history or our lifeways, and certainly they will never
understand how and why the Europeans insisted --and continue to insist--
that we <assimilate>, or else!!

Europeans, neo-Europeans, and other <Americans> everywhere assume (based on
their spirituality and worldview) that their way of life is the epitome of
<civilization> and they can't understand why anyone would prefer to adhere
to their <primitive> ways.

So, if I restrict my teaching to a strict History lesson (or Literature or
Economics or Sociology) without explaining, as best I can, the underlying
philosophy of Indigenous people (and, yes, I believe there is a
generalizable <Indigenous/Tribal> philosophy) then I can't understand why
I'm a teacher.  My spirituality and worldview are what compels me to teach
--keeping that spirituality and worldview out of the classroom would stand
in direct opposition to everything I am trying to get my students to
understand about Tribal people.

The preceding is a truncated and simplified statement of my teaching
<philosophy>, but it raises a question that I hope this forum will address:
is it appropriate to expose students to a discussion about Native
spirituality?  Or, more pointedly, should non-Native students be exposed to
such a discussion?

What do you think?

Phil Bellfy
 
 
 

--------------CB57263EEB10D866D11F2D84-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 10:49:39 -0400 Reply-To: nancy.brossard@uconn.edu Sender: American Indians Forum From: Nancy Brossard-Parent Subject: Re: mascots and colonialism Comments: To: smwitt@UIUC.EDU Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello all- With regard to Indian mascots, I think it is necessary to consider that until Indian images are taken out of the hands of advertisers and media, the mascots for sports teams will persist. I would guess that the argument of those who refuse to change Indian theme mascots is that these images are still used for company logos selling motorcycles, food, oil/petroleum, cigarettes (the list goes on...). Not until there is a larger social awareness that these images, whether intended to be positive or negative, are objectifying. I feel we need to point this out to children at a very young age in order for there to be a larger shift in social consciousness. As far as the present situation, I think that dialogue such as this forum, and with folks who are not in the academic circle, is critical in raising a larger awareness about these images. It is also critical to understand the historical contexts for their use, their persistence, and the impact they have on Native peoples and popular notions of Indians in the present. Nancy Brossard-Parent University of Connecticut This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 11:23:57 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Several people here seem to favor teaching Native Spirituality and I wonder what that means. For example what do you teach, how far into spirituality should you go and can you go? What is the purpose of going into it? In my own classes I first of all feel I am only able to speak of my own spirituality, and I consider that private, but I do provide bits of information that help to understand the piece we are reading. So for example in my lit class, we might talk about directions, colors, yellow woman, trickster, origin stories, multiple worlds, concepts of time, concepts of balance but nothing that I consider private. Since all of life is spiritual, it would be impossible to completely avoid, but I can't think of any reasons to speak in specifics about sacred ceremonies, prayers, etc. The following passage comes from the Introduction of _Natives and Academics_ by Mihesuah. I would like to know what folks here in this group feel about these questions and the passage: "In regards to Silko's _Ceremony_, [Paula Gunn Allen] states, 'I believe I could no more do (or sanction) the kind of ceremonial investigation of _Ceremony_ done by some researchers than I could slit my mother's throat. Even seeing some of it published makes my skin crawl.' Researchers who are privy to intimate details of tribal life must use discretion when writing so they do not reveal information the tribe deems private or sacred. Serious consequences can befall transgressors, both non-Indian who use sensitive data and Indian informants who are expected by their tribes not to divulge tribal religious and cultural information" (4). Respectfully, Barb Tracy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 13:59:56 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Susan Witt Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: <8FA4DA62F212D4119AD3009027CCB4EC2BAB73@www.nres.uiuc.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Barb asked an interesting question about what it means to teach Native Spirituality. Everyone seems to have an understanding of what "Native Spirituality" is, but I'm not sure that everyone's definition is the same. In some ways, my limited knowledge makes it easier, since I really don't know the more sacred and personal details. I do know that many people create their own definitions based on their limited knowledge, and pass their misconceptions on to other people. This in itself can be a problem, in that it leads to stereotyping and misrepresentations of other people's religious beliefs. It seems to me, that people don't need to go into the specifics of particular ceremonies or rituals, but that some of the meanings of those rituals and ceremonies do need to be discussed. When I read Silko's _Ceremony_, for example, it seemed to me that one of the messages in the book is that the Ceremony, and the healing from the Ceremony, was much more than just the things that were said and done within the context of the Ceremony -- that the character (I forget his name) needed to learn from life itself, and that he specifically needed to learn forgiveness, to let go of his anger. The stories about the witchery, it seemed to me, had to do with recognizing what each of us do ourselves to contribute to our own problems, and how sometimes we do something bad, and it takes on a life of its own and becomes worse than what we every could have intended. Silko wove the various strands of the story together, much in the same way that stories, ceremonies, and life interact with each other to become whole. To the extent that you talk about how spiritual meanings interact with life, how the stories reflect inner meanings, and how ceremonies are much bigger than the things that take place within the sweat lodge or healing place or whatever, you are discussing spiritual meanings. I don't think you need to dwell on the specifics of and in the ceremony. Seems to me like doing so can be a distraction from more important aspects of the World View presented in the story. In a like way, perhaps teaching about Native Spirituality has more to do with explaining the integrative, contextual nature of many belief systems, rather than focusing on the specific components of specific rituals. Understanding the meanings behind the rituals, the reasons for engaging in ritual, and how ritual is intimately related with other, more mundane aspects of one's life is more important. Understanding that there is an internal logic to the rituals (even if one does not understand it) is much more important and useful than trying to imitate the surface features of the rituals. Understanding the relationships between belief systems and attitudes towards responsibility, towards generosity, towards stewardship, and the decisions one makes about the ways in which one lives one's life is more important than the details about the specific actions. The details might be there to place those larger issues in context (as Silko used the details of the stories and ceremonies to conceptualize the larger messages in her story), but never presented just to dwell on and make a mockery of. Maybe it's just because I haven't learned that much, but as far as my own understanding of "Native Spirituality" goes (if it exists at all , it seems like the major feature of it is that it isn't separate from everyday life, but an integral part of it. At least as far as I understand it, it isn't something that resides only in going to church on Sunday, or only in taking part in ceremonies or telling stories, but that it all intertwines throughout one's life. What that intertwining looks like, will differ from nation to nation, tribe to tribe, and person to person. But then, maybe I just see it that way because I am looking at it through my own lens, and that is what religion means to me. (My own beliefs, not Native Spirituality) Susan -----Original Message----- From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US >>>>Several people here seem to favor teaching Native Spirituality and I wonder what that means. For example what do you teach, how far into spirituality should you go and can you go? What is the purpose of going into it? >>The following passage comes from the Introduction of _Natives and Academics_ by Mihesuah. I would like to know what folks here in this group feel about these questions and the passage: "In regards to Silko's _Ceremony_, [Paula Gunn Allen] states, 'I believe I could no more do (or sanction) the kind of ceremonial investigation of _Ceremony_ done by some researchers than I could slit my mother's throat. Even seeing some of it published makes my skin crawl.' Researchers who are privy to intimate details of tribal life must use discretion when writing so they do not reveal information the tribe deems private or sacred. Serious consequences can befall transgressors, both non-Indian who use sensitive data and Indian informants who are expected by their tribes not to divulge tribal religious and cultural information" (4). This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 12:45:12 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Daniel Mandell Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality In-Reply-To: <8FA4DA62F212D4119AD3009027CCB4EC23B6D4@www.nres.uiuc.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I've been observing this discussion, and have decided that it is time to enter it. In my experience, the greatest chasm that MOST Americans must cross in understanding other religions (or spirituality, if you prefer), is that most Americans are post-Darwinian Protestants. Which means that they are nearly unable to fathom religions that are community-based and ritual-centered, rather than universalist and belief-centered. This is the first basic lesson that one must teach, which can be done by detailing how the calendar and life-cycle (including festivals, coming of age ceremonies, etc.) were marked by a particular Native community. "Were" makes it easier to deal with issues of privacy, since you can stick to already published descriptions of long-since-(at least somewhat)-changed ceremonies. Then, of course you need to teach the even stickier lesson that communities and cultures (yes, including their own!) change over time even without epidemics, invasions, theft of sacred lands, and masacres. By the way, I'm an observant (though not orthodox) Jew, which is a very ancient, community-based, ritual-centered religion that has changed considerably over the centuries. Regards, Daniel Mandell Truman State University __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 19:21:55 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_c6.15d67b2c.28370893_boundary" --part1_c6.15d67b2c.28370893_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, I believe that teaching the concepts of Native American Spirituality is as important as the other religions crammed down our throats through the years as a white Euro-American Woman. I never bought into the Christian stories that were fed to me, I feel that is because their were Catholics, and others around me that indicated that there is not one chosen group of people who hold all the answers. I belief that if you take the time to watch birth, childhood, adolesents, middle age, elderly, and death you will realize that the experiences among all things in life have a connection! My biggest obstacle to overcome in my life now is, how to combat boy's I work around everyday who think that women do not matter! I am not interested in empowering boy's or men whatever you want to categorize them as, my energy is in seeing that young ladies do not fall into the same traps that our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers fall into, and that is to see boy's and men as the main theme. You have neglected your're own gender shame on you, wake up and smell the roses, the guys are not going to invest in your welfare, why do you keep covering their asses? I think our young ladies matter, and I think it is high time that we women, mothers, grandmothers, start investing in the young girls coming up behind us. I don't mean sewing, housecleaning, child raising, behind the scenes kinda tasks, I mean telling your daughters they don't owe a thing to the males, that if any offering is to be made with females it is to be in the realm of voice, options, choices, community, and not ownership. --part1_c6.15d67b2c.28370893_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
I believe that teaching the concepts of Native American Spirituality is as
important as the other religions crammed down our throats through the years
as a white Euro-American Woman.
I never bought into the Christian stories that were fed to me, I feel that is
because their were Catholics, and others around me that indicated that there
is not one chosen group of people who hold all the answers.
I belief that if you take the time to watch birth, childhood, adolesents,
middle age, elderly, and death you will realize that the experiences among
all things in life  have a connection!
My biggest obstacle to overcome in my life now is, how to combat boy's I work
around everyday who think that women do not matter!
I am not interested in empowering boy's or men whatever you want to
categorize them as, my energy is in seeing that young ladies do not fall into
the same traps that our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers fall into,
and that is to see boy's and men as the main theme.
You have neglected your're own gender shame on you, wake up and smell the
roses, the guys are not going to invest in your welfare, why do you keep
covering their asses?
I think our young ladies matter, and I think it is high time that we women,
mothers, grandmothers, start investing in the young girls coming up behind
us. I don't mean sewing, housecleaning, child raising, behind the scenes
kinda tasks, I mean telling your daughters they don't owe a thing to the
males, that if any offering is to be made with females it is to be in the
realm of voice, options, choices, community, and not ownership.
--part1_c6.15d67b2c.28370893_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 16:38:17 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Reece, Jo A" Subject: Re: Women and Power MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain For Cathy: I think you'd be interested in (and get some answers from) our book _Women and Power in Native North America_ by Laura Klein and Lillian Ackerman. Also, there is a good deal of information on Ohio Indians in our book _Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History_ by Helen Tanner. Jo Ann Jo Ann Reece Acquisitions Editor American Indian and Latin American studies University of Oklahoma Press 1005 Asp Avenue Norman, OK 73019 jreece@ou.edu (405) 325-2734 > -----Original Message----- > From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM [SMTP:CATSTEP16@AOL.COM] > Sent: Monday, May 14, 2001 7:09 PM > To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU > Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality > > Greetings, > I am not well liked in the work atmosphere I am in basically because I > only > work around white males. I am a Union Tradeswomen Carpenter from Sunbury, > Ohio. My philosophy is that there is an inner feeling and being that > tells > us that we must be cautious, aware, and true to what feels right to our > own > being. > For me that means, that I must not be bought into a system that excludes > people because they don't believe in a certain religion, or are not > willing > to degrade others to make myself feel superior. > I have been exposed to enough (white is right religion to last me a life > time), what I haven't been exposed to is enough what is right and feels > right > spirituality). > Being a woman is already a downfall, as our male counterparts have us to > believe, however, I feel that being a female gives us a perspective that > men > and boys will never perceive. > It is important that woman and womyn, keep a perspective on our female > youth > coming up before us and that they are given strength and wisdom that will > place them in a position of power rather than powerlessness. > Women continually place young girls in a position of vulnerability, and > this > only perpetuates the continuum of powerlessness. > We as women need to teach the power of women, be it Native American, > African > American, Jewish American, Hispanic American, whatever your ethnic > background, please open a forum for women to have a voice. Make that forum > a > listening tool not a lecturing tool, but allow women and girls to have a > voice in what makes them feel alive, what helps them to feel that they are > > significant in this male dominated culture. > This brings up my question that has been a long lasting question for me, I > > have always felt that many Native Americans philosophies fit into my life, > > however one aspect that has kept me distant is the role of women. > Can anyone clarify for me what tribes or nations respected women as other > than caretaker and what role those women played in that society? > In Sisterhood, > Cathy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 13:13:18 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Whitman, Torrey S." Subject: Re: Atlas of Great Lakes History/ Helen Tanner MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ms. Reece is far too modest. Tanner's Atlas is a *superb* piece of work, that includes not only a series of political-military historical maps, but also rich information on climates and habitat, distributions of villages and tribal groups, of language groupings, and of differing agricultural/horticultural patterns. The atlas provides any number of useful visual supplements to teaching about Indians in its region. And it's available in paperback at a reasonable price. Can anyone on this list recommend something comparable for the study of Plains Indians or of Southwestern cultures? Steve Whitman, Mt. St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, MD This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 10:46:51 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Sources, Voices, Spitituality MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Friends: I have been pasting your messages into a continuous document. We are at about 70 pages; I hope this is useful. Please don't hesitate to mention other topics that we might be missing. As for sources, several of you have written eloquently about the need to identify and use new sources that get us at experiences from new perspectives. From the point of view of Indian people, from women, from non-Indians other than soldiers and diplomats. These are important questions. There are some answers, but this is an area where everyone should be working. Unfortunately there are still limited collections of these kinds of materials. Peter Nabokov's NATIVE AMERICAN TESTIMONY is the best compendium. This is the reason I use so many autobiographies and first-person accounts in class. I think it is also important to think broadly about sources. We don't have to rely on words. Material objects--tools, household objects, buildings--can say a great deal about a community and how it functions. While museum exhibits can be antisceptic and off-putting, they can also be places where students and instructors can discuss objects, what they meant, what they mean, and why they are presented as they are. The same with historic sites. For the last few years I have been taking my Native American history students to the site of a battle between the Fox and the French in 1730. The site is much as it was 270 years ago but it is part of a farm, not "developed" as a historic site. We use sources to try and figure out what happened there and get into why it has been forgotten. The site opens up all sorts of questions about the event, the actors, the communities involved (there were Indians fighting with the French; there were lots of women present, etc.). This is not an "answer" to the request for more references and sources, but it has been a good way to generate questions and a desire to dig out more material. If any participants are interested in the Great Lakes region and are not familiar with the Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History, start with that. It is a classic source and filled with references to primary sources. The spirituality discussion has been very interesting to me. I find myself in agreement with Susan and Daniel. I think, perhaps naively, that you can do a great deal by just getting students to grasp the major differences between Native American traditions and Christianity. One need not get into details of ceremonies to present a general description of a Pueblo ceremonial calendar or to discuss the concept of "medicine" on the northern plains. To relate religous traditions to social structure and to explain the links between values and belief are reasonable goals that can be done with published material. Again, first person narrartives, from Black Elk's vision to something like Big HOrse's autobiography on Navajo ceremonies conducted at Bosque Redondo, have lots of examples of these ceremonies. For me as well, because I am a historian, "religion" is not the focus of my class. I am not teaching Native American religious beliefs. I am presenting these--with caveats based on my own limited experience--as information that helps us grasp the complexity of an historical moment. Perhaps that is a distinction without a difference, but I would feel uncomfortable if I thought I were speaking authoritatively about the details of a particular tribal religion. Finally, we cannot ignore religious change. Pentecostalism is spreading rapidly in reservation communities. Peyotism is often in conflict with tribal traditions. Christianity is a presence in most Native communities and is often presented today as not necessarily in conflict with tribal traditions (Black Elk again). I don't see my role as making pronouncements about these changes or passing judgement on them, but it is important to acknowledge them. I will be interested in your comments. Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 10:01:47 -0500 Reply-To: dmandell@truman.edu Sender: American Indians Forum From: Daniel Mandell Subject: Spirituality Comments: cc: Susan Witt In-Reply-To: <39.14fcaa12.2837e15b@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Susan, thank you for your carefully considered and thoughtfully worded posting. I focused on the general issue of ritual versus belief, but you dug deeper in order to pinpoint the issue of the system(s) expressed by the rituals. The system as a mode of integration is indeed key. The question that this highlights, of course, is integration of or for what? From all that I've learned (and experienced), a system of rituals-particularly one with rituals that might seem mundane-is designed to integrate individuals into the community AND the sacred into the ordinary. And that's a lesson that we need to teach, particularly in 20th (and 21st!) century America. Regards, Dan Mandell -----Original Message----- From: American Indians Forum [mailto:AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of Susan Witt Sent: Friday, May 18, 2001 2:00 PM To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Barb asked an interesting question about what it means to teach Native Spirituality. Everyone seems to have an understanding of what "Native Spirituality" is, but I'm not sure that everyone's definition is the same. In some ways, my limited knowledge makes it easier, since I really don't know the more sacred and personal details. I do know that many people create their own definitions based on their limited knowledge, and pass their misconceptions on to other people. This in itself can be a problem, in that it leads to stereotyping and misrepresentations of other people's religious beliefs. It seems to me, that people don't need to go into the specifics of particular ceremonies or rituals, but that some of the meanings of those rituals and ceremonies do need to be discussed. When I read Silko's _Ceremony_, for example, it seemed to me that one of the messages in the book is that the Ceremony, and the healing from the Ceremony, was much more than just the things that were said and done within the context of the Ceremony -- that the character (I forget his name) needed to learn from life itself, and that he specifically needed to learn forgiveness, to let go of his anger. The stories about the witchery, it seemed to me, had to do with recognizing what each of us do ourselves to contribute to our own problems, and how sometimes we do something bad, and it takes on a life of its own and becomes worse than what we every could have intended. Silko wove the various strands of the story together, much in the same way that stories, ceremonies, and life interact with each other to become whole. To the extent that you talk about how spiritual meanings interact with life, how the stories reflect inner meanings, and how ceremonies are much bigger than the things that take place within the sweat lodge or healing place or whatever, you are discussing spiritual meanings. I don't think you need to dwell on the specifics of and in the ceremony. Seems to me like doing so can be a distraction from more important aspects of the World View presented in the story. In a like way, perhaps teaching about Native Spirituality has more to do with explaining the integrative, contextual nature of many belief systems, rather than focusing on the specific components of specific rituals. Understanding the meanings behind the rituals, the reasons for engaging in ritual, and how ritual is intimately related with other, more mundane aspects of one's life is more important. Understanding that there is an internal logic to the rituals (even if one does not understand it) is much more important and useful than trying to imitate the surface features of the rituals. Understanding the relationships between belief systems and attitudes towards responsibility, towards generosity, towards stewardship, and the decisions one makes about the ways in which one lives one's life is more important than the details about the specific actions. The details might be there to place those larger issues in context (as Silko used the details of the stories and ceremonies to conceptualize the larger messages in her story), but never presented just to dwell on and make a mockery of. Maybe it's just because I haven't learned that much, but as far as my own understanding of "Native Spirituality" goes (if it exists at all , it seems like the major feature of it is that it isn't separate from everyday life, but an integral part of it. At least as far as I understand it, it isn't something that resides only in going to church on Sunday, or only in taking part in ceremonies or telling stories, but that it all intertwines throughout one's life. What that intertwining looks like, will differ from nation to nation, tribe to tribe, and person to person. But then, maybe I just see it that way because I am looking at it through my own lens, and that is what religion means to me. (My own beliefs, not Native Spirituality) Susan This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 21:40:43 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: murri chase Subject: Re: teaching native spirituality Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Barb Tracy wrote - "Since all of life is spiritual, it would be impossible to completely avoid, but I can't think of any reasons to speak in specifics about sacred ceremonies, prayers, etc." Ms. Tracy - I can think of no reasons, either. Native American spirituality is an integral part of the culture,its history and every day life. It is most helpful for students who may never have been exposed to even a small part of that living to learn the of Native beliefs, in order to best understand the people. Since there is no One Way which could be taught for all the peoples, spirituality can only BE taught in generalities. It is, therefore, no more necessary to relate a private sacred ceremony or prayer than it would be to actually hold a communion service or baptismal service in order to discuss one. murri chase _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 06:01:04 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Len Stelle Subject: Re: Sources, Voices, Spitituality Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dr. Hoxie..... You mention the 1730 Fox Fort. I recall a telephone conversation we had = last year regarding the site. I think I must apologize to you. I was not = as expansive as I could have been. I had no appreciation of your eminence = or professional concerns. Over the years I have become sensitive to = "scholars" and "students" of this period of Midwestern history placing a = culturally insensitive spin on the tragic events revealed there. I look = forward to reopening our conversation at a more convenient point in the = future. The historical issue that I would invite this forum to comment on is = reasonably pragmatic. It has to do with basic methodology in the conduct = of ethnohistory. In my practice of anthropological archaeology I assume = what some would consider a rather naive definition. I attempt to put = flesh and spirit on the metrical descriptions of archaeological data sets. = In the situation of the Fox Fort, I wanted to present the understandings = and interpretations of the People of the Red Earth, as well as those of = French entrepreneurs, mercenaries, priests, politicians, and soldiers. = The Mesquakie experience with anthropology is Sol Tax, et. al., Department = of Anthropology, University of Chicago and the BIA. How shall I say = this....the Mesquakie tribal experience with anthropology has not been = very positive. When I attempted to recover "their side of the story" from = publically known persons from the Tama community, I met with, and I am = not sure which, indifference or a code of silence. My students, significan= tly Anglo, were ripe for Mesquakie history. The best that I could offer = them was material from McTaggart's Wolf That I Am. Without intending to = minimize McTaggart's work, I believe that this was an opportunity for = teaching ad learning that was lost. When the primary iteration of the = site report was released to a national audience, McTaggart was as good as = I could do. A useful opportunity to get "their side of the story " out = into public view was lost. I teach and believe that cultural history is = cultural property, but I also believe that as a teacher I have an = obligation to provide as many interpretations of the past as is appropriate= . My question is: How do I access these interpretations in the presence = of such vast accumulations of historic scar tissue? And I don't mean to = single out the Mesquakie. Their experience is not unique to the machinatio= ns of the BIA, nor are BIA policies unique to the larger world. But as = '01 people, how do we move beyond the mistrust and fear? My experience = with my students, and with some elements of larger audiences, indicates a = potential for understanding. How can I achieve my professional goals of = identifying and sharing someone else's cultural property? Len Stelle >>> Fhoxie@AOL.COM 05/20/01 21:40 PM >>> Friends: I have been pasting your messages into a continuous document. We are at = about 70 pages; I hope this is useful. Please don't hesitate to mention other topics that we might be missing. As for sources, several of you have written eloquently about the need to identify and use new sources that get us at experiences from new perspectives. From the point of view of Indian people, from women, from non-Indians other than soldiers and diplomats. These are important = questions. There are some answers, but this is an area where everyone should be = working. Unfortunately there are still limited collections of these kinds of materials. Peter Nabokov's NATIVE AMERICAN TESTIMONY is the best = compendium. This is the reason I use so many autobiographies and first-person = accounts in class. I think it is also important to think broadly about sources. We don't have = to rely on words. Material objects--tools, household objects, buildings--can = say a great deal about community and how it functions. While museum exhibits can be antisceptic and off-putting, they can also be places where students and instructors can discuss objects, what they meant, what they mean, and = why they are presented as they are. The same with historic sites. For the last few years I have been taking my Native American history students to the = site of a battle between the Fox and the French in 1730. The site is much as it was 270 years ago but it is part of a farm, not "developed" as a historic site. We use sources to try and figure out what happened there and get = into why it has been forgotten. The site opens up all sorts of questions about the event, the actors, the communities involved (there were Indians = fighting with the French; there were lots of women present, etc.). This is not an "answer" to the request for more references and sources, but it has been a good way to generate questions and a desire to dig out more material. If any participants are interested in the Great Lakes region and are not familiar with the Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History, start with that. = It is a classic source and filled with references to primary sources. The spirituality discussion has been very interesting to me. I find myself = in agreement with Susan and Daniel. I think, perhaps naively, that you can do = a great deal by just getting students to grasp the major differences between Native American traditions and Christianity. One need not get into = details of ceremonies to present a general description of a Pueblo ceremonial calendar or to discuss the concept of "medicine" on the northern plains. = To relate religous traditions to social structure and to explain the links between values and belief are reasonable goals that can be done with published material. Again, first person narrartives, from Black Elk's = vision to something like Big HOrse's autobiography on Navajo ceremonies conducted = at Bosque Redondo, have lots of examples of these ceremonies. For me as = well, becaue I am a historian, "religion" is not the focus of my class. I am not teaching Native American religious beliefs. I am presenting these--with caveats based on my own limited experience--as information that helps us grasp the complexity of an historical moment. Perhaps that is a distinction= without a difference, but I would feel uncomfortable if I thought I were speaking authoritatively about the details of a particular tribal = religion. Finally, we cannot ignore religious change. Pentecostalism is spreading rapidly in reservation communities. Peyotism is often in conflict with tribal traditions. Christianity is a presence in most Native communities = and is often presented today as not necessarily in conflict with tribal traditions (Black Elk again). I don't see my role as making pronouncements about these changes or passing judgement on them, but it is important to acknowledge them. I will be interested in your comments. Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at = http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. = History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 12:41:02 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Barbara Egypt Subject: Re: Sources, Voices, Spitituality In-Reply-To: <39.14fcaa12.2837e15b@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0-616865257-990560462=:67321" --0-616865257-990560462=:67321 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Greetings, I am greatly enjoying all the messages and have learned a great deal. The information is dynamic and will be useful. Having a single document will be very helpful. I am an African American professor and have taught African religions and philosophy in university. It remains an ongoing effort to erase the stereotypes without divulging certain sacred facts. On remembrance: during introductionary remarks regarding the coursework I was interrupted by a white woman who literally barged into the classroom and asked, "Will you be teaching how to invoke and manifest spirits?:When I turned to her as she stood by the door and replied, noooo....She abruptly left. I went on to answer the question of a youngster who wanted to know if African people did indeed possess any sort of philosphy. Her quandry was undoubtedly based on the racial stereoypes all of use have endured. Thanks again for all the information on this site. begypt@yahoo.com. Frederick Hoxie wrote: Friends: I have been pasting your messages into a continuous document. We are at about 70 pages; I hope this is useful. Please don't hesitate to mention other topics that we might be missing. As for sources, several of you have written eloquently about the need to identify and use new sources that get us at experiences from new perspectives. From the point of view of Indian people, from women, from non-Indians other than soldiers and diplomats. These are important questions. There are some answers, but this is an area where everyone should be working. Unfortunately there are still limited collections of these kinds of materials. Peter Nabokov's NATIVE AMERICAN TESTIMONY is the best compendium. This is the reason I use so many autobiographies and first-person accounts in class. I think it is also important to think broadly about sources. We don't have to rely on words. Material objects--tools, household objects, buildings--can say a great deal about a community and how it functions. While museum exhibits can be antisceptic and off-putting, they can also be places where students and instructors can discuss objects, what they meant, what they mean, and why they are presented as they are. The same with historic sites. For the last few years I have been taking my Native American history students to the site of a battle between the Fox and the French in 1730. The site is much as it was 270 years ago but it is part of a farm, not "developed" as a historic site. We use sources to try and figure out what happened there and get into why it has been forgotten. The site opens up all sorts of questions about the event, the actors, the communities involved (there were Indians fighting with the French; there were lots of women present, etc.). This is not an "answer" to the request for more references and sources, but it has been a good way to generate questions and a desire to dig out more material. If any participants are interested in the Great Lakes region and are not familiar with the Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History, start with that. It is a classic source and filled with references to primary sources. The spirituality discussion has been very interesting to me. I find myself in agreement with Susan and Daniel. I think, perhaps naively, that you can do a great deal by just getting students to grasp the major differences between Native American traditions and Christianity. One need not get into details of ceremonies to present a general description of a Pueblo ceremonial calendar or to discuss the concept of "medicine" on the northern plains. To relate religous traditions to social structure and to explain the links between values and belief are reasonable goals that can be done with published material. Again, first person narrartives, from Black Elk's vision to something like Big HOrse's autobiography on Navajo ceremonies conducted at Bosque Redondo, have lots of examples of these ceremonies. For me as well, because I am a historian, "religion" is not the focus of my class. I am not teaching Native American religious beliefs. I am presenting these--with caveats based on my own limited experience--as information that helps us grasp the complexity of an historical moment. Perhaps that is a distinction without a difference, but I would feel uncomfortable if I thought I were speaking authoritatively about the details of a particular tribal religion. Finally, we cannot ignore religious change. Pentecostalism is spreading rapidly in reservation communities. Peyotism is often in conflict with tribal traditions. Christianity is a presence in most Native communities and is often presented today as not necessarily in conflict with tribal traditions (Black Elk again). I don't see my role as making pronouncements about these changes or passing judgement on them, but it is important to acknowledge them. I will be interested in your comments. Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions $2 Million Sweepstakes - Got something to sell? --0-616865257-990560462=:67321 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii

