Mohican wins for wellbriety program

Springs man wins $100k prize for program that helps Native Americans

By Debbie KelleyAfter marking 31 years of sobriety in August, Don Coyhis considered retiring from the nonprofit organization he founded 21 years ago in Colorado Springs to help Native Americans overcome alcoholism, drug abuse and other health and social issues facing their communities.

This month, however, he got news that made him rethink his idea. His organization, White Bison, was named one of five winners of the Purpose Prize. The payout: $100,000.

The national award is run by a San Francisco-based think tank, Civic Ventures, and funded by various foundations. It recognizes social innovators over 60 years old and in “encore careers,” who are solving problems that face communities. This year’s winners, chosen from among 1,200 nominees, are being announced today.

Coyhis, 66, said the money will help catapult his organization to the next level—much like the white bison image he saw rising out of the ground while he was fasting in the Rampart Range mountains two decades ago, inspiring him to use his Indian culture to help his people overcome addiction.Comment:  Sounds like a good program. Tribes with alcohol problems, give it a try!

For more on the subject, see Drunken Indians.

Below:  "Don Coyhis is the founder of local nonprofit White Bison. He won a $100,00 national award for social innovation." (Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)

Love Medicine chosen as Big Read

Corning's Big Read program encourages literacy, learning about Native American culture

By Jeff MurrayResidents in the Corning area will have an opportunity over the next several weeks to get a taste of Native American culture and be encouraged to read.

It's all part of "The Big Read--Love Medicine," which kicked off Sunday at the Corning skating rink.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to revitalize the role of reading in popular culture.

Each year, the NEA selects novels as the focus of The Big Read, and this year's book is "Love Medicine" by Louise Erdrich, the story of two Native American families living in North Dakota during the 20th century.Comment:  Some people think Love Medicine is one of the best Native books ever. I thought it was good but not great. I give it a 7.5 of 10.

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

Legal briefs filed against Redskins

Redskins litigants win support from psychologists, justice advocates

By Rob CapricciosoNative American plaintiffs suing to end the trademark of the controversial Redskins National Football League team have gained new support from legal experts, social justice advocates and child psychologists.

One notable amicus brief to the plaintiffs’ September U.S. Supreme Court petition was filed in mid-October by a group of renowned researchers in the social sciences fields, including experts in the areas of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination.

Based on scholarly evidence, the experts told the court there is “extensive and pervasive” public harm caused by the continued use of Indian mascots in professional sports.

“Social science research shows that the use of ethnic slurs like ‘redskin’ perpetuates harmful stereotypes and leads to discrimination,” the authors of the brief wrote.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Debating Chief Zee and Limbaugh:  Indians = "Redskins," "Clowns."

Falmouth language summit (Day 1)

I'm here in my hotel room at the Radisson Fort McDowell. It's a nice hotel; it appears to deserve the diamonds it's won.

I had a good trip--no delays or missed connections. The highlight was getting a shuttle van a minute after exiting the airport with my luggage.

I had a nice chat with the van driver and passengers about Indian gaming in Arizona. The consensus among these average citizens was that casinos are okay on reservations but they shouldn't go off the reservation.

After checking in, I spent three hours taking photos around the hotel, the casino, and a beautiful park in nearby Fountain Hills. This park has little girls feeding ducks, interesting public art, and the former world's tallest fountain (these days it's no better than no. 4). The park is worth a visit if you're passing through Scottsdale.

Some good things about Fort McDowell:

Free wi-fi in your hotel room.

A free on-call shuttle to take you to the golf course or Fountain Hills.

Free local phone calls.

Free Tootsie Rolls for attendees in the conference center's rooms. Someone puts these out the night before, so if you happen to find an unlocked door in the conference center, the Tootsie Rolls are there for the taking. Thanks, Fort McDowell.

At the casino

Fort McDowell's casino is the oldest one in Arizona, I think. It doesn't look shabby or anything, but it does look old-fashioned. You won't find Tiffany decorations, classy restaurants, or sexy nightclubs here.

But I was shocked to find its buffet is open only 11 am to 8 pm. Hello? Hasn't Fort McDowell heard the theory about providing cheap food so people will stay and gamble. I thought it was practically mandatory to have at least one 24-hour dining spot.

Saving grace: The casino has a diner that's open till 9 pm. I made it with five minutes to spare. This place gives free drinks, which is a huge benefit for me. It serves a large pizza that's really a large pizza: 18", extra cheese, and three toppings for only $9.25.

I thought I was going to starve when I found the buffet closed. But after free Tootsie Rolls, free drinks, and the chicken-fried steak special, I could eat only half my pizza. That means cold pizza for breakfast, lunch, or dinner tomorrow.

