Happy Louis Riel Day!

Here's a Canadian figure who's little-known in the US:

Louis RielLouis David Riel (22 October 1844–16 November 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. Riel sought to preserve Métis rights and culture as their homelands in the Northwest came progressively under the Canadian sphere of influence. He is regarded by many as a Canadian folk hero today.

The first resistance was the Red River Rebellion of 1869–1870. The provisional government established by Riel ultimately negotiated the terms under which the modern province of Manitoba entered the Canadian Confederation. Riel was forced into exile in the United States as a result of the controversial execution of Thomas Scott during the rebellion. Despite this, he is frequently referred to as the "Father of Manitoba." While a fugitive, he was elected three times to the Canadian House of Commons, although he never assumed his seat. During these years, he was frustrated by having to remain in exile despite his growing belief that he was a divinely chosen leader and prophet, a belief which would later resurface and influence his actions. He married in 1881 while in exile in Montana, and fathered three children.

Riel returned to what is now the province of Saskatchewan to represent Métis grievances to the Canadian government. This resistance escalated into a military confrontation known as the North-West Rebellion of 1885. It ended in his arrest, trial, and execution on a charge of high treason. Riel was viewed sympathetically in Francophone regions of Canada, and his execution had a lasting influence on relations between the province of Quebec and English-speaking Canada. Whether seen as a Father of Confederation or a traitor, he remains one of the most complex, controversial, and ultimately tragic figures in the history of Canada.

Riel reconsidered

The formerly widespread perception of Louis Riel as an insane traitor, especially outside of the Métis and French Canadian community, weakened considerably since the late 20th century. Riel is regarded by some as a heroic freedom fighter who stood up for his people in the face of racist bigotry, and those who question his sanity still view him as an essentially honourable figure. Riel nevertheless presents an enigma, although as historian J.M.S. Careless has observed, it is possible that Riel was both a murderer and a hero.

On 18 February 2008, the province of Manitoba officially recognized the first Louis Riel Day as a general provincial holiday. It will now fall on the third Monday of February each year in the Province of Manitoba.

Arts, literature and popular culture

In 1925, the French writer Maurice Constantin-Weyer who lived 10 years in Manitoba published in French a fictionalized biography of Louis Riel titled La Bourrasque. An English translation/adaptation was published in 1930: A Martyr's Folly (Toronto, The Macmillan Company), and a new version in 1954, The Half-Breed (New York, The Macaulay Compagny).

Portrayals of Riel's role in the Red River Rebellion include the 1979 CBC television film Riel and Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown's acclaimed 2003 graphic novel Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography.

An opera about Riel entitled Louis Riel was commissioned for Canada's centennial celebrations in 1967. It was an opera in three acts, written by Harry Somers, with an English and French libretto by Mavor Moore and Jacques Languirand. The Canadian Opera Company produced and performed the first run of the opera in September and October, 1967.Comment:  One might compare Riel to someone like Geronimo or Che Guevara in terms of being a freedom fighter with a mixed legacy.

For more on the subject, see Métis Awareness Day and "Hanging" Louis Riel T-Shirts Offend Métis.

Wounded Knee II's positive effects

Wounded Knee occupation had positive effects

By Charles TrimbleWhat caught me in the Chaat Smith/Warrior book is this statement in the Preface: “We came to write “Like a Hurricane” out of a profound dissatisfaction with the existing narratives of this crucial period in Indian and American history, one that we believe too often saw Indian people as mere victims and pawns. Our focus is not on the U.S. government’s failed policies or on police repression, but on how Indian people, for a brief and exhilarating time, staged a campaign of resistance and introspection unmatched in this (20th) century. It was for American Indians every bit as significant as the counterculture was for young whites, or the civil rights movement for blacks.”

This, to me, is what Tim Giago continues to miss--the widespread exhilaration among Indian people, and the significance of their resistance and revolution. During WKII I was able to witness some of it when I went to Pine Ridge as NCAI Executive Director to offer media and political assistance to the tribal government (which was essentially President Dick Wilson). Although I was disheartened by what I saw happening in what was left of tribal government there, I also saw and heard a new sense of pride among the Lakota people, and much praise for AIM.

I have never been a supporter of AIM, or an apologist for their actions. But, I do have an appreciation for what they meant to do and what they did, in fact, accomplish.

There was indeed much destruction at Wounded Knee during WKII, by AIM occupiers as well as federal and Goon forces. Dewing’s book provides BIA financial estimates of the losses and damage to the homes that were occupied by the militants, in many cases at the invitation of local people. And he also includes BIA estimates on recovery of household items that were missing. Nothing that I have read or heard gives credence to Giago’s telling of AIM occupiers evicting families, looting their homes, then setting them afire when they left. Even the burning of the Gildersleeve’s trading post, it appears, was the result of an accident with a kerosene lamp, when the village’s electricity was cut off by the Federal siege. It was not a torching of the building.

Back in 1981, Giago had a different view of WKII. In his book, Dewing wrote the following: “Looking back on Wounded Knee II from the perspective of ten years, Tim Giago, editor of the Lakota Times, saw some positive outcomes. According to Giago, the confrontation focused national attention upon the ineptitude of the BIA and the Interior Department. ‘It caused the Indian people themselves to demand changes within these bureaucratic structures and put bureaucrats on notice.’ Giago also said the encounter made reservation inhabitants more aware of whom they selected to fill elected office.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see AIM's Misdeeds Too "Complex" to Cover? and Debate Over Wounded Knee.

Happy Presidents Day 2011!

Two weeks ago some Lakota Indians protested a "Wizard of Oz" play because of L. Frank Baum's editorials 120 years ago. Their goal is apparently to banish The Wizard of Oz from our culture to teach Baum a lesson. Too bad he's been dead for 96 years and probably won't get the message.

In their honor, I posted the following suggestion on Facebook for Presidents Day: Let's also remove the anti-Indian presidents from our currency, Mt. Rushmore, the history books, etc.This led to a brief discussion:Rob, let's not forget that the slaughter of indigenous peoples, or the slavery of "lesser" people has been the cornerstone to this fine democracy--which recognizes the rights of all men (women excluded for obvious reasons...wink wink).That's why we need to eliminate these presidents!While you're at it let's not forget those 38 warriors who died by hanging in the largest mass hanging in the history of the US, their death warrant signed by none other than "Honest" Abe Lincoln.I'm including Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, and T. Roosevelt among the presidents to be eliminated along with Baum.OK. Can we then replace Andrew Jackson on the twenty with Richard Nixon?Yes, we can put Nixon on the $20 for his support of indigenous rights. Right after we remove The Wizard of Oz from every bookstore and DVD store.

For more on the subject, see Liberation Day, not Presidents Day and Fun Fourth of July Facts.

P.S. Needless to say, neither the presidents nor Baum's beloved children's story are going anywhere anytime soon. Protesting them is roughly equivalent to protesting the ocean's tides.

"Native American rejects" on KWYR-FM

Native Americans still dealing with insensitivity in media

By Vi WalnLast week I got an email from a Rosebud Sioux Tribal member. She wrote, “Good morning Vi, So just sharing a tidbit with a huge verbal implication. This morning on the Winner radio station [KWYR-FM] 93.7, the radio disc jockey Scott Schramm, was referencing a band called the [All] American Rejects and instead changed the words to say “the Native American rejects”! Really! C’mon, you would think after all these years the non-Natives would have a bit more couth when implicating anything to do with our tribe or just Native people in general."Waln contacted the station and got a perfunctory response. Then:Later in the day I received another email, this time from Scott Schramm. He wrote: “I am rather confused. I am on the air on both the AM and FM stations each day. Was this comment heard on the FM or the AM station this morning? Can I ask what the comment was about? I am the Owner of the Radio Station, and would never approve of anything such as this. Furthermore, I am one of the people on the air. I have no idea what I could have said. Could you please elaborate? This is bothering me.”

