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LordDirk
Just yesterday I was writing my newest string quartet, which is a vent piece of all the anger built up from being continuously stereotyped and ridiculed. Even as I post this vent pic I got, I am absolutely certain that I will get more of the same comments. I think there's something to this that people have not gotten. When I walk around and see all the stereotypical imagery, it actually does make me feel awful, because people don't see me as I am, they see the stereotypical "reservation royalty" costume they see at the store. People legitimately think we are the stereotypes they see. But worst of all: people do not and choose to not understand just how bad the word "redskin" is. It's not just a mascot. That word is the exact term that was used by the US government when they paid people for each one of us they killed. That was only the beginning, then were the reservations, which they put us on, with the idea that we would eventually die off in them, which we didn't because we are so resilient. Then were the Christian boarding schools, which pretty much everyone who is Native knows many people who went through the nightmare boarding school experience. The fact of the matter is, I can't choose not to be hurt by that word. Every time I hear that word I cringe, it brings back traumatic images I can't unsee, of the mass graves, and all the tortured children of my grandfather's generation. To defend that word is to pour salt on deep wounds we have been trying desperately to heal from. I wish I could just not be offended by it. I wish I could just turn that part of me off, but I can't; and after all we've had to deal with and STILL have to deal with, like land rights disputes and poverty, how can people still think that we're too sensitive?
Yet no matter how sincere I try to be, I still get all the excuses: "We're honoring you" "Get Over it" "You're too sensitive". Why isn't it enough when we say it? Why instead do people choose to say "I don't think it's offensive" "I know Natives who don't think it's offensive". Those few Natives who don't are either not familiar with the history, don't understand its effects on society's view of us, or got some perks (See Navajo President and Red Mesa school). I hate that I even have to explain this when an even larger majority of Natives in fact are against the word. I don't know any family or Native friends who are in favor of the word.
When me and my sister were little, I remember my sister came home really sad because someone asked her if she could "rain dance". It was seemingly harmless by the kid who asked her that, but I never forgot how much it hurt my sister to be asked that, and that's what stereotypes do. So many Native children have to go through school dealing with all those stereotypes which do hurt, even when we laugh it off or such. With so many of Native youth suffering depression and suicidal thoughts (I have had both on and off) why does society still insist on subjecting us to this shit?
Well there you have it. I tried to be as sincere as possible. I wish people would just listen for a change. I've heard all the counter arguments already, I've been forced to listen to them all, but people have yet to hear all our feelings about this. Even when people do, rather than trying to be understanding, they're thinking of their rebuttles like it's up for debate. If you are not the target of the racial slur, then how can you say to me how hurtful it is or if it is even hurtful at all to me?
LordDirkJust yesterday I was writing my newest string quartet, which is a vent piece of all the anger built up from being continuously stereotyped and ridiculed. Even as I post this vent pic I got, I am absolutely certain that I will get more of the same comments. I think there's something to this that people have not gotten. When I walk around and see all the stereotypical imagery, it actually does make me feel awful, because people don't see me as I am, they see the stereotypical "reservation royalty" costume they see at the store. People legitimately think we are the stereotypes they see. But worst of all: people do not and choose to not understand just how bad the word "redskin" is. It's not just a mascot. That word is the exact term that was used by the US government when they paid people for each one of us they killed. That was only the beginning, then were the reservations, which they put us on, with the idea that we would eventually die off in them, which we didn't because we are so resilient. Then were the Christian boarding schools, which pretty much everyone who is Native knows many people who went through the nightmare boarding school experience. The fact of the matter is, I can't choose not to be hurt by that word. Every time I hear that word I cringe, it brings back traumatic images I can't unsee, of the mass graves, and all the tortured children of my grandfather's generation. To defend that word is to pour salt on deep wounds we have been trying desperately to heal from. I wish I could just not be offended by it. I wish I could just turn that part of me off, but I can't; and after all we've had to deal with and STILL have to deal with, like land rights disputes and poverty, how can people still think that we're too sensitive?
Yet no matter how sincere I try to be, I still get all the excuses: "We're honoring you" "Get Over it" "You're too sensitive". Why isn't it enough when we say it? Why instead do people choose to say "I don't think it's offensive" "I know Natives who don't think it's offensive". Those few Natives who don't are either not familiar with the history, don't understand its effects on society's view of us, or got some perks (See Navajo President and Red Mesa school). I hate that I even have to explain this when an even larger majority of Natives in fact are against the word. I don't know any family or Native friends who are in favor of the word.
