genocide stfu
Posted 09-13-2008 at 01:59 PM by paloma
So I am taking a bunch of American Indian Studies classes this semester. When I first went off to college, which was a disaster, I got picked on and ostracized by other Native students because I was mixed. I ended up internalizing those beliefs, that I was a watered-down version of a real "Indian" and that I would always be an outsider. It took me a long time to get to a point where I was comfortable with being mixed. I remember the 18 year old me going up the stairs to the Indian center, feeling lonely, away from home in a big school, hoping another student would talk to me but also fearing anybody talking to me, because there's a way that we introduce ourselves among Native people, and they would know right away that I was mixed. I had other problems at the time, and I ended up dropping out.
I'm older now and my identity as a multiracial person is defined by me only, not by anyone else. I am fortunate to have roots in so many lifeways, and I know there is power in all the knowledge I have as a result of being mixed. It adds so much richness to my life, to the holidays, to the foods I prepare, to the songs I know, to the way I enjoy nature, to the way I raise my son.
Unfortunately, there are still assholes.
The other day in my Intro to American Indian Studies, the topic was tribal names. Oftentimes the names given to us by Europeans were ignorant at best, and derogatory at worst. The Mohawks were originally called Maneaters, for example. (To be fair, it is true that the Mohawks did practice cannibalism long ago.) In one of my tribes, we call ourselves Akimel O'odham, but everyone else calls us Pima. That word comes from pi'mach, which means "I don't know" in our language. You can see why the Spaniards named us that, since when they came, that's all we said to them. And you can see why we don't want to be called that! In my other tribe, the Spaniards named us Papago, which means beaneaters, but we call ourselves Tohono O'odham.
So various Native people around the classroom gave their opinions on why they use the tribal name they do. The non-Natives just kinda sat back and listened-I guess because they had no clue how divisive this issue is among Natives. Tempers were really flaring. There was a lull, and the professor asked somewhat timidly if there were any other opinions to share. This was after some other Native students had gotten emotional about defending their choice to use Navajo and not Dineh, or Dineh and not Navajo. So I gave my opinion, which was basically, who the fuck cares?
In class I said something along the lines of there is so much wrong in Indian Country, that why bother with this issue? Our sacred mountains are being mined for uranium, thus causing high rates of cancer (Church Rock in Navajoland) , or dumped with raw sewage (San Francisco Peaks which are sacred to Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai, Navajo, and Apache tribes), or blown up to build racist monuments (the Crazy Horse Monument in the Paha Sapa, or Black Hills) our suicide rate is atrocious, we're losing our languages, oral histories, traditions, we don't vote, we're dying of diabetes, alcoholism, and domestic violence, I could go on but I'll stop.
So one woman who was in the "I'm Dineh, not Navajo" camp turned around to look me in the face and tell me I wouldn't say that if I wasn't mixed. !!!!! She went on to say that I was contributing to the cultural genocide of my people. !!!!!
I'm old enough now to not let her small-mindedness infect me, and smart enough to deal with it calmly. At least in the moment I am. Later on I rant and rave to anyone who'll listen. In class, I restated that it doesn't matter to me what name is used. It won't change who my grandparents are, where they came from, where I come from, who I say I am. I have this woman in my sights. I think she and I are going to disagree on a lot this semester. I'm ready.
I'm older now and my identity as a multiracial person is defined by me only, not by anyone else. I am fortunate to have roots in so many lifeways, and I know there is power in all the knowledge I have as a result of being mixed. It adds so much richness to my life, to the holidays, to the foods I prepare, to the songs I know, to the way I enjoy nature, to the way I raise my son.
Unfortunately, there are still assholes.