Greetings,

I am greatly enjoying all the messages and have learned a great deal.  The information is dynamic and will be useful.

Having  a single document will be very helpful. I am an African American professor and have taught African religions and philosophy in university. It remains an ongoing effort to erase the stereotypes without divulging certain sacred facts. On remembrance: during  introductionary remarks regarding the coursework I was interrupted by a white woman who literally barged into the classroom and asked, "Will you be teaching how to invoke and manifest spirits?:When I turned to her as she stood by the door and replied, noooo....She abruptly left. I went on to answer the question of a youngster who wanted to know if African people did indeed possess any sort of philosphy.  Her quandry was undoubtedly  based on the racial stereoypes all of use have endured.

Thanks again for all the information on this site. begypt@yahoo.com.

 Frederick Hoxie <Fhoxie@AOL.COM> wrote:

Friends:

I have been pasting your messages into a continuous document. We are at about
70 pages; I hope this is useful.

Please don't hesitate to mention other topics that we might be missing.

As for sources, several of you have written eloquently about the need to
identify and use new sources that get us at experiences from new
perspectives. From the point of view of Indian people, from women, from
non-Indians other than soldiers and diplomats. These are important questions.
There are some answers, but this is an area where everyone should be working.
Unfortunately there are still limited collections of these kinds of
materials. Peter Nabokov's NATIVE AMERICAN TESTIMONY is the best compendium.
This is the reason I use so many autobiographies and first-person accounts
in class.

I think it is also important to think broadly about sources. We don't have to
rely on words. Material objects--tools, household objects, buildings--can say
a great deal about a community and how it functions. While museum exhibits
can be antisceptic and off-putting, they can also be places where students
and instructors can discuss objects, what they meant, what they mean, and why
they are presented as they are. The same with historic sites. For the last
few years I have been taking my Native American history students to the site
of a battle between the Fox and the French in 1730. The site is much as it
was 270 years ago but it is part of a farm, not "developed" as a historic
site. We use sources to try and figure out what happened there and get into
why it has been forgotten. The site opens up all sorts of questions about
the event, the actors, the communities involved (there were Indians fighting
with the French; there were lots of women present, etc.). This is not an
"answer" to the request for more references and sources, but it has been a
good way to generate questions and a desire to dig out more material.

If any participants are interested in the Great Lakes region and are not
familiar with the Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History, start with that. It
is a classic source and filled with references to primary sources.

The spirituality discussion has been very interesting to me. I find myself in
agreement with Susan and Daniel. I think, perhaps naively, that you can do a
great deal by just getting students to grasp the major differences between
Native American traditions and Christianity. One need not get into details
of ceremonies to present a general description of a Pueblo ceremonial
calendar or to discuss the concept of "medicine" on the northern plains. To
relate religous traditions to social structure and to explain the links
between values and belief are reasonable goals that can be done with
published material. Again, first person narrartives, from Black Elk's vision
to something like Big HOrse's autobiography on Navajo ceremonies conducted at
Bosque Redondo, have lots of examples of these ceremonies. For me as well,
because I am a historian, "religion" is not the focus of my class. I am not
teaching Native American religious beliefs. I am presenting these--with
caveats based on my own limited experience--as information that helps us
grasp the complexity of an historical moment. Perhaps that is a distinction
without a difference, but I would feel uncomfortable if I thought I were
speaking authoritatively about the details of a particular tribal religion.

Finally, we cannot ignore religious change. Pentecostalism is spreading
rapidly in reservation communities. Peyotism is often in conflict with
tribal traditions. Christianity is a presence in most Native communities and
is often presented today as not necessarily in conflict with tribal
traditions (Black Elk again). I don't see my role as making pronouncements
about these changes or passing judgement on them, but it is important to
acknowledge them.


I will be interested in your comments.

Fred Hoxie

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.



Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions $2 Million Sweepstakes - Got something to sell? --0-616865257-990560462=:67321-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 16:22:18 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Recovering Traditions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A concrete question for which I have no ready answer: An equivalent to the Tanner Atlas for the Great Lakes for the Southwest region? There is the Zuni Atlas, but I know of no other comparable regional atlas. There are books with good maps, but not many. As overviews of the region I have relied on Spicer's Cycles of Conquest (old but basic) and Gary Anderson's recent The Indian Southwest, 1580-1830. I would be curious if others have good general sources; most things are tribe-specific. Professor Stelle's question about seeking the traditions behind a site or event and making connections with Native American communities are very difficult to answer. We have already discussed the pitfalls and advantages of Native American speakers. One of the difficulties of our educational system in which knowledge is "packaged" into time segments and transferred from "us" to students is that it does not allow for knowledge that is communal or spread across an entire group of people. So "What do the Fox people think about the 1730 battle?" May be a question that can only be answered by an extended stay and repeated conversations or it may not be answerable at all. I recall an Ojibwe elder who once said to me, "I could answer your question. I know a story about that, but it would take me three days to tell it to you." But of course to say that it is "hard" is not to answer the question. Rather I would say that we should recall that we are part of a long-term process of exploring and translating a subject for our students. An essential part of that process is building bridges between academic knowledge and the knowledge and perspectives of people in Native American communities. Bridges are built in all sorts of ways. Through visits, questions, and expressions of interest. They are also built through listening and respecting a community's own agenda and priorities. Thus, I would seek answers and responses, but when those don't surface, I would try to find the best possible alternative (McTaggert, in your case) and try to talk with students about why you have failed to do better. That may sound too gradualist, but I don't see any other alternative. If we respect Native American communities enough to want to include their stories in our books and classrooms, then we should respect them enough to accept their decision not to share their viewpoint. We should be building relationships for the long haul. I wonder what others think about this. Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 19:04:03 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Laura Janson Subject: books for adults HELLO TO ALL - I have not seen the following books mentioned in the postings. As a student, I have either used them as required reading for a class, or for additional material for research papers, or for my own personal enjoyment and knowledge about other people's lives and experiences. I highly recommend these books and hope you enjoy and learn from them also. AS WE ARE NOW - MIXED BLOOD ESSAYS ON RACE AND IDENTITY Edited by Wm. Penn Unv. Calif Press 1998 I TELL YOU NOW - AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAYS BY NATIVE AMERICAN WRITERS Edited by Brian Swann and Arnold Krupat Unv Nebraska Press 1987 SPEAKING FOR THE GENERATIONS - NATIVE WRITERS ON WRITING Edited by Simon Ortiz Unv Arizona Press 1998 SMOKE RISING - THE NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN LITERARY COMPANION Edited by Joseph Bruchac and Janet Witalec Visible Ink Press 1995 (Many of the authors interviewed in I Tell You Now, have their work in Smoke Rising) (For those readers looking for the woman's perspective, look to the essays in the above for contemporary women's stories about their lives) FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER - A STUDY OF NATIVE AMERICAN AUTOBIOGRAPHY By Arnold Krupat Unv Calif Press 1985 TRIBAL SECRETS - RECOVERING AMERICAN INDIAN INTELLECTUAL TRADITONS By Robert Allen Warrior Unv Minnesota Press 1995 "a comparative interpretation of the works of Vine Deloria Jr and John Joseph Mathews.." CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL ISSUES Edited by Duane Champagne AltaMira Press 1999 Sections cover Native Identity, Gender, Contemporary Powwow, Film & Media, Health, and Environmental Issues. Makes for a good class textbook. APACHE WOMEN WARRIORS By Kimberly Moore Buchanan Unv of Texas at El Paso 1986 A small book, 50 pgs, might be out of print & maybe not easily found. Shows the power and position of women in Apache society - I hope that Cathy can find this book for her interest in Native women. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 08:53:59 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "White, Laura" Subject: Re: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 22 May 2001 to 23 May 2001 (#20 01-22) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I appreciate Fred Hoxie's suggestion of patience and a long-range strategy of relationship building. I think when we anywhere close to becoming biculturally- or multiculturally-sensitive people, we are learning to "be" within the norms and context of "the other". With Native people in my experience, that means shifting to a sense of geological time, listening much more than talking, and strengthening my ability to observe. These are not my natural skills, or valued by my culture. I did a bit of work, as a consultant and mediator, in the NW with Native people. I remember being called in by a White CFO for one Tribe; she felt that a long-time cross-family antagonism was threatening grant compliance and other fiscal survival issues. At an introductory meeting with the Tribal Council that lasted a half-day, at which we were invited back for a meal and the launch of relationship, it became clear that the "conflict" was at least 80 years old and by now had many threads and some components lost in memory, yet was still sustained as a core part of identity. I could not in good conscience take it on as a project. The CFO was fired soon after. This experience brought home to me the difference in time-consciousness and my inability to cope within that, to have done the necessary relationship building. In another situation, a workplace mediation with co-workers in a Tribe with a prosperous Casino was resolved in one session. The success of the Casino in providing funds for modern housing, college educations, better health care, a boys' and girls' club, and so on, provided impetus to work out work-team tensions, and the dispute was far less imbedded in time, though families had "taken sides." Several other modest experiences in work with the Tribes or with Tribal people gave me a bit of a window on different world-views; all these interactions strengthened my commitment to practice additional communication skills. I'm enjoying this listserv conversation. Laura Muller White -----Original Message----- From: Automatic digest processor [mailto:LISTSERV@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 12:00 AM To: Recipients of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM digests Subject: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 22 May 2001 to 23 May 2001 (#2001-22) There is one message totalling 54 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Recovering Traditions This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 16:22:18 EDT From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Recovering Traditions A concrete question for which I have no ready answer: An equivalent to the Tanner Atlas for the Great Lakes for the Southwest region? There is the Zuni Atlas, but I know of no other comparable regional atlas. There are books with good maps, but not many. As overviews of the region I have relied on Spicer's Cycles of Conquest (old but basic) and Gary Anderson's recent The Indian Southwest, 1580-1830. I would be curious if others have good general sources; most things are tribe-specific. Professor Stelle's question about seeking the traditions behind a site or event and making connections with Native American communities are very difficult to answer. We have already discussed the pitfalls and advantages of Native American speakers. One of the difficulties of our educational system in which knowledge is "packaged" into time segments and transferred from "us" to students is that it does not allow for knowledge that is communal or spread across an entire group of people. So "What do the Fox people think about the 1730 battle?" May be a question that can only be answered by an extended stay and repeated conversations or it may not be answerable at all. I recall an Ojibwe elder who once said to me, "I could answer your question. I know a story about that, but it would take me three days to tell it to you." But of course to say that it is "hard" is not to answer the question. Rather I would say that we should recall that we are part of a long-term process of exploring and translating a subject for our students. An essential part of that process is building bridges between academic knowledge and the knowledge and perspectives of people in Native American communities. Bridges are built in all sorts of ways. Through visits, questions, and expressions of interest. They are also built through listening and respecting a community's own agenda and priorities. Thus, I would seek answers and responses, but when those don't surface, I would try to find the best possible alternative (McTaggert, in your case) and try to talk with students about why you have failed to do better. That may sound too gradualist, but I don't see any other alternative. If we respect Native American communities enough to want to include their stories in our books and classrooms, then we should respect them enough to accept their decision not to share their viewpoint. We should be building relationships for the long haul. I wonder what others think about this. Fred Hoxie ------------------------------ End of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 22 May 2001 to 23 May 2001 (#2001-22) ************************************************************************** This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 10:00:22 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Recovering Traditions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_d3.153572a0.283e6df6_boundary" --part1_d3.153572a0.283e6df6_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, Once again, I'm offering my views as a non-academic, but as one who works daily with AI's all over the continent. In the two+ years that I've been doing my work, I have yet to be turned down when asking for help. Often times this help has been in the form of having questions answered by tribal members. And, it's usually done online. The point that I'm making is that most Indian People DO want the truth told. They do want to share their viewpoint, and often times will go beyond what is asked and share a wealth of information. The one thing that I hear over and over is ... we are a living culture, with living traditions. This is one reason that there is such a "push" to have new textbooks written, with the local Indian input. I realize that it's not always easy to connect with the right folks, but, it's possible. Use the vast wealth of resources available online...make contacts...Indian Country is small and networking is very important. We call it the "Moccasin Telegraph" Thanks, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_d3.153572a0.283e6df6_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
  Once again, I'm offering my views as a non-academic, but as one who works
daily with AI's all over the continent.  In the two+ years that I've been
doing my work, I have yet to be turned down when asking for help.  Often
times this help has been in the form of having questions answered by tribal
members.  And, it's usually done online.
  The point that I'm making is that most Indian People DO want the truth
told.  They do want to share their viewpoint, and often times will go beyond
what is asked and share a wealth of information.  The one thing that I hear
over and over is ... we are a living culture, with living traditions.  This
is one reason that there is such a "push" to have new textbooks written, with
the local Indian input.
   I realize that it's not always easy to connect with the right folks, but,
it's possible.  Use the vast wealth of resources available online...make
contacts...Indian Country is small and networking is very important.  We call
it the "Moccasin Telegraph"