Now, the fact that “this is bothering” him should tell us something. Perhaps he knows deep down that he said something he shouldn’t have. And he had “no idea” what he “could have said.” Schramm’s email to me proves my point. The non-Indians residing in the border towns of our reservations make statements every day but they have “no idea” what they are saying or how we are going to perceive their comments.Comment:  Radio DJs can't seem to help saying stupid things about Indians.

Calling Indians "rejects" is a shorthand version of the usual insults: that they're savages, lazy bums, or welfare moochers.

For more on the subject, see Magic FM Mocks Indian Names and DJs Learn Not to Satirize Natives.

Native Threads accused of Nazism

Recently I received an e-mail from Randy Bardwell, president of Native Threads, about an art-design controversy. Bardwell explained it on his Facebook page:Native Threads is being accused as racist because the winning art contest design [left] "looks similar" to a Nazi emblem [right]! Please educate the accuser on how the Eagle, the Feather and the four directions symbol are sacred to you! Don't let these bullies paint us as racist!

The e-mails leading to this controversy:From: pdb
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 12:29 PM
To: info@nativethreads.com
Subject: hate symbol

The art winner for December 2010 is an image that has been associated world wide with RACISM and HATE since before the 1930s.

First the NAZIs, now us??

Please answer and let me know why this image was selected to show native pride. Right now all I feel is ashamed. See links of the Nazi Eagle with Swastika.

Tell me just how similar they are!

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-50326165/stock-photo-nazi-eagle-badge-on-book.html

http://thirdreichruins.com/reichsadler.htm

http://www.manions.com/catpages/realize1.aspx~id~5905326

*****

From: info@nativethreads.com
To: pdb
Subject: RE: hate symbol
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:51:44 -0800

Thank you for your email.

The image was selected by vote by over 1200 Native Threads fans, customers and supporters, most of whom are Native Americans and Aboriginal Canadians. The image is not chosen by Native Threads staff.

In regards to the swastika comparison please find the following text from the following website...http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/symbols_and_meanings.htm

"Before it was evil, it was good, and it is the oldest cross/symbol/emblem in the world. The image can be found throughout Native history. The postcard shown above states: "May the four winds from the four corners of the heavens upon you gently blow." It is also not exactly the same symbol that Hitler and his Nazi Party used. Upon closer inspection, the true symbol is actually a reverse of the counterclockwise Nazi version. Sadly, what was a beautiful symbol that represented peace and the natural order of things (sun, winds, four directions) has been perverted for all time by one evil individual and a terrible time in human history."

Our Morningstar design which is represented in Mr. Valle's art entry can be viewed here...http://store.nativethreads.com/Mens-Morning-Star-T-Shirt-Royal-P45C2.aspx#

Hope this helps,

NT Staff

*****

From: pdb
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 1:52 PM
To: info@nativethreads.com
Subject: RE: hate symbol

Okay.

Whoever CHOSE it, it is being PRODUCED by Native Threads.

You sent a picture (morning star) that has ZERO to do with what I am referring to.

Yes, I know the symbol is ancient, and pre-dates Jesus Christ. I am pointing out the remarkable, noticeable, (knock-off?) similarities between the "artwork" chosen as a winner and the Nazi Party symbol. The WHOLE picture, not just the swastika.

I wonder if you are being intentionally dense? Since I credit you with empathy and intelligence, I will say that you were just too busy to LOOK at the provided links. Please take the time to check these images out.

The Third Reich in the 20th century was the largest public act of GENOCIDE. As a culture of peoples who experienced the same by those who wanted to eradicate us, I would think that some common decency, if not affinity, would prohibit the use of your winners' "art."

I am not talking of the swastika--in this "art," it has been replaced by the medicine wheel. That I find a different kind of sick!

I am speaking to the WHOLE DESIGN. The eagles spread wings, the circle clenched in his claws, the symbol inside the circle representing a SPECIFIC RACE, even the "wind" surrounding the eagle was done using boughs and design in the earlier versions of this "art."

Take the time to view the slideshow now, please. Were you able to pick out your winner?

*****

From: rbardwell@nativethreads.com
To: pdb
Subject: RE: hate symbol
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2011 08:51:58 -0800

Thanks for your email regarding our latest art contest winner. It was very enlightening to read how passionate you are about history.

We agree with you that this design shares some of the same elements. However, our agreement ends there.

Mr. Valle's artwork does not represent hate or racism, it represents on many levels what are meaningful to Native culture. Our Morningstar represents the four directions, the eagle represents purity and the feathers represent spirit.

Sure, you can draw conclusions about many things and paint them evil as much as you want, however we will not allow ourselves to stoop to that level and pervert our people's artwork with a Nazi slant. It's up to you how you choose to see this artwork. We don't care to change your mind about it or for you to continue to point out how you see it.

We have provided a forum for Native artists to get exposure, opportunity and positive feedback from our Native Threads community of customers. We have overwhelming support from Indian Country on this project and we will continue to run the contest as is and allow all artists a fair chance at growing their art career.

Thanks again for your passionate feedback and we wish you well,

Randy Bardwell
President
Native Threads

*****

From: pdb
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:29 PM
To: rbardwell@nativethreads.com
Subject: RE: hate symbol

Mr. Bardwell

It is nice to see a name attached to the reply given to address my concern. The stand you take is great for your company, the artists, and irresponsibility.

It is not MY opinion, MY view, nor MY slant.

It is what it is. Simply deciding a symbol stands for one thing does not mean it doesn't represent quite another--and has for eight decades--to over a million people in your country alone. Literally millions of holocaust survivors and their descendants see the same hate.

Does that not mean anything to you?

Talk about turning a blind eye.

I am sadly disappointed.

You have heard the last from me personally, Mr. Bardwell. Your lack of concern was very clear. Though you can be sure you have not heard the last on this issue.

Take care.Comment:  I can see both sides in this debate. Yes, I think the designs are vaguely similar. And I'm not overly impressed with the winning design. But I don't think the designs are close enough that the winner screams "Nazism." And I certainly don't think artist Phil Valle or Native Threads is trying to send a subliminal pro-Nazi message.

I guess I agree with the commenter who wrote:I can see the similarities, but I would not expect the meaning to be the same. In truth I would not have connected them if you had not posted this picture. I would not worry about it if that was not your intention.Another point is that PDB's response seems like a gross overreaction to what was undoubtedly a coincidence. It might warrant a passing comment, but not a full-blown assault. PDB should've asked Native Threads about the design first rather than assuming it was a Nazi hate symbol.

For more on the subject, see Nazis Tried to Subvert Indians and Reclaiming the Swastika.

Anthro in RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1

A forum discussion raises a good point about Bruce Wayne's recent time-travel trip to prehistoric America:Maybe this has been answered already but why were cavemen in the first issue Caucasian? It was supposed to be set at the site of future Gotham [City]. So why were they not depicted as Native American?Response #1:Anthro was the key caveman involved, and he's always been depicted as white. They'd have to change Anthro's (and Vandal Savage's) race to make it actually fit, or have him be the one white person in the tribe.

There's also the issue of Anthro, "the First Boy" living only 18,000 years ago, but [writer Grant] Morrison's acknowledged that it doesn't make sense; it just had to be that way for the story.Response #2:Because they were exceptionally earlier than any Native culture you or any of us are familiar with? Because some of them later crossed a land bridge and traveled into Europe? Because we know--at least in the DCU--people moved all over the Earth back in our prehistory quit a bit? And, possibly, because despite insistence otherwise, North America is awfully big and had a variety of physiological types, in terms of skin tone, hair color, bone structure and so? Maybe all the above. Or, because.Comment:  This also applies to the Master of the World, an Alpha Flight villain. He began as a "caveman" in northern Canada (or Asia, according to one source), but is depicted as a white man.

Indeed, this is true of all fictional "cavemen"--i.e., all Early Modern Humans who lived from 35,000 to 10,000 years ago. It doesn't matter if they lived in Africa, Asia, or the Americas--which would've made them black, Asian, or Indian, respectively. Creators invariably depict them as white.

As respondent #2 tried to do, you can explain why any particular tribe of cavemen is white, even in the Americas. For instance, a lost tribe of Israel Europe wandered over to America. But the question isn't why one tribe of cavemen is white, it's why they all are.

And this is merely a subset of a greater problem. Most humanoid aliens (Star Trek, Star Wars, the Legion of Super-Heroes) are white. If they have blue or green skin, they still have Caucasian features. Most lost civilizations (the Inhumans, Wonder Woman's Themiscyra, Aquaman's Atlantis) are white too. Even fictional creatures like fairies, trolls, and mermaids are white.

Can you imagine a race of aliens who look Chinese? Or a lost civilization of the Inuit? Or a black mermaid? You probably can now that I've mentioned them, but did you ever think of them before? Or were the fictional beings you envisioned inevitably white?

Apparently writers can't imagine that the Americas were inhabited for 10,000-plus years by dark-skinned Paleo-Indians. It doesn't fit their mental map of human history. To them, the continent was more or less empty until the Europeans arrived. Indians appeared out of thin air to oppose the colonizers the way supervillains pop up to fight superheroes.

This is an example of several things: How people unconsciously express their white privilege (white skin as the default for every unknown race). How people are in denial about the racial reality. How people view Indians as inconsequential or invisible--good only as enemies in 19th-century Westerns.

For more on Paleo-Indians, see Were Indians "Colonists" Too? and Did Indians "Colonize" America? For more on the Bruce Wayne series, see Indian in RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #4.

Below:  A real (reconstruction of a) Paleo-Indian...



...and Anthro, the white boy who should be a Paleo-Indian.

The Lone Ranger as Don Quixote?

Johnny Depp rides into the unknown as Tonto in remake of The Lone Ranger

Johnny Depp's decision to play the Lone Ranger's sidekick has Hollywood talking

By Paul HarrisDepp's Tonto, however, will be rather different from the original ally who stuck by his cowboy friend through thick and thin. Instead, his character looks set to be at the heart of the film and have the dominant role in its narrative.

Director Gore Verbinski is taking inspiration for the central relationship not from the dusty reels of the TV show, but from literary classic Don Quixote. In the new version, the Lone Ranger turns out to be a misguided fool and Tonto the voice of sanity, akin to Quixote's companion, Sancho Panza.

"The only version of The Lone Ranger I'm interested in doing is Don Quixote told from Sancho Panza's point of view," Verbinski told the Los Angeles Times's "Hero Complex" film blog last week. Suddenly it becomes a lot easier to see why Depp would take the role. "I was honest early on with Johnny that Tonto is the part. We're not going to do it [straight]; everyone knows that story. I don't want to tell that story," the director said.And:Some celebrity experts believe tinkering with such a beloved series could be risky. "There are going to be Lone Ranger purists and then you come along and take the Lone Ranger concept to the next level and you might really annoy them. It might be best to leave that material alone," said Gayl Murphy, a California-based celebrity interviewer and media expert.

There is also potential controversy in the role of Tonto itself. The original character, with his pidgin English, has long been seen by many Native Americans as an insult. Later versions of the character--in comic strips and the 1981 film Legend of the Lone Ranger--gave Tonto more depth, making him an equal partner of the Lone Ranger. However, it still might irritate some that Tonto will be played by a white actor, mirroring the controversial practice of many early films that put Native Americans characters on screen but did not use Native American actors to play them.Comment:  Making the Lone Ranger a Don Quixote-like fool certainly won't please the purists. That would be like making John Wayne or Clint Eastwood a foolish character.

Indeed, several superhero movies have done poorly while making relatively minor changes to the hero's background. How will fans react to this wholesale reimagining? Perhaps like they reacted to Batman and Robin, Wild Wild West, or The Green Hornet.

Hollywood has done a fair number of spoofs in which the gunslinger, detective, spy, or superhero was propped up by his sidekick. People don't remember these knockoffs because they're not the real thing. I don't think anyone has ever built a movie franchise by making fun of a beloved character.

But it's possible...

Of course, it's a time-honored tradition to have a sidekick play the straight man to a crazed but brilliant hero. Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looey, Montgomery Burns and Mr. Smithers, et al. It can be done if it's done right.

Someone, perhaps Verbinski, also compared the movie's approach to a Far Side cartoon in which Tonto reveals that "kemosabe" means "horse's ass." That's been a staple of jokes and cartoons for decades, so it's not inspiring. And it's not what I'd call a Don Quixote approach. Sancho Panza didn't mock his master; he revered him despite his madness.

I'm glad the article came out and called Depp a white man. His part-Cherokee heritage is a fig leaf behind which the producers will try to hide. Many black actors have some white ancestors, but would anyone cast Denzel Washington as JFK? No.

For more on the subject, see Marty Two Bulls on Johnny Depp and New Approach to the Lone Ranger?

Pro-tribal legislation spurs conservative threats

As you may recall, I wrote about a proposed Idaho law in What Napier Is Ranting About and Tribal Jurisdiction = "Custer Legislation"?! This legislation finally came to a vote last week.

Sources of emotion

By Randy StapilusThe statement of purpose of House Bill 111 says that it “authorizes law enforcement officers employed by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Idaho to exercise powers given to peace officers pursuant to, and in accordance with, the laws of the state of Idaho, within the
boundaries of the reservation of the tribe employing the law enforcement officer”--allows a tribal officer to enforce state law inside the reservation (doesn’t cover enforcement outside of it). And, “There is no negative fiscal impact to state or local government. The Indian tribe bears the expense of POST training under current law, which will continue. Positive fiscal impacts may result from the addition of qualified law enforcement officers employed by a federally recognized Indian tribe within the state of Idaho in the Indian reservation rural areas, without county or city expense.”

If you’re interested in stronger law enforcement, without even raising taxes, this should seem to be up your alley. It was backed by a conservative Republican, Representative Rich Wills of Glenns Ferry, a retired state trooper who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. Sounds like a slam dunk.

But no; the House rejected it today, 34-35.Idaho House kills tribal policing bill by one vote

By Betsy Z. RussellRep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, a retired state trooper, said he’s received hundreds of calls and e-mails threatening him and questioning his integrity for backing the bill. “I’ve had threats I’d better never go into the county again,” he said. “I’ve been called all kinds of sundry names.”

Opponents raised fears, ranging from the tribe taking away the guns of non-Indians who have concealed weapons permits and pass through the reservation to provisions of tribal code being used to impose civil penalties on non-Indians--something that already can occur today on the reservation.And:Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg, debating in favor of the bill, told the House, “I’ve grown weary of the arguments I’ve heard about this for the past two or three years. The whole issue is just to provide proper law enforcement within the bounds of the reservation.” He said he found the continuing dispute “baffling” and said, “I get bothered when I hear that the Indians are a sovereign nation and they already have too many benefits, don’t give them more. I think that’s a poor argument. You know, we’re all Idahoans.”

Shirley said he was stunned to hear that the first question a dispatcher asks in Benewah County is whether the person calling in with an emergency is an Indian or non-Indian. That’s just not right, he said. “This action now compromises safety, cost-effectiveness and just plain good neighborly coexistence.” The dispute, Shirley said, boils down to “prejudices and biases that are counterproductive to improved law enforcement. … Not only is it a safety issue for the officers, but I think it’s a safety issue for the public as well.”Comment:  Let's reiterate the key points. The new law would've provided more law enforcement...on the reservation only...at no additional cost. And yet the majority of Idahoans--in one of the whitest and most conservative states--opposed it.

These people had no valid arguments against the bill. Taking their cue from Fox News, presumably, they fabricated reasons to oppose it. The Indians might take their guns! The Indians might throw them in jail! The Indians might do unspeakable things to their women and children!

Not coincidentally, these are the same arguments white conservatives use against Obama, Muslims, and other "foreigners." They might take our guns! They might throw us in prison camps! They might steal our property, rape our women, and kill us!

