Category Archives: authenticity

Medicine Month

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When I lived in Georgia a fellow academic cautioned me about planning anything on Wednesday evening. Some folks go to church, he said. And when I lived in Teheran, we went to the American School Monday through Thursday, and on … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Indian | 1 Comment

When Race is Social, Not Science

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Prof. Linda Martin Alcoff wrote a stunning editorial in Sunday’s New York Times about critical race theory, claiming that folks in Arizona have confiscated “books and other materials” in a bid to “oversee what can be taught” in schools. Critical … Continue reading →

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We are a University, not a Bathhouse

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Her genius made Albert Einstein sit up and take notice, and he called her approach creative and significant. Amalie Noether’s theorem revolutionized mathematics, according to a story by Natalie Angier this week in The New York Times. Angier writes that … Continue reading →

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Enter Tonto

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Social media are all a-twitter over the casting of Johnny Depp as Tonto in the reimagined film, The Lone Ranger, set for release next year. And my pals aren’t sure how to respond: it’s easy to make fun of blue-eyed … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, ethics, film, framing, Indian, social media | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jonesing for Leftovers

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

My pooch was jonesing for leftovers this morning, hoping for a bite of muesli or a lick of almond milk. I realize he was just being a mutt, fulfilling his animal nature to be noticed, front and center. For my … Continue reading →

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On Solitude

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

One of my closest pals is fine with her solitude. She has eschewed intimacy, choosing instead the freedom that comes with being alone. I have lived with that model myself, trying to find comfort in living a solitary life while … Continue reading →

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On Writing and Intimacy

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Writing a blog is a bit confusing. It’s sort of a cross between keeping a private journal—a memoir—yet knowing that someone else will be reading your intimate thoughts. That makes my journey toward authenticity somewhat muddled.

Posted in authenticity, writing | 4 Comments

Branding those Genes

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I recently read an article that folks are sending off swabs filled with saliva to check for Indian DNA. The latest fashion is to find evidence of Indian heritage in your blood. One way to add some caché to your … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Indian, science communication | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Indigenous Science Recognized

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Wonderful to see a series of talks on Indigenous perspectives included on the program for the February AAAS meeting. The group—the Association for the Advancement of Science—is dedicated to advancing the discipline and publishes the prestigious journal Science.

Posted in authenticity, human origin, Indian, Native Science, science communication, writing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Indian Brain

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

How much of our prejudices worm their way into our thoughts about American Indians? Folks thought that brain structures determine how people think and act, and scientists in the 1840s looked at Indian skulls to determine their behaviors.

Posted in authenticity, Indian, Native Science, repatriation, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments