Author Archives: Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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About Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Professor and researcher who studies science communication, particularly issues that impact American Indians. Dr. Coleman is an enrolled citizen of the Osage Nation.

Coffee by the tats

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Portlanders are a bunch of spoiled brats. The city boasts a bounty of delicious java and we expect the best. Travel presents an opportunity for caffeine adventure and we scout out coffee shops when we journey.

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Massaging the facts

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I am awed and distressed at propaganda that envelopes us. Sure we recognize the obvious sales pitches: • The clerk pops your prescription pills into a paper bag festooned with an ad for a new medicine • The tennis champ’s … Continue reading →

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Identity quest

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

It is a common quest, this search for identity. And I’m not an orphan. I knew my parents and grandparents. I should know who I am, right?

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Writing, discovery, meaning

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

A comedian wrote that, while she was writing her book, her house was at its cleanest. Pounding away at the keyboard, I try to avoid distraction from the dirty dishes and dusty floors. I stew and fret over my book, … Continue reading →

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Have a doughnut

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

You know the routine. Homer Simpson is barely paying attention to his wife, Marge, and the cartoon bubble alerts us to his thoughts: Blah, blah, blah, blah. Homer perks up when he hears something that grabs his attention: Blah, blah, … Continue reading →

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Rifle Report

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I took a break from writing on the culture of science and American Indians with a retreat to a zen monastery in the Oregon countryside. Purpose was to clear my head and spend time with my beloved for an unplugged … Continue reading →

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McGillycuddy and Crazy Horse

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Today—September 5—marks the day Crazy Horse was killed at Ft. Robinson by William Gentles in 1877. Writer Larry McMurtry says that a scuffle broke out while Crazy Horse was being led through the fort, with Little Big Man restraining Crazy … Continue reading →

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The Contrarian Sioux

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I’ve had to release the notion that all Indians are community-minded. While anthropologists correctly note cultures are classified by their communitarian versus individualistic values, there’s plentiful evidence that indigenous folk have an independent streak. The Sioux, for example, tolerated individuals … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, ethics, Lakota, native american, native press, Native Science | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Trickster names

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Naming has power. Studying framing, propaganda and public relations—and watching Mad Men—helps strip the artifice created when naming things. Corn syrup becomes corn sugar.

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Rosie Red Top

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

My indatsay, John, shows me a sepia photograph of his family at their home on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The place bears the indelicate name of Stinking Water Creek. Relatives stare at the camera while a white-haired elder sits on … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Lakota, native american, Native Science, science, science communication | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments