Category Archives: authenticity

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 →

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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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Little Theories

Posted on September 13, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

 Identity Politics If I could write a book on any topic I’d explore the ways that we invent our own realities. I will call the book, “Little Theories.” The reason?  When I look at headlines, talk to friends, or just … Continue reading →

Posted in american, authenticity, Buddhist, framing, Fukuyama, Identity, nativescience | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

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 →

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Honoring Ancestors

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

  My heritage—in addition to being a North American native–is English, French, Osage and Lakota. Turns out, I know more about my Indian ancestors than my English or French relatives. It’s not because my relatives kept good records: they didn’t. … Continue reading →

Posted in american, american indian, authenticity, NAGPRA, Naia, national native american history month, native american, Native American Heritage Month, native press, Native Science, nativescience, pine ridge, Plains Indians: Artists of Earth and Sky, zen | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

We called them “colors”

Posted on February 10, 2018 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

Strolling down the aisle When we were kids, our most trusted tool was the wax-crayon. We called them “colors.” We used them to draw on paper and concrete, and found them handy for playing doctor (crayons fit well in my … Continue reading →

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When is a shoebox more than a shoebox?

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

I have a fistful of postcards in search of a letterbox. Today we’re in San Francisco, heavy with rich coffee and notes to friends, and I’m searching for a blue repository for our Bay Area greetings. Our trip last month … Continue reading →

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Green or Blue?

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

Digging into words can be tricky And not everyone agrees with the theories about how words mean, which can drive you crazy. The most basic, common-sense idea is that people who hear messages invoke their own sense of what they … Continue reading →

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Tempting Eve

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

Unplugged and Critical We spent the weekend unplugged at a mindfulness workshop. That meant no cell phones and no computers at the Zen Monastery that’s tucked in the Oregon woods. No movies, no TV, no Netflix, no New York Times, … Continue reading →

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Want loyalty? Get a dog

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Cynthia Coleman Emery

Imagine there’s been a shake-up at your job and you’ve inherited a new boss. Let’s say your job is one where you advise the boss on communication matters: everything from relationships with your consumer publics, to relationships with the mass … Continue reading →

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