Thanks,

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_d3.153572a0.283e6df6_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 07:57:52 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: CATSTEP16@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Recovering Traditions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_67.148b7f53.2840f440_boundary" --part1_67.148b7f53.2840f440_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, I would like thank Eileen for allowing me to a part of this wonderful Forum. I do not get the opportunity to read and converse with people who care about history and it's message. I would like to thank the women on this forum who graciously offered me and other's books that one can read and offer to others. I bopped over to Barnes and Noble and got my usual Women Studies books that I buy every week. I took the booklists that Vicki Lockard, Laura Janson, and Susan offered to buy some of the books on the lists. I had to order the four books I decided to begin my reading with as the store did not have them. I ordered Woman and Power in Native North America by Laura Klein and Lillian Ackerman, Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History by Helen Tanner, Apache Women Warriors by Kimberly Moore Buchanan, and Harvest of Souls: The Jesuit Missions and Colonialism by Carole Blackburn. Thank-you once again ladies, and I will continue to use the lists as I complete the books I buy. I just bought a book written by Mary Crow Dog called Lakota Woman, does anyone have an opinion about her offering? How does the Native American community feel about this book? It is important to me for one that I purchase books written by women and two that they are as accurate as possible. Let's keep the money flowing back into women's hands. Again I am so grateful I have been able to be apart of this Forum and hope that there is a forum on Women's History soon so I can offer some wonderful books I have read on this subject. In Spirit and Sisterhood, Cathy Stephenson --part1_67.148b7f53.2840f440_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
I would like thank Eileen for allowing me to a part of this wonderful Forum.
I do not get the opportunity to read and converse with people who care about
history and it's message. I would like to thank the women on this forum who
graciously offered me and other's books that one can read and offer to others.
I bopped over to Barnes and Noble and got my usual Women Studies books that I
buy every week. I took the booklists that Vicki Lockard, Laura Janson, and
Susan offered to buy some of the books on the lists.
I had to order the four books I decided to begin my reading with as the store
did not have them.
I ordered Woman and Power in Native North America by Laura Klein and Lillian
Ackerman, Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History by Helen Tanner,  Apache Women
Warriors by Kimberly Moore Buchanan, and Harvest of Souls: The Jesuit
Missions and Colonialism by Carole Blackburn.
Thank-you once again ladies, and I will continue to use the lists as I
complete the books I buy.
I just bought a book written by Mary Crow Dog called Lakota Woman, does
anyone have an opinion about her offering? How does the Native American
community feel about this book? It is important to me for one that I purchase
books written by women and two that they are as accurate as possible. Let's
keep the money flowing back into women's hands.
Again I am so grateful I have been able to be apart of this Forum and hope
that there is a forum on Women's History soon so I can offer some wonderful
books I have read on this subject.
In Spirit and Sisterhood,
Cathy Stephenson
--part1_67.148b7f53.2840f440_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 22:00:23 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Laura Janson Subject: IN CLOSING GREETINGS TO PROF. HOXIE AND ALL FORUM PARTICIPANTS: BESIDES BEING THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE LOOKED IN UPON AND RESPONDED TO AN INTERNET FORUM/LIST-SERV, I HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED READING EVERYBODY'S POSTINGS OF INFORMATION AND VIEWPOINTS. I KNOW I WILL REFER BACK TO THIS ARCHIVE IN MY FUTURE STUDIES. I COME TO THIS FORMUM AS A STUDENT, HAVING JUST RECEIVED A BA IN AMERICAN STUDIES AND A MINOR IN NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES. I CONTINUE INTO A GRAD PROGRAM IN PUBLIC HISTORY. MY FIRST LOVE IS NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES AND I HOPE TO INTEGRATE THIS WITHIN THE PUBLIC HISTORY ARENA. AS I LIVE IN NEW MEXICO WHERE WE HAVE 19 PUEBLO NATIONS AND TWO APACHE NATIONS, ALONG WITH NATIVE PEOPLES OF MANY OTHER NATIONS, I THINK THIS INTEGRATION WILL BE POSSIBLE, AND VERY VALUABLE TO ALL CONCERNED. PROF. HOXIE - YOUR ENCYCLOPEDIA WAS ONE OF THE 1ST BOOKS I BOUGHT WHEN I GOT TO THE UNIVERSITY. IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME TO HAVE SO MUCH NATIVE AMERICAN INFO IN ONE BOOK, TO LOOK UP VARIOUS TOPICS, PEOPLE, EVENTS IN ORDER TO GET MY FACTS CORRECT IN WRITING UP TAKE HOME EXAMS AND RESEARCH PAPERS. AS TO THE TIME-LIFE SERIES BOOKS, I THINK THEY ARE REALLY GOOD, BEAUTIFULLY DONE AND ALSO PRESENT A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FOR A "COFFEE TABLE" TYPE BOOK. I HAVE ABOUT A HALF DOZEN OF THEM, AND AM STILL LOOKING FOR OTHERS IN THE USED BOOK STORES!! I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I TOOK ONE OF THE BOOKS WITH ME TO THE HOSPITAL WHEN I HAD SURGERY FOR BREAST CANCER. I THINK IT IS IN "THE WARRIORS" BOOK, THERE IS A PICTURE OF A MOST BEAUTIFUL PIPE (A WARRIOR CHASING A BUFFALO TOWARDS THE BOWL, ALL IN CATLINITE) AND I LOOKED AT THAT PICTURE AND PRAYED UNTIL I WAS WHEELED INTO SURGERY. THAT WAS IN '94 AND I AM HEALTHY, AND JUGGLE A VERY BUSY SCHEDULE OF WORK & CLASSES. THAT PIPE PICTURE HELPED ME TO FOCUS MY PRAYERS AND CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY. AS A NON-NATIVE PERSON, NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES HAS GREATLY ENRICHED MY LIFE, AND I HOPE I CAN GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THE NATIVE WORLD. AGAIN, A THANK YOU TO ALL PARTICIPANTS WHO HELPED CREATE THIS FORUM AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE. HAVE A GOOD JOURNEY - LAURA JANSON This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 08:27:10 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Rosemary Hopkins Subject: books and music I have 2 requests. I got a dupped copy of a song entitled "Indian Car" that was supposedly recorded at a powwow. I wonder if there are CDs that have music like this song that I could use in my US History classes. The students like the Indian Car song, but it is on a cassette that is wearing thin. My second request is about books. I do a paired book assignment with my classes. For example, I have paired Baker's autobiography of Mary TOdd Lincoln with Mothers of Invention, about the role of Confederate women. I want to do one pair about Native Americans, preferably one from a female prospective (we are an all girls high school). There have been many books mentioned on the listserve. I need books under 300 pages. If you were to choose only 2 books, what would they be? Thanks, Rosemary Hopkins Nerinx Hall High School This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:53:20 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Re: books and music MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Here is my pair: Sarah Winnemucca, Life Among the Paiutes and Mary Crow Dog, Lakota Woman Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:51:54 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Final Thoughts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Friends: We seem to be winding down. The sun is finally shining in the Midwest so there is the possibility of doing something besides staring glumly out the window. I will check in again in a few days, but wanted to make these few comments, prompted by the last few posts: 1. It is amazing how many online resources area available. One of the questions I have asked students over the past few semesters is this: "The Internet provides a voice for people who have been otherwise shut out of the media. It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. Haw that potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" Luckily I have taught in an Internet-ready classroom so the different responses to this question can be illustrated and students can dial up the sites that support their positions. To date, there is no consensus on this question. There seem to be about as many exploitive, commercial, and wildly inaccurate sites as thoughtful and accurate ones. The slickest ones are sellinig something. Most information on sites is recycled from books; little of it is original. On the other hand, it seems EVERYONE has a site and that is exciting. I suppose the fact that we have had this conversation for the past month is a mark in the "yes" column. At least I hope so. 2. While the Internet has great potential, I urge you to develop real relationships wth real people and communities. The web is a great way to meet; not a great way to "relate." As I mentioned previously, it is not easy to build bridges but it is really what we all need to be doing. 3. Finally, the whole arena of women and gender history as it relates to Native American studies needs far more attention than it has received. Of course this means women's experience (Katherine Osburn's book on southern ute women is my current favorite in this category) but it also means gender and its construction for both males and females through time. There is a great book--or group of books--to be written on Native American women and gender relations in tribal politics in the 20th century. Why are 2/3 of the students in tribal colleges female? I have yet to read a historical explanation. Many thanks for all your comments, suggestions and advice. Fred Hoxie This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 22:32:01 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: ouia catron Subject: Re: Final Thoughts In-Reply-To: <43.15d80304.2843c00a@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Call it running on “Indin Time;” I hope I’m not too late to add my two cents to this discussion. I have been keeping up with all the posts and brewing ideas and thoughts in my brain as to with what I wanted to respond. This is really the first opportunity I have had to sit down and type something. First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Jolene Catron. I am not a history teacher nor consider myself part of the academe. I am pretty much just an ordinary Jo: I work, go to school, raise my daughter, take care of my father inlaw and try to keep my life as simple and balanced as possible. I am also Navajo and Laguna/Zuni Pueblo, raised in New Mexico, and currently living on the beautiful Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. I offer my comments not in the context of being a radical-type person, but to offer my own personal thoughts and ideas in hopes of providing a different voice to this collective community. I find interesting in these discussions is there is no mention of the fact that Indian tribes are political bodies. Since the beginning of our creations, we have the inherent right to govern ourselves and make decisions that affect our particular tribal body and our future generations. It has always been so. When the young United States government was being formed, our nation status and inherent right was recognized within the Constitution. Other international political bodies also recognized this fact, and entered into treaties with various tribal nations. A treaty is based in international law; as such, tribal sovereignty is a recognized tenet, and the crazy world of federal Indian law is based upon this. I have been a self-taught student of federal Indian law for many years, and the more I think I know, the less I understand. I would venture to say that the only thing Indian tribes have in common as a collective whole is this inherent right of self-determination (oh, and the darn Bureau of Indian Affairs). It is THIS concept that sets us apart from other minority groups, not the fact that we are spiritual people. I would also venture to say that there is no such thing as “Native American Spirituality.” Every time I hear this term, I cringe--”Native American Spirituality” is really just another stereotype whose time has come. In the United States alone, there are over 570 (federally recognized) Indian tribes. Although some tribes may be related linguistically or culturally, each tribe has a world view. This world view is something that has evolved from living within a certain area of the world and the relations that have been established between that piece of earth and the community therein. These ways are anchored in our creation stories and are as varied as the color spectrum. Because these ways are community-oriented, they are not prostyletyzing. It is not our tribal responsibility to save the world. Some tribes allow non-Indians into their ceremonies. Some tribes don’t. I myself strongly believe that by taking the ceremony outside of its intended use (i.e., away from the community), then somewhere in the translation, something gets lost, and the whole sacredness of the way is disrespected. As you can probably guess, I hate seeing the flood of internet medicine men and so-called non-Indian specialists practicing in the field of “Native American Spirituality.” (Deep breath)… Why this rant within the context of history teaching? As a non-traditional college student and as a single mother raising an Indian daughter, I am highly concerned of the misconceptions and outright untruths I have uncovered in my studies. Should history teachers be relying on tribal voices in their classes? Absolutely! Tribes understand the importance of establishing their own histories. Try a Google search on tribal colleges around the country. You will probably find that most offer courses or teaching material on their own histories. Elizabeth Cook-Lynn is a scholar who offers some wonderful writing in her book of essays “Why I can’t read Wallace Stegner” regarding tribal history repatriation. Our tribal histories are trying to die off…they have been for a couple of generations now. There is a realization that once we lose the knowledge of who we are and where we come from, then we have lost sight of where we should be going. But it should be up to tribes to regain this knowledge and embrace it within their own communities. Okay, I am starting to climb down off this soap box, but in closing, I would like to add to the list of books and reading “Reinventing the Enemy’s Language, Contemporary Native Women‘s Writings of North America,” edited by Joy Harjo and Gloria Bird. Also, anything by Luci Topahonso, a Navajo writer and poet, online writings by Johnny Rustywire (http://www.geocities.com/rustywire), and anything by Simon Ortiz. Don't be afraid to get in contact with tribes, because that is where you will find the information. If you have a question about whether a person is actually "an authentic Indian," ask him where he comes from, what tribe and who are his family. Just about any "Indin" can answer those questions with certainty (unless you ask an Indian person who was adopted out of his tribe, sadly of which there are many, due to well-meaning people who thought Indian kids were better off being raised outside their tribe). Jolene Catron __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 23:17:22 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Todd Perreira Subject: Death and Dying MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0022_01C0E7CC.5921B5E0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C0E7CC.5921B5E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear ALL: I've been invited to co-teach a course this summer called "Death, Dying = and Religion" which serves to introduce undergraduates (mostly = non-religious studies majors including a number of nursing majors) to = the living traditions of the world. We focus on the resources a = tradition may have for empowering individuals and communities to respond = to and find meaning in the death and dying process and on a number of = ethical issues associated with this process. More importantly, the = class provides a safe environment for students to reflect on and = creatively respond to the fact of their own mortality. Approximately = one week's time is given to each major tradition (Buddhism, Hinduism, = Judaism, etc., including a week for Native American traditions.) My = area of stength is in the Indic and more broadly Asian traditions. In = preparation, I have been working with a Native scholar at my university = who has made some good suggestions. I thought I might turn to this = group to solicite your suggestions on materials (journal articles, short = stories, poems, testamonials, videos, etc.) that would represent a = variety of Native American perspectives. I'm especially interested in = presenting individual, tribal, or community perspectives on death and = dying from an historical perspective that is not given in the past = tense. In other words, I aim to avoid presenting Native American ways = of world-viewing as static, fixed systems to which people once belonged. = Rather, I'm eager for our students to encounter living, breathing, = dynamic individuals, traditions and communities in which people = participate today. For example, last summer when I co-taught this = class, one of the essays I had students read was Bonnie Blackwolf's = "Walking in the Spirit Fire" (in Dreaming the Dawn: Conversations with = Native Artists and Activists, Univ. of Neb. 1999) which, on so many = levels, is powerful account of her response to living with AIDS. We = also watched Smoke Signals, which, from the perspective of this class on = death and dying, was very effective. I would be grateful to any and all = who could put me on the trail for similar materials. In fraternity, Todd Perreira Research Assistant Center for the Study of Religion Department of Religion Universtiy of California, Santa Barbara perreira@ix.netcom.com ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C0E7CC.5921B5E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dear ALL:
 
I've been invited to co-teach a course = this summer=20 called "Death, Dying and Religion" which serves to introduce = undergraduates=20 (mostly non-religious studies majors including a number of nursing = majors) to=20 the living traditions of the world.  We focus on the resources a = tradition=20 may have for empowering individuals and communities to respond to and = find=20 meaning in the death and dying process and on a number of ethical issues = associated with this process.  More importantly, the=20 class provides a safe environment for students to reflect on and = creatively=20 respond to the fact of their own mortality.  Approximately one = week's time=20 is given to each major tradition (Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, = etc.,=20 including a week for Native American traditions.)  My area of stength is in the Indic and more broadly Asian=20 traditions.  In preparation, I have been working with a Native = scholar at=20 my university who has made some good suggestions.  I thought I = might turn=20 to this group to solicite your = suggestions on=20 materials (journal articles, short stories, poems, testamonials, videos, = etc.)=20 that would represent a variety of Native American perspectives.  = I'm=20 especially interested in presenting individual, tribal, or community=20 perspectives on death and dying from an historical perspective that = is not=20 given in the past tense.  In other words, I aim to avoid presenting = Native=20 American ways of world-viewing as static, fixed systems to which = people=20 once belonged.  Rather, I'm eager for our students to encounter = living,=20 breathing, dynamic individuals, traditions and communities in which = people=20 participate today.  For example, last summer when I co-taught this = class,=20 one of the essays I had students read was Bonnie Blackwolf's "Walking in = the=20 Spirit Fire" (in Dreaming the Dawn: Conversations with Native = Artists and=20 Activists, Univ. of Neb. 1999) which, on so many levels,=20 is powerful account of her response to living with AIDS.  We = also=20 watched Smoke Signals, which, from the perspective of this = class=20 on death and dying, was very effective.  I would be grateful to any = and all=20 who could put me on the trail for similar materials.
 
