4 Years Ago
“What we’re doing up here tonight folks we’re not white bashing. This is just a little spiritual spanking you should’ve gotten 500 years ago.” Charlie Hill
“You talk to these white people like they’re dogs.” Richard Prior to Charlie Hill when he began his career.
Courtesy of- Laugh Out Loud Flix
The title was “When Articles Irk You.”
In my Archives today was a post done 4 years ago. It was based on an article that was unfortunately National Geographic. It was an article chastising an Indigenous Man for using Eagle parts for traditional regalia. It was terribly generalizing and under contextualized. I was not soft about it because of the audacity of it’s composition considering everything historically and what colonization led to. It went like this:
So I opened up my usual National Geographic newsletter which typically I respect what they do. Who doesn’t? However today this article it’s ignorant snubbing really pissed me off to be frank about it. I’ll tell you why, first of all as mentioned in the article the Department of Justice will indict one guy doing wrong for using eagle parts for TRADITIONAL Indigenous regalia BUT won’t indict predators that either come onto the reservations or are tribal members that unfortunately Rape, Sex Traffic, or Murder Indigenous youths or Women. They typically won’t even look at the cases, they are shoved under the pile. Don’t get me started on those which operate or are apart of the criminal activity sucking the reservations or reserves and the people dry. No, sacred animals should not be killed for Indigenous Regalia or at all, HOWEVER we have a problem in this country that human life isn’t as important as animal. I think it’s a sad commentary on the attitudes and disregard for Indigenous people Women especially. I don’t know who this idiot is that wrote that article but it is insulting really. 1st of all they need to learn pronouns, 2ndly maybe they should write an article about Missing, Murdered, Sex Trafficked, and Raped Indigenous Youths and Women, how those cases aren’t prosecuted nor acknowledged at all. How Indigenous Girls and Women are 2.5 times more likely (recent studies show 10 times the national average) to be victimized by Violence Against Women before they sit in their privileged judgement. Maybe they should stop and think WHY one might resort to illegal trading on the black market of feathers.. it’s called poverty and traditionalism. Maybe someone should offer an alternative instead of grouping us all in together as if we all commit crimes. Often these smaller crimes are out of survival of both culture and selves. Maybe they should be writing MORE articles like this, about how Indigenous as a whole are preyed upon not just First Nations, how human life is just as important as 4 leggeds.
Courtesy of- High Country News
I had to say it. In closing, I’ll tell you what this problem article reflected of our people to the world, that we are money grubbing thieving, the lowly living stereotype that has always plagued our peoples since colonization. Fact is only 20% of Indigenous peoples even live on the reservation. What about all the Men, Women, and Two-Spirit which have bravely served our country in every war? Or those involved in law, Doctors, Engineers, the Arts, Sports, and so on? Where are their articles? Why are there few articles about them? In summary, it’s portrayal along with it delivery were in poor taste. All of this also in poor timing given the ongoing DAPL situation. As far as “Native Americans believe X Y Z” first of all other than I felt like I was reading a 7th grader’s report that didn’t do their research, we don’t all look alike, dress alike, or even have the same cultural beliefs. There are hundreds of Indigenous nations out there thousands world wide. There are minimum 500 in the US.
Courtesy of- NACAI Org
The latest research as of 2018 shows 85% of Indigenous Girls and Women have encountered violence of some kind. Of that 85%, 56.1% of us have experienced sexual violence in our lifetime and 48.8% have been textbook stalked.
Courtesy of- Red Eagle
