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So Ya Wannabe Indian?
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So ya Wannabe an Indian
by Sharon Menow
May 30, 2002
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The racism raged to the point where Indian people were ashamed of who they
were. Many today, will still deny their ancestry, and that is how deep the
wound is. I could go on but I think you get the picture. It was NOT "cool"
to be an Indian.
Times have changed and it is now "cool" to be an Indian according to
Hollywood. For example, Dances with Wolves has glamorized and romanticized
what it is to be an Indian. And now you come to learn our ways. That is
all fine but do not think that you can come to our lodges or ceremonies,
learn for one year or even ten years and be given the responsibility that
of a Healer, Elder, or Leader. The worst offenders are the ones who want
to conduct ceremonies and then try to claim that they Indian. These titles
are bestowed upon an individual by the members of the community, never are
they to be self-proclaimed. Riddle me this, if you were to go to a church
every Sunday for two years, would you then knock the Preacher off his
pulpit and address the congregation as you now learned all there is to
know and you were going to lead them to salvation? Or would you build a
church down the road and charge exorbitant prices for sermons. Our Elders
say that you can learn everyday for two lifetimes and still not know it
all.
I am now going to share some personal experiences and some that have
happened to my First Nation brothers and sisters. Some of us receive a
paltry tax exemption or a five-dollar annuity from the government for the
following privileges. This is how glamorous it is to be First Nation in
Canada today.
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Have you ever been followed and watched in a store by the clerk because
they feared you were going to steal from them?
Have you ever gone for a bank loan only to be denied because of your
ancestry?
Have you ever counted down to your last penny to buy milk and bread for
your children?
Have you ever counted up your Canadian Tire money just so you could buy
toilet paper?
Do you live in a house that does not have running water or other modern
conveniences?
Have you ever been harassed by the police because of the color of your
skin?
Has your history been erased from the textbooks in school?
Do you need a card to prove your race?
Are you ever asked to speak for all the people of your racial group?
Have you ever had a problem securing housing in an area in which you
wanted to live and could afford?
Have you ever had to blockade someone from invading your property because
they want to cut down your trees for a huge profit and not share it with
you, and then leave you in poverty?
Have you watched your entire family and village succumb to a deadly
disease?
Did you have your children taken away and never see them again?
Were you raised by strangers and not know who your family is?
Has it been made illegal for you to fish as your ancestors have for
thousands of years?
Have you had to defend your ancestor's burial site because someone thought
it would serve better as a golf course?
Has your sister been raped and murdered and the perpetrator is set free
because he is white?
Have you been wrongfully imprisoned because you were an Indian?
Have you had someone come to you and say they were your race in another
life?
Do you know people who suddenly declare that they had a great grandmother
who was Native and proceed to change their ethnicity?
Do people ask you what the weather will be like tomorrow because of your
race?
Do people ask you what their dreams mean?
Do people approach you and say "I saw a crow this morning, what does it
mean"?
Do you know who Leonard Peltier, Dudley George, JJ Harper, Annie Mae
Aquash, Anthany Dawson, and Donald Marshal are?
Are you familiar with Gustafson Lake, Lubicon Cree, Delgamuukw Decision,
Corbiere Ruling, Marshall Decision, Sun Peaks, Esgenoôpetitj, Ipperwash,
Anishnawbe Park, Kanesatake, Wounded Knee, AIM and Treaty 8?
Do you see where I am going with this?
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The time has come when the
oppressor truly wants it all. I see them walking around with little
leather pouches hanging from their belt, feathers in their hair and
sitting at our drums. Simply having a dream of being in the wilderness
does not mean that you were an Indian in another life. That perpetuates
that only Indians enjoy nature. Wearing someone else's oppression is
fashionable provided you can take it off when you are going for a job
interview or applying for a bank loan. If Creator would have intended for
you to be First Nation he would have made you so!
Now don't get me wrong, there are people who walk our path and never try
to suddenly proclaim that they have Native ancestry. They identify
themselves accordingly and never try to be a Medicine Person, Elder, or
Native Leader. They are the ones who fight our battles with us, understand
our history and our daily realities. Never do they try to teach others
about our traditions or try to conduct and make up our sacred ceremonies.
They do not bask themselves in the glorified Hollywood Indian stereotypes
and become part of the "Wannabe" and "IwishIwas" Tribe. These people are
not seeking to change their identity or boost their ego. They are known as
allies, friends and sometimes family. This, my friends is called RESPECT.
I have been trying to figure out why so many from the white race have been
coming in droves to learn our culture. In the beginning, the Creator gave
earth teachings to each of the four colors of man that is represented on
the medicine wheel. The other colors on the wheel are not confused. I have
yet to see as many from the Yellow race or the Black race flock to our
ceremonies. It appears to me that they "think" they have lost their own
earth teachings. The closest representation they can find is ours. The
truth is, their earth teachings still exist in what is called Wiccan or
the Celtic teachings. What about the ancient Druid teachings, or the
people from Germany, who were once known as the Stone people? Why do they
continue to deny their own teachings? Could it be because for years the
Church has drilled it into their minds that these teachings are
"witchcraft" or "devil teachings". Is it too "uncool" to be yourself. Why
not search out your own roots first, you may like what you find. After all
who is honoring your ancestors? Ask yourself this, do you really think
that our ancestors are running in droves to you? I bet they are still
running from your muskets.
A closing word of advice for all non-natives who walk the Red Road, walk
softly, be humble and Respect, Respect, Respect.
Meegwetch
Kris
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What to Read and What to Avoid
There are many talented, reputable Native American authors. A few of
my favorite are: Vine Deloria, Jr., Paula Gunn Allen, Janet Campbell
Hale, Joseph Bruchac, Anna Lee Walters, Twylah Hurd Nitsch*, and N.
Scott Momaday.
You should avoid the following books:
Alice Dalgliesh, The Courage of Sarah Noble. New York: Macmillan
(1954, 1991)
Ann Rinaldi, My Heart Is On the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little
Rose, a Sioux Girl. Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880. New
York: Scholastic (1999)
The Indian in the Cupboard and The Return of the Indian. Both use
stereotypical imagery including broken speech: "I help... I go...
Big hole. I go through... Want fire. Want make dance. Call spirits."
The Education of Little Tree - written under the pseudonym, Forrest
Carter who claimed to be an orphaned Cherokee. In reality, the author
was Earl Carter, a former member of the KKK and speechwriter for
George Wallace.
Susan Jeffers, Brother Eagle, Sister Sky, Illustrated by the author.
New York: Dial (1991).
Ann Turner, The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: The Diary of Sarah Nita,
a Navajo Girl. New Mexico, 1864. New York: Scholastic (1999), Dear
America Series
Albert Marrin, Sitting Bull and His World. New York: Dutton (2000)
Elizabeth George Speare, The Sign of the Beaver. New York: Dell (1983)
Michael L. Cooper, Indian School: Teaching the White Man's Way. New
York: Clarion (1999). Possibly one of the worst books I've read
on the Indian Boarding School experience. He gave a presentation on
Book-TV once and a child asked him if he spoke to any Native people
when writing the book. He said no, because it was a bad experience for
them and they didn't like to talk about it. Of all the books
I've reviewed, this one was my least favorite.
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Bibliography and sources of additional information:
http://www.bluecorncomics.com/stharm.htm
--> The Harm of Native Stereotyping
http://www.oyate.org/books-to-avoid/index.html
--> Oyate Organization - includes a books to avoid list
A Little Matter of Genocide by Ward Churchill. City Lights Books, 1997
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