And how did these white conservatives react to this reasonable idea to curtail crime on the reservation only? How do white conservatives always respond? With hundreds of attacks and threats. With fear- and hate-filled bigotry. Obama, blacks, immigrants, Muslims, and Indians aren't real Americans. They aren't white and conservative and Christian like "us." We have to crucify them before they crucify us.

There's no other way to say it. Many if not most conservatives are bigots who are prejudiced against other races and religions. Their goal is to protect their white power and privilege at all costs.

For more on the subject, see Political Vitriol in the Giffords Shooting and A History of Conservative Hate Speech.



Conservatives spew more venom

We can find many examples of this conservative fear and hate of "the other." Several of them crop up in the news every week.

Here's one: While most people are cheering the democratic movements in Egypt and other Islamic states, conservatives are looking for any excuse to demonize the rebels and their cause. Columnist Maureen Dowd notes how they responded to reporter Lara Logan's rape:

Stars and Sewers

By Maureen DowdThe conservative blogger Debbie Schlussel smacked Logan from the right: “Lara Logan was among the chief cheerleaders of this ‘revolution’ by animals. Now she knows what the Islamic revolution is really all about.”

On her LA Weekly blog, Simone Wilson dredged up Logan’s romantic exploits and quoted a Feb. 3 snipe from the conservative blog Mofo Politics, after Logan was detained by the Egyptian police: “OMG if I were her captors and there were no sanctions for doing so, I would totally rape her.”

Online anonymity has created what the computer scientist Jaron Lanier calls a “culture of sadism.” Some Yahoo comments were disgusting. “She got what she deserved,” one said. “This is what happens when dumb sexy female reporters want to make it about them.” Hillbilly Nation chimed in: “Should have been Katie.”

The “60 Minutes” story about Senator Scott Brown’s revelation that a camp counselor sexually abused him as a child drew harsh comments on the show’s Web site, many politically motivated.

Acupuncturegirl advised: “Scott, shut the hell up. You are gross.” Dutra1 noted: “OK, Scott, you get your free pity pills. Now examine the image you see in the mirror; is it a man?”The criticism of Scott Brown comes from the same place. Conservatives hate anything that smacks of empowering the disempowered: women, minorities, gays. Their ideal is the rugged white individualist who shoots first and asks questions later. The Puritan, the pioneer, the cowboy, the soldier, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, et al.

Recognizing tribal authority = improving healthcare = admitting illegal immigrants = building mosques. And so forth and so on. The latest examples of this are the Republican attacks on Planned Parenthood and workers' rights. We also saw this attitude in Bryan Fischer's pro-genocide columns, conservative criticism of the Pascua Yaqui prayer, and the scaremongering over the UN declaration on indigenous rights.

Other examples include English-only laws, bans on ethnic studies, phony concerns about "voter fraud," hand-wringing over ending "don't ask, don't tell," and attempts to repeal various parts of the US Constitution. And of course the demonization of Obama as a Muslim and a foreigner. Each of these battles is about the same thing: asserting the supremacy of white male Euro-Americans over everyone else.

Conservative crybaby Napier basically said what conservatives are thinking when he called the Idaho bill "Custer legislation." It didn't matter what the bill actually did or whom it helped. Conservatives see themselves as Custer valiantly defending white Americans against hordes of brown-skinned savages. If a law is pro-Indian, they think, it's anti-white and anti-America by definition. Because their worldview is "us" (white male Euro-Americans) vs. "them" (everyone else).

For more on the subject, see Gray vs. Brown Americans, What "I Want My Country Back" Means, and Culture War Over Who's American.

Below:  White Americans stand tall against tribal law enforcement, healthcare reform, illegal immigration, and mosque-building.

Wipeout jokes about savages and smallpox

TV SHOW WIPEOUT: Kidding around about Savages and Smallpox. Let them know how you feel!

by F.A.I.R. MEDIA (For Accurate Indigenous Representation)Another so called "reality show," another affront to Indigenous Peoples.

This time, the culprit is "WIPEOUT."

In an episode which aired on ABC Television, on Thursday, February 17th, 2011 the two hosts engaged in a little banter over "tribes of savages," and "blankets ridden with smallpox."

We wonder how far they would get with jokes about long train rides to gas chambers disguised as showers, or how about some quips about a walk in the woods to a good ole' lynching. It is apparent, that Indigenous Peoples truly are the last acceptable targets for such overt racism.

Please consider contacting the producers of the show, and requesting that they issue an apology. Ask that they hold all accountable, from the writers to the hosts who uttered these tasteless words.

"Wipeout executive producers are Matt Kunitz (Fear Factor) and Scott Larsen. Shye Sutherland, Kevin Wehrenberg, Trice Barto and J. Rupert Thompson are co-executive producers. The series is produced by Endemol USA. David Goldberg is the chairman of Endemol North America."

Contact Endemol USA:

http://www.endemol.com/page/global-usa

Endemol USA Inc.
9255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1100
CA 90069 Los Angeles
United States of America
T: + 1 310 860 9914
F: + 1 310 860 1417Comment:  In the video, the hosts are introducing the next obstacle course. The guy on the right claims he's a world traveler who searches for "new and exotic locales." "It was on one such expedition," he says, "that I discovered a tribe of savages building a crude structure." The guy on the left asks if the "savages" were crew members. The guy on the right responds, "Maybe. But they sold it to me for a handful of colored marbles and a blanket ridden with smallpox."

The first part of this bit is riddled with stereotypical language:

exotic

expedition

discovered

tribe

savages

crude

Basically, every noun, verb, and adjective is a loaded term. They all imply that Indians are strange, remote, and primitive--i.e., out of touch with the modern world.

The second part, which implies the savages made a stupid trade because they're so ignorant, reinforces the message. It also puts a lighthearted spin on the idea of genocide. As the person who posted the video put it:Gee this is so funny. Next week the obstacle course will run through a shower filled with poison gas.It's thoughtless and insensitive, to put it mildly. You might make that kind of "joke" with someone you knew well--someone who shared your dark sense of humor. But you shouldn't make it on national TV in front of millions of strangers. Especially when some are likely to be the Indians you're characterizing as "savages."

For similar cases of insensitivity, see Stereotypes in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and "Party Like It's 1492."

Unidentified reservations in Google Maps

In his Drawing on Indians blog, Stephen Bridenstine notes a curious thing. Unlike other online mapping systems, Google Maps doesn't identify America's Indian reservations. It shows them as slightly darker areas, but it doesn't say what they are, no matter how much you magnify them.

Strange Tan Blotches in South Dakota: Indian Reservations in Online Maps

Consider the worst case: The Navajo Nation is bigger than West Virginia and nine other states. And it's full of empty places where a "Navajo Nation" label would fit on a map. But there's no such label in Google Maps.



Much smaller national forests and parks get labeled, so the problem isn't a lack of space or attention to detail. As I said, other mapping systems note the reservations, so it's not a technical impediment. No, someone at Google "inadvertently" or intentionally left the reservation labels off. I wouldn't be surprised if it was someone's conscious decision: "Don't label the reservations or the right-wing hate machine will vilify us for recognizing so-called Indian nations."

This is yet another example of how invisible Indians are today. Google is reinforcing the message that Indians are dead and gone. That reservations are nothing more than "colorful" places on a map. That semi-sovereign political entities, a fourth level of government, don't exist in our midst.

For more on the subject, see Stereotyping Indians by Omission and The Facts About Tribal Sovereignty.

Fischer worships "God" of racism

Radio Evangelist Preaches An Ugly Message

By Steven NewcombFischer’s argument of “moral disqualification” for American Indians is informed by the Old Testament story of the Chosen People and the Promised Land. In the story, “God” is depicted as being on the side of the Hebrews (and, in Fischer’s view, of the Christians) because “Yaweh” is said to have entered into a covenant with Abram, who was renamed Abraham, “a father of many nations.”

