Indian Logos

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

McIndian

Conflicts over Indian mascots have been roiling over the past few days as the University of North Dakota decided to ditch the Fighting Sioux logomark. New stories frame the issue as the University buckling under pressure from the NCAA–which oversees and sanctions college athletic programs–to change the mascot. Continue reading →

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The Accidental Gardener

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I marvel at the ripening tomatoes straining under the weight of a heavy bough in my backyard, testament that benign neglect is often the best choice. Continue reading →

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Laughter as Cure

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

When I took improv classes at the Brody Theatre in Portland it didn’t make me funnier but it did make me smarter. Continue reading →

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Confused Chicken

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

My neighbor’s chicken has a case of gender confusion and awoke at 6:30 this morning rehearsing her crow. Seems she is taking on some rooster characteristics in her bid to lead a coop d’état. Continue reading →

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The Sum of the Parts

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Thinking about research my light bulb moment came when I learned that families, communities, organizations and structures have a greater influence on us than individuals, and that, when it comes to individual attributes, we often silence ourselves for the sake of the community. Continue reading →

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Research as Politics: Shrimp on a Treadmill

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

A common insult to sling at your opponent is that she is “cherry picking” her data. When I hear cherry picking I think about cherries and then I think about pie, and then I’ve forgotten all about research. Continue reading →

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Artist as Therapist

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Rorschach ink blot

Jacquline Hurlbert is packing her artwork to head for an event in Bend, Oregon, and we talk about how an artist tells one story but the viewer sometimes sees something quite different. The Rorschach test is brilliant: it allows the viewer to express her views based on an inkblot, revealing something about herself. Something that would be otherwise hidden. Continue reading →

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John Sanchez

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

I met John Sanchez a few years ago at a Native American Studies conference in Tucson, where he was presenting a paper on Indian journalism. We were among a small cadre of academics working in media studies, who shared an interest in Indian issues, and became fast friends. Continue reading →

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Family Nuggets

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Osage warrior

My great uncle, Fred Grove, supplied my mother with nuggets about our Indian ancestors whenever she asked. Because my family lived overseas until my step-father’s retirement, Mama didn’t return to her Osage roots until moving back to the US in the 1990s. Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, journalism, Lakota, Native Science, Osage | Tagged | 2 Comments

Odd Names, Weird Spellings

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Chief "Claymore" painted by George Catlin

How odd that my grandmother’s name was Mary Leticia Grove, and that some of the documents list her family name as “Groves.” When I asked my mother why the difference, she just shrugged. Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, film, framing, Henri Chatillion, Indian, Osage | Tagged , | 2 Comments