Odds and Ends > Etcetera
A step beyond the board
Camilla:
Hair Lady, something I think to be very funny and very silly (and sad) in the same time and could be related to your last post is the following: here in Italy reporters who write in the newspapers and magazines about news or event relevant to Native People, often refers to them NOT as Lakotas, Cheyenne, Apache (or whatever), BUT as the "descendants" of the Lakota, Cheyenne, Apache (or whatever) People......as someone talking about people from Rome nowadays would define them not simply "Romans" but "descendants of the Romans".......crazy.
Unfortunately this is one more evidence that Native People (especially Natives from North America) are alive only in a "fantasy dimension" for many Europeans (together with a lot of stereotypes): many Europeans seem not to realize that Native People are real people, eating, sleeping, loving, hating, studying, working, laughing, crying NOW, IN 2011 as any other human being......this denial of humanity, reality, actuality of Native People is one of the worst things: that's why it's so important that to talk about Native Cultures, Native People (those who are serious and reliable of course, and willing to) are given the chance to speak in person .
Sorry getting off track too....
critter - a white non-ndn person:
hair lady.. a teacher can tell their student truth by telling them that true medicine people don't
write books. that will help a student a lot in staying away from the fake muck that is out there
and help keep their minds free of it.
Teacher:
As a teacher -- not an Amerindian Studies teacher however, I feel the same as some of you. Know your sources and verify. We owe it to our students. I would NOT teach spirituality in class -- just as I do not teach religion in my French/Spanish classes.
Georges Sioui has several books out that are autohistories -- meaning, books written about First Nations people BY a First Nation person. There are many authors who are Native that write about Native issues, history and culture. They do not throw spirituality or ceremony into the texts.
As for professors, I have seen and heard professors that have guest speakers go to their classes to help teach. Some have been great, others not so much. The most horrific example of this that I've seen is a couple who went into a classroom and told the students that they could help them find their totem animals by using a deck of cards -- and pulled out the Medicine Wheel cards!
The best example is from when I was at Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (now First Nations University). We had the elders come from the different reserves and talk to us -- through a translator. Very good stuff there. Their stories were incredible! Because it was an All-Indian university (with a few non-Natives too) we had pipe ceremonies run by the elders in a private room on campus. I'm not from a pipe culture, but I understand the importance and value so when invited to go, I went.
That's another stereotype -- ALL Natives/Indians/Amerindians/First Nations have a pipe ceremony ... not so.
Hair lady:
I am not a teacher and any ceremonies I know are for me and my family and people. The fact is there is no one right way. If there was and it brought us all peace that would be great but it´s not how things work. A class room is just not the place to learn about spiritual things. HOWEVER you can learn about herbs, and western medicine there, which are also obviously very important. And history, if there is any way to learn the exacte truth in that matter...well I guess not because we were not there.
tecpaocelotl:
--- Quote from: Kathryn on November 10, 2009, 02:34:50 am ---Also, when I'm in libraries and bookstores, I turn the covers of the good books out, displaying them prominently. And one can also make the crap books harder to find. 8)
--- End quote ---
I usually put it int he middle of the book shelves if there are no back to it, but if there's a back to the bookshelf, I usually just hide it behind the other books.
--- Quote from: educatedindian on November 10, 2009, 02:41:16 pm ---I once stumbled upon a book in a public library that someone had put their own handwritten sticker just inside the cover, three of four sentences explaining it was false and offensive.
Perhaps people can suggest a very brief all purpose statement that can be pasted on the majority of shame on books?
--- End quote ---
Reminds me of the time I posted sticky notes correcting errors on Idiot's Guide on Native American History.
--- Quote from: critter - a white non-ndn person on November 10, 2009, 05:24:24 pm ---Sure, first on the list: The Secret.
Have to figure how many words can be used on the sticker. Something like, The material in this book is not authentic. ? That's a little lame .. perhaps something more harsh. To jolt a person into doubting that it's a good idea to read it .
--- End quote ---
With that book, you would put:
Warning: May cause illogical thinking.
More books to the list:
From Miguel Ruiz:
The Four Agreements
The Fifth Agreement
The Mastery of Love
Four Agreements Companion Book
The Voice of Knowledge
Prayers: A Communion with Our Creator
Carlos Castaneda:
The Teachings of Don Juan
A Separate Reality
Journey to Ixtlan
Tales of Power
The Second Ring of Power
The Eagle's Gift
The Fire From Within
The Power of Silence
The Art of Dreaming
Magical Passes
The Active Side of Infinity
The Wheel of Time
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