What Do Native Americans
Really Want, You Ask?
What a strange title for a
story about us.
Do you think anyone really
cares what we want?
This is the usual outsider
writer interviewing an "expert" on our type story,
with the expected results.
It could be an interesting
story, however and there is always a however,
when it comes to us and
writers and experts it seems,
you will need to read
between the lines.
The writer interviews a
person who is said to be a decedent of a Comanche "dignitary,"
what does that mean
exactly?
Not sure. But I'll bet it
means that he is supposed to be an expert of some kind on all things Native.
I am an East Coast Native
and would not even pretend to know the inside details of other Nations,
so why do these kind of
stories keep getting written?
Although I have been
invited to a Apache Ghost Dance and a Lakota Sundance I would never assume that
I was qualified to teach one no more than I would believe that an Apache or
Lakota could teach our Paw-paus!
Not one of us can speak
for other Native people or know how they really feel, can we?
I believe that we, all
races on Mother Earth, must open our eyes.
I could spend hours
disputing the wild myths about what Native people
should all look like, but
I think just a few words will do.
Let's take one subject
that comes up repeatedly whenever we are talked about.
Darker skinned Natives
normally came from the very hot parts of this country,
they were out in the sun
most of their lives, so they had darker skin.
Lighter skinned Natives,
like my people, from the Woodland areas of the North and East Coast
were most likely that way
because they were rarely exposed to long hours of sunlight.
The story goes on to talk
about Treaties and we all know how that turned out for Native people.
We got the short end to
the stick every time, no exceptions.
This writer and his source
at this point then gets themselves into some trouble,
when they try to speak of
our culture and our spirituality.
One person cannot truly
know the spirituality of another.
I am a Mohiigan.
Do I know what West Coast
Natives do in their sacred ceremonies,
that outsiders never get to witness?
No, of course, not.
So, then please, both of
you, do not try to speak for all of our People.
Please spend some time
with many different Elders and then re-write your story.
No offense, but if you
want to write about us in other parts of this country,
at least be willing to go
to the source.
Although I have been
invited to a Apache Ghost Dance and a Lakota Sundance I would never assume that
I was qualified to teach one no more than I would believe that an Apache or
Lakota could teach our Paw-paus!
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