Next:  The first and only full day of the language summit.

How Sedona's sweat lodges operate

'Sweat lodge' tragedy shines spotlight on ancient ritual

By Scott SeckelPractitioners insist sweat lodges are safe, if led by trained lodge keepers, as they are called. Lodges are highly ritualized in how many rocks are used, how much water is put on them and how often the door is opened as well as many other factors including construction and the number of participants.

"A reputable retreat company would not be conducting the lodge themselves," Preston said. "In our case we use Native American practitioners because they use a format which has been established for centuries."

Lodge keepers who aren't native have "almost always" been trained by Native Americans, Preston said.

It's a complex process. Apprentices can train for one to two years just to tend the fire outside in which the lava rocks are heated.

"If someone came to us and said, 'It's our own thing,' that would be a huge red flag," he said. "There's some art to it ... (Native Americans) know exactly what they're doing, and they don't kill anyone doing it."

No safeguards have been put in place, before or since the three deaths, according to Johanna Mosca of Sedona Spirit Hiking and Yoga. Mosca, who has done more than 50 sweats since 1994, does not have a lodge on her property.

If her clients want to sweat, she calls local practitioners.

"The precaution we put in is knowing the person who is leading the sweat lodge," she said. "I would allow my 90-year old father to attend a sweat lodge.

"I totally trust the people I know in Sedona who are leading lodges as sacred practices. Things go awry when things are led for profit and people are not conscious. I think this was an isolated incident. I hate it that it makes Sedona people look like irresponsible woo-woo jerks."Comment:  Why would we think New Age practitioners are "woo-woo jerks"? Because they teach things such as colonic therapy and dolphin energy healing? Because they misuse Native lore involving crystal skulls and "Mayan signatures"?

For more on the subject, see How James Ray Fleeced His Flock and How Sweat Lodges Can Kill.

Comanches kick Army's butts

Army loses $650K on project at Fort Sill

Comanche Nation successfully argued that Medicine Bluff area is sacred

By Nolan ClayTaxpayers are out almost $650,000 because the U.S. Army scrapped construction of a warehouse here on sacred American Indian land, records show.

The post’s garrison commander last year changed the warehouse location after a federal judge blocked construction on land south of historic Medicine Bluffs. Judge Timothy DeGiusti acted after the Comanche Nation complained a warehouse near the bluffs would "spoil this sacred site for practitioners of Comanche traditional spiritual beliefs.”

The judge said post officials "turned a deaf ear to warnings” about the site. The judge agreed the area is a sacred site and said "an unobstructed view of all four bluffs is central to the spiritual experience of the Comanche people.”

Last month, U.S. attorneys reported the government paid $421,277 to the Florida construction company that had started work on the Training Support Center warehouse at the original site. The contract with that company was terminated last year.

The government also paid $227,702 in design costs involved in changing the location of the warehouse, officials disclosed in legal papers.Comment:  Just as they did in the old days, Comanches kicked the Army's butts again.

Finally, Indians won a case about protecting a sacred site. This should happen often, but it doesn't.

It's hilarious how the Army said the site near Medicine Bluffs was the only possible one for its warehouse. When the judge ruled against the Army, it inevitably found another site that was just as good.

For more on the subject, see Fort Sill Backs Off and "War" Threatens Medicine Bluffs.

Off to speak in Scottsdale

I'll be in Fort McDowell in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sunday through Tuesday. The reason: to speak at the Falmouth Institute's Native Language Preservation Summit:Language plays an integral part of a tribe’s culture and history. In order to maintain the cultural richness for generations, tribes are searching for ways to preserve or revive their languages. Join the Falmouth Institute for our second annual Native American Language Preservation Summit, where you’ll have an opportunity to explore new ideas and share your own best practices with others.

This deeply important gathering of language experts, language preservation activists and language instructors will inspire and motivate you and your tribe in your journey to keep your language alive. Falmouth’s workshop presenters and keynote speaker will prepare you for your future initiatives and help you add to your existing programs. Move forward with information on the most recent funding sources, the latest technological tools available, principles for engaging the youth of your tribe, mentor/apprentice programs and best practices for addressing challenges in the field of language preservation.Specifically on these topics:Instilling Language Ownership in Today’s Youth

While it’s clear to most adult tribal members that language preservation is very important in maintaining and protecting American Indian cultures, younger learners of heritage languages may not feel this same sense of urgency. How can tribes instill a sense of responsibility in young language learners without overwhelming them?