The other day in my Intro to American Indian Studies, the topic was tribal names. Oftentimes the names given to us by Europeans were ignorant at best, and derogatory at worst. The Mohawks were originally called Maneaters, for example. (To be fair, it is true that the Mohawks did practice cannibalism long ago.) In one of my tribes, we call ourselves Akimel O'odham, but everyone else calls us Pima. That word comes from pi'mach, which means "I don't know" in our language. You can see why the Spaniards named us that, since when they came, that's all we said to them. And you can see why we don't want to be called that! In my other tribe, the Spaniards named us Papago, which means beaneaters, but we call ourselves Tohono O'odham.
So various Native people around the classroom gave their opinions on why they use the tribal name they do. The non-Natives just kinda sat back and listened-I guess because they had no clue how divisive this issue is among Natives. Tempers were really flaring. There was a lull, and the professor asked somewhat timidly if there were any other opinions to share. This was after some other Native students had gotten emotional about defending their choice to use Navajo and not Dineh, or Dineh and not Navajo. So I gave my opinion, which was basically, who the fuck cares?
In class I said something along the lines of there is so much wrong in Indian Country, that why bother with this issue? Our sacred mountains are being mined for uranium, thus causing high rates of cancer (Church Rock in Navajoland) , or dumped with raw sewage (San Francisco Peaks which are sacred to Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai, Navajo, and Apache tribes), or blown up to build racist monuments (the Crazy Horse Monument in the Paha Sapa, or Black Hills) our suicide rate is atrocious, we're losing our languages, oral histories, traditions, we don't vote, we're dying of diabetes, alcoholism, and domestic violence, I could go on but I'll stop.
So one woman who was in the "I'm Dineh, not Navajo" camp turned around to look me in the face and tell me I wouldn't say that if I wasn't mixed. !!!!! She went on to say that I was contributing to the cultural genocide of my people. !!!!!
I'm old enough now to not let her small-mindedness infect me, and smart enough to deal with it calmly. At least in the moment I am. Later on I rant and rave to anyone who'll listen. In class, I restated that it doesn't matter to me what name is used. It won't change who my grandparents are, where they came from, where I come from, who I say I am. I have this woman in my sights. I think she and I are going to disagree on a lot this semester. I'm ready.
Total Comments 5
Comments
-
it's extremely unlikely there are many full blooded Native Americans anymore, including the ones giving you grief, so be prepared to stand up for yourself and kick as many asses as necessary.Posted 09-13-2008 at 05:30 PM by Shang Chi
-
oh ,paloma....i agree with you. but, again finding all the more petty things to complain about makes life easier and no one has to do anything about what makes life what it should be and keep a people group alive. attacking easy targets (titles of tribes) is much easier than addressing disease, death, destruction, etc. some of those people probably feel like if you attack those little things you can at least get a victory.Posted 09-13-2008 at 06:19 PM by xqzmi
-
It is funny and sad that people are still making a big deal about being mixed in AMERICA. Those people that were picking on you are ignorant fools.
You are a beautiful lady and they were just jealous of you hah
I know that it may be hard for you to do but try to forget about them.. put them in the past and move foward..
Stay beautiful, happy and successful.Posted 09-13-2008 at 07:42 PM by littlelady26
-
I tend to use both. Why? Because when I say Dine' no one besides other Natives know what the hell I'm talking about. Really, it's just easier, and I think they're making an unnecessary hoopla over it. You're right, there are bigger fish to fry.Posted 09-13-2008 at 09:37 PM by CityLights 
-
CityLights-I couldn't find how to make an accent mark, so I wrote it out as Dineh to kind of get the pronounciation close to the mark. Just so ya know
I also end up using both. I'm Pima with non-Natives, and Akimel O'odham with family. Nearly everyone I know, Natives and non-Natives, just say "TO" when referring to my other tribe.
I also don't wrestle much with whether we're Indian or Native American. I really like how Canada calls their indigenous people "First Nations". Really really like that. It recognizes our sovereignty and nationhood and also drills it into people's heads that we've always been here. I skirt the issue and just say Native, which also seems to be a trend with younger Native people too.Posted 09-14-2008 at 10:19 AM by paloma