In fraternity,
Todd Perreira
Research Assistant
Center for the Study of = Religion
Department of Religion
Universtiy of California, Santa=20 Barbara
perreira@ix.netcom.com<= /DIV> ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C0E7CC.5921B5E0-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 10:41:41 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ilze Choi Subject: Books and music Rosemary, For the two books I suggest WATERLILY by Ella Cara Deloria (U of Nebraska, 1988) with MADONNA SWAN: a Lakota woman's story as told to Mark St. Pierre (U of Oklahoma, 1991). The first book, WATERLILY is an "Exquisite evocation, in novelistic form, of the life of a female Dakota (Sioux) in the mid-nineteenth century, before whites settled the plains." The author is from "a prominent Yankton Sioux family" who wrote scholarly studies of her people. Since the author is Sioux/Lakota herself if trusted her depiction of daily life among her people. The second book MADONNA SWAN, takes you to the recent past of the Lakota, in this case on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Madonna has ties to the past through her grandparents and what they told her. The story of her life is about the relationships between members of her family, the tragedies they and lived through, including her bout with tuberculosis. Her illness reveals the shortcomings of the Indian Health Service compared to what white patients had available. There is another book I found interesting to pair with WATERLILY and that is BEAD ON AN ANTIHILL: a Lakota childhood by Delphine Red Shirt. The author is a traditional Lakota woman who is fluent with her langugae which she interlaces with her story. It is a brief book but I found it very touching as she describes growing up in Nebraska and the Pine Ridge Reservation. Ilze Choi not a teacher or academic but reader in Indian History This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 09:53:59 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Final Thoughts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Dr. Hoxie wrote: "It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. Has that potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" We need to remember that computers and the internet are still a tool of the privileged class. There are still places here in the US that do not have computers or even phone lines. I find the term "world wide web" ironic when I talk with international students coming from small remote villages in other countries. These students have not seen or heard from their families in months or even years because not only is there no phone, no internet, but there isn't even mail delivery. So my answer is no. Cynthia Selfe one of the pioneers in on-line education has a recent book titled _Technology and Literacy in the Twenty-First Century: The Importance of Paying Attention_. In her introduction she writes: "Although the push for technological literacy is supposed to benefit all Americans, it has instead supported, and perhaps exacerbated, inequities in American cultures" Barb Tracy This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 12:39:20 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "Daniel M. Cobb" Subject: Three Cheers for Jolene Catron MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: MULTIPART/ALTERNATIVE; BOUNDARY="Boundary_(ID_jD9YeETQp1SpuJ4Xh9Mf/g)" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --Boundary_(ID_jD9YeETQp1SpuJ4Xh9Mf/g) Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Dear American Indian Forum Members: I too have been lurking in the shadows of cyberspace, more interested in = reading the thoughts of others than submitting my own. But I am moved = to respond to Jolene Catron's perceptive comments and must break the = silence! Catron hits on the issue of politics, one that has yet to be = addressed by participants. I am a non-Indian pursuing a Ph.D. in = American history at the University of Oklahoma; my dissertation revolves = around American Indian participation in the Lyndon Johnson = administration's War on Poverty. Although I have a long been interested = in "politics," I have yet to hear anyone make the case for studying it = quite so succinctly as Catron: tribes' status as sovereign nations = truly is one of the most powerful unifying elements---a shared = experience, if you will---that binds Native peoples together. It has = the power to transcend cultural diversity, various forms of = spirituality, regional location, blood quantum, and language. "I would = venture to say that the only thing Indian tribes have in common as a collective whole is this inherent right of = self-determination (oh, and the darn Bureau of Indian Affairs)," Catron wrote. "It is THIS concept that sets = us apart from other minority groups, not the fact that we are spiritual people." I would like to build off this point and direct it toward the topic of = this forum, the teaching of American Indian history. The question I = have is this: why does politics so rarely surface as a topic for = discussion? It seems to me that the absence of politics is a = manifestation of at least two processes---one in the academic realm, the = other in popular consciousness. What follows are my own ruminations. I = present them not as "answers" but as topics for further discussion. In regard to the academe, I would argue that scholars tend to bifurcate = the study of politics and culture. The former has become known as = "policy history," or more nefariously, "the history of what non-Indians = have done to Indians." The latter is what we have generally come to = know as "Indian" history (studies of "Native spirituality" as Catron = notes, "Indian worldviews," community studies, literature, tribal = histories, Native knowledge). This is an overgeneralization to be sure, = but one legitimated by even a cursory review of the literature. It is = also a fairly recent development, one that has been evolving since the = rise of ethnohistory in the 1950s. The phenomenon of segmentation helps = to explain why so little has been written about federal-Indian affairs = during the post-World War II period---the very crucible in which the = modern policy of tribal self-determination was forged. I consider both = intracommunity and policy scales of analysis integral, but I wonder why = they remain, for the most part, separate. At the last Western History = Association conference, I was heartened to hear Dr. Donald Fixico = (Shawnee, Sac & Fox, Seminole, and Muscogee Creek), director of the = Indigenous Nations Studies Program at the University of Kansas, argue = for renewed attention of Indian-white interaction. Federal-Indian = affairs is one of those areas that would benefit from a convergence of = studies dealing with local communities and high politics. Most of the = scholars forging this kind of synthesis have adopted the "encounter" = paradigm and work primarily in the colonial period. A compendium of = this exciting work can be found in James Merrell's and Peter Mancall's = new edited volume "American Encounters: Natives and Newcomers from = European Contact to Indian Removal, 1500-1850" (New York: Routledge, = 2000). Professor Hoxie's "Parading Through History" is a model of = synthesis for the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. He is = also one of the editor's of the forthcoming "American Nations: = Encounters in Indian Country," a companion to "American Encounters" that = covers the period between 1850 and the present. My hope is that = "American Nations" will demonstrate how scholars can take part in the = "boundary crossing" process proposed by Organization of American = Historians President Darlene Clark Hine. When I read of these exciting = rumblings in the profession, my mind's eye turns to Che Gueverra, of all = people. If he had been an historian, I think he would have climbed the = ramparts and scaled the ivory tower---all the way inspiring his fellow = revolutionaries with the words, "One, two, many scales of analysis!" But I digress. A second realm, that of popular consciousness, also = mitigates against the study of Indian politics. Indians, it seems, = continue to occupy a mythic space. Despite the efforts of contemporary = Indian writers and filmmakers (Sherman Alexie comes immediately to mind) = and activists (as the "In Whose Honor" video attests), stereotypical = misconceptions of Indians continue to pervade the realm of popular = culture. It is difficult to generate a conversation about contemporary = tribes as sovereign nations when the average American thinks caricatures = such as Chief Illiniwik accurately represent "Indian" culture. On this = front, I have no bright ideas. The enormity of the challenge is = frightening, and it reveals, in sharp relief, the reality of cultural = hegemony. Nonetheless, educators will continue to play an essential = role in the process of demystifying American popular culture. For = instance, through Americans for Indian Opportunity, LaDonna Harris has = spearheaded a movement to integrate tribal government into public school = curricula. It is frustrating to see federal, state, and local = policymakers allowed to discover Indians once in office---and to = experience these epiphanies over and over again. I'll never forget = seeing Newt Gingrich relating his own discovery of Indian sovereignty to = a group of Navajos some years ago. He climaxed his talk by calling for = "real study" of this topic as if it were new. But new to whom? Such = platitudes must have sounded incredibly patronizing to a people who, as = Catron argued, have always been quite aware of their nationhood. Newt = should have learned about this dimension of Indian history as a child, = relearned it as a highschool student, and encountered it once again in = college. Harris's organization, then, underscores that tribal = sovereignty is integral to, not apart from, the nation's federalist = system. Three cheers, again, to Jolene Catron for her contribution. I agree = that politics, broadly conceived, deserves far more attention than it = now receives. My own hunch, however, is that academic vogue and popular = culture tend to channel attention away it. Perhaps, in the last few = days of this forum, others will provide their own insights into both the = problem and possible remedies. Sincerely, Daniel M. Cobb, A.B.D. Department of History University of Oklahoma 455 West Lindsey, Room 403A DAHT Norman, Oklahoma 73019-0535 --Boundary_(ID_jD9YeETQp1SpuJ4Xh9Mf/g) Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Dear American Indian Forum Members:
 
I too have been lurking in the shadows of cyberspace, more interested in reading the thoughts of others than submitting my own.  But I am moved to respond to Jolene Catron's perceptive comments and must break the silence!  Catron hits on the issue of politics, one that has yet to be addressed by participants.  I am a non-Indian pursuing a Ph.D. in American history at the University of Oklahoma; my dissertation revolves around American Indian participation in the Lyndon Johnson administration's War on Poverty.  Although I have a long been interested in "politics," I have yet to hear anyone make the case for studying  it quite so succinctly as Catron:  tribes' status as sovereign nations truly is one of the most powerful unifying elements---a shared experience, if you will---that binds Native peoples together.  It has the power to transcend cultural diversity, various forms of spirituality, regional location, blood quantum, and language.  "I would venture to say that the only thing Indian
tribes have in common as a collective whole is this inherent right of self-determination (oh, and the darn
Bureau of Indian Affairs)," Catron wrote.  "It is THIS concept that sets us apart from other minority groups, not the fact
that we are spiritual people."
 
I would like to build off this point and direct it toward the topic of this forum, the teaching of American Indian history.  The question I have is this:  why does politics so rarely surface as a topic for discussion?  It seems to me that the absence of politics is a manifestation of at least two processes---one in the academic realm, the other in popular consciousness.  What follows are my own ruminations.  I present them not as "answers" but as topics for further discussion.
 
In regard to the academe, I would argue that scholars tend to bifurcate the study of politics and culture.  The former has become known as "policy history," or more nefariously, "the history of what non-Indians have done to Indians."  The latter is what we have generally come to know as "Indian" history (studies of "Native spirituality" as Catron notes, "Indian worldviews," community studies, literature, tribal histories, Native knowledge).  This is an overgeneralization to be sure, but one legitimated by even a cursory review of the literature.  It is also a fairly recent development, one that has been evolving since the rise of ethnohistory in the 1950s.  The phenomenon of segmentation helps to explain why so little has been written about federal-Indian affairs during the post-World War II period---the very crucible in which the modern policy of tribal self-determination was forged.  I consider both intracommunity and policy scales of analysis integral, but I wonder why they remain, for the most part, separate.  At the last Western History Association conference, I was heartened to hear Dr. Donald Fixico (Shawnee, Sac & Fox, Seminole, and Muscogee Creek), director of the Indigenous Nations Studies Program at the University of Kansas, argue for renewed attention of Indian-white interaction.  Federal-Indian affairs is one of those areas that would benefit from a convergence of studies dealing with local communities and high politics.  Most of the scholars forging this kind of synthesis have adopted the "encounter" paradigm and work primarily in the colonial period.  A compendium of this exciting work can be found in James Merrell's and Peter Mancall's new edited volume "American Encounters:  Natives and Newcomers from European Contact to Indian Removal, 1500-1850" (New York:  Routledge, 2000).  Professor Hoxie's "Parading Through History" is a model of synthesis for the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.  He is also one of the editor's of the forthcoming "American Nations:  Encounters in Indian Country," a companion to "American Encounters" that covers the period between 1850 and the present.  My hope is that "American Nations" will demonstrate how scholars can take part in the "boundary crossing" process proposed by Organization of American Historians President Darlene Clark Hine.  When I read of these exciting rumblings in the profession, my mind's eye turns to Che Gueverra, of all people.  If he had been an historian, I think he would have climbed the ramparts and scaled the ivory tower---all the way inspiring his fellow revolutionaries with the words, "One, two, many scales of analysis!"
 
But I digress.  A second realm, that of popular consciousness, also mitigates against the study of Indian politics. Indians, it seems, continue to occupy a mythic space.  Despite the efforts of contemporary Indian writers and filmmakers (Sherman Alexie comes immediately to mind) and activists (as the "In Whose Honor" video attests), stereotypical misconceptions of Indians continue to pervade the realm of popular culture.  It is difficult to generate a conversation about contemporary tribes as sovereign nations when the average American thinks caricatures such as Chief Illiniwik accurately represent "Indian" culture.  On this front, I have no bright ideas.  The enormity of the challenge is frightening, and it reveals, in sharp relief, the reality of cultural hegemony.  Nonetheless, educators will continue to play an essential role in the process of demystifying American popular culture.  For instance, through Americans for Indian Opportunity, LaDonna Harris has spearheaded a movement to integrate tribal government into public school curricula.  It is frustrating to see federal, state, and local policymakers allowed to discover Indians once in office---and to experience these epiphanies over and over again.  I'll never forget seeing Newt Gingrich relating his own discovery of Indian sovereignty to a group of Navajos some years ago.  He climaxed his talk by calling for "real study" of this topic as if it were new.  But new to whom?  Such platitudes must have sounded incredibly patronizing to a people who, as Catron argued, have always been quite aware of their nationhood.  Newt should have learned about this dimension of Indian history as a child, relearned it as a highschool student, and encountered it once again in college.  Harris's organization, then, underscores that tribal sovereignty is integral to, not apart from, the nation's federalist system.
 
