Category Archives: american indian

May I have your permission to land?

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

When visitors arrive in Nanaimo in their canoes, they ask permission to land. We learned this traipsing through Departure Bay, the waterfront of our new and temporary digs on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. We found a carving that faces … Continue reading →

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When News is Like Magic

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

What you don’t see can hurt you James Tankard, one of journalism’s key scholars, talks about news reporting as a “magician’s sleight of hand.” Tankard means that we muggles pay attention to the rabbit and the high-top hat, while oblivious … Continue reading →

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This Book will Haunt You

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

Watch out for Teddy I’m beginning to hear voices. Ted Van Alst’s latest story about growing-up-Indian in Chicago has a captivating spirit that won me over. Completely. His character—Teddy—gets inside your head. Here’s a scene in the book (Sacred Smokes) … Continue reading →

Posted in allmyrelations, american indian, authenticity, Identity, Iktomi, Indian, native american, native press, Native Science, nativescience, Redskins | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Pescatarian’s Dream

Posted on January 12, 2019 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

I looked forward to sampling the local fish in India as we made our way farther and farther south. We landed at the southern-most tip in the lovely city of Kovalom at a resort with a pool, hot-running water and … Continue reading →

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Can I Afford to be Moral?

Posted on November 26, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

Books by Native American Authors The delightful feature of attending Portland’s annual literary fair—held this month–was discovering the works of American Indian writers. I was transfixed, hearing Layli Long Soldier, Tommy Orange, Trevino Brings Plenty, and a host of American … Continue reading →

Posted in Amazon, american indian, monopoly, nativescience, Powell's | Tagged | 2 Comments

November Welcomes Native American Heritage Month

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

But Can We Really Celebrate? Native American Heritage Month has been officially celebrated—at least as an idea–for nearly 30 years. The first official announcement occurred when President George Herbert Walker Bush declared November as National Native American Heritage Month in … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative facts, american, american indian, bears ears, Native American Heritage Month, nativescience | 2 Comments

Never Stop Learning  

Posted on August 18, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

It takes guts to examine your failures, but that’s just what we need to do in order to learn and grow. The take-away in a brief news item in today’s New York Times notes that taking time to consider why … Continue reading →

Posted in allmyrelations, american indian, failure, fear of failure, Indian, native american, native press, Native Science, nativescience | Tagged , | 2 Comments

When Words Harm

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

  And Actions Matter  In my profession (writing and researching words, and thinking about their meanings) we argue: words mean. Exactly what they mean and how is worthy of conversation, especially because humans create the meanings we attach to words. … Continue reading →

Posted in american, american indian, democracy, nativescience, social justice, social media, White gaze, writing, zen | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Kondo as a Verb

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

(We discovered a spoon with the Rous insignia) No one enjoys moving, do they? I am in awe that my mother moved us—sometimes once a year—when my step-father worked overseas on construction projects with oil companies. We moved every year … Continue reading →

Posted in allmyrelations, american indian, authenticity, communication, family values, framing, memory, native american, Native Science, press, writing | Leave a comment

Threading the Needle

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

Closing the Osage-Buddhist Circle We spent the last weeks—months—on a sewing project, creating a Rakusu: a garment worn when you become a practicing Buddhist. The Rakusu has a rich tradition. The garment is a rectangular cloth with straps that you … Continue reading →

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