NAFPS Forum

Gave my last speech for the tour last night. It went pretty well, actually sold more books than the crowd on Wednesday even though it was about half as many people. Spoke with an Aymara man from Bolivia now living in Germany for five years. This was a room at the big cultural center, most of the audience were elderly and also knew a little bit about Native issues like boarding schools. Only bad response was one couple who were Steiner fans and Marlo Morgan admirers.

Even better news is that AGIM is considering how to take on this issue. One thing we discussed is how to respond to all the standard answers followers have been given by their shameon leaders. So I´ll start a thread on FAQs.

Its been an incredibly successful tour, better than we dared dream. Almost always very positive responses, people eager and even overjoyed to "finally hear the truth" as they kept telling us. We raised a lot of money for the Alberquerque Indian Center. Im giving another 500 out of my speaking fees, in addition to the 500 I already have sent through World In Our Hands. Plus Annika raised about 1500 through selling crafts I think. The tour was so successful we were already in the black before I left Britain.

I want to thank again everyone who was such a help all over Europe: Barnaby (and his patient girlfriend), Elija, Annika, Josefin, Ninnie, Leo, Ingeborg, Cindy, and Nina, plus others Im sorry if Ive left you out.
All the organizations: World In Our Hands, Fourth World, Wild Oak, NANAI, Kola, and A`GIM.
Plus the media, radio in Britain, Belgium and Munich, newspapers in Sweden and Belgium. ?

Short of an emergency, I will be back next May to speak at the places Ive been invited to in Britain, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, and any other places we can manage where they need to hear this such as Norway, Finland, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain. Thanks again everyone.

And its time to think about how to reach places like South Africa, Australia, and Japan. See Lesleyann´s threads, there are exploiters of Hawaiian traditions in the last two places, so probably of NDN ones too.

You´ve done a fantastic job, Al!

I am sure all of us who have been involved would say the same. And the best thing of it all is to see  that it actually *does* make a difference!

And I cannot w-a-i-t to read that book of yours...:)

Have a safe journey home and I hope you will get some peace and relaxation before you go back to work again.

Annika

QuoteI want to thank again everyone who was such a help all over Europe: Barnaby (and his patient girlfriend)...

It was a pleasure, Al. I'm really proud to have been part of this. (I think gf was glad to get me out of her hair for a week or two!)

Hey, Viking lady, thanks to you and everyone else for the updates, and to Al for his boundless energy on this tour.
I think you're right about the teaching the teachers. Maybe the book authors can brainstorm on some lesson plans.
~W~

Hej there woodowl  :)

You read my thoughts! I was just thinking about the possibility of making up some reading material for teachers. There is no need for expensive books as the schools here are constantly out of money and probably would not spend a cent on a book about Native cultures. But maybe something we could just copy up and it could actually be translated and used all over Europe.

It would, of course, be really good if there could be some Native names attached to it. So - yes - I´d like to give it a try for sure.

Next step??  :)

Annika

Theres already been a lot written about teaching about Natives without using stereotypes.
Why wouldnt the I Is Not For Indian article be enough, for example? Or Blue Corn Comics articles on stereotypes?

Id suggest contacting either site and asking for permission to translate and send off to teachers in Europe.