Unecological Indians?

Were American Indians Really Environmentalists?Environmentalists who have cultivated the myth of the environmental Indian who left his surroundings in exquisitely pristine condition out of a deeply spiritual devotion to the natural world have done so not out of any particular interest in American Indians, the variations between them, or their real record of interaction with the environment. Instead, the intent is to showcase the environmentalist Indian for propaganda purposes and to use him as a foil against industrial society.

The Indians' real record on the environment was actually mixed, and I give the details in my new book, 33 Questions About American History You're Not Supposed to Ask. Among other things, they engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture, destroyed forests and grasslands, and wiped out entire animal populations (on the assumption that animals felled in a hunt would be reanimated in even larger numbers).

On the other hand, the Indians often succeeded in being good stewards of the environment—but not in the way people generally suppose.

In other words, the American Indians were human beings who responded to the incentives they faced, not cardboard cutouts to be exploited on behalf of environmentalism or any other political program.Comment:  No need to buy the book. You can learn about the Indians' environmental record at Dennis Prager and The Ecological Indian.

The short version is that yes, the Indian record was mixed. But it's far superior to the Euro-American record, which has been atrocious.

Beach to help Wolf beat Gunsmoke

New faces freshen 'Law & Order'The granddaddy of crime dramas is heading into its 18th season on NBC this year, which won't start until January when "Law & Order" moves into its new 8 p.m. Sunday home after "Sunday Night Football" finishes up its schedule of NFL games.

"Gunsmoke," the legendary Western starring James Arness, ran for 20 years on CBS from 1955 to 1975. That's the astonishing record Wolf is determined to harpoon.How Wolf will do it:To freshen up the "Law & Order" brand this fall, Wolf is adding a trio of new young performers to the various "L&O" series in hopes of luring younger viewers.

Jeremy Sisto ("Kidnapped," "Six Feet Under") is joining the original "Law & Order" to play the new detective partner of Jesse L. Martin's Det. Ed Green. Alicia Witt ("The Upside of Anger") has been added to "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" for six episodes. And Adam Beach ("Flags of Our Fathers") is the new cast regular on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," playing an American Indian detective from Brooklyn.

Pressured into being Mexican

Indian Cholo--Learning to Love My Native RootsThe Pachucos–-Mexican gangsters in Los Angeles during the 1940s, famous for wearing Zoot Suits and fighting with sailors-–used to beat up my grandma and my mom’s uncles just for being Indian. That just shows how ignorant people are about their own history and how their race came into existence. A lot of Latinos deny their Indian roots because they were brainwashed by Christianity and Spanish culture. In Mexican culture, “indio” is the same as “poor and stupid.”

Because of the pressure, my mom’s uncles converted into the Mexican culture and became hardcore cholos in the 1940s and 50s. One of my great-uncles even joined the Mexican Mafia while doing a 30-year sentence in prison. When the second-generation was born in L.A.-–my mom, aunt and uncle-–the same thing happened all over again.

My uncle was harassed for being Indian and he later became a cholo. Now, he’s a “veterano”-–or an O.G.--and an alcoholic. My uncle finally found his roots late in life, after years of incarceration and two gunshots to the face. Now, he lives on an Indian reservation in Arizona with his girlfriend and paints Indian images.

Aborigine co-directed Ten Canoes

'Ten Canoes' director Rolf de Heer follows Aboriginal rules

Aborigines are heroes and comedians in 'Ten Canoes.'Eventually, says De Heer, "it clicked in my head—not the idea for the film, but how to make the film up there: You would have David [Gulpilil] as the co-director, because working with indigenous people is often quite difficult because of communication and serious alcohol problems. David is no different, but David's community is a dry community, so he [would] be easy to work with."

De Heer says he realized that if the project were going to succeed, the Aboriginal community would have to feel real ownership over the film and over the filmmaking process, "because filmmaking is almost the antithesis of their culture. Filmmaking is very hierarchical and schedule-driven, and their culture is very consensus-based, and time has a different meaning. I understood very quickly the process had to be set with their culture. There was no way they would be able to sustain the effort unless they felt ownership of the film and the process."

Plains hip hop battles meth

Family develops rap tour, messageThe 16-year-old has funneled that passion into a career as a motivational rapper, graphic designer and music producer. He is signing artists to the family label, On The Cut Records, which is based at the family's home in Busby.

In a time when music can encourage misconduct, Apache takes pride in his work being clean. The music does not glorify gang participation, partying or demeaning women, he said.

"You don't need to have all that to have fun," Apache said.

The family is developing a "War on Meth Hip Hop Tour" to take its version of motivational music across the state, including to reservations.

The music targets meth and its deadly impact on families.

