Category Archives: authenticity

When headlines lie

The mainstream headlines are disquieting: Britain’s Telegraph: Seals helped Europeans wipe out Native Americans eScience: Sea lions, not Columbus, may be to blame for many Native American tuberculosis deaths Yahoo News: Seals not Columbus brought TB to Americas Examiner.com Seals, … Continue reading

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Magazine takes Redskins to task

The New Yorker magazine’s latest issue hit subscribers and newsstands this week with a cover that takes the Redskins football team to task. Titled, First Thanksgiving, the cover—a painting by Bruce McCall—shows a trio of Native Americans arriving at a … Continue reading

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Make way for the athlete tyospiye

I have to admit I love Indian athletes. I grew up with stories of Jim Thorpe, Billy Mills and John Barnes. My family would talk about Indian athletes as kin. Jim Thorpe (Wa-Tho-Huk) seemed to excel at every sport he … Continue reading

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Sounds like Ethel Merman

Just like the song says, I can’t bake a pie. You have to love Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun, singing her heart out. The competition between sharpshooter Annie Oakley (Merman) and marksman Frank Butler (Howard Keel) rolls out … Continue reading

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Indigenous voices needed

One effect of increased interest in climate change is that many scientists and policy-makers want to hear from indigenous peoples. While native folk have been delegitimized historically as unscientific and irrational, today’s movers-and-shakers welcome hearing indigenous voices. One compelling reason … Continue reading

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Let’s start from the beginning: Indigenous voices in climate change

Perhaps we need to take a step back and re-think what we mean by climate change. And global warming. Let’s start with the row about science. After many fits and starts, science is finally being heeded in public discourse. In … Continue reading

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I didn’t get the email

I completely missed out on some Yankee traditions. The culture of weddings and anniversaries, for example, escaped me entirely. One evening we were having dinner with friends, and I complimented our guest on her ring. She received it from her … Continue reading

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Every Month is Native American Heritage Month

Some critics rail against ersatz holidays. Grandparents’ Day. Valentine’s Day. Labor Day. They argue we should recognize grandparents, lovers and laborers every day. Native American Heritage Month produces cognitive dissonance: it’s great to focus attention on American Indians, but the … Continue reading

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Indians: We’re All the Same

The thing about stereotypes is they corral our thinking into one cluster. Result? All Indians get lumped together. For example, I was scouting the internet for an image for my blog and found this quotation: Certain things catch your eye, … Continue reading

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Handsome Warrior Rescues White Captive

While we chip away at the topic of stereotypes, you should know the brave, stoic warrior still lives. At least in paperback.

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