i spent yesterday livid, but worked on this all day on my breaks. i worry that i might have to defend myself to some people, those who always give me hell about looking totally white, but i will pop someone in the goddamn mouth over this.
I totally agree with you on everything you said here. Kudos for this post! I watched a documentary about Native American rape recently and it made me incredibly sad - it approached it from a different standpoint and that is that a lot of men aren't raised to respect women on the reservation. Also, reservation police don't always believe a woman who has accused someone of rape. Either way...I don't think it's right to dress up as any racial group. I mean, it would be inappropriate to paint my face black - wouldn't it? I honestly just don't think people think about what they are doing when they wear Indian costumes.
What was the name of the documentary? There is a lot of disrespect to women on reservations, which is really disheartening because many tribes were matriarchal prior to assimilation. I know that when those societies were intact there was little violence against women and families stayed intact even if the parents did not stay together. If we could ever get back to that a great deal of Native American societal issues would be lessened. Also, a number of men target Native women as victims because of jurisdiction issues that they can use to their advantage. Honestly, sovereign nations should be able to handle crimes that occur on their land just as states do, but I doubt that will happen soon.
Honestly, I don't even remember. My friends and I always veg out while watching documentaries and I can never remember what they were called - only the content.
Also I have been working on a media plan for a client that's direct outreach to the reservation populations in ND/SD. I have to say, I've learned quite a lot about what reservation life must be like today.
Life on reservations, in general, is pretty horrible. I did not grow up on one, but I have family who did and I can remember visiting and not having running water. This was in the early '90's, for christ sakes! Though a lot of Native Americans who don't live on reservations don't have it that great either. I am planning to do some work in the Cherokee Nation this summer, but I haven't gotten word back on any of my applications.
you just made my day! thank you so much for doing this. some kids i went to high school with had a "indian and cowboys" party (their words not mine), and when i commented on facebook about appropriation, etc. i was called some pretty awful things.
i am so glad you are doing this! it is so important to react when something seems wrong. so many minorities all over the world are treated so horribly and it breaks my heart. it sucks if people react badly to your letter, but at the same time it means you made an impact!
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There is a lot of disrespect to women on reservations, which is really disheartening because many tribes were matriarchal prior to assimilation. I know that when those societies were intact there was little violence against women and families stayed intact even if the parents did not stay together. If we could ever get back to that a great deal of Native American societal issues would be lessened.
Also, a number of men target Native women as victims because of jurisdiction issues that they can use to their advantage. Honestly, sovereign nations should be able to handle crimes that occur on their land just as states do, but I doubt that will happen soon.
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I am planning to do some work in the Cherokee Nation this summer, but I haven't gotten word back on any of my applications.
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thank you for having the courage to do this!
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