Unfortunately for Fischer, people throughout the world have achieved enough distance from that ancient narrative to realize that he and his allies are operating under a form of outmoded idolatry: He worships the idol of the false “God” of racism and race-purity that authorizes the annihilation of entire peoples because those “others” don’t measure up to the norms and standards of the Old Testament Hebrews and their supposed “Christian” successors. To justify the invasion of other peoples all kinds of false charges are made in an effort to demonize them.

In the background story for Mr. Fischer’s narrative, the deity of the Old Testament is depicted as “promising” the lands of other peoples to the Hebrews “as an everlasting possession” and “inheritance.” This is why those other peoples had to be dehumanized and demonized. That deity instructed the Hebrews to go to cities of the Canaanites, Amorites, and other peoples and engage in genocide against them. Why? Those other peoples were already living in the land before the deity had “promised” it to the Hebrews. The pattern is fully revealed in Deuteronomy 20: 10-18:

But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: but thou shalt utterly destroy them, namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.Comment:  I said similar things about America's cultural mindset in my posting titled Victor or Victim:  Our New National Anthem?

For more on Fischer's column, see Hatewatch Criticizes Fischer's Column and Fischer Defends Pro-Genocide Column. For similar views, see Beck:  God Ordered Indians Killed.

Frybread Queen at the Autry

Native Voices At The Autry Presents THE FRYBREAD QUEENNative Voices at the Autry continues its vital role as the country's only equity theatre company dedicated exclusively to developing work of Native American Playwrights with the world premiere main stage Equity production of The Frybread Queen, which runs from Saturday, March 12 through Sunday, March 27, 2011 (previews begin March 9), at the Wells Fargo Theater at The Autry National Center, Los Angeles. Written by esteemed playwright Carolyn Dunn (Muskogee Creek, Cherokee*) The Frybread Queen is a quietly poetic drama with all the haunting qualities of a Chekhovian tragicomedy--Navajo-style. Native Voices' deep commitment to nurturing new works and seeing them fully realized is illustrated by this production, which is the culmination of the play's pivotal three-and-a-half-year development process shepherded by Native Voices. Robert Caisley, who served as dramaturge during the play's development, directs, and the four-member cast features Jane Lind (Aleut*) as Jessie Burns, Kimberly Norris Guerrero (Colville, Salish-Kootenai, Cherokee*) as AnnaLee Walker Hayne, Shyla Marlin (Choctaw*) as Carlisle Emmanuel Burns, and Elizabeth Frances (Cherokee*) as Lily Savannah Santiago Burns.

The Frybread Queen portrays three generations of strong, opinionated, passionate Native women bound by marriage and family ties who come together for the funeral of a beloved son, and in their grief confront long-simmering tensions and family secrets that threaten to tear them apart. The play addresses many of the challenges facing Native people across the country today, from the erosion of traditional values to the loss of family and tribe and ownership of belonging, elements that factor into the relationships of the women as they struggle to deal with their troubled situation. Each character has her own unique recipe for frybread, a Native American staple, all reflecting their individual attempts to assert some kind of "authority" over the past and to take some kind of control over the future. In competing, both literally and metaphorically, to be the real "frybread queen" in the play, they illustrate the friction between traditional Native ways and contemporary assimilation, from the grandmother's traditional use of lard to her daughter-in-law's "new-fangled" use of self-rising flour.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Frybread Queen Explores Tribal Connections and Developing The Frybread Queen.

Pala's Rez Radio

Pala Band hits the airwaves

By J. Harry Jones“Rez Radio. KOPA FM, Pala. KOPA 91.3.”

With that announcement last week, the first radio station owned and operated by an Indian tribe in Southern California went on the air.

Rez Radio, a commercial-free station that operates out of a small building behind the Pala Band of Mission Indians’ administrative center just off state Route 76, now broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and streams live over the Internet.And:The station is now airing a wide mix of music—Southern rock, country, reggae, blues, soul. At night, the station is on autopilot, but as time goes on, and volunteers come forward, more extensive live broadcasting is planned.

KOPA soon plans to offer a variety of programming. Some shows of general interest to Native Americans will be purchased from national Native American radio service groups, but most will be locally generated by volunteers. Topics could include native language courses, recordings of elders that have been taken for posterity and archived, home improvement shows, cooking shows, even political shows if someone wants to tackle controversial issues. Fox said anyone is welcome to approach the station with programming ideas. Being a reservation resident isn’t a requirement. The station also has the ability to broadcast from remote locations, such as from softball games.Comment:  For more on the subject, see "Tribal Priority" for Radio Stations and Increasing Tribal Radio Opportunities.

Below:  "Tribal Chairman Robert Smith (right) is interviewed Tuesday by John Fox at Pala's new radio station." (Charlie Neuman)

NY Times reviews Even the Rain

Here's a movie I hadn't heard of until now:

Movie Review
Even the Rain (2010)

NYT Critics' Pick
This movie has been designated a Critic's Pick by the film reviewers of The New York Times.

Discovering Columbus’s Exploitation

By Stephen HoldenIcíar Bollaín’s bluntly political film “Even the Rain” makes pertinent, if heavy-handed, comparisons between European imperialism five centuries ago and modern globalization. In particular it portrays high-end filming on location in poor countries as an offshoot of colonial exploitation.

The movie is set in and around Cochabamba, Bolivia’s third-largest city, which the movie’s fictional penny-pinching film producer, Costa (Luis Tosar), has chosen as a cheap stand-in for Hispaniola in a movie he is making about Christopher Columbus. The year is 2000, and Costa is unprepared to deal with the real-life populist uprising in Bolivia after its government has sold the country’s water rights to a private multinational consortium.Comment:  Odd that this movie was named a NYT Critics' Pick. Holden doesn't seem that impressed with it.

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

Below:  Juan Carlos Aduviri and Gael Garcia Bernal in Even the Rain.

Good Meat weight-loss documentary

NAPT release follows man’s diet struggle

By Jessica KinzerNative American Public Telecommunications, Inc. (NAPT) proudly announces the release of a new documentary that shows the challenges of overcoming Type II Diabetes and poor diet amidst the poverty of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Good Meat captures the real-time, personal weight loss battle of one Oglala Lakota man, Beau LeBeau. Once a star athlete in his community, he struggles to shed the pounds from his 333-pound frame in an unsupportive environment.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Longest Walk 3--Reversing Diabetes and Ryan Huna Smith's Diabetes Comic Book.

Gil Birmingham in Rango

Rango (2011 film)Rango is an upcoming computer-animated comedy film, directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Graham King. It features the voices of actors Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Bill Nighy, Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone, Ned Beatty, and Timothy Olyphant.Rango (2011)A chameleon that aspires to be a swashbuckling hero finds himself in a Western town plagued by bandits and is forced to literally play the role in order to protect it.Gil Birmingham's Photos--Rango Movie Premiere

Comment:  Gil Birmingham voices Wounded Bird (a Chihuahuan raven).

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

Below:  Gil Birmingham and Johnny Depp at the Rango premiere.

Joanelle Romero and The Blues Collective

Actress Joanelle Romero shows another side of her talent at Red Nation's annual pre-Grammys celebration.

The Blues Collective at the 13th Annual Red Nation CelebrationThe Blues Collective at the 13th Annual Red Nation Celebration Pre-Grammy Concert Series. The band features Noah Watts from Skinwalkers, CSI: Miami, Sons of Anarchy, The Young and the Restless; and Joanelle Romero (Apache/Cheyenne)--discovered by Legendary Leonard Cohen, toured on Sarah McLachlan. Native musicians celebrated the Grammys and remembered the lives of Paul Getty III and Solomon Burke. Also performances by Sage and Quese IMC.

Comment:  For more on the subject, see 7th Annual Red Nation Film Festival.

American Girl Doll Day

Elkhart Co. Historical Museum to host American Girl Doll Day

By Katherine RufenerThe Elkhart County Historical Museum will be educating young girls about Native Americans and their local history during the upcoming workshop, American Girl Doll Day.

The program will use the popular American Girl doll brand to teach girls about how American Indians lived.

Kaya will be the featured doll at the event. She's a Nez Perce American Indian from 1764, who lives in the Pacific Northwest. Girls will have the opportunity to learn now American Indians like Kaya are different from Native Americans who lived in, what is now, Elkhart County.Comment:  Other than the name Kaya, I don't know how authentic the doll is.

For more on Native dolls, see Mormon Action Figures, Native G.I. Joes, and Amazonia Barbie.

One-woman play about Black Shawl

Black Shawl examines cultural, personal historyThis weekend the struggles of Black Shawl, her granddaughter and their tribe came alive in Maxey Auditorium through the voice of a single woman on Friday and Saturday, February 11 and 12.

Sharon French, an actress of Navajo/Paiute/Anglo descent, shared the story of her Navajo grandmother, Sarah, which she wrote in 1996. French crafted the story originally as an outdoor drama with a cast of 60 actors. Of the original cast, 30 actors were Native American. “They took ownership of it because it was about them,” said French of her actors.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Native Plays and Other Stage Shows.

Aboriginal Cooking with the Wolfman

Aboriginal Fusion on the Menu at APTNAboriginal fusion is on the menu this season at the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, APTN announced on February 16.

For the eighth season of Cooking with the Wolfman, chef, host and executive producer David Wolfman will pair up aboriginal culinary arts students from Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba, to face off in twin kitchens, assigning the aspiring chefs dishes that incorporate “some rather unusual North American food products reminiscent of a traditional Aboriginal diet,” the network said in a press release. The show debuts Wednesday, March 2, 2011, at 11:30 am ET on the East Feed, MT on the West Feed, CT on the North Feed and 12:30 pm ET on the HD Feed.Comment:  For more on Native food, see Native Food Cart in Manhattan and Salishan Catering Serves Native Cuisine.

Search for the Ultimate Warrior proposal

Here's what looks like a pitch for a reality TV series:

Dream Catcher--Search for the Ultimate Warrior

Created by Marc J. Victor & Mary Jo Christian“Dream Catchers” is a Native American reality TV show, based on traditional Native American skills.

As a result of touring the Native American Indian Reservations it has been determined that there is a distinct need for programs to uplift and support the communities throughout the country. As a result we have established a non-profit 501(c)3 organization called American Dream Catcher Organization.

Some competitions may be:

* Team Flag competition
* Distance run thru lava fields
* Bareback bow and arrow shooting
* Wrestling
* Dancing
* Drum making
* Canoe race
* Tipi building from scratch
* Challenge course of multiple skills
* Canoeing on challenging water
* Run over challenging slopes
* Bareback horse riding on a slalom bow-shooting course

Business plan development:

The team must put together a business development plan for a new business concept for their tribe to create jobs and a source of income. The Small Business Administrations from around the country will be helping the teams develop their plans.

Adventures will not only include the great competitions that will ensue but also provide in depth knowledge of the history of the tribes with Native American Historians and tribal council.And:The first two episodes of head to head competitions will whittle the tribes down from twenty-four to twelve tribes.

Each week thereafter one tribe a week will be disqualified until the Ultimate Warrior is determined.

The grand prize will be a solar and wind generation system and tech school for the reservation.

How do we know Victor and Christian are sincere about wanting to help Indians? Because they visited a reservation and were shocked (shocked!) at what they found:

Shocking Discovery Found in the US InteriorMarc Victor and Mary Jo Christian went out to visit American Indian Reservations to put together an incredible Native American competition where one tribe will win a wind and solar generation system and tech school for an upcoming TV show, Dream Catcher--Search for the Ultimate Warrior (www.UltimateWarriorSearch.com). When they arrived on some reservations they discovered American Indians right here in the United States living in less than third world conditions!

The South Dakota, Lakota tribe are a people living in what most would call an unsatisfactory state. With poverty conditions that rival some global developing regions and the lowest life expectancy in the Western hemisphere, the average current life span for women on the Pine Ridge Reservation is 52 years and 48 for men.

With 97% of the population at Pine Ridge living under conditions that fall beneath the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services definition of poverty, things that most American people call staples, the Lakota tribe sees as luxuries. Income levels are as low as $5-10 dollars per day resulting in neglected substandard homes that sometimes go without electricity, water or gas. Bitter winters force many families to spend up to 70% of their income to heat their homes.Comment:  I'm seriously unimpressed by this proposal. The pan-Indian things are bad enough. Do they expect a tribe like the Hopi to build canoes or tipis? It seems their idea of a tribe is limited to the Midwest--i.e., the Plains and Great Lakes tribes.

All the proposed competitions involve physical outdoor activities. Why, because Indians are known for their brawn, not their brains? How about traditional artistic skills such as weaving or basketmaking? Traditional oral skills such as storytelling or argumentation? Traditional scientific skills such as stargazing or monument-building?

Why do traditional skills at all? Do reality shows about non-Indians feature outdated skills such as log-splitting or butter-churning? This is exactly the kind of competition you'd have for stereotypical savages who lack arts and sciences. It reinforces the idea of Indians as primitive people of the past.

And how do you combine an athletic competition with business-plan development? These are two unrelated skill sets. It does not compute.

I've already discussed the stereotypical warrior concept at length. The millionth comparison of Indians to warriors is enough to make someone yawn. In addition, the producers have misused the dreamcatcher concept. To them, a dreamcatcher is a generic symbol of hope. "Wish upon a star...catch a dream...use a dreamcatcher...and make your dreams come true."

The prizes--a "solar and wind generation system and tech school"--are also odd. What if the winning tribe isn't in a sunny or windy part of the country? What if it already has a tech school? Shouldn't the prize be something any tribe could use--for instance, cash? This prize sounds like a white elephant that the producers got stuck with.

Producers don't know Indians

The tribe vs. tribe competition goes against a lot of what Indians stand for: humility, caring for others, unity. I'm not sure Indian country as a whole will get behind this idea. They may do the opposite and attack it for its divisiveness.

The fact that the producers list some tribal elders doesn't impress me. It's not that hard to get someone to verbally agree to help. What's missing is any specific language that shows the producers know anything about Indian country. Their website's verbiage sounds like it was taken from a New Age or beginner's guide to Indians. And their press release about being shocked at conditions in Indian country tells me they're naïve newcomers.

Look at the way they refer to "the Lakota tribe" as if there's only one. Actually, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is occupied by the Oglala Sioux, one of seven Lakota sub-tribes. There are also Dakota and Nakota tribes elsewhere.

As another example, they write:A stone will be given out every week to the winning tribe of each week’s competition.

Each week the winner will control the previous week’s stones until finally the winner completes the puzzle of all 13 stones to create the continental United States in a representation of the thirteen grandmothers."Thirteen grandmothers" isn't a cultural concept that applies to all tribes. I don't think it applies to any tribe. It's the name of one indigenous organization, yes, but these grandmothers don't have any cachet in Indian country. Few people have even heard of them.

Can the producers do it?

Other than some small or incomplete projects, the producers don't have much experience in TV or film production. And no apparent experience in Indian country. Neither one of these drawbacks is an absolute barrier, but they sure are suggestive.

I predict this show will never happen. I bet the producers think some rich gaming tribe will fund their idea because (they believe) it's so good. If that's the case, they're in for a rude shock. Gaming tribes are conservative; they aren't going to invest in this untried venture.

For more on Natives in reality shows, see Natives in Flying Wild Alaska and Review of Losing It with Jillian.

Miley Cyrus, Cherokee?

In response to Miley Cyrus Loves Dreamcatchers, someone mentioned that she's part Cherokee. That was news to me, so I looked it up:

Miley CyrusBirth Name:

Destiny Hope Cyrus

Birth Place:

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Date of Birth:

November 23, 1992

What Race or Ethnicity:

Scottish, Irish, English, French, Welsh, Dutch and Cherokee IndianIs Miley Cyrus Cherokee?A: She's part Cherokee from her father's side (her great grandmother)Miley Cyrus:  “I’m Not That Cherokee”“I’ve begged my dad for the Mercedes G-Wagen, but he was like, ‘Miley, isn’t there enough pollution in the air?’ We’re Cherokee, that’s our background. And he’s like, ‘As a Cherokee, I really don’t think you want to do this.’

And I’m like, ‘Dad, I’m not that Cherokee.’ He wants me to take care of the environment and look at hybrid cars. I’m stoked, that’s awesome, especially with the price of gas. I want to spray paint it. I want to rock out my car. I want to get my car pimped out.’”The Ancestors of Billy Ray Cyrus, Singer and Actor!!

Comment:  The last posting lists Cyrus's ancestors by name but not by ethnicity.

The answer to the title question is: No, Miley Cyrus is not Cherokee. Like Johnny Depp, she's a non-Indian with a small amount of Indian "blood."

As you can see in the photo, Miley is trying to be all tribal with her necklace, leather bands, and turquoise beads. And we know she loves dreamcatchers and Pocahontas.

What's sad is that none of these things have anything to do with the Cherokee. Even the wannabes in the 200-plus unrecognized "Cherokee tribes" learn some of their ancestors' language and culture. But Miley apparently has no knowledge of or interest in her actual Cherokee roots.

Instead, she's mashing up a bunch of generic and stereotypical images to make herself seem Indian. Which is exactly what an Indian wannabe does.

Louise Erdrich wants PEACE PARTY

Well, not quite. A woman called from Louise Erdrich's Birchbark Books in Minnepolis today. She said they'd heard about my comics and were interested in carrying them in the store. She added that TRICKSTER and The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book were selling well and they were looking for similar works.

That's good news, but I have to produce more comics for them to sell. That may take another six months to a year. In the meantime, I'll send them a list of Native-themed comics and graphic novels that I recommend.

Miley Cyrus loves dreamcatchers

Adrienne Keene writes about Miley Cyrus in her Native Appropriations blog:

Miley Cyrus Enjoys Dream Catchers, Apparently

Miss Miley Cyrus was recently inked with her fifth tattoo, a dream catcher along her ribcage. It's supposedly to protect her four siblings, or something like that. Honestly, dream catchers are probably one of the most appropriated and exploited Native images--you see them everywhere. So I'm not supremely bothered by the tattoo, but it is annoying. However, everyone's favorite Disney starlet recently turned 18, and her 18th birthday was a "bohemian theme." Apparently, "bohemian"=dream catchers and feathers.The problem is, in many Ojibwe communities, dream catchers are still a sacred, and their creation involves specific ceremonies and prayers. The plastic commercial keychains sold in rest stops are making a mockery of a sacred object. When people buy the dream catchers because they're "pretty" or to ward off bad dreams, and aren't aware of the power and history behind the objects, it dilutes them to a commercial object disconnected from their origins and community.Commenters disagree

The blog's commenters disagree about whether Cyrus's actions are okay:I think its a cool idea and I'm glad Ms Cyrus celebrated her life with the dream catcher theme. I've seen it at weddings and casinos so what's the difference? Seems like she has an understanding of it and promoted the idea. The cake is awesome too.And:People who aren't native aren't going to understand the implications and hurt that goes along with this. The cake is stupid, her outfit is stupid and her tattoo is stupid. She doesn't know what any of it means, because if she did she'd never have done it. It's not okay, it's never okay. It's like me tattooing a naked picture of your grandmother who died of cancer on my breast and then taking her dead skin and putting it on a cake. Yes. It's that extreme. It doesn't matter if non-natives think its okay, it's not their culture and not their place to okay it. Deal with it.And:Not to defend Miss Cyrus, but a lot of people are proud to be part Native, and don't know how to appropriately express that. I totally understand that it can be offensive at times, but I think that people don't mean to be disrespectful and are actually trying to honor that heritage in a misguided way.Meanwhile, here's a guide to truly awful dreamcatchers:

The "Awful" Field Guide to Dreamcatchers



Comment:  Miley Cyrus has a whole wannabe thing going on. As you may recall, she also loves Pocahontas.

As usual, I tend to agree with Adrienne. It's too late to stop the exploitation of dreamcatchers. But if you have to have a dreamcatcher, get a genuine one from a Native and understand what it means. Don't just use it as a cake decoration or a tattoo because you think it's pretty.

For more on dreamcatchers, see Dreamcatchers Loser Cultural Significance and Dreamcatcher = Healing at Stanford.

Conspiracy of Silence stigmatizes Native women

Conspiracy of Silence:  The Riveting, Real-Life Account of The [Helen Betty Osborne] Pas Murder and Cover-up that Rocked the Nation

By Jorge Antonio VallejosFour white boys. One Cree girl.

Four cowards. One warrior.

Two white boys given immunity, one acquitted, one handed a life (?) sentence. A stolen and erased Aboriginal sister joins her ancestors. An Aboriginal community saddened and silenced:

This is the Helen Betty Osborne murder, court case, and disgrace.

Journalist Lisa Priest starts her sympathetic and problematic book Conspiracy of Silence by saying, “November 13, 1971 was cold and miserable.”Vallejos notes a problem with the book:Doing what conventional journalists do, Priest, a white woman, gives you the dirt that most people want to read—it’s her training, her job, and her cultural background. There is a sympathetic tone throughout; there is good investigative work on every page; there is the sense of exposing a wrong that needs to be justified; but there is also Priest’s own unchecked assumptions and racism.

The “cold” in the first line of Priest’s book is transferred to her zombification of Aboriginal women:

Native women hung out on the streets…they had been waifs who had been turned out on the street either because their parents didn’t want them or because they cost too much to feed. They were neither beautiful nor attractive. They craved affection in any form…They were malnourished, with dried eyes, prematurely wrinkled faces, and round bellies due to starchy diets of bannock…They stood leaning sloppily to one side. Some of them sniffed glue to get over the beating from the night before, but all were helpless because they had nowhere to sleep except under the railroad bridge.
At times like these you wonder what Priest is trying to do. Does justice come through villainous jabs? Is empathy practiced through disempowerment? Is truth to be exposed through sweeping, racist statements?

None of the Aboriginal women this writer knows fit Priest’s description. Published in 1989, the description of Aboriginal women in Conspiracy of Silence is a part of the larger conspiracy to keep the epidemic of the 800+ MISSING and MURDERED Aboriginal women of Turtle Island from the world. Canada, a safe haven for millions who come from other lands, is unsafe for the life-givers of the original peoples. If and when news gets out that Aboriginal women are under attack with the support of government and police inaction, the response given is a description like the one Priest gives, along with blame laid on the women.

One of the biggest things activists both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal are fighting is the stigma of Aboriginal women that Priest promotes in her book. In a book that is supposed to fight the problem, Priest willfully adds to it.Comment:  Vallejos says Priest's tone when describing Native women is off, but doesn't give much more than the one example above. That makes it hard to judge how valid his criticism is.

For more on the subject, see Amnesty International Honors Native Reports and Media Ignores Victimized Native Women.

"Smallpox-infested blankets" in V

The TV series V is about alien lizards disguised as humans to conquer the planet. The Visitors, or V's, have pretended to be benevolent, but they really want to use us as breeding machines.

In last week's episode, Concordia (airdate: 2/8/11), newscaster Chad Decker debates Kerry, a potential sparring partner who opposes Anna and the other V's:KERRY:  When newcomers arrive on your shores, you have to be careful--

CHAD:  Beware of Greeks bearing gifts?

KERRY:  Exactly. The Trojan Horse filled with soldiers. Smallpox-infected blankets for the Native Americans. These gifts didn't work out too well for the recipients, did they?

CHAD:  But Anna has demonstrated the utility of her gifts. We have clean air, and revitalized deserts, to prove it.

