New York Times Tidbit

For my ISS 320, we have to read the newspaper every day.  Mainly related to the Middle East, but of course I browse the other headlines when one caught my eye: Tribes, in Tax Fight, Make Their Own Cigarettes.  

The article is about how the Oneida tribe of New York (One of 8 federally recognized tribes in NY) have started their own cigarette company to bring in some money.  Some people complain that it is a way to avoid getting taxes, but I think the whole thing is sort of ironic.

Native Americans are known for the highest tobacco, alcohol, chronic disease, obesity, etc rates.  Is it a good idea to establish a cigarette business just to bring in more money?  I guess if there's no other way... I just don't know how I feel about it.  It's not about the money.  From a health perspective, if as a nation, Native Americans want to improve their health standing, selling cigarettes isn't exactly the way to go.  I mean, it's not like they can go and manufacturer exercise equipment (Which would be pretty cool actually), but.. I still think this is a questionable quandary.  

What do you think? Sound off.

pow... WOW!!

I forgot to write about this, but I went to the powwow last weekend!  And can I say... WOW!  

I didn't know what I was expecting really, anyone I told I was going to a powwow, they asked "wow, what goes on there?".  And honestly.. I had no idea.  I grabbed a friend and entered the gymanisum, and.. WOW!  The immediate sound of the music, the traditional singing, hit me and all I saw was booths set up and dancing and it was just wonderful.  I sat in the bleachers and took some videos and pictures:

Women's dance, I loooooved it!

The traditional wear is just so.. impressive.  I was in awe.

I think I sat and watched for a good 20 minutes.  I loved every second of it, I loved watching everyone interact with everyone else with such familiarness.  I know all tribes are different from each other, but they all felt like a huge family.  It was such a warm feeling.  Everyone's dancing, eating, laughing, dressed up all proud,  whoever said the Native American culture is extinct... they are so 100% wrong!  

I ended up buying a necklace from the "Two Stoners" booth which I've been wearing every single day since actually.  I just wanted to know more, go to more of these, and just watch and listen.  It was such a great experience and I want to go to many more of these,  I just hope there's many more to go to :).  I absolutely loved it.  Maybe next time I'll just go by myself, strike up a conversation with someone there with the powwow and ask more questions.  =] I just hope there's an opportunity!

It was really great, I wish more people would go! And learn!  I'm definitely inviting my friends to more of these events!

A Fail Book: Dear American, My Heart Is on the Ground

After learning about the boarding school experience in class, I realized I had a Dear America book about it!  If you're not familiar with the Dear America series, it's always written from a young child or teenager (usually female, but there are a few male) from a certain period of time and their perspective of things.  They were really interesting when I was a little kid.  I didn't remember how the book went, so when I went to reread this weekend... I was completely shocked.

This book is nothing, even close to the real experience of Indian boarding schools.  The worst thing this child went through was scouring pots and pans til her hands were tired.  But apparently, the tribes wanted to send their children and the chiefs came to visit occasionally and everyone wanted to "learn the white man ways" to make their tribe proud.... what?!

According to this book, they were taught by sometimes kind, but good teachers and were allowed to go on outings and swimming and often ate delicious foods during celebrations.. what?  The most realistic thing about this book is the fact they discouraged the students from talking in their language, but apparently when a new student comes "it's alright for now".  I don't know what boarding school this was (Carlisle Indian School, PA, 1880), but every Native American should have gone there!  

I don't know what fairytale this is, but it's ridiculous because a young child (what level this book is written for) will be easily influenced by this and thinking that Native American children had an extremely positive experience..... wrong.  Obviously, young children shouldn't know the actual ongoings.. but still.. why even write it in the first place?  That actually disappoints me.  =[  

Point of this: If you want your child to know Native Americans... don't give them this book.  It's 99.9% inaccurate.

Eta Carine Explosion

You know what's awesome?  If anyone ever tries to tell you that Native Americans aren't scientific and their traditions and knowledge is silly, you can tell them WRONG!

This is the Eta Carine, one of the stars in the Milky Way, that exploded 7,500 years ago and has been observed since the 1800s, but only now are scientists really able to study this with their fancy equipment.  But the Boorong aboriginal people in Australia saw it in 1800s and predicted it first! 

So not technically Native American, but still probably put in the same genre.  Either way, it proves that indigenous people are not just about spiritual things.  They had their own way about measuring science and just because it's not the modern way, doesn't mean it's wrong! :) Different methods are great, so ha! (Incas? 2012? Eeks, we'll see)

Thought that was interesting, not necessarily related to Native Americans! Oh well!

Toodles

Right at Home: Lansing Casino Proposal Rejected

Here I am on Valentine's Day, perusing Turtle Talk when the word "Lansing" struck my eye.

Gov. Synder/AG Schuette Opposes Lansing Casino Proposal

Say whaaa?

The Chippewa Indians, which we've heard much about in my class, sent a proposal for building a casino in Lansing but Gov. Syner and Attorney General Schuette turned it down.  And not very nicely.  They said they'd advise against it and the tribe should "proceed at their own risk".  Yikes. That is not friendly.

