Category Archives: american indian

Critters that watch over us

Bee Keeper You can take the ski lift to the top of Mount Washington in the summer-time on Vancouver Island. A quick trip aboard a jump-seat places you at 5200 feet (1590 meters) and presto: you can see 360-degrees in … Continue reading

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Forget science: return the bones

Science, Blood & Bones One of my many Lakota uncles, John, casually referred to himself as mixed-blood. John grew up around Pine Ridge and Mission, South Dakota, and went to school with the Deloria clan. “I gave Vine a bloody … Continue reading

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When the rivers already had names

I’m leaving British Columbia hungry. Hungry for more information about the indigenous people who have occupied the region longer than anyone recorded on paper. This week, we heard one creation story illustrated through wood carvings at the museum at Campbell … Continue reading

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Reduced to Zero

Sucked into a digital vortex Does it matter we’re all being sucked into a digital vortex? Do we lack nuance when we witness our world in a digital context? Think about a digital black and white photograph. Magnify the photo … Continue reading

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Defying the Supreme Court

Ted Cruz Channels Andrew Jackson Although I don’t always agree with Supreme Court decisions I respect the authority of the country’s highest court. When Ted Cruz told NPR this week the court ruled incorrectly on marriage equality and national health … Continue reading

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Talking about race

American Indian posers I’m glad we’re talking about race, although the heinous acts that led to the conversation should never be lost in the discussion. Problem is, the very word race stems from difference—not just cultural—but perceived biological and intellectual … Continue reading

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Kennewick Man’s back in the news

But it’s the same old story A science writer called me with a head’s up. The Journal Nature was ready to release news that scientists would soon announce the 9200-year-old skeleton from the Pacific Northwest was indeed related to modern-day … Continue reading

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Drinking a cup of tea, I stop a war

Memorial Day We learned that freedom of speech is sacrosanct: that you should always allow someone the courtesy of saying something idiotic and extreme for fear that anything that quashes freedom could sanction yours. That sort of freedom was always … Continue reading

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How gaze affects our behavior

Researchers are looking at how someone’s gaze affects our behavior. For example, researchers in England placed posters with staring eyes near bicycle racks and found fewer bikes were stolen. My colleagues figure we respond viscerally to a pair of watchful … Continue reading

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Grousing over chickens

It’s a battleground Since when do we treat folks who disagree with us as enemies? Is your commute to work a war zone? Do you battle your way through the grocery store? Are there thieves camped outside your door? One … Continue reading

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