April 05, 2007

The Smoki Museum

Prescott's peculiar 'tribe'

Indian museum provides look at politically incorrect Smoki PeopleThose who enjoy Native American craftsmanship will find plenty in the displays of artifacts, pottery, baskets and more. But what sets the museum apart is the exhibit adjacent to the main gallery: "And Then They Danced: Cross-Cultural Reflections on the Smoki People."

It's fairly easy to overlook this part of the museum because it's housed in a small room in back. But don't give it short shrift, because it provides the fascinating history of the Smoki. If you walk too briskly through the room, you'll miss the key piece of information on the placard at the front; namely, that the Smoki People weren't Native Americans at all, but a group of White men wearing Indian costumes, body paint and makeup.

2 comments:

Rob said...

I don't believe the Smokis ever claimed to be Indians. If so, there's your first mistake.

Your second mistake is your continued ignorance of the federal recognition process. I'm using the standard accepted by the 560-plus tribes of this nation--no more and no less. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

People who aren't enrolled in federally recognized tribes may also be Indians if they can verify their ancestry. But belonging to a federal recognized tribe is one definition of "Indian" accepted by most Indians. It's a much better definition than your fictional "genetic racial memory" or "awareness granted by heredity."

Let's note that John Herrington has Chickasaw blood and is descended from Chickasaw Indians. Arigon Starr has Kickapoo blood and is descended from Kickapoo Indians. Today's "black" Pequots have Pequot blood and are descended from Pequot Indians. So clearly blood and descent don't matter to you.

Except in the case of Burt Reynolds and Robert Forster, where they do matter. As I said in Stereotyping Indians as Drunks, your nonexistent standard doesn't discriminate between Wilma Mankiller, Robbie Robertson, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Arigon Starr, Burt Reynolds, Tiger Woods, and Cher. You must pick the people you deem Indians out of a hat, because I don't see any other criterion that applies.

By the way, there's no such word as "decendancy." If there were, it would be spelled "descendancy" (as in "descendant"). Oops.

In conclusion, I've already trashed your stupid claims about whom I recognize as Indians. Rather than show you up as a fool again, I'll simply repost my arguments. Readers can peruse them if they wish:

Harry Shearer on Indian gaming

Real Cherokees tackle wannabes

Freedmen vote was racist (or not)

Freedmen play the race card?

Rob said...

What a crushing comeback...not.

I take it you're still too ignorant to address the federal recognition process and who's an Indian. So noted.

You keep insinuating that casino interests pay me for my opinions. Is that because you're too stupid to understand how I actually earn my living, even though I've told you repeatedly? Pray tell.