Three cheers, again, to Jolene Catron for her contribution.  I agree that politics, broadly conceived, deserves far more attention than it now receives.  My own hunch, however, is that academic vogue and popular culture tend to channel attention away it.  Perhaps, in the last few days of this forum, others will provide their own insights into both the problem and possible remedies.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Daniel M. Cobb, A.B.D.
Department of History
University of Oklahoma
455 West Lindsey, Room 403A DAHT
Norman, Oklahoma 73019-0535
--Boundary_(ID_jD9YeETQp1SpuJ4Xh9Mf/g)-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 13:46:02 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: David Hanson Subject: Is the Internet a uniter or a divider? In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I agree with Ms. Tracy--but only to a point. It is very true that there are tremendous inequalities in personal access to new technology. And this often exacerbates other inequalities (social, economic, political). But there is also the potential for the Internet to narrow the gap, and there is evidence that this is happening. Maybe it comes down to the old adage of the optimist who sees the glass as half full and the pessimist who sees it as half empty. To say that "computers and the Internet are still a tool of the privileged class" is quite an overstatement unless we define "privileged class" to broadly include all but the very poorest people in the most remote areas. Even it we allow that bit of rhetorical hyperbole to stand, increasingly we find that public libraries and schools have Internet service for patrons and students living in remote areas of the United States (and elsewhere). Granted there are some places, but there are not many places left in this country, that have NO phones or computers anywhere in the area. A small rural library or school in a poor area can access tons of information via the Internet that they could not afford to purchase in print. This is the great equalizing potential. Each home does not need its own computer, over even a phone, for everyone to have technological literacy and use it to their advantage. In the 21st century, technological literacy is as important as reading and writing. Let me add that the benefits work both ways. It is not practical to bring together history students from Virginia [where I am] and American Indians from the Far West. But through the Internet, direct communication can be made between students and first-hand sources of invaluable information about American Indian culture. David Hanson Professor of History Virginia Western At 09:53 AM 5/29/01 -0500, you wrote: >Dr. Hoxie wrote: "It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. >Has that >potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" > >We need to remember that computers and the internet are still a tool of the >privileged class. There are still places here in the US that do not have >computers or even phone lines. I find the term "world wide web" ironic >when I talk with international students coming from small remote villages >in other countries. These students have not seen or heard from their >families in months or even years because not only is there no phone, no >internet, but there isn't even mail delivery. So my answer is no. > >Cynthia Selfe one of the pioneers in on-line education has a recent book >titled >_Technology and Literacy in the Twenty-First Century: The Importance of >Paying Attention_. >In her introduction she writes: > >"Although the push for technological literacy is supposed to benefit all >Americans, it has instead supported, and perhaps exacerbated, inequities in >American cultures" > >Barb Tracy > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 12:54:54 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: IN CLOSING MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I received the following this morning and felt it fits in with Jolene's discussion of tribes as political bodies and what I feel is the continued disrespect for these political bodies. Living in Nebraska I can't help be aware of not only White Clay but the continuing battle over the Santee Casino rights and many other injustices still be perpetuated in and near this state. Barb >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: > Tim >Rinne 402-475-7616 home >May 25, 2001 Frank LaMere >712-259-7648 work > > > >Nebraskans To March on Whiteclay from the Nebraska Side of the Border > > > >When members of the Oglala Lakota Tribe set out from the Pine Ridge >Reservation to march on Whiteclay Saturday June 9, for the first time since >the protests began two years ago, a concurrent "March for Justice," organized >by Nebraskans, will originate from the Nebraska side of the border. >Nebraskans for Peace, along with a collection of other Nebraska >organizations, will march on Whiteclay "from the south" to protest the >unsolved murders of two Pine Ridge men and the predatory alcohol trade run by >whites in this hamlet bordering the Reservation. > >In June 1999, after the bodies of Wilson Black Elk and Ronald Hard Heart were >found dumped over the Pine Ridge Reservation border just 200 feet from >Whiteclay, Oglala Lakota Tribe Sergeant at Arms Tom Poor Bear established >"Camp Justice" and began organizing weekly marches to focus public attention >on the brutal killings of his brother and cousin. Today, those responsible >for their deaths in this unincorporated Nebraska village of 22 people have >still not been brought to justice. > >Beginning with the June 9 march however, Nebraska residents will be actively >joining with the citizens of Pine Ridge to call for a rapid conclusion of the >murder investigation and the closure of the four licensed alcohol dealerships >in Whiteclay that annually sell 4.2 million cans of beer to the "dry" >Reservation. Winnebago Tribe member and former Nebraska Indian Commission >member Frank LaMere, who crossed the police line at Whiteclay in July 1999 >and is currently facing criminal charges in Nebraska, will be the honorary >leader of the Nebraska march. > >As the marchers converge from the Pine Ridge Reservation on the north, and >from Nebraska on the south, march contingents will also arrive from the east >and west, symbolizing the sacred four directions. Oglala Lakota traditional >spiritual leaders will offer prayers at various points along the march >pathway for the contingents coming from the north, east and west. From the >Nebraska side of the border on the south, Christian ministers will lead the >marchers in prayer. > >Nebraskans from across the state are invited to participate in this effort to >both erase the blemish of Whiteclay from our state's reputation once and for >all and to insist on justice for our sovereign Oglala Lakota neighbors. For >information on where to assemble for the Saturday June 9 march, contact >Nebraskans for Peace at 402-475-4620 or nfpstate@aol.com > > > >### > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 14:26:59 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "White, Laura" Subject: Re: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#20 01-26) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Sherman Alexie's short stories would appeal to young people. "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fight in Heaven." They have a reality and poignancy that communicates modern rez life that bridges to students' own lives. Laura M. White -----Original Message----- From: Automatic digest processor [mailto:LISTSERV@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 12:00 AM To: Recipients of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM digests Subject: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#2001-26) There are 3 messages totalling 91 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. books and music (2) 2. Final Thoughts This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 08:27:10 -0400 From: Rosemary Hopkins Subject: books and music I have 2 requests. I got a dupped copy of a song entitled "Indian Car" that was supposedly recorded at a powwow. I wonder if there are CDs that have music like this song that I could use in my US History classes. The students like the Indian Car song, but it is on a cassette that is wearing thin. My second request is about books. I do a paired book assignment with my classes. For example, I have paired Baker's autobiography of Mary TOdd Lincoln with Mothers of Invention, about the role of Confederate women. I want to do one pair about Native Americans, preferably one from a female prospective (we are an all girls high school). There have been many books mentioned on the listserve. I need books under 300 pages. If you were to choose only 2 books, what would they be? Thanks, Rosemary Hopkins Nerinx Hall High School ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:53:20 EDT From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Re: books and music Here is my pair: Sarah Winnemucca, Life Among the Paiutes and Mary Crow Dog, Lakota Woman Fred Hoxie ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:51:54 EDT From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Final Thoughts Dear Friends: We seem to be winding down. The sun is finally shining in the Midwest so there is the possibility of doing something besides staring glumly out the window. I will check in again in a few days, but wanted to make these few comments, prompted by the last few posts: 1. It is amazing how many online resources area available. One of the questions I have asked students over the past few semesters is this: "The Internet provides a voice for people who have been otherwise shut out of the media. It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. Haw that potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" Luckily I have taught in an Internet-ready classroom so the different responses to this question can be illustrated and students can dial up the sites that support their positions. To date, there is no consensus on this question. There seem to be about as many exploitive, commercial, and wildly inaccurate sites as thoughtful and accurate ones. The slickest ones are sellinig something. Most information on sites is recycled from books; little of it is original. On the other hand, it seems EVERYONE has a site and that is exciting. I suppose the fact that we have had this conversation for the past month is a mark in the "yes" column. At least I hope so. 2. While the Internet has great potential, I urge you to develop real relationships wth real people and communities. The web is a great way to meet; not a great way to "relate." As I mentioned previously, it is not easy to build bridges but it is really what we all need to be doing. 3. Finally, the whole arena of women and gender history as it relates to Native American studies needs far more attention than it has received. Of course this means women's experience (Katherine Osburn's book on southern ute women is my current favorite in this category) but it also means gender and its construction for both males and females through time. There is a great book--or group of books--to be written on Native American women and gender relations in tribal politics in the 20th century. Why are 2/3 of the students in tribal colleges female? I have yet to read a historical explanation. Many thanks for all your comments, suggestions and advice. Fred Hoxie ------------------------------ End of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#2001-26) ************************************************************************** This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 14:42:09 -0600 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: mewelsh Subject: Re: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#20 01-26) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Fred Hoxie, Your comment about two-thirds of attendees of tribal colleges being female is not surprising. One reason is linked to the larger culture's trend line (which the national media has explored intermittently over the past two years) that has more young/middle-aged men engaged in the "boom" economy of the 1990s. Women, in this view, find the intellectual emphasis and/or career-development tracks of higher learning more interesting (young males, so the story goes, prefer to enter the work force/drop out of college to work in the information economy, etc). A second trend line was expressed to me about two years ago by the former director of a Native Student Services program at a major southwestern university. He noted that 72 percent of the recipients of the scholarships given by his tribe went to women, often women who were turning to college after having children/leaving the reservation for new opportunities. He also was surprised at their choice of career options: teacher-education/nursing, etc. (the very tasks considered declasse by contemporary scholarship and the media). When he asked the women why they preferred these "nurturer" categories (especially when they could choose any major/university/career), he learned that the women wanted to stay on the reservation and work with children/the elderly/families. This official's conclusion was as interesting as his observations. His tribe "will suffer as a result of these choices," said the director. When pressed as to the reasons why, he suggested that the next generation of tribal officials would not have the degrees/expertise in issues now surging on reservations everywhere (government/law/business/investment/gaming, etc.). Then he surmised that this would not provide good role models for the youth of his reservation (tribal women who deliberately chose not to engage the outside world's concerns might make it hard to convince young Indian people to leave home and pursue professional tracks like the director himself had done). Finally, he worried that the women might assert control of community life, and create challenges for male identity that he viewed as unhealthy (I did not ask him if he saw this as a return to a pre-reservation gender dynamic). Hope this helps those seeking to research the question on why so many Indian women are choosing the career options that they do. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >Sherman Alexie's short stories would appeal to young people. "The Lone >Ranger and Tonto Fight in Heaven." They have a reality and poignancy that >communicates modern rez life that bridges to students' own lives. Laura M. >White > >-----Original Message----- >From: Automatic digest processor >[mailto:LISTSERV@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] >Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 12:00 AM >To: Recipients of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM digests >Subject: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 >(#2001-26) > > >There are 3 messages totalling 91 lines in this issue. > >Topics of the day: > > 1. books and music (2) > 2. Final Thoughts > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 08:27:10 -0400 >From: Rosemary Hopkins >Subject: books and music > >I have 2 requests. I got a dupped copy of a song entitled "Indian Car" >that was supposedly recorded at a powwow. I wonder if there are CDs that >have music like this song that I could use in my US History classes. The >students like the Indian Car song, but it is on a cassette that is wearing >thin. >My second request is about books. I do a paired book assignment with my >classes. For example, I have paired Baker's autobiography of Mary TOdd >Lincoln with Mothers of Invention, about the role of Confederate women. I >want to do one pair about Native Americans, preferably one from a female >prospective (we are an all girls high school). There have been many books >mentioned on the listserve. I need books under 300 pages. If you were to >choose only 2 books, what would they be? >Thanks, >Rosemary Hopkins >Nerinx Hall High School > >------------------------------ > >Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:53:20 EDT >From: Frederick Hoxie >Subject: Re: books and music > >Here is my pair: > >Sarah Winnemucca, Life Among the Paiutes >and >Mary Crow Dog, Lakota Woman > > >Fred Hoxie > >------------------------------ > >Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:51:54 EDT >From: Frederick Hoxie >Subject: Final Thoughts > >Dear Friends: > >We seem to be winding down. The sun is finally shining in the Midwest so >there is the possibility of doing something besides staring glumly out the >window. I will check in again in a few days, but wanted to make these few >comments, prompted by the last few posts: > >1. It is amazing how many online resources area available. One of the >questions I have asked students over the past few semesters is this: "The >Internet provides a voice for people who have been otherwise shut out of the >media. It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. Haw that >potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" Luckily I have >taught in an Internet-ready classroom so the different responses to this >question can be illustrated and students can dial up the sites that support >their positions. To date, there is no consensus on this question. There seem >to be about as many exploitive, commercial, and wildly inaccurate sites as >thoughtful and accurate ones. The slickest ones are sellinig something. >Most >information on sites is recycled from books; little of it is original. On >the >other hand, it seems EVERYONE has a site and that is exciting. > >I suppose the fact that we have had this conversation for the past month is >a >mark in the "yes" column. At least I hope so. > >2. While the Internet has great potential, I urge you to develop real >relationships wth real people and communities. The web is a great way to >meet; not a great way to "relate." As I mentioned previously, it is not easy >to build bridges but it is really what we all need to be doing. > >3. Finally, the whole arena of women and gender history as it relates to >Native American studies needs far more attention than it has received. Of >course this means women's experience (Katherine Osburn's book on southern >ute >women is my current favorite in this category) but it also means gender and >its construction for both males and females through time. There is a great >book--or group of books--to be written on Native American women and gender >relations in tribal politics in the 20th century. Why are 2/3 of the >students in tribal colleges female? I have yet to read a historical >explanation. > >Many thanks for all your comments, suggestions and advice. > >Fred Hoxie > >------------------------------ > >End of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#2001-26) >************************************************************************** > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 17:14:49 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ilze Choi Subject: Re: Atlas of Great Lakes History/ Helen Tanner In answer to Susan's request for sources, I would like to list some of the books I have read as I ventured to learn about Indian history. I am not a teacher but have always been fascinated by history. With Indian history I found that as I read about one subject I started to wonder about another and so, in a way, my reading progressed to fill in the blanks or answer questions. I apologize for letting this go to the last minute. I hope my list is not too long. These are books that I have learned a lot from. General Reference books: _ Native American Almanac: a Portrait of Native America Today_ by Martha Kreipe De Montano, Arlene B. Hirschfelder and Marty Kreipe De Monano. (Hungry Minds, Inc. 1999, pbk.) This is the updated version (see Amazon.com) to my older edition. It has a wealth of information such as statistics, information on the BIA, tribal governments, and treaties; also includes information on the arts. For books on a general history, I found these two the best: _A History of the Indians of the United States_ by Angie Debo. (U of Oklahoma, 1970) History from pre-invasion up until 1970. _In A Barren Land: American Indian Dispossession and Survival _ by Paula Mitchell Marks. (William Morrow, 1998; there is also a paperback) (Brings the history up to the 1990's; unfortunately, this book is now out of print which is a great shame in my opinion since it provides details about how Indian communities had to struggle against unfairness at every turn in order to survive as a people. This book provides a good counterpoint to those who would criticize Indian nations for "dependency." I wonder if Professor Hoxie might know why this (in my opinion) good book has not been accepted by those teaching Indian history?) _The Trail of Tears: the story of the American Indian Removals 1813-1855_ by Gloria Jahoda. (Wings Books, 1975). Until I read this book, I thought that only the so-called Five Civilized Tribes endured a "trail of tears" but this book reveals that the United States government, the states and citizens carried out ethnic cleansing throughout all the eastern United States. -American Indian Holocaust and Survival: a Population History since 1492_ by Russell Thornton. (U of Oklahoma, 1987. Covers the demographic history of Indian peoples north of Mexico. _American Holocaust: the Conquest of the New World_ by David E. Stannard. (Oxford Univ. Press, 1992). This is apparently a controversial book among some historians who fault Stannard for being too extreme with his indictment of the Europeans. Local histories: _Pueblo Nations: Eight Centuries of Pueblo Indian History_ by Joe S. Sando . (Clear Light Publishers, 1992). This book is valuable because it is written by member of the Jemez Pueblo, a historian who presents the Indian perspective on the history of these people. _The Ioway Indians _by Martha Royce Blaine. (U of Oklahoma, 1979). Details the progressive loss of land and culture by the people after whom the state of Iowa is named. _The Only Land They Knew: American Indians in the Old South_ by J. Leitch Wright Jr. (U of Nebraska, 1999.) History of the Indian nations of the South and their relationship to whites and blacks over the centuries. Personal stories: _Blackhawk: an autobiography_ edited by Donald Jackson. (U. of Illinois, 1990). The most striking part of this book was Blackhawk's description of how his village and fields were "sold" to white settlers without the peoples' knowledge and what happened when they returned to their summer village from their winter camp. White settlers were sectioning off their fields and when the Indian women tried to plant their crops, they were beaten away. _Sister to the Sioux: the memoirs of Elaine Goodale Eastman 1885-91_. Edited by Kay Graber (U of Nebraska, 1978). Goodale became the wife of Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) and together with him, she witnessed the aftermath of the Wounded Knee massacre. Her descriptions of the Lakota people provide a glimpse into the past although she might be perceived as condescending at time. _An Indian in White America _by Mark Monroe; edited by Carolyn Reyer (Temple University Press, 1994. The author describes his life in Nebraska and South Dakota, his struggles against alcoholism and his accomplishments as a community leader in the 1970's. Contemporary politics: _ Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations, and the U.S. Constitution _ Ed. by Oren Lyons and John Mohawk. (Clear Light Publishers, 1992). This book offers a collection of excellent essays on the politics, philosophy and history of the political relationship between the Native peoples and the United States. _Behind the Trail of Broken Treaties _ by Vine Deloria, Jr. (U. of Texas, 1985). In my opinion, Vine Deloria, Jr. is one of the most learned (history, law, religion) of Indian intellectuals today. His writing is always incisive, well-researched and interesting. In this book he provides a thorough background and context to the struggles for self-determination by the Indian people that culminated with the Wounded Knee occupation in 1973. He also gives good arguments why Indian nations deserve self-determination in comparison to other nations who are just as small. _Like A Hurricane: the Indian Movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee _by Paul Chaat Smith and Robert Allen Warrior.(The New Press, 1996). This book gives a history of AIM which includes its flaws and weaknesses as well as the courage of its leaders. _ The Politics of Hallowed Ground: Wounded Knee and the Struggle for Indian Sovereignty _ by Mario Gonzalez and Elizabeth Cook- Lynn. (U of Illinois Press, 1999) The subject of the book is the effort by the Wounded Knee Survivors' Association "to obtain legal redress for the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee. The authors, who alternate diary entries by Gonzales and historic background by Cook-Lynn, describe their efforts to get the U.S. government to apologize for the atrocity. _Indian Country _ by Peter Matthiessen. (Penguin Books, 1984). Matthiessen travels through different areas of Indian Country to meet the people and describe their difficult circumstances in such places as Akwesasne, the Black Hills, Florida and especially Big Mountain and the Navajo/Hopi dispute as well as the Four Corners area polluted by uranium mining. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 17:37:57 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ilze Choi Subject: Final thoughts I want to thank Professor Hoxie for making this forum possible. Although I am not an academic and do not teach history, I hope that someday Indian history will become more widely known. The title of this forum is History Matters and I think it is an appropriate title because knowing a peoples' history is very important. One of the topics discussed on this forum was mascots. In the current issue of _Native Americas_ (Spring 2001) there is news about the mascot issue which includes these words connecting knowing history with the use of Indian mascots: "One primary obstacle to political and economic renewal and self-determination in Indian communities around the country is the appalling ignorance of most American citizens, including policymakers at local, state and federal levels of government, regarding Native American histories and cultures....Indians are virtually invisible to the American consciousness, which gleans any awareness of Natives from caricatured Hollywood portrayals, tourist excursions and, yes, popular symbols like Chief Illiniwek."(p. 60, quoted from "Chief Illiniwek: Dignified or Damaging" by Joseph P. Gone (Gros Ventre). I hope that the ranks of Indian historians will increase so that they will reasearch and tell their peoples' history in classes as well as conferences and write books that will counter the misrepresentations by some non-Indian historians and writers. Ilze Choi This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 18:07:37 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Melissa Meyer Subject: real people I'm going to share an exercise that I use at the outset of every lecture course I teach in American Indian history, and even some seminars. I'll share it because it works so well. Even former TAs have picked it up as they moved on to become professors themselves, which I take as a back-handed compliment. First I tell them that we are going to embark on a brainstorming exercise together. The rules are that anything goes, and no one gets laughed at unless it is in a supportive way. Then I ask them to tell me what comes to their mind or the minds of others that they know when I mention the term "American Indian" or "Native American." I emphasize that this is not a trick, the terms can be used interchangeably. After 15 years, I know what to expect. And it usually happens, with a few variations and new themes(like gaming). So I write their contributions on the board according to the schema that I have come to expect. Lots of material culture is mentioned (tipis, headdressed, pipes, even dreamcatchers). If they don't mention enough, I'll prompt them with exhortations like "Oh come on. I know you know more than this." There will also be a list that has everyone living in harmony with nature and abounds with spirituality. There will also be a list with heavy-handed colonialism and the ill effects of it. Conquest, genocide, poverty, alcoholism. Sometimes there are a handful of students who know more through other courses they've taken in American Indian Studies. They might contribute a small dose of reality, but usually not enough to counter the other lists that have emerged. I compliment them, nonetheless. Then I ask the class to narrate the story that has emerged. They usually summarize in what I refer to as the "Bambi meets Godzilla" version of American Indian history. Bambi is grazing in the forest with idyllic cartoon music playing in the background. A huge dinosaur foot descends and squashes Bambi, leaving only his four little legs sticking out on all sides. Then I tell them to change channels. Now they want to be appointed as a diplomat to a foreign country. They need to persuade Congress that they are the best person for the job. They need to study. What do they want to know about? Then they come up with a very thorough list of most of the things that characterize countries/nations. Governance forms. political bodies, economic structures, exports & imports, industries, social structure, classes, gender relations, inequality, religious makeup, history, diplomatic relations with others etc, etc. Then I ask them to compare the lists. The disjuncture is immediately apparent to them. They can visually see on the board what their assumptions have been and what the problems with them are. I don't have to do this, they do it themselves. I DO emphasize how they have much in common with students from the past 15 years, but that ALL peoples have governance in some form or another. That ALL peoples pursue economic strategies to take care of their needs. That ALL people have diplomatic relations with others. It's our job to figure out what they looked like and to take care not to skip over important areas to consider. Students like this a lot because they really see the problem with stereotyping. It's also totally interactive. They construct it and analyze it themselves. Native students in particular have complimented me on the teaching tool. Just thought I'd share this because it does work so well. And it turns native people into real people right at the outset of the course. Best regards, Melissa Meyer UCLA History This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 14:51:12 -0700 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Final Thoughts In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" The power of resources means that those with them get more and those without stay without, not because those with want it that way but because that's the way it is no matter how anyone might want it. It's the World Wide Web because world wide access is limited only by resources. It's the same with books and food. Everyone on this list has access to both, and the Web, not because anyone else doesn't, but because we are the people with the resources. I know full well that there are boys and girls in the United States who do not have access. It isn't their fault, but they'll suffer forever for it. Solutions? Take a year off and volunteer in an area of the United States where boys and girls do not have access, and during the volunteer period, get it for them. That's the democratizing opportunity. Leif Fearn >Dr. Hoxie wrote: "It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. >Has that >potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" > >We need to remember that computers and the internet are still a tool of the >privileged class. There are still places here in the US that do not have >computers or even phone lines. I find the term "world wide web" ironic >when I talk with international students coming from small remote villages >in other countries. These students have not seen or heard from their >families in months or even years because not only is there no phone, no >internet, but there isn't even mail delivery. So my answer is no. > >Cynthia Selfe one of the pioneers in on-line education has a recent book >titled >_Technology and Literacy in the Twenty-First Century: The Importance of >Paying Attention_. >In her introduction she writes: > >"Although the push for technological literacy is supposed to benefit all >Americans, it has instead supported, and perhaps exacerbated, inequities in >American cultures" > >Barb Tracy > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 20:26:13 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: books and music MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_71.d9e6aeb.28459825_boundary" --part1_71.d9e6aeb.28459825_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, About the music question...I'd like to suggest anything by the Black Lodge Singers. They have one album, in particular, called "PowWow Songs for Kids" that is wonderful...it appeals to kids of all ages. Books...Waterlily by Ella Deloria ( seems to be a popular title with this group ) and books by Louise Erdrich, an Ojibwe woman writer. Hope these help, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_71.d9e6aeb.28459825_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
  About the music question...I'd like to suggest anything by the Black Lodge
Singers.  They have one album, in particular, called "PowWow Songs for Kids"
that is wonderful...it appeals to kids of all ages.
  Books...Waterlily by Ella Deloria ( seems to be a popular title with this
group ) and books by Louise Erdrich, an Ojibwe woman writer.

Hope these help,

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_71.d9e6aeb.28459825_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 22:48:09 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Ilze Choi Subject: Death and Dying Tod Perreira: In her book _Bead on an Antihill: a Lakota Childhood_, Delphine Red Shirt describes her Lakota family's losses through death, attitudes towards death and the readitional funeral ceremony. These two chapters were very poignant because she tells about the death of her beloved older sister. Also, in the book _Madonna Swan: a Lakota woman's story_ the author describes visits with loved ones who have died and beckon her to follow or join them when she falls ill. These visits seem half dream, half real to her. Ilze Choi This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 09:23:24 EDT Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Vicki Lockard Subject: Re: Is the Internet a uniter or a divider? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_d8.70a3f44.28464e4c_boundary" --part1_d8.70a3f44.28464e4c_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I'd like to add my 2 cents worth, here.=A0 Many of my potential=20 readers/contributors do not even have access to phone service, let alone the= =20 Internet.=A0 A case in point:=A0 A young woman from the Navajo Reservation w= on an=20 IMAC, over a year ago.=A0 Because she had no phone, her story was "picked" u= p=20 by local news and it came to the attention of Bill Clinton, who introduced=20 her and her plight when he visited the area in April of 2000.=A0 Well, to ma= ke=20 a long story short, this young woman JUST got a phone connection.=A0 Over a=20 year later.=A0=20 To make matters worse, because of the lack of phone services, emergencies ar= e=20 not handled in a prompt manner, causing needless deaths. It seems that the "richest" nation on earth could work harder to bridge the=20 gaps between the haves and have-nots...especially for basic services. =20 Another area of great concern in Indian Country is explotation. For every=20 decent, accurate web site, there must be a dozen or more that would not be=20 endorsed by any Indian. This makes it very difficult for those who are not=20 "tuned in" or are trying to learn. One rule of thumb, that seems to work fo= r=20 us, is to try to locate a tribally sanctioned site, then go from there. The= =20 U of A has an excellent site called "how to evaluate a N.A. site" (or=20 similiar title). While many tribes are working within the tribal framework to create reliable= =20 information, this is going to take time....and a good bit of work. Many of=20 our elders are aware of the need for accurate information and are working=20 with the tribes to filter out info that should not be put out on the web. Again, not an easy problem to solve. Thank you, Vicki Lockard "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) editor http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_d8.70a3f44.28464e4c_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I'd like to add my 2 cent= s worth, here.=A0 Many of my potential=20
readers/contributors do not even have access to phone service, let alone= the=20
Internet.=A0 A case in point:=A0 A young woman from the Navajo Reservati= on won an=20
IMAC, over a year ago.=A0 Because she had no phone, her story was "picke= d" up=20
by local news and it came to the attention of Bill Clinton, who introduc= ed=20
her and her plight when he visited the area in April of 2000.=A0 Well, t= o make=20
a long story short, this young woman JUST got a phone connection.=A0 Ove= r a=20
year later.=A0=20

To make matters worse, because of the lack of phone services, emergencie= s are=20
not handled in a prompt manner, causing needless deaths.

It seems that the "richest" nation on earth could work harder to bridge=20= the=20
gaps between the haves and have-nots...especially for basic services.
 
Another area of great concern in Indian Country is explotation.  Fo= r every=20
decent, accurate web site, there must be a dozen or more that would not=20= be=20
endorsed by any Indian.  This makes it very difficult for those who= are not=20
"tuned in" or are trying to learn.  One rule of thumb, that seems t= o work for=20
us, is to try to locate a tribally sanctioned site, then go from there.=20=  The=20
U of A has an excellent site called "how to evaluate a N.A. site" (or=20
similiar title).

While many tribes are working within the tribal framework to create reli= able=20
information, this is going to take time....and a good bit of work.  = ;Many of=20
our elders are aware of the need for accurate information and are workin= g=20
with the tribes to filter out info that should not be put out on the web= .

Again, not an easy problem to solve.

