January 17, 2008

NCAI seeks stereotypical Indians

A correspondent sent me the following message Wednesday:I thought you'd be interested in this email sent by the National Congress of American Indians this afternoon, seeking volunteers to help get the Senate to pass a bill to fund Indian healthcare services. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that, well, I'll let you read for yourself:

DC Native Community--

The National Congress of American Indians is seeking Native American volunteers to spend the day and/or evening with us at the Capitol, dressed in traditional regalia, in support of the passage of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. The Senate will start debate on IHCIA at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 and begin voting by 5:30 p.m. NCAI will provide lunch and dinner for volunteers. We would like a strong visual presence of Native Americans on Capitol Hill to encourage Senators to vote in favor of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact April Hale at the information given below.

Thank you for your support!
Comment:  Emphasis added by me.

Below:  An Indian in traditional regalia celebrates the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian.

1 comment:

writerfella said...

Writerfella here --
Hmm, one does wonder what the effect would have been, if any, if the 1995 Million Man March on Washington had called for attendees to appear in African traditional dress? The low-end estimated crowd of 670,000 both would have been variegated and striking...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'