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the invisible minority
Mar. 5th, 2009 09:03 pmThis afternoon I went to one brief session of the Native American Symposium currently being held on campus. Back in high school, and even a bit in college, I was so fascinated in various Native American cultures and their issues. But it's been such a long time since spent any time thinking about any of that. One of the speakers commented that California now has the largest Native American population of any state (!) But I just don't feel their immediate presence like I did in Montana and I guess I'm an out of sight out of mind kind of person.
Anyway, the session I attended was on genocide and I can't say that a single thing the speakers said really surprised me (ok, except that thing about the number of Native Americans living in California). Appalled, yes, but not shocked. After hearing about the atrocities and their aftermath I always get that frustrated "what can we do to make this right?" feeling. And the "Where is the justice for these people?" anger. And I think for the first time I understand that the very least we could do is set the historical record straight. American textbooks (including college history texts, apparently) paint such a fantastical history of White/Native American that one can't help but think that'd be a good place to start. But that begs the question, just how does one go about changing the dogma currently being perpetrated in every single American history textbook?
With those grim thoughts clogging my mind, I proceeded to be a typical modern American and sooth my seeming helplessness with a bit of shopping. As part of the symposium, there were a few Native artists selling some crafts and jewelry. I tell myself I'm helping to support both artistic and Native American communities by purchasing some things. But really, I just thought the turtle necklace and the ladybug bracelet were both too neato to pass up.
Anyway, the session I attended was on genocide and I can't say that a single thing the speakers said really surprised me (ok, except that thing about the number of Native Americans living in California). Appalled, yes, but not shocked. After hearing about the atrocities and their aftermath I always get that frustrated "what can we do to make this right?" feeling. And the "Where is the justice for these people?" anger. And I think for the first time I understand that the very least we could do is set the historical record straight. American textbooks (including college history texts, apparently) paint such a fantastical history of White/Native American that one can't help but think that'd be a good place to start. But that begs the question, just how does one go about changing the dogma currently being perpetrated in every single American history textbook?
With those grim thoughts clogging my mind, I proceeded to be a typical modern American and sooth my seeming helplessness with a bit of shopping. As part of the symposium, there were a few Native artists selling some crafts and jewelry. I tell myself I'm helping to support both artistic and Native American communities by purchasing some things. But really, I just thought the turtle necklace and the ladybug bracelet were both too neato to pass up.