When me and my sister were little, I remember my sister came home really sad because someone asked her if she could "rain dance". It was seemingly harmless by the kid who asked her that, but I never forgot how much it hurt my sister to be asked that, and that's what stereotypes do. So many Native children have to go through school dealing with all those stereotypes which do hurt, even when we laugh it off or such. With so many of Native youth suffering depression and suicidal thoughts (I have had both on and off) why does society still insist on subjecting us to this shit?
Well there you have it. I tried to be as sincere as possible. I wish people would just listen for a change. I've heard all the counter arguments already, I've been forced to listen to them all, but people have yet to hear all our feelings about this. Even when people do, rather than trying to be understanding, they're thinking of their rebuttles like it's up for debate. If you are not the target of the racial slur, then how can you say to me how hurtful it is or if it is even hurtful at all to me?
Category Artwork (Digital) / Portraits
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Although I'm not as in touch with my culture as I would like to be, I know enough to understand this completely. I come from a Northwestern tribe up in Canada (I'm Haida) but if I see something that is racist towards ANY Native tribe, I speak up and try to correct their behavior. Sadly, there are a lot of cases where people jump forward and try to argue why it's not racist like they know better. Like they understand our culture more than we do. They get their friends on it and say "don't say anything if you don't like it" or try to tell us how dumb and sensitive we're being or how it's "just art" but they don't understand. One thing I notice about Native racism is how deeply ingrained it is for it to be okay. I'm not sure how to explain this but I remember watching a video that was like.. "Shit white people say to Natives" or something and I never realized that a lot of the things people have said to me were racist. I knew it was because I was Native but..? It's just brushed aside unlike racism towards other people of different colors. I'm glad lately it has had a little more light on it but it's still the least of people's worries and that's bothersome. I feel like racism in GENERAL should be the focus but I feel like people don't pay much mind to Native racism since.. Well, our past is so well hidden behind the government's ass, to say the least...
One thing I always try to speak up against is how freely the war bonnet is tossed around. Maybe I'm getting worked up "over nothing" but I sincerely feel like something so important to a group of people shouldn't be used as a fashion accessory and I've had countless people (even someone who was Native herself) try to argue why it was okay. It's so tiring because you'd think people would listen if a Native said it was racist but.. apparently not.
I absolutely sympathize with you and I really hope people learn and listen to what we have to say. Keep your chin up.
One thing I always try to speak up against is how freely the war bonnet is tossed around. Maybe I'm getting worked up "over nothing" but I sincerely feel like something so important to a group of people shouldn't be used as a fashion accessory and I've had countless people (even someone who was Native herself) try to argue why it was okay. It's so tiring because you'd think people would listen if a Native said it was racist but.. apparently not.
I absolutely sympathize with you and I really hope people learn and listen to what we have to say. Keep your chin up.
Oh yeah, I've seen all sorts of people on FA inappropriately drawing Haida art. Even though I'm not Northwestern, I sometimes do comment and let them know that that is not appropriate, at which point they without fail, flip their shit, no matter how nice I try to be. It's hard for non-Natives to comprehend why that is inappropriate in our cultures. Ultimately that art belongs to Haida culture and Haida culture decides what is an appropriate place for that style of art, not mainstream American society. As for the war bonnet, I've given people this analogy. The war bonnet is like a medal of honor. You wouldn't put a fake one on not even as a joke, so you shouldn't do it with a war bonnet either. No no, in our cultures those things are inappropriate and that's what mainstream society just arrogantly refuses to accept, since they keep nothing sacred. Thanks so much for your comment. It's really wonderful to know that people who relate are near me.
-Juniper 'Stands Firm'
-Juniper 'Stands Firm'
Goodness....all I can say is I would be mortified if I found out that I'd depicted something so sacred and meaningful--be it a symbol, sign, clothing, ANYTHING representing a group of people--in some way that was inappropriate, and heaven forbid if it was offensive due to my lack of knowledge. I'd just hope that someone like you would be able to politely tell me "hey, such and such isn't correct" and give me tips on how to fix it or show me how to illustrate it appropriately. Why others flip out is beyond me....but I'd say it's because they don't like looking stupid for not ding some simple research. *sigh* humans. Sometimes I just don't know. :/
I'm not native and I did a Formline pic. I had to ask to various artist from NWP to tell me their point of view (none right or wrong, since each one was different and were welcomed) and I offer them a Sumi-e pic for their help (you cannot ask something without offering something for the help, I have learned that). People outside the NWP cannot understand (or they don't want to) that the style, despise all details and such, it has their rules, their taboos, their do-do not, which animal you can do or cannot, it takes YEARS of training and they need a teacher/elder to learn to do a proper picture. Adding also, you cannot label it as "Haida" or "Tsimshian" or "Salish" if you don't belong to these tribes (but its soooooo easy to label it as "tribal"! *sigh*).
I do remember when I was on a work practice and meanwhile our group were waiting for our test results, I hear one guy was talking about getting an eagle tattoo. He couldn't explain the style of it, but I had my senses and I asked him if he meant something like RHCP's Anthony Kiedis has on his back, which was affirmative. After explaining to him all that I wrote here (adding also that neither he or the tattoo artist would have the permission to use the images, he would take straight from the internet an image from any Formline artist despise these are not their crest or something), he laughed and said "but I don't believe in these foreign stuff!", I got pissed and told him "so because YOU don't believe in these stuff doesn't give you the right to take something that isn't yours and claim you got it because its cool! You wouldn't do that with any Mapuche or Rapa Nui or Aymara (Chilean Indigenous people) art, right? So why its ok because they're in USA or Canada?". He stare at me and said I was right and decided to design a plain tribal Eagle.
And for the war bonnet, it disgusts me as well :/
( sorry for the off-topic ;w; )
I do remember when I was on a work practice and meanwhile our group were waiting for our test results, I hear one guy was talking about getting an eagle tattoo. He couldn't explain the style of it, but I had my senses and I asked him if he meant something like RHCP's Anthony Kiedis has on his back, which was affirmative. After explaining to him all that I wrote here (adding also that neither he or the tattoo artist would have the permission to use the images, he would take straight from the internet an image from any Formline artist despise these are not their crest or something), he laughed and said "but I don't believe in these foreign stuff!", I got pissed and told him "so because YOU don't believe in these stuff doesn't give you the right to take something that isn't yours and claim you got it because its cool! You wouldn't do that with any Mapuche or Rapa Nui or Aymara (Chilean Indigenous people) art, right? So why its ok because they're in USA or Canada?". He stare at me and said I was right and decided to design a plain tribal Eagle.
And for the war bonnet, it disgusts me as well :/
( sorry for the off-topic ;w; )
Oh ! So you're a native ?
Didn't think I had one in my fav ... I'm from Belgium in Europe. If you have some time one day, I would really like to know more of your culture who is certainly very different from my (and as a scientist and writer, I'm interested in everything that's different )
For the rest ... I think I can understand at least a little of what you can feel. Despite being a biologist, I'm a long term unemployed. Stereotypes about unemployed people are certainly not as worst as those against natives (and other human variants) but they sure as hell aren't nice.
And I know the depression monster too ... From the inside ...
A final note : I haven't heard all your music but what I listen was very interesting.
Good luck for your composition,
Octopus, monophonic cephalopod
Didn't think I had one in my fav ... I'm from Belgium in Europe. If you have some time one day, I would really like to know more of your culture who is certainly very different from my (and as a scientist and writer, I'm interested in everything that's different )
For the rest ... I think I can understand at least a little of what you can feel. Despite being a biologist, I'm a long term unemployed. Stereotypes about unemployed people are certainly not as worst as those against natives (and other human variants) but they sure as hell aren't nice.
And I know the depression monster too ... From the inside ...
A final note : I haven't heard all your music but what I listen was very interesting.
Good luck for your composition,
Octopus, monophonic cephalopod
I know how it feels to wish you could just not be angry or sad or hurt about something, but to be unable to help it. But except on matters of faith (and there I'm not being Christlike--we are called to be angry when we must, but never to be sinful in wrath), those are always personal, unique to myself as an individual. That is, I have never experienced being "typed" in any way other than my beliefs, and I have difficulty even identifying myself as a member of a group except my beliefs. Therefore, even if my feelings are similar, what is triggering them is not, so that I can't honestly say that I know how you feel. I don't really identify with the group when I see stereotyping of Americans, Mexican-Americans, or Jews. I might be outraged if I think it's negative enough and clearly uncalled for enough, but still mentally thinking of the group as "other" than myself, even though I am an American descended from Sephardic Jews who settled in the Southwest when it was Mexican land belonging to Spain.
I don't know if this makes you feel better or if it makes you feel like I'm competing with you, but I hope you trust me enough to know that I don't mean it the latter way: in a way you have it better than I do. At least you know who your people are, where you come from, and what your traditions are. That's something I value very much, at least intellectually, but I don't feel like I have that nearly to the same degree--so that it's even harder for me to answer the question of who I am and where I belong. Contrary to popular belief, I don't see that as being free, I see that as being lonely. And it frightens me even more that I feel numb to it so often. I don't want to overreact emotionally, but I also don't want to be numb--and the two often coincide.
Objectively, I could say that the time to take offense is when the stereotype is negative and/or is known to be meant as an insult, but I also know that when someone is in an emotional state, that is not the time to say such things, especially if the person already knows that--I have been on the receiving end of this myself. Plus it isn't always known whether someone meant it as an insult or not. Anyway, logic is not a buffer against emotions, although I know sometimes people try to use it as such for their own. Having Asperger's Syndrome, it isn't always easy for me to empathize. The best I can do is bring up times when I have felt similarly (and I have lost my temper more than once this week)--and of course, I will to the best of my ability not give unnecessary offense myself.
Please hang in there. I do consider you to be a friend, and I don't want to jeopardize that friendship. I pray for you regularly, and will continue to do so. God bless. *hugs*
I don't know if this makes you feel better or if it makes you feel like I'm competing with you, but I hope you trust me enough to know that I don't mean it the latter way: in a way you have it better than I do. At least you know who your people are, where you come from, and what your traditions are. That's something I value very much, at least intellectually, but I don't feel like I have that nearly to the same degree--so that it's even harder for me to answer the question of who I am and where I belong. Contrary to popular belief, I don't see that as being free, I see that as being lonely. And it frightens me even more that I feel numb to it so often. I don't want to overreact emotionally, but I also don't want to be numb--and the two often coincide.
Objectively, I could say that the time to take offense is when the stereotype is negative and/or is known to be meant as an insult, but I also know that when someone is in an emotional state, that is not the time to say such things, especially if the person already knows that--I have been on the receiving end of this myself. Plus it isn't always known whether someone meant it as an insult or not. Anyway, logic is not a buffer against emotions, although I know sometimes people try to use it as such for their own. Having Asperger's Syndrome, it isn't always easy for me to empathize. The best I can do is bring up times when I have felt similarly (and I have lost my temper more than once this week)--and of course, I will to the best of my ability not give unnecessary offense myself.
Please hang in there. I do consider you to be a friend, and I don't want to jeopardize that friendship. I pray for you regularly, and will continue to do so. God bless. *hugs*
Ignorance may be bliss for some...but at what cost to others?
*offers hugs of comfort and shares her hot tea* know that there ARE folks out there who aren't so blatantly stupid and careless in how they speak, but that sadly they're outnumbered by the <expletive deleted> that have no common sense or brain filter. -_-
*offers hugs of comfort and shares her hot tea* know that there ARE folks out there who aren't so blatantly stupid and careless in how they speak, but that sadly they're outnumbered by the <expletive deleted> that have no common sense or brain filter. -_-
I understand this completely, and as a native american, I think using the word redskin is very in insulting and i view it as the equivalent of the N-word depending on how its used against us. Using the word Redskin as a way to display honoring of us is complete BS. But this doesn't mean we should give up on teaching people that this is wrong. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be properly educated on this things, and everyone should pitch in and help show people that this is wrong so we can finally rid racism for real and those words will no longer hurt us or other people of different cultures. I also believe we should raise our young to be strong and bold, my parents, especially my mother always made sure i never let anyone else make me feel less or stereotype me. And when it comes down to the football team, I think its really dumb that people are finally bitching about the term being used as a mascot or name for a team. This should had been addressed right when it first started, and now decades later that name has been set in stone for that team and I know i may come off as an asshole, but we waited to long to try and fix it and i think we should worry about other things instead of a freakin football team name.
