Tag Archives: American Indian

Embracing the Crow

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

In summer and fall mornings a flock of crows—a murder of crows—flies over our roof, headed north toward the Columbia River. We reckon they’re flying toward food. They shout at one another and sometimes a sentinel squats in a high … Continue reading →

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Black Hawk’s Skull

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Science is often deployed to meet political ends but we don’t always recognize when. Phrenology emerged as a pseudo-scientific way to define race through empirical means. Scientists used painstaking measurements to show how the landscape of the skull—its ridges and … Continue reading →

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Science and Trust: What’s Rational?

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The disenfranchised among us have a history of distrusting science. Some scientists just don’t get it: how can you overlook evolution? Climate change? Diabetes? Native Americans—and African-Americans and Hispanics—can point to specific examples when the mantle of science caused harm.

Posted in american indian, authenticity, framing, Indian, journalism, Native Science, science, science communication, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tobacco Cure

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

The question was innocent enough. My beloved asked me where the expression, “Blowing smoke up your arse” comes from. Thanks to the internet the answer came swiftly. The story begins in Indian Country (as all stories do during Native American … Continue reading →

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Bring Back the Bones

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

November marks National Native American Heritage Month, and I pledge to write a blog a day. Here’s the first. Heritage Month was inaugurated in 1990 by President George H. W. Bush, the same year he signed NAGPRA. While National Native … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, Geronimo, Indian, Indian relocation, Indian remains, manifest destiny, native american, native press, Native Science, Redskins, repatriation, rhetoric, writing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

About face on Kennewick Man

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Turns out American Indians were right all along. A bitter conflict of values, race, sovereignty and politics began two decades ago when a pair of Washington State college students unearthed a skeleton in the Columbia River. Local Indian tribes wanted … Continue reading →

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Dash it all: communication skills needed badly

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

I’m boning up on what employers say they need from new workers. Turns out communication skills are high on the list. As a communication professor I want to share my findings with students to give them an edge in the … Continue reading →

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Okla-homeward bound

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

June marks the season when families return to Oklahoma and South Dakota. I’m packing a suitcase in my mind, getting mentally ready for the journey. Soon we will join our relatives in Grayhorse for the Osage dances: a time when … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, human origin, Indian, journalism, Lakota, native american, native press, Native Science, Osage, race, Redskins, writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Slack catchers

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Cynthia (Istá Thó Thó) Coleman Emery

Turns out Richard Feynman was irresponsible. Maybe just irrepressible. Feynman, who earned the Nobel Prize in physics in 1965 for work in quantum electrodynamics, said his success was due, in part, to being irresponsible.

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Toys of Genocide

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

Michael Yellow Bird brings up a good point. You can still find packets of plastic cowboys and Indians and play shoot ‘em up to your heart’s content. “You can buy toys of genocide,” Yellow Bird told a standing-room-only crowd this … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, framing, Humboldt State University, Indian, journalism, Michael Yellow Bird, native press, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments