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Redefining who is Native American
I was recently teaching my Stones and Stories: Living the Medicine Wheel when an insight came to me.
I have been hearing for years, "so goes the buffalo, so goes the Indian."
The buffalo is making a significant come-back. Starting from a herd of 30 (starting from an estimated 40 - 60 million animals in pre-Colombian days) in the early 1900's the herd or herds have increased to over 400,000. In the meantime, the in-breading and out-breading of the buffalo have created a species that looks much like the buffalo but is part domesticated beef cow and the difference between the prairie buffalo and the woodlands buffalo has be all but eradicated.
In the meantime the Native American population began, again pre-Colombian days, at about 20 - 26 million and has been reduced through genocide and disease to about 2.5 million (only 1% of the US population, US census 2000).
So....This is the question: How does the Native American population make a come-back like the buffalo are doing?
I am welcoming a dialogue on this...
I have been hearing for years, "so goes the buffalo, so goes the Indian."
The buffalo is making a significant come-back. Starting from a herd of 30 (starting from an estimated 40 - 60 million animals in pre-Colombian days) in the early 1900's the herd or herds have increased to over 400,000. In the meantime, the in-breading and out-breading of the buffalo have created a species that looks much like the buffalo but is part domesticated beef cow and the difference between the prairie buffalo and the woodlands buffalo has be all but eradicated.
In the meantime the Native American population began, again pre-Colombian days, at about 20 - 26 million and has been reduced through genocide and disease to about 2.5 million (only 1% of the US population, US census 2000).
So....This is the question: How does the Native American population make a come-back like the buffalo are doing?
I am welcoming a dialogue on this...
Labels: Native American population
posted by HawkSounds | 11:14 AM
2 Comments:
Interesting point. Very.
If I heard the undercurrent correctly, it's because of not-even-half breeds like me that could hold the key to the come-back of the Indian people.
However, with their blue eyes and light skin, is it more a new race with the native "label" or can it renew the old?
Then, again, we need to look back at *why* the distinction between 1/2, 1/4 and full blood had to exist for our answer.
These labels were invented by court systems trying to decide whether or not someone could drink at a white fountain.
When reading about segregation struggles several years ago, I realized that the year I was born, that my grandmother might have sat outside the restaurant instead of eating with us on our Sunday evening visits. We passed. She didn't.
So the question comes back full circle... what do native Americans want as their measuring stick?
Is a Native American identified by the color of their skin, what tribe they claim alliegence to? I do not believe it is that simple...it's a belonging deep inside, the desire to heal the old wounds and unite, strong, resolute with purpose. The buffalo has done it's work and is back, but look at them...they like us are now half breeds, they adapted and still stand strong. We hybrids can carry the best of both worlds...reverence for the old ways and teachings and a new hope and purpose for the future. Miigwetch G.
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