Exactly like you said, people aren't properly educated on these things, hence why you have Red Mesa school who are sort of blindly supporting the mascot not realizing that the word can't be separated from its history. But what you missed is that we have been making noise about it pretty much since we've known about the mascot. Most people don't know only because the media doesn't care what we say. But we've always been fighting mascots, contrary to what everyone keeps saying to us. "Why now?" Here is Russell Means in 1994 talking about the mascots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heEOnEcY5IU
Also check this out: https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd......50_99e50c09b303aad3a4a89a6419c9e6f5
-Juniper 'Stands Firm'
Also check this out: https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd......50_99e50c09b30
-Juniper 'Stands Firm'
The graphic didn't work so what it said was this. it is a quote from Chase Iron Eyes, in sarcasm obviously
"Why now? That’s my only question. After all these decades of living under our control, being marginalized, disenfranchised, held back educationally, made to think less of yourselves and your primitive ways, had your young generations mind washed in our image, told you’re not good enough, your the wrong color, etc made to live in relative squalor, now u want the redskins to end, why not?, u Indians were fine with your shitty life & haven us steal all your wealth and build our American prosperity & privilege from it then try to pay u off with settlements with money we stole from u, why now? Lol"
"Why now? That’s my only question. After all these decades of living under our control, being marginalized, disenfranchised, held back educationally, made to think less of yourselves and your primitive ways, had your young generations mind washed in our image, told you’re not good enough, your the wrong color, etc made to live in relative squalor, now u want the redskins to end, why not?, u Indians were fine with your shitty life & haven us steal all your wealth and build our American prosperity & privilege from it then try to pay u off with settlements with money we stole from u, why now? Lol"
understandable but i never supported that word or team, i just feel we have other shit to worry about as natives, we need to better things for our tribes and work on being treated as equals and not outcasted or shunned. And i'm tired of having to lie about my race just to get a job, that to me is really depressing you know?
We do have other issues. It's not that we're focusing only on this one, however this issue is tied to the others because it sets a standard for how people view us. If people view us like the humans we are then we won't have to lie about our race to get a job and people won't doubt our ability to function in society. Then there are the land disputes and the other social epidemics. It's difficult in that it's a lot of different things that we have to worry about that the rest of society doesn't have to worry about.
-Juniper 'Stands Firm'
-Juniper 'Stands Firm'
Although i was raised in a culture not of my own but of the one i was adopted into, i cannot say i feel the same pain that you do, but that i do understand and I cannot imagine how hard is must be to a Native American. I always got odd looks and i still do when people see a white man with an entirely Asian family, it is not the same as what you face, but its mindless racism none the less. My mother saw it fit to adopt me and my sister into a family that crosses racial bounds, and that speaks to me louder than any message Man has ever offered. The world needs more people who can think like my mother and those like her who also can transcend race, religion, and become truly Human. You are one from as i have read from your many posts.
I have no faith in any religion that man created for I have seen what man does to one another. But since i have no more faith in mankind and its religions, my faith lies in certain people. What you are doing is admirable and brings me happiness. If only more people can learn some empathy and just ask questions rather than blindly following a path set before by others.
Stay firm, keep being you.
I have no faith in any religion that man created for I have seen what man does to one another. But since i have no more faith in mankind and its religions, my faith lies in certain people. What you are doing is admirable and brings me happiness. If only more people can learn some empathy and just ask questions rather than blindly following a path set before by others.
Stay firm, keep being you.
I'll try to speak for some of us who truly mean no harm and don't realize that we sometimes say things that are offensive. Sometimes those outside a group might, out of curiosity, ask or do things that we don't realize are stereotyping or insensitive. It's one more thing that needs to be fixed in our education system so students can be aware of the diversity of the native peoples, and the issues that affect them even today. Plenty of us (I might say most) are just curious about native peoples and with a nudge in the right direction are willing to learn what we should and shouldn't do.
More people really need to speak up about this, not just native folks but everyone. People have no clue about the damage they are causing and have been causing, and its really sad. I dont know what to say to the people who just refuse to hear how theyre hurting people, I cannot fathom how they can sleep at night knowing that they cause so many people so much pain. I know im mixed, natve and african american, grew up raised african american, but damn, it still makes my hair stand on end. It really should make EVERYONE'S hair stand on end. Wish more people were open to listening about how they could help rather than hurt :/ *hugs*
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