New Technologies in Language Preservation in the Digital Age

It’s important to take advantage of the latest technological tools that can help with the project of language preservation. Podcasts, wikis and computer programs can facilitate language learning in exciting new ways and reach a broader audience.As usual, reports and pictures to follow. For more on the subject, see my Pictographs blog.

Adopted Caucasian = Alaska Native?

Educator Debbie Reese helps expose another dubious "Native" author:

Who is John Smelcer (author of THE TRAP and THE GREAT DEATH)John Smelcer, author of The Trap, has a new young adult novel out (The Great Death). Many believe he is a good writer. That may be the case, but, I find his claims to Native identity troubling.An article in the Anchorage Daily News (5/3/94) tells Smelcer's story. It's titled "UAA Finds Professor Isn't Native. University Reviewing Records." Reese quotes from it and adds her own comments in brackets.John Smelcer was adopted by a Native man named Charlie Smelcer, who said "He's a blond, blue-eyed Caucasian just like anyone else is."

Smelcer was hired the previous year by the University of Alaska Anchorage in their effort to increase the ethnic diversity among its faculty. Administrators at the university were under the impression he was Native.

In a letter sent to UAA prior to his hire, he said he was "affiliated with Ahtna" and referred to his "Native American Indian heritage." [Ahtna is Ahtna, Inc., which is, quoting from the website, "one of 13 Alaska Native Regional Corporations" and is comprised of eight villages, all of which are federally recognized tribes.]

"I was very careful with the dictionary, finding that word 'affiliated,'" he said, "After all, I was an English major." [Very careful? Why? And "after all"??? He seems to, rather boldly, proclaim that he had to be careful with his word choice. Why?]

Smelcer also said he knew his letter would leave the impression that he was an Alaska Native by birth. [He knew the ramifications of presenting his identity the way he did. ... That's disingenuous.] He said he considered himself a Native even though his parents were not. "My entire life has been surrounded by my Alaska Native family," he said.

But in a telephone interview from Juneau, Charlie Smelcer flatly denied that description. The senior Smelcer, a retired Army officer, said that, "in no way, shape or form" was John Smelcer raised in a Native environment.

"He was a middle-class kid who grew up around a military environment, with cars and television and everything else like that," Smelcer said. "If he's used my Native heritage for his personal or professional gain, then that's wrong."(Excerpted from Debbie Reese's American Indians in Children's Literature, 10/20/09.)

Comment:  I suppose I could say I'm "affiliated" with Pechanga. But I'd never claim to have a Native heritage. I'd say what Smelcer should've said. "I've met, studied, interacted with Natives for two decades. I think I understand their issues, even though I'm not Native myself."

For more on the subject, see "Actual Indian" Defined.

Stereotypes in Leigh Ann's Civil War

Educator Debbie Reese writes about another fatally flawed children's book:

Ann Rinaldi's LEIGH ANN'S CIVIL WARThe protagonist is Leigh Ann, a girl living in Georgia on a plantation. She is the youngest of four children. Her sister is named Viola and she has two older brothers, Teddy, and Louis. They all live with their father (Pa) who is going mad.

I think the reviewer at Kirkus (their reviews are unsigned) is dead-on:

“Veteran Rinaldi spins a tale that combines low melodrama, cringeworthy faux-Indian mysticism, a back story only the author could possibly understand, a saccharine depiction of slavery, two pregnancies of convenience and only a passing regard for historical accuracy for a nearly 300 page slog that seems to have enjoyed zero editorial intervention.”Some quotes from the book...first, from Leigh Ann's point of view:I couldn’t lie to Louis. With his Indian powers he saw through lies.Pa on the Yankees:“They want the Southern lands,” he shouted. “First the Indians wanted it and now the Northerners. I’d rather give it all back to the Indians, though they didn’t have the courage to fight for it but let the white man take it from them!”Pa to Leigh Ann:“Don’t worry your pretty little head about Louis,” he soothed. “He acts like that because he’s part Indian.”Louis:“Come on Leigh Ann, before I come over there and scalp you.”

“I have the gift of hoodoo because I am half Indian. Do you want to know about it?”Louis to Leigh Ann about a medallion:“I’d like to see anybody try to take it away from you. I’ve got these special Indian powers, remember. I can do some bad things with smoke and prayers.”Louis much later with his wife:Louis’s face had about it that Indian mask that you could not read. It was a long enough moment for him to contact his inner spirit.”(Excerpted from Debbie Reese's American Indians in Children's Literature, 10/19/09.)

Comment:  This isn't just faux-Indian mysticism. It's a whole set of stereotypes, both mystical and mundane.

Rinaldi could say she was just writing what people thought at the time. Pa apparently grew up with the Cherokee in Georgia and had children with one of them. Because he had personal contact with Indians, he'd talk about them more realistically. And he'd teach his children more than stereotypes about "hoodoo" and magical powers.

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

Debating Chief Zee

I received a semi-coherent e-mail from someone named "T." defending Chief Zee, the Washington Redskins' mascot. Here are his key points and my responses:Does Kansas City have laws referring to 'Hate Crimes'?Why do you ask? Chief Zee is the mascot of the Washington Redskins, not the Kansas City Chiefs.

It would be a stretch to call a mascot a "hate crime." First, it usually isn't a crime. Second, most people don't hate Indians overtly. They're usually just stupid and ignorant, as racists tend to be.

Of course, the name "Redskins" violates the US Trademark Office's ban against offensive names. In that sense, it's a crime or at least a legal violation. A judge who understood language and the law would invalidate the trademark on that basis.[A]t age 68... disrespect to elders, in reference to his age, being unacceptable.The main thing I criticized was the idea of Chief Zee's being a mascot. I also criticized his not being an Indian and his wearing a stereotypical Plains chief headdress. His age is a minor issue compared to these.

But if you want to discuss it, okay. Respected Native elders generally don't ride around on scooters and exhort people to shout epithets against Indians. Epithets such as the ethnic slur "Redskins." You are aware that most Indians consider this word an insult, aren't you?I assure you Chief Zee doesn't want your Pity!Good, because I didn't give him any pity.He wants respect, justice & appreciation for all he's given, his support, & his tradition To All Peoples of our Nation!Many Indians don't consider mascots supportive or respectful. If they say Chief Zee is offensive and unacceptable, then I'd say he is too. Who are you to say otherwise--to tell them they're wrong?

Chief Zee doesn't discriminate?!There is no discrimination in his intent, his actions, or title.Are you serious? Chief Zee is stereotyping only one ethnic group, not all ethnic groups. Until he parades around as a Zulu warrior, a Mexican bandito, or a Chinese coolie, he certainly is discriminating. Stereotyping one race and one race only is discrimination by definition. It discriminates between one race and the others.

As for his intent, apparently you're unaware of the research proving that many people are racist on a subconscious or unconscious level. They don't realize they're acting in racist ways but they do it anyway.

More to the point, who cares? I'm judging Zee's stereotypical actions by their effect, not their intent. In case you're ignorant of the voluminous evidence against mascots, read Team Names and Mascots and The Harm of Native Stereotyping: Facts and Evidence. Educate yourself so I don't have to.Yet he has suffered well beyond reason, due to IN-justice of the system!Poor guy. Let's retire him and any other "Redskins" mascot permanently. That should satisfy everyone, right?

Below:  Pop quiz for "T.": Match the Washington Redskins' mascot (below) to the race or ethnic group he's stereotyping.

Chief Zee



a) Indians (e.g., Sherman Alexie or Adam Beach)









b) Blacks



c) Latinos



d) Asians



e) All of the above.

Unless your answer is e), Chief Zee is a discriminatory, racist stereotype of Indians only. Duhhh.

New Age hucksters include Nemenhah Band

Is there recourse if your healer doesn't balance your chakras?

By Tim Steller“Tucson is quite a spiritual mecca,” said Nancy Newton, who opened A Wild Purple Ranch and Retreat on the Northwest Side last year. “When I got to Tucson (in 2001), I knew it was going to be a place for me to become spiritual.”

On the Web site of Newton's ranch, she spells out her qualifications in more direct words: "Nancy Newton is an adopted medicine woman of the Nemenhah Tribe."

The Nemenhah band, as leader Philip "Cloudpiler" Landis calls it, is not a federally recognized tribe. Rather, Landis said, it is a branch of a Native American church. Using that status, Landis offers "spiritual adoption" in exchange for a donation.

Through this adoption process, he explained, the adoptee can become a medicine man or woman and be protected by the Native American Freedom of Expression and Religion Act, or NAFERA. As part of the adoption, the Nemenhah Web site says, the adoptee takes part in a "Sacred Giveaway" in which they make an "offering" of $250 at the outset, and $100 per year thereafter.

But some question the legitimacy of Landis, the Nemenhah and the titles he bestows, which also include "principal stone carrier." One critic is Al Carroll, who operates the Web site newagefraud.com.

Asked whether being a Nemenhah medicine woman would protect a person under the act, Carroll wrote: "No. I doubt any lawyer would argue that either. Legally, Indian is a legal term that only applies to those enrolled in a federally recognized tribe."Comment:  Previously we discussed the Nemenhah Band when it tried to shield a boy who needed cancer treatment. We learned how fraudulent it is then. As far as I know, no one who isn't a (paid) member has supported the "band's" legitimacy.

Unlike James Ray, Nancy Newton probably hasn't killed anyone yet. But her New Age practice sounds much more "Native" than Ray's. She's claiming to be a genuine medicine woman based on the Nemenhah's phony adoption process.

For more on the subject, see Due Diligence on Nemenhah Band and Phony "Band" Sells Healing.

Tundra-based skincare products

Alaska Native sisters launch a skincare line that features the bounty of the tundraThe tundra of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta is studded with botanical gifts: plump, dark crowberries, hot-pink fireweed, wormwood plants and blackberries found in the region have all been used for kitchen-made balms and salves by the Native people who have inhabited the area for thousands of years.

Now, three sisters from Bethel are launching a high-end skincare line that features the tundra's bounty. Triplets Michelle, Cika and Amy Sparck plan to take the antioxidant-rich raw botanicals of Arctic Alaska to boutiques across the country, and in doing so, start what they hope will be a new, green gathering economy in Western Alaska. They held a party for their Arxotica line on Friday, Oct. 23 in Anchorage.

Their debut product is an anti-aging facial serum called Quyunglii, which means "the potent one" in the Cu'pik language. It's made with tundra crowberries, fireweed, Arctic sage (the Cu'pik name for that translates to "nothing bad about it") and is fortified with Alaskan glacier water and omega oil from salmon. They expect it to wholesale for more than $170 per ounce.Comment:  For more on related products, see Native-Themed Spas.

Breaking Wind airs on college football

The Breaking Wind blows into a prime time spot

By Babette HerrmannThe Breaking Wind, an unsigned teen band from Caledonia, Ontario, Canada breezed right into prime time when ESPN and ABC played a portion of their song “Dear Mr. Murphy” for an on-air teaser, prior to the kick off of Saturday Night Football, Michigan vs. Iowa Oct. 10.

Lead vocalist and guitarist, Marty Isaacs, 17, described hearing the song for the first time during the pre-game spot as “surreal.” Isaacs composed and arranged the song for their debut, self-titled album released in June.

“‘Dear Mr. Murphy’ could work a lot with different action shots,” he said. “It works perfect for football because there’s a lot of tackling, and lots of hard hits in the song and different rhythms.”Comment:  The article adds that "Johnson and Isaacs are enrolled members of the Six Nations Reserve."

Below:  "The Breaking Wind recently had its music featured on ESPN and ABC Oct. 10. The band consists of, from left, Ryan Johnson, bassist and back-up vocals; Marty Issacs, lead vocals and guitar; and Ryan Mickeloff, drums."

How James Ray fleeced his flock

More details on how James Arthur Ray, the sweat lodge killer, fleeced his gullible New Age clients:

From transcendence to terror:  Self-help millionaire has loyal flock, some cynics

By Tanya MannesRay, 51, got his start at AT&T as a telemarketer. Eventually promoted to the company's internal training operation, he worked with Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”

Ray began organizing his own seminars in the early 1990s, and his popularity soared after he appeared in “The Secret,” an instructional film and book by Rhonda Byrne that has sold more than 10 million copies and DVDs since 2006. Its message: You can obtain your goals through positive thinking and visualization.A telemarketer...that's perfect. I guess the time-share market dried up so he went into the self-help business instead:Not everyone is happy with Ray's self-help techniques. The Better Business Bureau of San Diego County has received seven complaints, all from people who unsuccessfully sought refunds, said BBB President and Chief Executive Sheryl Bilbrey.

Donna Fleming, 60, was one who complained. Fleming also filed a small-claims lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court, but a judge ruled that she wasn't entitled to a refund.

Fleming, a Topanga resident who owns a business that sells recycled office supplies, said she paid $6,000 to attend James Ray seminars.

During a May 2008 seminar at Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, Fleming said about 175 people were instructed to don thrift-shop clothing and mess up their hair to appear homeless. A bus dropped them off in downtown San Diego with no money, IDs or phones.

Fleming said she didn't feel safe in the rough neighborhood they wandered in for about four hours.

“We were told not to associate with one another,” Fleming said. “We were told that we're warriors, surviving out there and living by our wits.”Putting his telemarketing skills to use:Several people who attended events with Ray describe aggressive sales pitches.

Doris Peterson, 44, who owns a Tucson business selling workout videos, said she went to a talk by Ray this year after seeing him in “The Secret.”

“He had this great music, and I liked the energy in the beginning,” Peterson said of the Tucson event. “He seemed cool at first, but then he immediately wanted us to fill out this order form without even knowing how much it cost.”