KERRY:  And I'm sure the Native Americans were warm in their blankets before they started dying in them.Comment:  It's not uncommon to compare present-day invading forces to the Europeans who invaded the "New World." But until most Americans get the message, it's probably useful to make the comparison.

For the actual story about the smallpox-infected blankets, see The Facts About Blankets with Smallpox.

Fashion line with a Native touch

A look at a fashion line by designer Adam Lippes:

ADAM Fall 2011:  Native American Inspired

By Natalie Matthews[H]is inspiration was a recent trip to the National Museum of the American Indian. But sticking to the recipe, Lippes added just the right dash of native, not a dousing.

Heaviest references came in the outerwear (wool ponchos and anoraks) and skirts (striped in alternating bands of fur and feathers). But when coupled with his easily sellable separates (hand knit sweaters, wide leg pants, and of-the-moment chambray shirts), these pieces weaved a thread of Native American through the collection without snagging it on a creative vision too niche for his laid back, real girl customer. In that way, Lippes managed to pay homage to the Native American culture–while still remaining true to his tribe of customers.Comment:  These clothes have subtle Native references, all right. If writer Matthews hadn't pointed them out, I probably wouldn't have noticed them.

This is the kind of cultural appropriation most people don't have a problem with. It's clearly more of an homage than a direct steal.

But Lippes and Matthews still contribute to the stereotypical notion that there's only one Native culture. Ponchos and anoraks? From two unrelated cultures (Inca and Inuit) some 15,000 miles apart?

That would be like combining Iceland and India. After all, they both speak an Indo-European language and have Aryan roots. That means they're basically the same thing, right?

For more on the subject, see Pendleton Spreads Native Designs.

Vintage Indian valentines

The Vintage Valentine Museum website offers several valentines featuring stereotypical Indians:

Native American/American Indian Themed





Comment:  For more romanticized images of Indian children, see Painting Natives in Ceremonial Garb and Oxborough Paintings Infantilize Indians.

Bogle's romanticized Indian paintings

Adrienne Keene writes about a non-Native artist known for his romanticized paintings of Indians:

Lee Bogle and "Native American Love"So where to even start with these ridiculous romance-novel-esqe images? I mean, clearly, they eroticize and sexualize Native peoples, but they also rely on the ubiquitous stereotypes dark skin, long hair, images of nature, feathers, fur, buckskin, headbands, etc. I picked out the ones that are supposed to represent "love", but there are many others that highly sexualize Native women alone.

Most people can look at these and see them for their ridiculousness, but the problem is that they are reproduced millions of times all over the internet, with "Native American Blessings" or "Native American Love Poems" emblazoned across them. There are entire websites dedicated to e-cards, desktop backgrounds, cards, and t-shirts of these images.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Painting Natives in Ceremonial Garb and Oxborough Paintings Infantilize Indians.

Gathering of Nations wins Grammy

New Mexico gets Grammy nods

By Megan KamerickA CD produced live at the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow won the 2010 Grammy for best Native American music album.

The CD, “2010 Gathering of Nations Pow Wow: A Spirit’s Dance,” features artists who performed at the 27th annual event in Albuquerque, the world’s largest gathering of American Indians and other indigenous people.

The album has 21 songs performed by Native musicians and drum groups from throughout North America. Those include Chief Leonard Crow Dog, Midnite Express, Tha Tribe, Buck Wild, Eyabay, Hail Creek, Cree Confederation, Head Stone, Rocky Boy, Wild Band of Comanches, Nakoda Nation, Mile High, Eagle Mountain and Cozad.

The CD opens with a prayer from Crow Dog, a Lakota elder and and one of the leading chiefs of the traditional Sundance in the country, said Derek Mathews, founder and director of Gathering of Nations.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Powwow Nominated for Grammy.

The last acceptable racism

A good posting suggests how our society uses stereotypes to keep Indians in their place:

The Last Acceptable Racism:  Native Americans

By David KimelbergTwo disturbing developments recently hit my radar. The first was an announcement from Washington's NFL team that it's planning to change its name and logo. Okay, that seems innocuous enough. Washington Politicos? Nope. The new name is the Washington Jews. The re-worked logo is equally alarming: it consists of a profile of what appears to be a stereotyped Jewish person, complete with the physical features exploited by Sasha Baron Cohen in his film Borat.

The second was the result of a New Yorker cartoon caption contest. Normally a source of great wit and cleverness, this one was just plain distasteful: the cartoon pictured an SS guard taking cover behind a desk against a barrage of "throwing stars" clearly in the shape of the Star of David. While avoiding the onslaught of Jewish-themed steel weapons hitting the desk and everything else around him, he's speaking to someone on the phone. In the New Yorker's caption contests, readers are asked to submit witty captions to accompany the cartoon, with winners announced in a subsequent issue. So, what was the winning caption? Get ready, here's the punchline: "Quick, give them the banks." Not only is the caption just not funny, its racist angle is obvious. Has the liberal and renowned New Yorker gone off the deep end?

Shocked by this news? Of course you are. And, of course, they're not true. If they were, both organizations would be dealing with a deluge of warranted criticism and outrage from all corners. What is truly shocking is that Native Americans are subject to analogous assaults and no one seems to care.

Of course, Washington's NFL team is actually the Washington Redskins. The term "redskins" is highly offensive to Native Americans and is equivalent to the "n-word" for African Americans. Not only is the team's name insulting, its logo is also a slap in the face for Natives. It attempts to depict a profile of an "Indian," complete with braids, feathers and a stoic gaze. It's pure stereotyping and nothing more. It perpetuates a caricature of Native people, and is another societal movement to turn Native Americans into a historical footnote, frozen in time as a cowboy western prop, and not allow recognition of us for who we really are. In the category of "irony of all ironies," the Redskins' owner, Dan Snyder, recently sued a Washington news outlet for including a picture of him with devil horns. His complaint? That, as a Jew, the news outlet depicted him in a blatantly anti-Semitic way, which caused him great harm. Really? Can you not see the clear racist parallels with your own NFL franchise, Mr. Snyder?

The New Yorker obviously doesn't get it either. Instead of my theoretical SS guard, a recent New Yorker cartoon caption contest actually depicted a cowboy seeking refuge behind a desk peppered with arrows. The scene includes him on the phone, behind the desk in an office overlooking a cityscape. The New Yorker, the de facto leader of liberal literary intellectualism, decided that the winning caption should be: "Quick, give them a casino." Instead of highbrow wit, the New Yorker decided that lowbrow overt racism should carry the cartoon caption day. The fact that only a couple commentators took issue with this (all Native Americans) speaks volumes. The message is that racism against Native Americans is acceptable and universally embraced under the guise of alleged humor.


Comment:  Critics have compared the Washington Redskins to the Washington Honkies, Coonskins, Chinks, Wetbacks, et al. many times. People haven't gotten the message yet.

The cartoon comparison is a fresh one, and many people might not think of it. That makes it worth posting.

Kimelberg also makes the intent behind these images clear:This type of verbal and pictorial violence has only one goal in mind: to dehumanize the subject group so they're viewed as a subclass not worthy of respect or acknowledgment as a distinct people.Yes, that's it, all right. By keeping Indians in their place, we don't have to acknowledge the moral crimes of our white Christian ancestors. We can go on thinking we deserve our wealth and power because we earned them. Truly acknowledging what we did to the Indians would mean overturning centuries of white privilege, the foundation of our society. It would mean putting sovereign Indian nations and their treaty rights at the center of political debates, which would decimate the present liberal/conservative playing field.

Since the white Christian powers-that-be aren't going to give up their power, they encourage or allow the stereotyping of Indians. Portraying them as primitive people of the past is America's way of keeping them out of current affairs. If we treat them as a joke, we don't have to take them seriously.

For more on the subject, see:

Stereotypes drive racism in South Dakota
Stereotypes as mental maps
Indians shouldn't act uppity?
"Broken windows" theory of racism
Stereotypical thinking causes racist results