Category Archives: Native Science

Pie Five Days

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

We started a new tradition in November. I call it Pie Five Days. My symbol for Pie Five Days is an open hand: the symbol Osages use to adorn clothing and blankets, and the same symbol school children use to … Continue reading →

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When headlines lie

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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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Thanksgiving: what’s the point?

Posted on November 27, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Sometimes folks who know my Osage and Sioux ancestry ask if we celebrate Thanksgiving. Sure, I say. My family, my mother’s family, her mother’s family—all through the generations—have shared supper with friends and relatives, thanking the creator for the harvest … Continue reading →

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Sounds like Ethel Merman

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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

Posted on November 23, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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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What Does Social Justice Mean?

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Social justice is like the word beauty: We think we know what it means, but how do you define it? Feel it? Measure it? Today we use the term social justice differently from its earliest permutation. Typically we think of … Continue reading →

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Handsome Warrior Rescues White Captive

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

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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