Peterson said she and others refused to sign up for the retreat Ray was selling, which cost $2,000.

“If you didn't want to go, (he said) something was obviously wrong with you, and you didn't want to better your life,” she said.

Just like some participants at the sweat lodge seminar Oct. 8, Melissa Baldwin, 32, described feeling trapped while attending a 2007 seminar in San Francisco. Baldwin, a Las Vegas massage therapist, said the seminar began at 7:30 a.m. and ended past midnight and that people felt they couldn't leave until they had paid for more seminars.

“They made you feel guilty at getting up and walking out,” she said.Comment:  I like the bit about the people who pay $60,000 a year to join Ray's "inner circle." The lesson they learn is that "there is more to life than money." Hello, you stupid twits? Give your money to me or to any reputable charity and you'll learn that money isn't everything. That's because you won't have any money...dub.

These people are "high achievers"? I'd love to see exactly what they've achieved. They spend a fortune to learn what the average child learns in grade school, when mommy and daddy won't buy him everything he wants.

For more on the subject, see Sweat Lodge Tragedy Shows American Values and Oprah Promoted Sweat Lodge Killer.

East Germany's Indian films

Like the West Germans, the East Germans also made films about the Indians they loved:

The Sons of Great BearThe imperative to put butts into theater seats is apparently one that has been shared by film industries throughout the world, regardless of what political system they operated under. And whether those butts were capitalist or communist seems to have made little difference. Thus it was, in 1966, that East Germany’s state run DEFA studio decided to try their hand at what had been widely considered an exclusively American genre, the Western, in an attempt to entice those audiences who had been staying away from their usual, more dryly ideological fare in droves with more thrilling, action-oriented entertainments

Of course, DEFA had no intention of aping Hollywood’s approach to that genre, and would ultimately put their own, distinctive spin on it. Going a long way toward achieving that was their decision to tell their film’s story from the point of view of its Native American characters, with whites settlers serving as the villains, a conceit that would also provide a convenient platform for critiques of American imperialism and greed.And:DEFA saw their own first venture into the Western genre—or Indianerfilm—as a response to, rather than an emulation of, the Winnetou films, and were determined to outshine their West German counterparts in terms of the historical accuracy and authenticity of their product. To this end, they chose as their source material The Sons of Great Bear, a young person’s novel written by East German author and historian Liselotte Welskopf Henrich that was at the time considered to be scrupulous in its depiction of Native American life and customs. Veteran Czech director Josef Mach was invited to take the reins of the picture and, to star as its hero, the fearless and incorruptible Sioux warrior Tokei-Ihto, a chance was taken on an unknown young Yugoslavian actor named Gojko Mitic.DEFA Film Library CatalogApaches
Original Title: Apachen
East Germany, 1973, 94 min., color
Director: Gottfried Kolditz

Based on original documents from the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), this film tells the story of a young warrior Ulzana who is out to avenge the extermination of his tribe, which was led by American geologist Johnson. Apaches is one of the classic Indianerfilme produced by DEFA between 1966 and 1985.

Chingachgook, the Great Snake
Original Title: Chingachgook, die grosse Schlange
East Germany, 1967, 86 min., color
Director: Richard Groschopp

An adaptation of The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper. French colonists and Hurons are fighting against English troops and their allies, the Delaware. Only Chingachgook, a young Delaware, and his fair-skinned friend Deerslayer realize that the colonizers intend to exterminate the Native Americans altogether.

Sons of Great Bear, The
Original Title: Die Soehne der grossen Baerin
East Germany, 1966, 93 min., color
Director: Josef Mach

Gojko Mitic stars in this, his very first Indianerfilm, as the fearless chief Tokei-ihto, whose Dakota tribe is being driven from the land of their ancestors. Based on the carefully researched Western fiction of Liselotte Welskopt-Henrich, East Germany's answer to Karl May.Comment:  For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

"Savage" isn't a negative word?!

My two cents worth--Recorder Herald, Salmon, IdahoDear Editor:

I'd like to put in my own "two cents" on Ms. Ungaretti's column in last week's The Recorder Herald.

She advocates the return of the portrait of a Native American as the "emblem" of the Salmon Savages, and insists that the word "savage" has no negative connotations, merely meaning "not domesticated or under human control, untamed."

Ms. Ungaretti, if it's inconvenient for you to wrestle with a heavy old dictionary when you're right in the middle of a biased rant, just go to www.dictionary.com.

Read carefully and you'll find that your definition of "untamed" refers to the use of the word when describing animals.

Since even you would be forced to admit, if you were cornered on it, that Native Americans are human beings, you'll see that the word means "uncivilized, fierce, brutal, cruel, unpolished, rude, boorish," etc., when describing people.

You probably have a thicker hide than I do, Ms. Ungaretti, but personally I feel a little insulted when foreigners use these terms to describe my people, the oft-misunderstood American race.

Peter McNevin
LemhiThe same page helpfully provides Dictionary.com's definitions:Dictionary.com :: [Definition of sav-age ] Show Spelled Pronunciation [sav-ij] Show IPA adjective, noun, verb, -aged, -ag-ing. Use savage in a Sentence –adjective 1. fierce, ferocious, or cruel; untamed: savage beasts. 2. uncivilized; barbarous: savage tribes. 3. enraged or furiously angry, as a person. 4. unpolished; rude: savage manners. 5. wild or rugged, as country or scenery: savage wilderness. 6. Archaic. uncultivated; growing wild. –noun 7. an uncivilized human being. 8. a fierce, brutal, or cruel person. 9. a rude, boorish person. 10. a member of a preliterate society. –verb (used with object) 11. to assault and maul by biting, rending, goring, etc.; tear at or mutilate: numerous sheep savaged by dogs. 12. to attack or criticize thoroughly or remorselessly; excoriate: a play savaged by the critics. Origin: 1250–1300; ME savage, sauvage (adj.) < MF sauvage, salvage < ML salvāticus, for L silvāticus, equiv. to silv(a) woods + -āticus adj. suffix Related forms: sav-age-ly, adverb sav-age-ness, noun Synonyms: 1. wild, feral, fell; bloodthirsty. See cruel. 2. wild. 3. infuriated. 5. rough, uncultivated. 9. churl, oaf. Antonyms: 1. mild. 2, 4. cultured. 5. cultivated.Comment:  Ungaretti is almost literally 100% wrong. Every definition has negative connotations except maybe no. 5--and that's only because it refers to land, not people. Oops.

The stupidity of people trying to justify their stupid stereotypes never ceases to amaze me.

Judging by another posting, the Salmon Savages have gone a decade without their Indian mascot. Has the school lost its accreditation or crumbled into dust? Have the students dropped out, turned to drugs, or committed suicide? Has eliminating the mascot has caused any tangible harm whatsoever?

For more on the subject, see Team Names and Mascots.

Below:  Naturally, Salmon's mascot was a stereotypical Indian chief from outside the region.

Mounties investigate Cowichan protesters

Native knitters investigated, B.C. MLA saysOn a day when Vancouver's police chief insisted his officers would not act with a heavy hand against Olympic protesters, B.C.'s solicitor general was having to field questions about how heavily Olympic security personnel have dealt with a group of First Nations knitters.

A group of women knitters in the Cowichan First Nation on southern Vancouver Island had announced they planned a protest next week against VANOC for allegedly appropriating their classic native sweater designs.

The knitters had planned to wear their sweaters in protest and line a route to be taken by Olympic torchbearers next week. The plan reportedly caught the attention of authorities and was investigated by the RCMP.

"We have learned that the RCMP have been investigating people organizing this show of sweaters," B.C. NDP MLA Bill Routley told the legislature Thursday, and demanded to know if the solicitor general knew about it.

"Are you really believing that you're going to protect the Olympic runners by investigating knitters?" Routley asked.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Hudson Bay Company Invented Cowichan Sweaters?! and Cowichan Tribes Won't Make Cowichan Sweaters.

Below:  "Cowichan native knitters were upset when they saw the sweater design worn by the woman in this photo." (CBC)

Jana the museum ambassador

Jana will be Goodwill Ambassador for TIMOTCADuring her performance she introduced the co-founders of The International Museum of 21st Century Arts, (TIMOTCA) Ed Solomon and Maryann Del Pizzo and announced her acceptance as Goodwill Ambassador for TIMOTCA, offering her support for its American Indian Founding Circle of Angels Membership Campaign.

Adding her name to TIMOTCA’s Goodwill Ambassadors, including former artist, actor and activist, Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman and Emmy award-winning actress Shohreh Aghdashloo, Jana hopes to raise awareness and increase membership in TIMOTCA’s American Indian Circle of Angels.

The museum is an international nonprofit corporation founded in 1980 to foster peace and cultural understanding through the Universal Language of Art and to establish the world’s first global cultural center representing the visual and performing arts of some 300 countries and cultures of the world.Comment:  I assume belonging to the Circle of Angels means you give money to the museum.

For more on Jana, see The 2009 NAMMY Winners and Jana Reborn as R&B Singer.

