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July 09, 2002
Getting in touch with my Indian side (redux)
Dropped by The National Forum On People's Differences to see if they had anything on the dead-dead-dead Oriental/Asian debate, ended up finding a link to Indianz.com. For the slower learners among us, that's how they spell it. Nice, informative site presenting a voice that's very deliberately ignored in the mainstream; it's really the sort of thing this whole Internet deal was meant to provide.
Only problem is, when I read something like this:
Chinook Nation denied status after long wait
MONDAY, JULY 8, 2002
The descendants of the first tribe to greet explorers Lewis and Clark to the Pacific Northwest do not deserve federal recognition, Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb announced on Friday.
Despite holding "a deep appreciation" for the Chinook Nation's place in history, McCaleb said the Washington tribe did not prove its existence. Three out of seven mandatory recognition criteria were not met, according to a Bureau of Indian Affairs statement.
I suddenly remember that there's good reason this voice is ignored by the mainstream. People can handle the idea that Bad Things were done by Some People to Some Other People a zillion years ago, but pointing out that the Fucking White Oppressor is still alive and kicking around the usual suspects ain't going to win you any popularity contests.
Luckily, I never wanted to win the damn things anyway.
"tribe did not prove its existence". How Zen.
While we're on the subject in a vague sort of way, Sherman Alexie's new film The Business of Fancydancing will make it to Chicago on August 3rd, as part of the Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival. Old boy also has an essay in TIME this week.
It's about Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea. This hardly puts the lie to my earlier statement about unheard voices. Unless you place equal weight on events of 200 years ago and things happening today.
Posted by Aaron at July 9, 2002 09:41 PM
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Comments
Talk about disenfranchised. The Chinook Nation just got screwed because another tribe (which happens to be federally recognized) brought the political thunder down on them.
Its funny how under one political environment they are federally recognized, but when the wind changed suddently they are only 4/7s, like the other 3/7s of them is invisible now.
For those of you who just tuned in this is what happens when there is no consistant policy for ensuring tribal recognition and treaty rights. "Our" federal leadership has been basically winging it the whole time.
Remember, the Constitution says an Indian doesn't count as a person unless they pay taxes. In practice paying taxes still doesn't do much.
Posted by: Uppity-Spencer at July 10, 2002 09:31 AM
lmfao@ a zillion years ago. My clan brohter just died this spring and he could remember the Indian Wars. His dad was in the Civil war as a scout for MN peacekeepers looking for run away Rebs.
Apparently a million years ago is when we were all slaves and hoes. Whiteness likes to put things in the way back machine that are grampaz stories to ther rest of us.
Posted by: upppity-shinob at July 10, 2002 09:45 AM
Yeah, it's like the looks you get when you mention that one of the WPA projects was collecting interviews with former slaves. You can almost see people doing the math in their heads, and arriving at "Oh fuck."
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/wpahome.html
Welcome to the site, by the way. You live in MN?
Posted by: Aaron at July 10, 2002 11:18 AM
First, pardon my minor dyslexia....
Yup, I live in the M-to the -N... I'm about to head out though and move to Ontario and work at an indigenouse health camp.
The constitution, by design (itself only a couple hudnred years old ) specifically mentioned Indians in it's orginal form. Incidently, no one would trade with the US after the REvolution and the Native tribes were the firs tto recognize the US as a power.
Anothrr minor historical footnote: a couple of dozen black slaves were left in the US down by Louisian in the 1500s. they came back in the 1600s and found a thriving settlement of black-indians, indians, and blacks in the same area.
Blacks and Indians did it all first. Fuck Jamestown.
Posted by: uppity-shinob at July 10, 2002 02:31 PM