Thank you,
Vicki Lockard
"Canku Ota" (Many Paths) editor
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_d8.70a3f44.28464e4c_boundary-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 13:33:46 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: "White, Laura" Subject: Re: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 28 May 2001 to 29 May 2001 (#20 01-27) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I appreciate, also, the importance of political status in communicating about Native issues that has emerged here. In doing training with and for a Tribe, I found all topics brought up in class were addressed from the international indigenous perspective, even in a financially challenged community that is rural and remote. The connections that people felt, whether they had travelled or not, were international and certainly federal in scope, while many "disenfranchised" groups do not have that, or it takes much work to see the impact of colonization from a systemic point of view. (Larger than one's personal or group story.) I found this perspective made conversations delightful because of the breadth and depth of analysis. I'm wondering if others notice this. And I will miss people's thoughtful discussion as this month draws to a close. Is an ongoing listserv or chat room an option? Laura M. White -----Original Message----- From: Automatic digest processor [mailto:LISTSERV@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 12:00 AM To: Recipients of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM digests Subject: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 28 May 2001 to 29 May 2001 (#2001-27) There are 14 messages totalling 1392 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Final Thoughts (3) 2. Death and Dying 3. Books and music 4. Three Cheers for Jolene Catron 5. Is the Internet a uniter or a divider? 6. IN CLOSING 7. AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#20 01-26) (2) 8. Atlas of Great Lakes History/ Helen Tanner 9. Final thoughts 10. real people 11. books and music This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 22:32:01 -0700 From: ouia catron Subject: Re: Final Thoughts Call it running on "Indin Time;" I hope I'm not too late to add my two cents to this discussion. I have been keeping up with all the posts and brewing ideas and thoughts in my brain as to with what I wanted to respond. This is really the first opportunity I have had to sit down and type something. First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Jolene Catron. I am not a history teacher nor consider myself part of the academe. I am pretty much just an ordinary Jo: I work, go to school, raise my daughter, take care of my father inlaw and try to keep my life as simple and balanced as possible. I am also Navajo and Laguna/Zuni Pueblo, raised in New Mexico, and currently living on the beautiful Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. I offer my comments not in the context of being a radical-type person, but to offer my own personal thoughts and ideas in hopes of providing a different voice to this collective community. I find interesting in these discussions is there is no mention of the fact that Indian tribes are political bodies. Since the beginning of our creations, we have the inherent right to govern ourselves and make decisions that affect our particular tribal body and our future generations. It has always been so. When the young United States government was being formed, our nation status and inherent right was recognized within the Constitution. Other international political bodies also recognized this fact, and entered into treaties with various tribal nations. A treaty is based in international law; as such, tribal sovereignty is a recognized tenet, and the crazy world of federal Indian law is based upon this. I have been a self-taught student of federal Indian law for many years, and the more I think I know, the less I understand. I would venture to say that the only thing Indian tribes have in common as a collective whole is this inherent right of self-determination (oh, and the darn Bureau of Indian Affairs). It is THIS concept that sets us apart from other minority groups, not the fact that we are spiritual people. I would also venture to say that there is no such thing as "Native American Spirituality." Every time I hear this term, I cringe--"Native American Spirituality" is really just another stereotype whose time has come. In the United States alone, there are over 570 (federally recognized) Indian tribes. Although some tribes may be related linguistically or culturally, each tribe has a world view. This world view is something that has evolved from living within a certain area of the world and the relations that have been established between that piece of earth and the community therein. These ways are anchored in our creation stories and are as varied as the color spectrum. Because these ways are community-oriented, they are not prostyletyzing. It is not our tribal responsibility to save the world. Some tribes allow non-Indians into their ceremonies. Some tribes don't. I myself strongly believe that by taking the ceremony outside of its intended use (i.e., away from the community), then somewhere in the translation, something gets lost, and the whole sacredness of the way is disrespected. As you can probably guess, I hate seeing the flood of internet medicine men and so-called non-Indian specialists practicing in the field of "Native American Spirituality." (Deep breath)... Why this rant within the context of history teaching? As a non-traditional college student and as a single mother raising an Indian daughter, I am highly concerned of the misconceptions and outright untruths I have uncovered in my studies. Should history teachers be relying on tribal voices in their classes? Absolutely! Tribes understand the importance of establishing their own histories. Try a Google search on tribal colleges around the country. You will probably find that most offer courses or teaching material on their own histories. Elizabeth Cook-Lynn is a scholar who offers some wonderful writing in her book of essays "Why I can't read Wallace Stegner" regarding tribal history repatriation. Our tribal histories are trying to die off...they have been for a couple of generations now. There is a realization that once we lose the knowledge of who we are and where we come from, then we have lost sight of where we should be going. But it should be up to tribes to regain this knowledge and embrace it within their own communities. Okay, I am starting to climb down off this soap box, but in closing, I would like to add to the list of books and reading "Reinventing the Enemy's Language, Contemporary Native Women's Writings of North America," edited by Joy Harjo and Gloria Bird. Also, anything by Luci Topahonso, a Navajo writer and poet, online writings by Johnny Rustywire (http://www.geocities.com/rustywire), and anything by Simon Ortiz. Don't be afraid to get in contact with tribes, because that is where you will find the information. If you have a question about whether a person is actually "an authentic Indian," ask him where he comes from, what tribe and who are his family. Just about any "Indin" can answer those questions with certainty (unless you ask an Indian person who was adopted out of his tribe, sadly of which there are many, due to well-meaning people who thought Indian kids were better off being raised outside their tribe). Jolene Catron __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 23:17:22 -0400 From: Todd Perreira Subject: Death and Dying This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C0E7CC.5921B5E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear ALL: I've been invited to co-teach a course this summer called "Death, Dying = and Religion" which serves to introduce undergraduates (mostly = non-religious studies majors including a number of nursing majors) to = the living traditions of the world. We focus on the resources a = tradition may have for empowering individuals and communities to respond = to and find meaning in the death and dying process and on a number of = ethical issues associated with this process. More importantly, the = class provides a safe environment for students to reflect on and = creatively respond to the fact of their own mortality. Approximately = one week's time is given to each major tradition (Buddhism, Hinduism, = Judaism, etc., including a week for Native American traditions.) My = area of stength is in the Indic and more broadly Asian traditions. In = preparation, I have been working with a Native scholar at my university = who has made some good suggestions. I thought I might turn to this = group to solicite your suggestions on materials (journal articles, short = stories, poems, testamonials, videos, etc.) that would represent a = variety of Native American perspectives. I'm especially interested in = presenting individual, tribal, or community perspectives on death and = dying from an historical perspective that is not given in the past = tense. In other words, I aim to avoid presenting Native American ways = of world-viewing as static, fixed systems to which people once belonged. = Rather, I'm eager for our students to encounter living, breathing, = dynamic individuals, traditions and communities in which people = participate today. For example, last summer when I co-taught this = class, one of the essays I had students read was Bonnie Blackwolf's = "Walking in the Spirit Fire" (in Dreaming the Dawn: Conversations with = Native Artists and Activists, Univ. of Neb. 1999) which, on so many = levels, is powerful account of her response to living with AIDS. We = also watched Smoke Signals, which, from the perspective of this class on = death and dying, was very effective. I would be grateful to any and all = who could put me on the trail for similar materials. In fraternity, Todd Perreira Research Assistant Center for the Study of Religion Department of Religion Universtiy of California, Santa Barbara perreira@ix.netcom.com ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C0E7CC.5921B5E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dear ALL:
 
I've been invited to co-teach a course = this summer=20 called "Death, Dying and Religion" which serves to introduce = undergraduates=20 (mostly non-religious studies majors including a number of nursing = majors) to=20 the living traditions of the world.  We focus on the resources a = tradition=20 may have for empowering individuals and communities to respond to and = find=20 meaning in the death and dying process and on a number of ethical issues = associated with this process.  More importantly, the=20 class provides a safe environment for students to reflect on and = creatively=20 respond to the fact of their own mortality.  Approximately one = week's time=20 is given to each major tradition (Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, = etc.,=20 including a week for Native American traditions.)  My area of stength is in the Indic and more broadly Asian=20 traditions.  In preparation, I have been working with a Native = scholar at=20 my university who has made some good suggestions.  I thought I = might turn=20 to this group to solicite your = suggestions on=20 materials (journal articles, short stories, poems, testamonials, videos, = etc.)=20 that would represent a variety of Native American perspectives.  = I'm=20 especially interested in presenting individual, tribal, or community=20 perspectives on death and dying from an historical perspective that = is not=20 given in the past tense.  In other words, I aim to avoid presenting = Native=20 American ways of world-viewing as static, fixed systems to which = people=20 once belonged.  Rather, I'm eager for our students to encounter = living,=20 breathing, dynamic individuals, traditions and communities in which = people=20 participate today.  For example, last summer when I co-taught this = class,=20 one of the essays I had students read was Bonnie Blackwolf's "Walking in = the=20 Spirit Fire" (in Dreaming the Dawn: Conversations with Native = Artists and=20 Activists, Univ. of Neb. 1999) which, on so many levels,=20 is powerful account of her response to living with AIDS.  We = also=20 watched Smoke Signals, which, from the perspective of this = class=20 on death and dying, was very effective.  I would be grateful to any = and all=20 who could put me on the trail for similar materials.
 
In fraternity,
Todd Perreira
Research Assistant
Center for the Study of = Religion
Department of Religion
Universtiy of California, Santa=20 Barbara
perreira@ix.netcom.com<= /DIV> ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C0E7CC.5921B5E0-- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 10:41:41 -0400 From: Ilze Choi Subject: Books and music Rosemary, For the two books I suggest WATERLILY by Ella Cara Deloria (U of Nebraska, 1988) with MADONNA SWAN: a Lakota woman's story as told to Mark St. Pierre (U of Oklahoma, 1991). The first book, WATERLILY is an "Exquisite evocation, in novelistic form, of the life of a female Dakota (Sioux) in the mid-nineteenth century, before whites settled the plains." The author is from "a prominent Yankton Sioux family" who wrote scholarly studies of her people. Since the author is Sioux/Lakota herself if trusted her depiction of daily life among her people. The second book MADONNA SWAN, takes you to the recent past of the Lakota, in this case on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Madonna has ties to the past through her grandparents and what they told her. The story of her life is about the relationships between members of her family, the tragedies they and lived through, including her bout with tuberculosis. Her illness reveals the shortcomings of the Indian Health Service compared to what white patients had available. There is another book I found interesting to pair with WATERLILY and that is BEAD ON AN ANTIHILL: a Lakota childhood by Delphine Red Shirt. The author is a traditional Lakota woman who is fluent with her langugae which she interlaces with her story. It is a brief book but I found it very touching as she describes growing up in Nebraska and the Pine Ridge Reservation. Ilze Choi not a teacher or academic but reader in Indian History ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 09:53:59 -0500 From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Final Thoughts Dr. Hoxie wrote: "It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. Has that potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" We need to remember that computers and the internet are still a tool of the privileged class. There are still places here in the US that do not have computers or even phone lines. I find the term "world wide web" ironic when I talk with international students coming from small remote villages in other countries. These students have not seen or heard from their families in months or even years because not only is there no phone, no internet, but there isn't even mail delivery. So my answer is no. Cynthia Selfe one of the pioneers in on-line education has a recent book titled _Technology and Literacy in the Twenty-First Century: The Importance of Paying Attention_. In her introduction she writes: "Although the push for technological literacy is supposed to benefit all Americans, it has instead supported, and perhaps exacerbated, inequities in American cultures" Barb Tracy ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 12:39:20 -0500 From: "Daniel M. Cobb" Subject: Three Cheers for Jolene Catron This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --Boundary_(ID_jD9YeETQp1SpuJ4Xh9Mf/g) Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Dear American Indian Forum Members: I too have been lurking in the shadows of cyberspace, more interested in = reading the thoughts of others than submitting my own. But I am moved = to respond to Jolene Catron's perceptive comments and must break the = silence! Catron hits on the issue of politics, one that has yet to be = addressed by participants. I am a non-Indian pursuing a Ph.D. in = American history at the University of Oklahoma; my dissertation revolves = around American Indian participation in the Lyndon Johnson = administration's War on Poverty. Although I have a long been interested = in "politics," I have yet to hear anyone make the case for studying it = quite so succinctly as Catron: tribes' status as sovereign nations = truly is one of the most powerful unifying elements---a shared = experience, if you will---that binds Native peoples together. It has = the power to transcend cultural diversity, various forms of = spirituality, regional location, blood quantum, and language. "I would = venture to say that the only thing Indian tribes have in common as a collective whole is this inherent right of = self-determination (oh, and the darn Bureau of Indian Affairs)," Catron wrote. "It is THIS concept that sets = us apart from other minority groups, not the fact that we are spiritual people." I would like to build off this point and direct it toward the topic of = this forum, the teaching of American Indian history. The question I = have is this: why does politics so rarely surface as a topic for = discussion? It seems to me that the absence of politics is a = manifestation of at least two processes---one in the academic realm, the = other in popular consciousness. What follows are my own ruminations. I = present them not as "answers" but as topics for further discussion. In regard to the academe, I would argue that scholars tend to bifurcate = the study of politics and culture. The former has become known as = "policy history," or more nefariously, "the history of what non-Indians = have done to Indians." The latter is what we have generally come to = know as "Indian" history (studies of "Native spirituality" as Catron = notes, "Indian worldviews," community studies, literature, tribal = histories, Native knowledge). This is an overgeneralization to be sure, = but one legitimated by even a cursory review of the literature. It is = also a fairly recent development, one that has been evolving since the = rise of ethnohistory in the 1950s. The phenomenon of segmentation helps = to explain why so little has been written about federal-Indian affairs = during the post-World War II period---the very crucible in which the = modern policy of tribal self-determination was forged. I consider both = intracommunity and policy scales of analysis integral, but I wonder why = they remain, for the most part, separate. At the last Western History = Association conference, I was heartened to hear Dr. Donald Fixico = (Shawnee, Sac & Fox, Seminole, and Muscogee Creek), director of the = Indigenous Nations Studies Program at the University of Kansas, argue = for renewed attention of Indian-white interaction. Federal-Indian = affairs is one of those areas that would benefit from a convergence of = studies dealing with local communities and high politics. Most of the = scholars forging this kind of synthesis have adopted the "encounter" = paradigm and work primarily in the colonial period. A compendium of = this exciting work can be found in James Merrell's and Peter Mancall's = new edited volume "American Encounters: Natives and Newcomers from = European Contact to Indian Removal, 1500-1850" (New York: Routledge, = 2000). Professor Hoxie's "Parading Through History" is a model of = synthesis for the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. He is = also one of the editor's of the forthcoming "American Nations: = Encounters in Indian Country," a companion to "American Encounters" that = covers the period between 1850 and the present. My hope is that = "American Nations" will demonstrate how scholars can take part in the = "boundary crossing" process proposed by Organization of American = Historians President Darlene Clark Hine. When I read of these exciting = rumblings in the profession, my mind's eye turns to Che Gueverra, of all = people. If he had been an historian, I think he would have climbed the = ramparts and scaled the ivory tower---all the way inspiring his fellow = revolutionaries with the words, "One, two, many scales of analysis!" But I digress. A second realm, that of popular consciousness, also = mitigates against the study of Indian politics. Indians, it seems, = continue to occupy a mythic space. Despite the efforts of contemporary = Indian writers and filmmakers (Sherman Alexie comes immediately to mind) = and activists (as the "In Whose Honor" video attests), stereotypical = misconceptions of Indians continue to pervade the realm of popular = culture. It is difficult to generate a conversation about contemporary = tribes as sovereign nations when the average American thinks caricatures = such as Chief Illiniwik accurately represent "Indian" culture. On this = front, I have no bright ideas. The enormity of the challenge is = frightening, and it reveals, in sharp relief, the reality of cultural = hegemony. Nonetheless, educators will continue to play an essential = role in the process of demystifying American popular culture. For = instance, through Americans for Indian Opportunity, LaDonna Harris has = spearheaded a movement to integrate tribal government into public school = curricula. It is frustrating to see federal, state, and local = policymakers allowed to discover Indians once in office---and to = experience these epiphanies over and over again. I'll never forget = seeing Newt Gingrich relating his own discovery of Indian sovereignty to = a group of Navajos some years ago. He climaxed his talk by calling for = "real study" of this topic as if it were new. But new to whom? Such = platitudes must have sounded incredibly patronizing to a people who, as = Catron argued, have always been quite aware of their nationhood. Newt = should have learned about this dimension of Indian history as a child, = relearned it as a highschool student, and encountered it once again in = college. Harris's organization, then, underscores that tribal = sovereignty is integral to, not apart from, the nation's federalist = system. Three cheers, again, to Jolene Catron for her contribution. I agree = that politics, broadly conceived, deserves far more attention than it = now receives. My own hunch, however, is that academic vogue and popular = culture tend to channel attention away it. Perhaps, in the last few = days of this forum, others will provide their own insights into both the = problem and possible remedies. Sincerely, Daniel M. Cobb, A.B.D. Department of History University of Oklahoma 455 West Lindsey, Room 403A DAHT Norman, Oklahoma 73019-0535 --Boundary_(ID_jD9YeETQp1SpuJ4Xh9Mf/g) Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Dear American Indian Forum Members:
 
I too have been lurking in the shadows of cyberspace, more interested in reading the thoughts of others than submitting my own.  But I am moved to respond to Jolene Catron's perceptive comments and must break the silence!  Catron hits on the issue of politics, one that has yet to be addressed by participants.  I am a non-Indian pursuing a Ph.D. in American history at the University of Oklahoma; my dissertation revolves around American Indian participation in the Lyndon Johnson administration's War on Poverty.  Although I have a long been interested in "politics," I have yet to hear anyone make the case for studying  it quite so succinctly as Catron:  tribes' status as sovereign nations truly is one of the most powerful unifying elements---a shared experience, if you will---that binds Native peoples together.  It has the power to transcend cultural diversity, various forms of spirituality, regional location, blood quantum, and language.  "I would venture to say that the only thing Indian
tribes have in common as a collective whole is this inherent right of self-determination (oh, and the darn
Bureau of Indian Affairs)," Catron wrote.  "It is THIS concept that sets us apart from other minority groups, not the fact
that we are spiritual people."
 
I would like to build off this point and direct it toward the topic of this forum, the teaching of American Indian history.  The question I have is this:  why does politics so rarely surface as a topic for discussion?  It seems to me that the absence of politics is a manifestation of at least two processes---one in the academic realm, the other in popular consciousness.  What follows are my own ruminations.  I present them not as "answers" but as topics for further discussion.
 
In regard to the academe, I would argue that scholars tend to bifurcate the study of politics and culture.  The former has become known as "policy history," or more nefariously, "the history of what non-Indians have done to Indians."  The latter is what we have generally come to know as "Indian" history (studies of "Native spirituality" as Catron notes, "Indian worldviews," community studies, literature, tribal histories, Native knowledge).  This is an overgeneralization to be sure, but one legitimated by even a cursory review of the literature.  It is also a fairly recent development, one that has been evolving since the rise of ethnohistory in the 1950s.  The phenomenon of segmentation helps to explain why so little has been written about federal-Indian affairs during the post-World War II period---the very crucible in which the modern policy of tribal self-determination was forged.  I consider both intracommunity and policy scales of analysis integral, but I wonder why they remain, for the most part, separate.  At the last Western History Association conference, I was heartened to hear Dr. Donald Fixico (Shawnee, Sac & Fox, Seminole, and Muscogee Creek), director of the Indigenous Nations Studies Program at the University of Kansas, argue for renewed attention of Indian-white interaction.  Federal-Indian affairs is one of those areas that would benefit from a convergence of studies dealing with local communities and high politics.  Most of the scholars forging this kind of synthesis have adopted the "encounter" paradigm and work primarily in the colonial period.  A compendium of this exciting work can be found in James Merrell's and Peter Mancall's new edited volume "American Encounters:  Natives and Newcomers from European Contact to Indian Removal, 1500-1850" (New York:  Routledge, 2000).  Professor Hoxie's "Parading Through History" is a model of synthesis for the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.  He is also one of the editor's of the forthcoming "American Nations:  Encounters in Indian Country," a companion to "American Encounters" that covers the period between 1850 and the present.  My hope is that "American Nations" will demonstrate how scholars can take part in the "boundary crossing" process proposed by Organization of American Historians President Darlene Clark Hine.  When I read of these exciting rumblings in the profession, my mind's eye turns to Che Gueverra, of all people.  If he had been an historian, I think he would have climbed the ramparts and scaled the ivory tower---all the way inspiring his fellow revolutionaries with the words, "One, two, many scales of analysis!"
 
But I digress.  A second realm, that of popular consciousness, also mitigates against the study of Indian politics. Indians, it seems, continue to occupy a mythic space.  Despite the efforts of contemporary Indian writers and filmmakers (Sherman Alexie comes immediately to mind) and activists (as the "In Whose Honor" video attests), stereotypical misconceptions of Indians continue to pervade the realm of popular culture.  It is difficult to generate a conversation about contemporary tribes as sovereign nations when the average American thinks caricatures such as Chief Illiniwik accurately represent "Indian" culture.  On this front, I have no bright ideas.  The enormity of the challenge is frightening, and it reveals, in sharp relief, the reality of cultural hegemony.  Nonetheless, educators will continue to play an essential role in the process of demystifying American popular culture.  For instance, through Americans for Indian Opportunity, LaDonna Harris has spearheaded a movement to integrate tribal government into public school curricula.  It is frustrating to see federal, state, and local policymakers allowed to discover Indians once in office---and to experience these epiphanies over and over again.  I'll never forget seeing Newt Gingrich relating his own discovery of Indian sovereignty to a group of Navajos some years ago.  He climaxed his talk by calling for "real study" of this topic as if it were new.  But new to whom?  Such platitudes must have sounded incredibly patronizing to a people who, as Catron argued, have always been quite aware of their nationhood.  Newt should have learned about this dimension of Indian history as a child, relearned it as a highschool student, and encountered it once again in college.  Harris's organization, then, underscores that tribal sovereignty is integral to, not apart from, the nation's federalist system.
 
Three cheers, again, to Jolene Catron for her contribution.  I agree that politics, broadly conceived, deserves far more attention than it now receives.  My own hunch, however, is that academic vogue and popular culture tend to channel attention away it.  Perhaps, in the last few days of this forum, others will provide their own insights into both the problem and possible remedies.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Daniel M. Cobb, A.B.D.
Department of History
University of Oklahoma
455 West Lindsey, Room 403A DAHT
Norman, Oklahoma 73019-0535
--Boundary_(ID_jD9YeETQp1SpuJ4Xh9Mf/g)-- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 13:46:02 -0400 From: David Hanson Subject: Is the Internet a uniter or a divider? I agree with Ms. Tracy--but only to a point. It is very true that there are tremendous inequalities in personal access to new technology. And this often exacerbates other inequalities (social, economic, political). But there is also the potential for the Internet to narrow the gap, and there is evidence that this is happening. Maybe it comes down to the old adage of the optimist who sees the glass as half full and the pessimist who sees it as half empty. To say that "computers and the Internet are still a tool of the privileged class" is quite an overstatement unless we define "privileged class" to broadly include all but the very poorest people in the most remote areas. Even it we allow that bit of rhetorical hyperbole to stand, increasingly we find that public libraries and schools have Internet service for patrons and students living in remote areas of the United States (and elsewhere). Granted there are some places, but there are not many places left in this country, that have NO phones or computers anywhere in the area. A small rural library or school in a poor area can access tons of information via the Internet that they could not afford to purchase in print. This is the great equalizing potential. Each home does not need its own computer, over even a phone, for everyone to have technological literacy and use it to their advantage. In the 21st century, technological literacy is as important as reading and writing. Let me add that the benefits work both ways. It is not practical to bring together history students from Virginia [where I am] and American Indians from the Far West. But through the Internet, direct communication can be made between students and first-hand sources of invaluable information about American Indian culture. David Hanson Professor of History Virginia Western At 09:53 AM 5/29/01 -0500, you wrote: >Dr. Hoxie wrote: "It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. >Has that >potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" > >We need to remember that computers and the internet are still a tool of the >privileged class. There are still places here in the US that do not have >computers or even phone lines. I find the term "world wide web" ironic >when I talk with international students coming from small remote villages >in other countries. These students have not seen or heard from their >families in months or even years because not only is there no phone, no >internet, but there isn't even mail delivery. So my answer is no. > >Cynthia Selfe one of the pioneers in on-line education has a recent book >titled >_Technology and Literacy in the Twenty-First Century: The Importance of >Paying Attention_. >In her introduction she writes: > >"Although the push for technological literacy is supposed to benefit all >Americans, it has instead supported, and perhaps exacerbated, inequities in >American cultures" > >Barb Tracy > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 12:54:54 -0500 From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: IN CLOSING I received the following this morning and felt it fits in with Jolene's discussion of tribes as political bodies and what I feel is the continued disrespect for these political bodies. Living in Nebraska I can't help be aware of not only White Clay but the continuing battle over the Santee Casino rights and many other injustices still be perpetuated in and near this state. Barb >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: > Tim >Rinne 402-475-7616 home >May 25, 2001 Frank LaMere >712-259-7648 work > > > >Nebraskans To March on Whiteclay from the Nebraska Side of the Border > > > >When members of the Oglala Lakota Tribe set out from the Pine Ridge >Reservation to march on Whiteclay Saturday June 9, for the first time since >the protests began two years ago, a concurrent "March for Justice," organized >by Nebraskans, will originate from the Nebraska side of the border. >Nebraskans for Peace, along with a collection of other Nebraska >organizations, will march on Whiteclay "from the south" to protest the >unsolved murders of two Pine Ridge men and the predatory alcohol trade run by >whites in this hamlet bordering the Reservation. > >In June 1999, after the bodies of Wilson Black Elk and Ronald Hard Heart were >found dumped over the Pine Ridge Reservation border just 200 feet from >Whiteclay, Oglala Lakota Tribe Sergeant at Arms Tom Poor Bear established >"Camp Justice" and began organizing weekly marches to focus public attention >on the brutal killings of his brother and cousin. Today, those responsible >for their deaths in this unincorporated Nebraska village of 22 people have >still not been brought to justice. > >Beginning with the June 9 march however, Nebraska residents will be actively >joining with the citizens of Pine Ridge to call for a rapid conclusion of the >murder investigation and the closure of the four licensed alcohol dealerships >in Whiteclay that annually sell 4.2 million cans of beer to the "dry" >Reservation. Winnebago Tribe member and former Nebraska Indian Commission >member Frank LaMere, who crossed the police line at Whiteclay in July 1999 >and is currently facing criminal charges in Nebraska, will be the honorary >leader of the Nebraska march. > >As the marchers converge from the Pine Ridge Reservation on the north, and >from Nebraska on the south, march contingents will also arrive from the east >and west, symbolizing the sacred four directions. Oglala Lakota traditional >spiritual leaders will offer prayers at various points along the march >pathway for the contingents coming from the north, east and west. From the >Nebraska side of the border on the south, Christian ministers will lead the >marchers in prayer. > >Nebraskans from across the state are invited to participate in this effort to >both erase the blemish of Whiteclay from our state's reputation once and for >all and to insist on justice for our sovereign Oglala Lakota neighbors. For >information on where to assemble for the Saturday June 9 march, contact >Nebraskans for Peace at 402-475-4620 or nfpstate@aol.com > > > >### > ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 14:26:59 -0400 From: "White, Laura" Subject: Re: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#20 01-26) Sherman Alexie's short stories would appeal to young people. "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fight in Heaven." They have a reality and poignancy that communicates modern rez life that bridges to students' own lives. Laura M. White -----Original Message----- From: Automatic digest processor [mailto:LISTSERV@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 12:00 AM To: Recipients of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM digests Subject: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#2001-26) There are 3 messages totalling 91 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. books and music (2) 2. Final Thoughts This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 08:27:10 -0400 From: Rosemary Hopkins Subject: books and music I have 2 requests. I got a dupped copy of a song entitled "Indian Car" that was supposedly recorded at a powwow. I wonder if there are CDs that have music like this song that I could use in my US History classes. The students like the Indian Car song, but it is on a cassette that is wearing thin. My second request is about books. I do a paired book assignment with my classes. For example, I have paired Baker's autobiography of Mary TOdd Lincoln with Mothers of Invention, about the role of Confederate women. I want to do one pair about Native Americans, preferably one from a female prospective (we are an all girls high school). There have been many books mentioned on the listserve. I need books under 300 pages. If you were to choose only 2 books, what would they be? Thanks, Rosemary Hopkins Nerinx Hall High School ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:53:20 EDT From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Re: books and music Here is my pair: Sarah Winnemucca, Life Among the Paiutes and Mary Crow Dog, Lakota Woman Fred Hoxie ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:51:54 EDT From: Frederick Hoxie Subject: Final Thoughts Dear Friends: We seem to be winding down. The sun is finally shining in the Midwest so there is the possibility of doing something besides staring glumly out the window. I will check in again in a few days, but wanted to make these few comments, prompted by the last few posts: 1. It is amazing how many online resources area available. One of the questions I have asked students over the past few semesters is this: "The Internet provides a voice for people who have been otherwise shut out of the media. It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. Haw that potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" Luckily I have taught in an Internet-ready classroom so the different responses to this question can be illustrated and students can dial up the sites that support their positions. To date, there is no consensus on this question. There seem to be about as many exploitive, commercial, and wildly inaccurate sites as thoughtful and accurate ones. The slickest ones are sellinig something. Most information on sites is recycled from books; little of it is original. On the other hand, it seems EVERYONE has a site and that is exciting. I suppose the fact that we have had this conversation for the past month is a mark in the "yes" column. At least I hope so. 2. While the Internet has great potential, I urge you to develop real relationships wth real people and communities. The web is a great way to meet; not a great way to "relate." As I mentioned previously, it is not easy to build bridges but it is really what we all need to be doing. 3. Finally, the whole arena of women and gender history as it relates to Native American studies needs far more attention than it has received. Of course this means women's experience (Katherine Osburn's book on southern ute women is my current favorite in this category) but it also means gender and its construction for both males and females through time. There is a great book--or group of books--to be written on Native American women and gender relations in tribal politics in the 20th century. Why are 2/3 of the students in tribal colleges female? I have yet to read a historical explanation. Many thanks for all your comments, suggestions and advice. Fred Hoxie ----------------------------- End of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#2001-26) ************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 14:42:09 -0600 From: mewelsh Subject: Re: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#20 01-26) >===== Original Message From American Indians Forum ===== For Fred Hoxie, Your comment about two-thirds of attendees of tribal colleges being female is not surprising. One reason is linked to the larger culture's trend line (which the national media has explored intermittently over the past two years) that has more young/middle-aged men engaged in the "boom" economy of the 1990s. Women, in this view, find the intellectual emphasis and/or career-development tracks of higher learning more interesting (young males, so the story goes, prefer to enter the work force/drop out of college to work in the information economy, etc). A second trend line was expressed to me about two years ago by the former director of a Native Student Services program at a major southwestern university. He noted that 72 percent of the recipients of the scholarships given by his tribe went to women, often women who were turning to college after having children/leaving the reservation for new opportunities. He also was surprised at their choice of career options: teacher-education/nursing, etc. (the very tasks considered declasse by contemporary scholarship and the media). When he asked the women why they preferred these "nurturer" categories (especially when they could choose any major/university/career), he learned that the women wanted to stay on the reservation and work with children/the elderly/families. This official's conclusion was as interesting as his observations. His tribe "will suffer as a result of these choices," said the director. When pressed as to the reasons why, he suggested that the next generation of tribal officials would not have the degrees/expertise in issues now surging on reservations everywhere (government/law/business/investment/gaming, etc.). Then he surmised that this would not provide good role models for the youth of his reservation (tribal women who deliberately chose not to engage the outside world's concerns might make it hard to convince young Indian people to leave home and pursue professional tracks like the director himself had done). Finally, he worried that the women might assert control of community life, and create challenges for male identity that he viewed as unhealthy (I did not ask him if he saw this as a return to a pre-reservation gender dynamic). Hope this helps those seeking to research the question on why so many Indian women are choosing the career options that they do. Michael Welsh History Department University of Northern Colorado >Sherman Alexie's short stories would appeal to young people. "The Lone >Ranger and Tonto Fight in Heaven." They have a reality and poignancy that >communicates modern rez life that bridges to students' own lives. Laura M. >White > >-----Original Message----- >From: Automatic digest processor >[mailto:LISTSERV@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] >Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 12:00 AM >To: Recipients of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM digests >Subject: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 >(#2001-26) > > >There are 3 messages totalling 91 lines in this issue. > >Topics of the day: > > 1. books and music (2) > 2. Final Thoughts > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at >http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 08:27:10 -0400 >From: Rosemary Hopkins >Subject: books and music > >I have 2 requests. I got a dupped copy of a song entitled "Indian Car" >that was supposedly recorded at a powwow. I wonder if there are CDs that >have music like this song that I could use in my US History classes. The >students like the Indian Car song, but it is on a cassette that is wearing >thin. >My second request is about books. I do a paired book assignment with my >classes. For example, I have paired Baker's autobiography of Mary TOdd >Lincoln with Mothers of Invention, about the role of Confederate women. I >want to do one pair about Native Americans, preferably one from a female >prospective (we are an all girls high school). There have been many books >mentioned on the listserve. I need books under 300 pages. If you were to >choose only 2 books, what would they be? >Thanks, >Rosemary Hopkins >Nerinx Hall High School > >------------------------------ > >Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:53:20 EDT >From: Frederick Hoxie >Subject: Re: books and music > >Here is my pair: > >Sarah Winnemucca, Life Among the Paiutes >and >Mary Crow Dog, Lakota Woman > > >Fred Hoxie > >------------------------------ > >Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 10:51:54 EDT >From: Frederick Hoxie >Subject: Final Thoughts > >Dear Friends: > >We seem to be winding down. The sun is finally shining in the Midwest so >there is the possibility of doing something besides staring glumly out the >window. I will check in again in a few days, but wanted to make these few >comments, prompted by the last few posts: > >1. It is amazing how many online resources area available. One of the >questions I have asked students over the past few semesters is this: "The >Internet provides a voice for people who have been otherwise shut out of the >media. It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. Haw that >potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" Luckily I have >taught in an Internet-ready classroom so the different responses to this >question can be illustrated and students can dial up the sites that support >their positions. To date, there is no consensus on this question. There seem >to be about as many exploitive, commercial, and wildly inaccurate sites as >thoughtful and accurate ones. The slickest ones are sellinig something. >Most >information on sites is recycled from books; little of it is original. On >the >other hand, it seems EVERYONE has a site and that is exciting. > >I suppose the fact that we have had this conversation for the past month is >a >mark in the "yes" column. At least I hope so. > >2. While the Internet has great potential, I urge you to develop real >relationships wth real people and communities. The web is a great way to >meet; not a great way to "relate." As I mentioned previously, it is not easy >to build bridges but it is really what we all need to be doing. > >3. Finally, the whole arena of women and gender history as it relates to >Native American studies needs far more attention than it has received. Of >course this means women's experience (Katherine Osburn's book on southern >ute >women is my current favorite in this category) but it also means gender and >its construction for both males and females through time. There is a great >book--or group of books--to be written on Native American women and gender >relations in tribal politics in the 20th century. Why are 2/3 of the >students in tribal colleges female? I have yet to read a historical >explanation. > >Many thanks for all your comments, suggestions and advice. > >Fred Hoxie > >------------------------------ > >End of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 27 May 2001 to 28 May 2001 (#2001-26) >************************************************************************** > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 17:14:49 -0400 From: Ilze Choi Subject: Re: Atlas of Great Lakes History/ Helen Tanner In answer to Susan's request for sources, I would like to list some of the books I have read as I ventured to learn about Indian history. I am not a teacher but have always been fascinated by history. With Indian history I found that as I read about one subject I started to wonder about another and so, in a way, my reading progressed to fill in the blanks or answer questions. I apologize for letting this go to the last minute. I hope my list is not too long. These are books that I have learned a lot from. General Reference books: _ Native American Almanac: a Portrait of Native America Today_ by Martha Kreipe De Montano, Arlene B. Hirschfelder and Marty Kreipe De Monano. (Hungry Minds, Inc. 1999, pbk.) This is the updated version (see Amazon.com) to my older edition. It has a wealth of information such as statistics, information on the BIA, tribal governments, and treaties; also includes information on the arts. For books on a general history, I found these two the best: _A History of the Indians of the United States_ by Angie Debo. (U of Oklahoma, 1970) History from pre-invasion up until 1970. _In A Barren Land: American Indian Dispossession and Survival _ by Paula Mitchell Marks. (William Morrow, 1998; there is also a paperback) (Brings the history up to the 1990's; unfortunately, this book is now out of print which is a great shame in my opinion since it provides details about how Indian communities had to struggle against unfairness at every turn in order to survive as a people. This book provides a good counterpoint to those who would criticize Indian nations for "dependency." I wonder if Professor Hoxie might know why this (in my opinion) good book has not been accepted by those teaching Indian history?) _The Trail of Tears: the story of the American Indian Removals 1813-1855_ by Gloria Jahoda. (Wings Books, 1975). Until I read this book, I thought that only the so-called Five Civilized Tribes endured a "trail of tears" but this book reveals that the United States government, the states and citizens carried out ethnic cleansing throughout all the eastern United States. -American Indian Holocaust and Survival: a Population History since 1492_ by Russell Thornton. (U of Oklahoma, 1987. Covers the demographic history of Indian peoples north of Mexico. _American Holocaust: the Conquest of the New World_ by David E. Stannard. (Oxford Univ. Press, 1992). This is apparently a controversial book among some historians who fault Stannard for being too extreme with his indictment of the Europeans. Local histories: _Pueblo Nations: Eight Centuries of Pueblo Indian History_ by Joe S. Sando . (Clear Light Publishers, 1992). This book is valuable because it is written by member of the Jemez Pueblo, a historian who presents the Indian perspective on the history of these people. _The Ioway Indians _by Martha Royce Blaine. (U of Oklahoma, 1979). Details the progressive loss of land and culture by the people after whom the state of Iowa is named. _The Only Land They Knew: American Indians in the Old South_ by J. Leitch Wright Jr. (U of Nebraska, 1999.) History of the Indian nations of the South and their relationship to whites and blacks over the centuries. Personal stories: _Blackhawk: an autobiography_ edited by Donald Jackson. (U. of Illinois, 1990). The most striking part of this book was Blackhawk's description of how his village and fields were "sold" to white settlers without the peoples' knowledge and what happened when they returned to their summer village from their winter camp. White settlers were sectioning off their fields and when the Indian women tried to plant their crops, they were beaten away. _Sister to the Sioux: the memoirs of Elaine Goodale Eastman 1885-91_. Edited by Kay Graber (U of Nebraska, 1978). Goodale became the wife of Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) and together with him, she witnessed the aftermath of the Wounded Knee massacre. Her descriptions of the Lakota people provide a glimpse into the past although she might be perceived as condescending at time. _An Indian in White America _by Mark Monroe; edited by Carolyn Reyer (Temple University Press, 1994. The author describes his life in Nebraska and South Dakota, his struggles against alcoholism and his accomplishments as a community leader in the 1970's. Contemporary politics: _ Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations, and the U.S. Constitution _ Ed. by Oren Lyons and John Mohawk. (Clear Light Publishers, 1992). This book offers a collection of excellent essays on the politics, philosophy and history of the political relationship between the Native peoples and the United States. _Behind the Trail of Broken Treaties _ by Vine Deloria, Jr. (U. of Texas, 1985). In my opinion, Vine Deloria, Jr. is one of the most learned (history, law, religion) of Indian intellectuals today. His writing is always incisive, well-researched and interesting. In this book he provides a thorough background and context to the struggles for self-determination by the Indian people that culminated with the Wounded Knee occupation in 1973. He also gives good arguments why Indian nations deserve self-determination in comparison to other nations who are just as small. _Like A Hurricane: the Indian Movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee _by Paul Chaat Smith and Robert Allen Warrior.(The New Press, 1996). This book gives a history of AIM which includes its flaws and weaknesses as well as the courage of its leaders. _ The Politics of Hallowed Ground: Wounded Knee and the Struggle for Indian Sovereignty _ by Mario Gonzalez and Elizabeth Cook- Lynn. (U of Illinois Press, 1999) The subject of the book is the effort by the Wounded Knee Survivors' Association "to obtain legal redress for the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee. The authors, who alternate diary entries by Gonzales and historic background by Cook-Lynn, describe their efforts to get the U.S. government to apologize for the atrocity. _Indian Country _ by Peter Matthiessen. (Penguin Books, 1984). Matthiessen travels through different areas of Indian Country to meet the people and describe their difficult circumstances in such places as Akwesasne, the Black Hills, Florida and especially Big Mountain and the Navajo/Hopi dispute as well as the Four Corners area polluted by uranium mining. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 17:37:57 -0400 From: Ilze Choi Subject: Final thoughts I want to thank Professor Hoxie for making this forum possible. Although I am not an academic and do not teach history, I hope that someday Indian history will become more widely known. The title of this forum is History Matters and I think it is an appropriate title because knowing a peoples' history is very important. One of the topics discussed on this forum was mascots. In the current issue of _Native Americas_ (Spring 2001) there is news about the mascot issue which includes these words connecting knowing history with the use of Indian mascots: "One primary obstacle to political and economic renewal and self-determination in Indian communities around the country is the appalling ignorance of most American citizens, including policymakers at local, state and federal levels of government, regarding Native American histories and cultures....Indians are virtually invisible to the American consciousness, which gleans any awareness of Natives from caricatured Hollywood portrayals, tourist excursions and, yes, popular symbols like Chief Illiniwek."(p. 60, quoted from "Chief Illiniwek: Dignified or Damaging" by Joseph P. Gone (Gros Ventre). I hope that the ranks of Indian historians will increase so that they will reasearch and tell their peoples' history in classes as well as conferences and write books that will counter the misrepresentations by some non-Indian historians and writers. Ilze Choi ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 18:07:37 -0400 From: Melissa Meyer Subject: real people I'm going to share an exercise that I use at the outset of every lecture course I teach in American Indian history, and even some seminars. I'll share it because it works so well. Even former TAs have picked it up as they moved on to become professors themselves, which I take as a back-handed compliment. First I tell them that we are going to embark on a brainstorming exercise together. The rules are that anything goes, and no one gets laughed at unless it is in a supportive way. Then I ask them to tell me what comes to their mind or the minds of others that they know when I mention the term "American Indian" or "Native American." I emphasize that this is not a trick, the terms can be used interchangeably. After 15 years, I know what to expect. And it usually happens, with a few variations and new themes(like gaming). So I write their contributions on the board according to the schema that I have come to expect. Lots of material culture is mentioned (tipis, headdressed, pipes, even dreamcatchers). If they don't mention enough, I'll prompt them with exhortations like "Oh come on. I know you know more than this." There will also be a list that has everyone living in harmony with nature and abounds with spirituality. There will also be a list with heavy-handed colonialism and the ill effects of it. Conquest, genocide, poverty, alcoholism. Sometimes there are a handful of students who know more through other courses they've taken in American Indian Studies. They might contribute a small dose of reality, but usually not enough to counter the other lists that have emerged. I compliment them, nonetheless. Then I ask the class to narrate the story that has emerged. They usually summarize in what I refer to as the "Bambi meets Godzilla" version of American Indian history. Bambi is grazing in the forest with idyllic cartoon music playing in the background. A huge dinosaur foot descends and squashes Bambi, leaving only his four little legs sticking out on all sides. Then I tell them to change channels. Now they want to be appointed as a diplomat to a foreign country. They need to persuade Congress that they are the best person for the job. They need to study. What do they want to know about? Then they come up with a very thorough list of most of the things that characterize countries/nations. Governance forms. political bodies, economic structures, exports & imports, industries, social structure, classes, gender relations, inequality, religious makeup, history, diplomatic relations with others etc, etc. Then I ask them to compare the lists. The disjuncture is immediately apparent to them. They can visually see on the board what their assumptions have been and what the problems with them are. I don't have to do this, they do it themselves. I DO emphasize how they have much in common with students from the past 15 years, but that ALL peoples have governance in some form or another. That ALL peoples pursue economic strategies to take care of their needs. That ALL people have diplomatic relations with others. It's our job to figure out what they looked like and to take care not to skip over important areas to consider. Students like this a lot because they really see the problem with stereotyping. It's also totally interactive. They construct it and analyze it themselves. Native students in particular have complimented me on the teaching tool. Just thought I'd share this because it does work so well. And it turns native people into real people right at the outset of the course. Best regards, Melissa Meyer UCLA History ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 14:51:12 -0700 From: Leif Fearn Subject: Re: Final Thoughts The power of resources means that those with them get more and those without stay without, not because those with want it that way but because that's the way it is no matter how anyone might want it. It's the World Wide Web because world wide access is limited only by resources. It's the same with books and food. Everyone on this list has access to both, and the Web, not because anyone else doesn't, but because we are the people with the resources. I know full well that there are boys and girls in the United States who do not have access. It isn't their fault, but they'll suffer forever for it. Solutions? Take a year off and volunteer in an area of the United States where boys and girls do not have access, and during the volunteer period, get it for them. That's the democratizing opportunity. Leif Fearn >Dr. Hoxie wrote: "It has the potential to be a great democratizing force. >Has that >potential been realized for Native Americans? Why? Why not?" > >We need to remember that computers and the internet are still a tool of the >privileged class. There are still places here in the US that do not have >computers or even phone lines. I find the term "world wide web" ironic >when I talk with international students coming from small remote villages >in other countries. These students have not seen or heard from their >families in months or even years because not only is there no phone, no >internet, but there isn't even mail delivery. So my answer is no. > >Cynthia Selfe one of the pioneers in on-line education has a recent book >titled >_Technology and Literacy in the Twenty-First Century: The Importance of >Paying Attention_. >In her introduction she writes: > >"Although the push for technological literacy is supposed to benefit all >Americans, it has instead supported, and perhaps exacerbated, inequities in >American cultures" > >Barb Tracy > >This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web >site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for >teaching U.S. History. Leif Fearn San Diego State University School of Teacher Education Phone: 594-1366 FAX: 596-7828 lfearn@mail.sdsu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 20:26:13 EDT From: Vicki Lockard Subject: books and music --part1_71.d9e6aeb.28459825_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings, About the music question...I'd like to suggest anything by the Black Lodge Singers. They have one album, in particular, called "PowWow Songs for Kids" that is wonderful...it appeals to kids of all ages. Books...Waterlily by Ella Deloria ( seems to be a popular title with this group ) and books by Louise Erdrich, an Ojibwe woman writer. Hope these help, Vicki Lockard editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org --part1_71.d9e6aeb.28459825_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings,
  About the music question...I'd like to suggest anything by the Black Lodge
Singers.  They have one album, in particular, called "PowWow Songs for Kids"
that is wonderful...it appeals to kids of all ages.
  Books...Waterlily by Ella Deloria ( seems to be a popular title with this
group ) and books by Louise Erdrich, an Ojibwe woman writer.