Medicine man ends Talladega curse

Creek medicine man lifts "curse" from Talladega Superspeedway

By Doug DemmonsMany, many years ago President Andrew Jackson forced the Creek Indians who lived around Talladega to give up their land and relocate to the west. The Indian removal policy was a shameful episode of American history that included the infamous Trail of Tears.

There is a legend that as the Creek were leaving the valley the tribe's medicine man looked back on their home one last time and placed a curse upon it.

Fast forward more than 100 years to the time when Talladega Superspeedway was built in 1969. Over the 40 years since then various calamaties have befallen various drivers at the track and an urban legend arose that the cause was the curse placed on the land.

On Thursday, officials at Talladega Superspeedway decided to do something about it.

They brought in Robert Thrower, a medicine man from the Poarch Creek band who lives in Atmore. Thrower, who is also an ordained Southern Baptist minister, performed a ceremony at the start-finish line at the speedway to "restore balance" to the land.

"Think Indian" college campaign

Encouraging America to 'Think Indian'

By Rob CapricciosoThe campaign, which has print, video and online components, is partially aimed at getting mainstream America to understand unique educational opportunities and choices available to Native Americans at tribal colleges. Another element is getting people to donate to the colleges.

The campaign features several tribal college students amid vibrant images of their area of study. In hers, Two Bears appears beside bright re-creations of plant life and a small vignette about her tribal college experiences. Above her picture appear the words, “To think Indian is to save a plant that can save a people.”

AICF, a nonprofit based in Denver, has developed several similar print and television spots featuring tribal college students from across the nation. Its officials started the “Think Indian” campaign earlier this year in an effort to share how the unique cultural thinking of American Indians is being preserved at tribal colleges. At the same time, the campaign illustrates how the cultural landscape of tribal colleges is used by students to solve modern-day problems.How Think Indian Was BornThe Think Indian public service advertisement campaign is the next chapter of the American Indian College Fund's story. Rooted in the stories of real students at our tribal colleges, the campaign shares how the unique cultural thinking of American Indians is being preserved at tribal colleges, and that inner cultural landscape is being used to solve modern-day problems for all people.

Tribal college students are combining Native cultural knowledge with modern business, science, and other studies to come up with solutions for modern diseases, preserving modern habitat, develop sustainable businesses and cities, and implement sustainable agricultural practices on this planet—and in space. Our students have the responsibility to preserve the Indian way of thinking for the next generations to solve age-old and modern problems. It is not only our students that benefit when you make a donation to the American Indian College Fund—the entire world is a better place thanks to Indian education.Comment:  You can see all the print ads here:

Think Indian Print



My instant review of this campaign:

I love the "Think Indian" message. Naturally, since that's what I'm talking about when I promote a multicultural perspective. Don't look at problems only through American's dominant cowboy mentality. Consider the viewpoint of other cultures, especially indigenous cultures, as well.

"Think Indian" is a great slogan not only for the American Indian College Fund, but for any organization that promotes Native cultures and values. I'd love to see people adopt this slogan in general. For instance, Obama could use it as his theme when he speaks to tribal leaders at the Nov. 5 summit.

On the other hand...

But the black and white and pastel color scheme doesn't do anything for me. Perhaps the agency was trying to make the ads look "cool" or avoid Indian clichés, but this is one case where earth tones would work better.

And I'd say the "To think Indian is to..." taglines just miss the mark. They give an impression of the student's studies, but not a clear idea. Even when you enlarge the ads and look at them carefully, you can't quite figure out what the student is doing. Only by reading the website's explanations for the ads--which aren't part of the ads themselves--do you truly get it.

Take "To think Indian is to grow radishes on the moon." Is that a scientific, cultural, or artistic project? Is it a metaphor for something, or does the student actually plan to grow radishes on the moon?

The claim is so specific that it sounds suspicious. Is this one of those wasteful projects that Congress is always denouncing, like studying why people sneeze? What's next after growing radishes on the moon...growing red tomatoes on Mars? Iceberg lettuce on Pluto? Sunflowers on the sun?

I would've made the text more soaring and less specific. For instance:

To think Indian is to use earthly farming techniques on the moon.

To think Indian is to use ancient farming techniques in the Space Age.

To think Indian is to seed the stars with traditional farming techniques.

This takes up more space than "grow radishes on the moon," but it suggests the relevance of Native values better. The student isn't just hoping to grow radishes on the moon, he's hoping to seed the stars. To me, this sweeping statement is more impressive. It tells readers more about why they should support Native values and the students who share them.

To sum it up, the ad campaign is a great idea, but the execution seems a little shaky. Let me know if you need more unsolicited advice, ad agencies!

For another ad campaign involving Indians, see Values.com's Jim Thorpe Billboard.