Jacko visits NMAI

Hey, isn't that . . . ?Michael Jackson touring the Smithsonian's National Air and Space and American Indian museums yesterday. The reclusive pop star (trademark hat, sunglasses, striped pants), his kids (well behaved) and bodyguards arrived before the buildings opened to the public. At Air and Space, the 45-minute tour was led by 84-year-old Deputy Director Don Lopez, a World War II ace who gave Jackson a similar tour 25 years ago. The singer lingered over the 1903 Wright Flyer, his kids loved R2-D2 and C-3PO. What's he doing in D.C.? The tourist thing. "He wanted to show them the sights," said rep Raymone Bain, who said Jackson will be in the area for a few days; he's still looking for a summer home, hasn't bought a place yet.

Panoramic pix of Colorado trip

Panoramic pix--June 25-July 6, 2007

Tribe plays ball with Indians

Spokane Tribe, baseball team cement relationsThe bond between the Spokane Tribe and the Spokane Indians professional baseball team was strengthened even more at a recent dedication held at Avista Stadium in Spokane. A display was unveiled prior to the second game of the season highlighting the long history of the tribe in the region and its more recent affiliation with the baseball team.

Team President Andrew Billig took the microphone on a platform before a crowd of tribal members and baseball fans to welcome everyone to the dedication.

"One of the improvements and additions to the stadium we're most proud of is the Spokane Tribe of Indians museum exhibit that you see behind me," he said. "The team, which is 104 years old, was named after the Spokane Tribe of Indians. It's only fitting that we have a great partnership with the Spokane Tribe. We're very proud of that partnership. It's something that I personally have gotten a lot of enjoyment and education from. It's important for our community and hopefully a positive for the tribe as well."

Behind the speaker's platform and mounted on a number of wooden panels were many photos, quotations and life-sized photo cutouts documenting and explaining the history of the Spokane Tribe. The titles of the various panels were written in Salish, the language of the Spokane Tribe, as well as English. The final panel illustrated the relationship with the baseball team and especially the new team uniforms.

Knuckle hops and blanket tosses

Endurance, sportsmanship displayed at city's first WEIOThe World Eskimo-Indian Olympics are a marvel of physical exploits: How far can a man in a push-up position travel while hopping on his knuckles? How fast can a woman fillet a fish? How high can a person soar in the blanket toss?

They are meant to entertain, but they also aim to mimic survival skills that have been around for eons.

The knuckle hop doesn't exist just to make competitors bleed and spectators cringe, although it succeeds at doing both. It exists because it tests endurance and strength, mandatory traits if one was to make it in the Far North in the days before Costco and Permanent Fund dividend checks.

Navajo "Clash of the Titans"

Artist draws equally on Navajo, Greek heritageArtist Anna Tsouhlarakis breaks the stereotypes of Native Americans, combining her Navajo heritage with images from her Greek side to produce art that is iconic and iconoclastic at the same time.

And through it all, the themes of change and violence run like a journey. An exhibit of her work, "Clash of the Titans," is on display at the Navajo Nation Museum starting today, July 12, and continuing through Dec. 15.Her exhibit explained:She acknowledged that people might not understand why she chose to depict Greek gods as Navajo people so she went on to say, "A lot of artists make Indians look the same. Indians are diverse people and are always changing, and as Navajo people we cannot stay stagnant.

"Change is important. Our ancestors encouraged change. We must be strong enough to change or else our culture will die," she continued.

Fort McDowell hosts Piestewa games

More than 2,000 to compete in Piestewa gamesThis summer, the 2007 Lori Piestewa National Native American Games might have even more participants than last year's games.

More than 2,000 participants are expected to compete in basketball, softball, track and field, cross country, volley ball and weighlifting, Thursday through Sunday.

Last summer, 1,788 participants from 16 states and Canada, ages 6 to 78, represented 56 tribes in the sporting event dedicated to Lori Piestewa, a Hopi from northern Arizona's Tuba City and the first Native American woman killed during combat in Iraq.

Singing the Native gospel

Native gospel music part of Bacone College experienceIn an effort to demonstrate the spiritual side of what Bacone College offers, Geebon Gouge recently performed “native gospel” music at the campus chapel.

Gouge, 33, of Henryetta performed with the Crosstown Praise and Worship Team of Okmulgee in the campus chapel.

The show featured a mix of contemporary and traditional gospel songs. Gouge was the headliner on vocals and keyboard, but he turned over the spotlight to several other singers.

From satire to Shakespeare

Indian Comics Irregular #157:  The (Native) Play's the Thing

Colorado trip pix (Day 10)

Mojave Desert--July 6, 2007

Gay Indians find themselves in city

Going Far From Home to Feel at HomeMr. VanWanseele is gay, a fact he was open about but knew many other members of the Kumeyaay Nation would never accept.

So Mr. VanWanseele moved to New York City, a place where American Indians are virtually invisible and where the teeming streets and the forests of buildings could not be more different from the expansive vistas of his reservation.

But New York is a place where he could be who he truly was: a proud Indian and a proud gay man. His story parallels the stories of other gay American Indians who have moved to New York. Coming from different tribes with different traditions and histories, they have forged a small community and started a branch of a growing national organization built on shared experiences.More on their organization:The name of the Two-Spirit Society is meant to convey the idea that a gay Indian has both masculine and feminine qualities along with traditional cultural values, Mr. VanWanseele said.

The group has only about 15 members, but it works to raise enough money to pay for community outreach projects and cultural offerings, like classes focusing on traditional American Indian dance. The group also maintains a Web site, ne2ss.typepad.com, that has recorded more than 60,000 hits since 2005, Mr. VanWanseele said.

There are similar Two-Spirit groups with larger memberships in San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix and Tulsa, Okla.Who's to blame:The bias that many gay Indians say they have experienced from other Indians is a legacy of the encounter between Indians and white European colonizers, according to Brian J. Gilley, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Vermont, who is the author of “Becoming Two-Spirit: Gay Identity and Social Acceptance in Indian Country.”

Historically, in many tribes, individuals who entered into same-sex relationships were considered holy and treated with utmost respect and acceptance, said Dr. Gilley. “Prior to European contact, sexuality was not a determining factor in someone’s identity,” he said. “It was the role in the community. Gender was tied to that role. Who you had sex with was not a concern. The Europeans come, Native American societies are thrust in rapid change, and some societies incorporate European ideals quickly.”

And because the European settlers, influenced in part by their religious beliefs, were largely intolerant of homosexuality, they helped reshape long-held practices among many Indians, Dr. Gilley said.

More on the Montclair exhibit

Apocalypse pow!  Exhibition unmasks America's comic book tradition"The Evolution of American Comic Book Superheroes" has brought together all the camp you want in a comic book exhibition, like "Superboy #36" (1954) with its cover art showing Superboy carving the family turkey at super-speed in a wan parody of Norman Rockwell's "Freedom from Want," or a "Special! Women's Lib Issue" from 1972 when Wonder Woman doffs the star-spangled hot pants to go undercover in the Grandee Department store and discover that shop girls are paid less than minimum wage.

There are samples of real history, too, like "The Amazing Spider-Man #96," written at the behest of the Nixon administration's war on drugs, in which Spidey saves an African-American "stoned right out of his mind" who thought he could fly off a tall building. (Published without the Comics Code seal because the rules prohibited any mention of drugs, this issue exploded the old censorship and opened the way for today's darker, deeper comics.)

There's even a section devoted to Native American superheroes, and superheroes helping out on Indian reservations, dear to the Montclair Museum's specialty in Native American artifacts.

Racism hurts...literally

How Racism Hurts the BodyResearch into the physical effects of racism on its victims could help explain a disparity in health across races and reframe racism as a health issue. Health experts have long blamed racial disparities on social forces, linking higher rates of disease and death among African-Americans to joblessness, unsafe housing, and other inequities. This round of research, which scientists stress is preliminary, seeks to establish if racism itself plays a role in the disparity. In more than 100 studies on the subject, most of them published since 2000, some patterns have been established, reports Madeline Drexler for the Boston Globe.

Discrimination seems to act as a source of chronic stress the same way that marital conflict or strains at work do, increasing the stress hormone cortisol, raising blood pressure, and suppressing the immune system. High stress also has been linked to unhealthy behaviors such as overeating or smoking. When African-Americans are shown a racially provocative scene on television—a white store clerk racially insulting a black customer, for example—their blood pressure and heart rates rise. It also takes a longer time for those indicators to return to normal than usual. A yet-to-be-published study by Elizabeth Brondolo, a psychologist at St. John’s University in New York found that racism experienced in the day led to elevated blood pressure at night, suggesting the body can’t turn off its stress response.

Dakota Diet works (so far)

Film follows Plains diet experiment

Pine Ridge man improves health with buffalo, flax, fishA Rapid City doctor developed the program, and it caught the interest of filmmakers Sam Hurst of Rapid City and Larry Pourier, also of South Dakota.

Their film, “Good Meat: How the Lakota Got Fat and Beau LeBeau Changed His Life,” documents how LeBeau adopted “The Dakota Diet: Health Secrets from the Great Plains,” a book written about a diet developed by Dr. Kevin Weiland.

The diet focuses on eating foods from this area: buffalo and wild game, fresh fish, soy and flax seed.

LeBeau has lost more than 60 pounds.

Tragedies out, comedies in

Forget Stoic.  “Moose TV” Shows Indians Are FunnyAiring this summer on Canada’s Showcase Television, Moose TV is revolutionary. The first Native comedy ever on North American television starring a virtual Who’s Who of Aboriginal actors—Adam Beach, Nathaniel Arcand, Jennifer Podemski, Bill Merasty, Michelle Latimer and Gary Farmer.

Why it’s taken so long, however, makes total sense to Webb.

“Natives needed to get the other stories heard first. Get it out of their bones,” he says. “This is a natural progression in entertainment. We had to talk about the serious issues. We had to talk about the residential schools and all that first before we could do comedy.”

Anchorage hosts Native Olympics

Native Olympics kick off todayA kickoff celebration for the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics is set for 12:30 p.m. today in Town Square.

Anchorage is hosting the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics for the first time in its 46-year history.