Hope these help,

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
--part1_71.d9e6aeb.28459825_boundary-- ------------------------------ End of AMERICANINDIANSFORUM Digest - 28 May 2001 to 29 May 2001 (#2001-27) ************************************************************************** This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 17:20:16 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: Todd Perreira Subject: Re: Death and Dying MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit On the topic of Native American perspectives on death, dying and the grieving and healing process, many thanks to those who have offered suggestions--are there any other suggestions out there? I especially want to thank Ilze Choi for recommending Red Shirt's "Bead on an Anthill: A Lakota Childhood." The two chapters on death and grieving are exactly what I was hoping to find for my class this summer. The rest of the book is so good I've only put it down long enough to write this note. Our library didn't have "Madonna Swan: A Lakota Woman's Story" but one of my professor's says she has it so I look forward to reading it as well. Would anybody else like to recommend accounts on how individuals or communities respond to the death and dying process? Feel free to e-mail me directly since this wonderful forum is coming to end. Thanks Todd Perreira perreira@ix.netcom.com University of California, Santa Barbara ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ilze Choi" To: Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 10:48 PM Subject: Death and Dying > Tod Perreira: > > In her book _Bead on an Antihill: a Lakota Childhood_, Delphine Red Shirt > describes her Lakota family's losses through death, attitudes towards death > and the readitional funeral ceremony. These two chapters were very poignant > because she tells about the death of her beloved older sister. > > Also, in the book _Madonna Swan: a Lakota woman's story_ the author > describes visits with loved ones who have died and beckon her to follow or > join them when she falls ill. These visits seem half dream, half real to > her. > > Ilze Choi > > This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 11:35:38 -0400 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: karen schaumann Subject: Re: Recovering Traditions MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0E8FC.A6896A40" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0E8FC.A6896A40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi,=20 This is my first listserve post ever, so please be patient if I'm doing = this incorrectly. I've been observing the posts and their replies. = Before the forum closes, I wanted to offer a few observations. It is = good that non-academics are participating, as well as academics who have = not yet reached the lofty heights of professorship. It's also great to = have people with tenure who are so interested in accurate historical = information. All too often, we put too much faith in authority, books, = and yes, we're even influenced by the television as well as our own = Eurocentric education. =20 Vicki mentions that she's asked many questions of Native people over the = years, and has never been turned away. I've experienced the same = generosity. If you approach people as an authority, you will turn them = off. They are the experts. The information fed to us, and our degrees = are obstacles to overcome, not credentials. One person on this list was = obviously engaged in a power-struggle with one of his Native students. =20 Self-determination means many things. I've learned allot from my = students, and am grateful. Not only people with degrees are teachers. = Community elders are a wonderful source. Very few are online.=20 So many people claim to know 'what is good for the Indians' and how they = should feel and act. Some understand the basic principle of respect, = and seeking knowledge in a way that is respectful. The discussion on = mascots was great (our team used to be called the 'Huron's' before the U = was convinced it was disrespectful and racist). Also, the post sent in = by the Native student on politics was great! We need to encourage our = students to go to the source, not just to read a book, or view a movie. = Let's empower our Native students to do what they believe needs to be = done for their families and communities--give them the tools. =20 I've enjoyed the offering of good books and essays, and have a better = reading list, thanks to this forum. Canku Ota is also a great online = source. Thanks Vicki for all your work! Thanks (Woliwon) also to Dr. = Hoxie for making this all possible, and to the list for all of their = interesting comments. =20 Karen Schaumann-Beltran Eastern Michigan University Lecturer in Sociology ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Vicki Lockard=20 To: AMERICANINDIANSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20 Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 10:00 AM Subject: Re: Recovering Traditions Greetings,=20 Once again, I'm offering my views as a non-academic, but as one who = works=20 daily with AI's all over the continent. In the two+ years that I've = been=20 doing my work, I have yet to be turned down when asking for help. = Often=20 times this help has been in the form of having questions answered by = tribal=20 members. And, it's usually done online.=20 The point that I'm making is that most Indian People DO want the = truth=20 told. They do want to share their viewpoint, and often times will go = beyond=20 what is asked and share a wealth of information. The one thing that I = hear=20 over and over is ... we are a living culture, with living traditions. = This=20 is one reason that there is such a "push" to have new textbooks = written, with=20 the local Indian input.=20 I realize that it's not always easy to connect with the right = folks, but,=20 it's possible. Use the vast wealth of resources available = online...make=20 contacts...Indian Country is small and networking is very important. = We call=20 it the "Moccasin Telegraph"=20 Thanks,=20 Vicki Lockard=20 editor "Canku Ota" (Many Paths)=20 http://www.turtletrack.org=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0E8FC.A6896A40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi,
This is my first listserve post ever, so please be = patient if=20 I'm doing this incorrectly.  I've been observing the posts and = their=20 replies.  Before the forum closes, I wanted to offer a few=20 observations.  It is good that non-academics are participating, as = well as=20 academics who have not yet reached the lofty heights of = professorship. =20 It's also great to have people with tenure who are so interested in = accurate=20 historical information.  All too often, we put too much faith in = authority,=20 books, and yes, we're even influenced by the television as well as our = own=20 Eurocentric education. 
 
Vicki mentions that she's asked many questions of = Native=20 people over the years, and has never been turned away.  I've = experienced=20 the same generosity.  If you approach people as an authority, you = will turn=20 them off.  They are the experts.  The information fed to us, = and our=20 degrees are obstacles to overcome, not credentials.  One = person on=20 this list was obviously engaged in a power-struggle with one of his = Native=20 students. 
 
Self-determination means many things.  = I've learned=20 allot from my students, and am grateful.  Not only people with = degrees are=20 teachers.  Community elders are a wonderful source.  Very few = are=20 online. 
 
So many people claim to know 'what is good for the = Indians'=20 and how they should feel and act.  Some understand the basic = principle of=20 respect, and seeking knowledge in a way that is respectful.  The = discussion=20 on mascots was great (our team used to be called the 'Huron's' before = the U was=20 convinced it was disrespectful and racist).  Also, the post sent in = by the=20 Native student on politics was great!  We need to encourage our = students to=20 go to the source, not just to read a book, or view a movie. Let's = empower=20 our Native students to do what they believe needs to be done for their = families=20 and communities--give them the tools.  
 
I've enjoyed the offering of good books and essays, = and have a=20 better reading list, thanks to this forum.  Canku Ota is also a = great=20 online source.  Thanks Vicki for all your work! Thanks (Woliwon) = also to=20 Dr. Hoxie for making this all possible, and to the list for all of their = interesting comments. 
 
Karen Schaumann-Beltran
Eastern Michigan University
Lecturer in Sociology
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Vicki = Lockard=20
To: AMERICANINDIA= NSFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU=20
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 = 10:00=20 AM
Subject: Re: Recovering = Traditions

Greetings,=20
  Once again, I'm offering my views as a non-academic, = but as=20 one who works
daily with AI's all over the continent.  In the = two+=20 years that I've been
doing my work, I have yet to be turned down = when=20 asking for help.  Often
times this help has been in the form = of=20 having questions answered by tribal
members.  And, it's = usually done=20 online.
  The point that I'm making is that most Indian = People=20 DO want the truth
told.  They do want to share their = viewpoint, and=20 often times will go beyond
what is asked and share a wealth of=20 information.  The one thing that I hear
over and over is ... = we are a=20 living culture, with living traditions.  This
is one reason = that=20 there is such a "push" to have new textbooks written, with
the = local=20 Indian input.
   I realize that it's not always = easy to=20 connect with the right folks, but,
it's possible.  Use the = vast=20 wealth of resources available online...make
contacts...Indian = Country is=20 small and networking is very important.  We call
it the = "Moccasin=20 Telegraph"

Thanks,

Vicki Lockard
editor "Canku = Ota" (Many=20 Paths)
http://www.turtletrack.org
=
------=_NextPart_000_0074_01C0E8FC.A6896A40-- This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 17:55:29 -0500 Reply-To: American Indians Forum Sender: American Indians Forum From: blangdon@SCC.CC.NE.US Subject: Re: Final Thoughts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable I really hate to be reduced to cliches, but if we must use them, I pref= er to think that rather than being described as one who sees the glass hal= f empty that I would be described as one who doesn't keep her head buried= in the sand. My father lives in a remote area in Arkansas that doesn't ha= ve a public library, and there is not a local access number for an internet provider. To use the net he can drive 20 minutes to a little bit bigge= r town and go to that library or he can pay long distance fees to connect= to the internet. My father's difficulty isn't that he is computer illitera= te, it is that he is poor and doesn't have free dial-up service within a reasonable distance of his home. Sitting here in my cushy faculty offi= ce with my state of the art computer on my desk, four blocks from the U library and two blocks from the public library, it's real easy for me t= o say gosh why don't you go to the library Dad, until I stop to think abo= ut where he lives and where the nearest library is. We all in this group have privileges regardless of what we look like or= where we come from. I do not use the word privilege as a derogatory wo= rd, nor do I deny that I have privileges. I also do not mean to say that everyone is privileged except for the very poorest people. I do howeve= r mean that this group has priviledges. Our privileges are all different= and of varying degrees, but most of us here have a college education, that gives us more privileges than those who don't. We all have access to computers and the computer literacy to use them. That gives us privile= ge over those who do not. That makes no one better or worse than the othe= r. It simply means that we have advantages over others. What IS important= here is how we use those advantages--that we use them for the good of o= ur communities and that we give back to those who give to us and that we d= o not forget or turn a blind eye on the many people who do not have compu= ter access. With privilege comes responsibility. As we are all involved i= n some aspect of education and Native Peoples, I would hope that we all f= ind some way to give back to our tribal communities and/or the tribal communities that we teach about. Also as educated people, we also have= an obligation to remember that there are those who do not have the advanta= ges that we do and that technology and education is not easily available to= everyone. We forget that or we don't know it. Again I highly recommen= d reading Cynthia Selfe's book. Cynthia and I have been involved in inte= rnet education since the early 90's and clearly recognize the advantages it = has given so many. We have students who would not be able to go to school = if it weren't for our on-line courses, but we are both clearly aware that = we cannot reach everyone who wants an education because of the still exist= ing limitations of technology. And these limitations are not as minimal as= one might believe. Unless they have transportation, many Indian people li= ving on reservations do not have access to the net. I am not talking about = the K-12 group who may or may not have computers in their schools. I am talking about parents, adults, and the elderly on Pine Ridge for exampl= e who might not have cars and who would need to travel miles to the neare= st internet connection. I am not talking about gee let's all get in our c= ars and drive to small towns and teach them how to use e-mail and the web. That's already happening. Pine Ridge Reservation sets on over 2 million acres and has approximate= ly 25,000 people living there. Many of the homes do not have running water= or electricity. 6 out of 10 families do not have a phone. I don't think there is a public library. There is one grocery store on the entire reservation and the nearest big city is 95 miles away. Because of the severe poverty and high unemployment, many people do not have cars. So given the geography and lack of public transportation, hopping over to = the local library would be tough. Pine Ridge is also the poorest reservati= ons with an EMPLOYMENT rate of 10%. So money for computers is scarce. My understanding is that despite President Clinton's famedPine Ridge visit= and speech regarding the need to put computers, phones, and electricity on = Pine Ridge, the computers available there for public use are old, used, and = not maintained, and that many don't know how to use them, much less update = and maintain them. Also the system there is unreliable. Web access would be an unbelievable luxury if it truly were available t= o everyone everywhere. Glen Martin in his article for _Wired_ says that although we believe that 94% of the US is wired and have phones, "many reservations do not even have electricity" much less phones. Imagine not having the ability to call for emergency medical assistance--what we take for granted when we pick up the phone and dial= 911. You might also read Rory J. O'Connor's essay "Africa: The Unwired Continent." He reported for the _Mercury News_ in 1996 that "there is= an average of one phone line for every 217 people in Africa." Now those statistics are 5 years old, but I highly doubt that much has changed. O'Connors also reports the government's role in interfering with new ph= one lines and the outrageous cost of phone service for those living in Urba= n areas of Africa. You might also research the statistics on what percen= tage of people in the world have phones in their homes, villages, etc. It's= shocking. We might also add language to the discussion of access. If your only language is one spoken by a small population or if you are unable to wr= ite in any language, how much use is the web? Two years ago I was prepari= ng to teach in Turkey. I found not only is the web largely unavailable an= d unused in Turkey, but I also found very few web pages written by Turkis= h people living in Turkey. Most of the pages written in the Turkish lang= uage were written by Turkish students at American universities. On the othe= r hand, I can find lots of web pages written in English about Turkey. I= f I were only able to speak/write one language used by an even smaller population, I wouldn't find the web of much use to me even if I had acc= ess. And again I remind you of my international students who do not have pos= tal service in their villages much less any wiring. I also have a friend w= ho is trying to set up a way to get the Lakota language up on the web. Th= e international standardization translator, that everybody thinks is the = cure to different language characters, can't make the Lakota language look r= ight on a Russian computer for example. My point is that none of us have as= much access as we think we do when we consider language. So I hold to = my statement that the expression "World Wide Web" is ironic. So is this a hopeless situation? Is the glass half empty? NO, there i= s so much potential there yet, but it's going to take time, money, work, and= awareness. Do I see the net as being universally available to everyone= ? Do I see it leveling the playing field for all? Not Yet. So fill my g= lass any way you like--half is still half. For more info on Pine Ridge living conditions: http://www.lakotaoyate.com/fact_or_fiction.htm Barb Tracy= This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.