Considering what I've read and heard about Governor Synder, I am not surprised.  But I'm annoyed.  I can see why there is an issue because there are already 3 casinos off reservation.. but what are they suppose to do?  I don't like how this article portrayed this, it almost makes it sound that the tribe is being greedy.

1.  The tribe probably has very small amount of land compare what they use to have before the federal government took over and manipulated them.

2.  The tribe has the lowest income and unemployment rates of the state and probably need this extra income to help out their situation.  If building another casino will help out with that, then so be it!

This makes me pretty mad actually, not going to lie.  There are so many forms, approvals, committees that the tribe has to go through.  I feel like if any other American wanted to build a business on some land, it'd be done boom, just like that.  But because Native Americans are trying to build a business for themselves... they  have to go through so much red tape!  It's obnoxious!  And seeing how Governor Synder isn't exactly known for being all about fairness and diversity, it's frustrating that there is no other say. 

Hopefully there is another way for the Chippewa Indians to obtain permission from the federal government.

Until next time folks!

Powerful Message Against Domestic Violence

I was pursuing the interwebz (mainly on Turtle Talk) and I found this video.  A very strong powerful message about domestic violence against Native American women.

It's interesting because it's written from the man's, the abuser's, point of view.  I feel like a lot of poems/artistic representation would be taken from the women's.  But this is from the man's, and he is aware and he is apologizing and he wants to raise awareness.

How this was filmed and how the poem is read made an impact on me, I don't think I'll forget this video ever.  It shows real indigenous women, the poem is not just a story, but real situations and issues that happen to these women. 

It's a voice coming from the abuser not to just the Native American reservation, but to the President, to senators, to the nation.  We are all a part of this.  

"For the restraining order that is as strong as the paper it's made from"

It's not enough

"I dare you to protect them Mr. President"

"I dare you to try to stop me tribal leaders"

It's not just a reservation issue

"This war is at home"

This is a really well written powerful message that manages to just sum everything up in a poem, in a very impacting video.

Please watch and share.  Awareness is not enough, doing something is.

Sidenote: This video was just posted yesterday, that's probably why it hasn't gotten a lot of views. But I'm really glad I found it.

Groovy Paper!

So this is amusing!

Indian Country Today featured a fun little tidbit of an artist Steven Judd who decided to draw some bills of his own on the behalf of the Indian Americans!

Andrew Jackson.. oh the irony :P

This is pretty ironic that most of these Presidents are Founding Fathers or men who changed our nation.  And yet here they are.. looking pretty snazzy as Native Americans if you ask me!  Native Americans were the real founding people of this nation, it's only fair to give them credit!  In the most creative way possible :P

I think that would be pretty cool actually.  To make a bill that represented that Native Americans.  They're definitely part of the American history, but I can see how people would oppose that.  Of course -_- Give people credit where credit is due!

Sovereignty much? ;)

That's all for now folks!

Good night!

MSU Museum Trip!

What did I do on my Friday afternoon?  Something kind of nice actually!  Went to the MSU Museum by myself and just sort of explored :) Got to check out the Susan Applegate Krouse Native American Collection!

Ohhh. Aaah!

The pictures were stunning. Absolutely stunning, really powerful pictures.  Although the guy who set up the photos did ask for the people of the tribe to dress up in feathers and traditional headdress and whatnot.  But it still comes off very powerful.  I stared a while at these pictures and wondered who they really were beyond the stereotypical image.  It was a really great experience.

This photo they don't know his name or who he was really.  Just a photo.  No other information, it is almost haunting in a way to think that someone can disappear into history like that.

This picture is up for debate whether this is a staged home or a real one.  Did the photographer make it this way or is this the natural way of the tribe?  I guess we'll never really know eh?

To be honest, it was a lot of information to absorb all at once, but I'm glad I went.  The Native Americans are a part of our history that we don't know much about at all and the stories they share are probably incredible and something we haven't really heard before.  These are not just stereotypical images, these are actual people whose lives transformed and sometimes I truly wish we could see how they were before it became transformed and before the US government tried to erase them from history.  I'm glad they've made a comeback, but still.. I wish we could know more.

Groundhog Day! (No, not the movie!)

Feb. 2 is known as Groundhog Day!!!

You remember Groundhog Day from when you were little!  It's what they teach you in elementary school, you would celebrate it and draw pictures of groundhogs and whatnot.

Cute!

Anyways, the legend goes that if the groundhog sees his shadow, we got 6 more weeks of winter.  No shadow and it's an early spring!  Funny how this little American holiday actually has some Native roots too it.

First off.. I never knew the groundhog's name:  Punxsutawney Phil. (Gesundheit.. just kidding :P)  Not exactly your average Joe name!  The name is actually taken from the former inhabitants of the Appalachian Plateau.  Not only that, but the fur of the groundhog was used the soles of moccasins!

Even the Wabanaki tribes had a mythological woodchuck in their legends, Grandmother Woodchuck who was a wise elder who taught many lessons.

I honestly never knew that the groundhog has such an extensive native background!  I sort of wish they taught that in elementary school or at least put more emphasize on it!  A little emphasize would be really awesome actually, American and Native Americans.. UNITE!

I am pretty tired.. whoops. Sleep!

Goodnight everyone!