Annelie Meador
English 2760
Professor James Celestino
11 December, 2015
Course Literary Analysis Paper
Native Americans Indians - The Forgotten Ones
Native Americans Indians, America's hidden indigenous shame and guilt. The precious
cultures around the world is what makes humanity special. The differences and borders are
becoming more and more open as the world explodes with social media and technology to go
places we never have sat our feet in with the click of a button. Yet most people are disconnected
even with all the information on other cultures living both in America today and internationally.
Racism is critically high, distrust reigns and cultures are not accepted. One of those cultures are
the Native Americans, hidden away, mostly forgotten in media and ignored by the public. Is it
shame? Is it guilt? I will start out with these few words the Annual report of the department of
interior in the early 1900’s. It speaks strongly about this issue and holds powerful truths in those
few lines:
“Gather from the cabin, the wickiup, and the tepee,
partly by cajolery and partly by threats,
partly by bribery and partly by force,
they are induced to leave their kindred
to enter these schools and take upon themselves
the outward appearance of civilized life”
(Bird, Erdoes, p 410, line 3).
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I have chosen to address and write about race issues in America today and specifically
about the Native Americans. I feel very strongly about the Native American population that are
so “hidden” away today in both media and TV, and passed as if they truly are a secondary class
of people. I wish to try to dig deeper and understand the reasoning, the history from both sides of
the European settles and the Native population of America. “Europeans initially did not place all
Native Americans in a single racial category. They say culture, not biological, differences among
Native Americans as distinguishing one tribe from another and themselves” (Buck, p33, line 15).
Somewhere along the way things got very wrong. As population rose and land became the
currency to the privileged whites. These readings I have chosen to use in my arguments from our
semester, show a range of issues and are candid in my opinion with what went on and is still
going on in this country in regards to America's indigenous people.
Researching the reasons behind the U.S. recently naming Columbus Day to Indigenous
Peoples day, as well as Columbus himself, was quite an eye opener. The man did not in fact
discover America, I personally believes the Vikings did. I believe countries moving towards
national recognition of “indigenous” peoples is a move in the right direction. Recognizing facts
like these can realize the social benefits achieved when indigenous people are recognized, so
everyone is recognized, not only the “dominant” culture. When it comes to pitfalls, patriotism
and personal beliefs are in question. Most people think that Columbus did in fact discover
America, and could take this as an insult to their beliefs and patriotism. This can conflict with
people's education and what they learned in school, and the resistance to change that people can
have to these types of facts can spill quickly into emotional arguments. For example, when they
decided that Pluto was no longer a recognized planet, there was a movement and public uproar
that their common knowledge, taught in schools during their lives, was wrong.
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We have all heard, and have an opinion on what The "American Dream” is, or means to
oneself, but what about the Native American Dream? Are they the same? How are they different
and why does this matter? One of the largest arguments against recognizing these events is the
compensation or restitution these peoples may claim is their due. If we acknowledge that these
events are true, then, in some minds, we are admitting fault. How can we compensate all the
land and lives lost to the Native Americans living today? One cannot just hand out a bunch of
money or give them a day for memory as a solution. The land and lives are priceless and so this
would be an impossible task. I think a step in the right direction would be allowing the borders
between Native Americans and Americans to be broken down, allowing the Native Americans
better education, better jobs and compensate with governed based financials to claim better lives
and better communication that will lead to trust in the future. “In order to understand where
American Indians stand today with respect to these rights, it is important to look at historical
developments of the concept of Indian rights along with the civil rights movement in this
country” (U.S. Commission on Human Rights. p 501, line 9). “The Native American Dream” is
just as important as any other dream, for a better life and a better home for everyone. To me it
feels like the civil rights for the Native Indians in this country has not yet happened.
I have learned this semester to question and educate myself in regards to many unfair and
unjust treatments of humans. For instance, the assumptions I really challenged were my
perception of our country. To always be so quick to believe what I hear but to open my eyes,
mind and dig deeper for more knowledge. I tend to look at the world and forget about my own
backyard. The issues and challenges that Native American’s still faces today is something I did
not understand. Very rarely do the reservation situations make the news. I don't know if it is me,
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but I never see or hear anything about their situations on TV or by the community I live in. Why
is this so hidden away in America? Is it still a racism issue? I think it is.
Perhaps the answers lay In the essay “Indian Tribes - A Continuing Quest for Survival”
by the U.S. Commission on Human Rights. The essay made a very valued point in that the
Native American’s civil rights has moved backwards in progress in contrast to that of the
European’s in America through history. “Politically, other minorities started with nothing and
attempted to obtain a voice in the existing economic and political structure. Indians started with
everything and have gradually lost much of what they had to an advancing alien civilization”
(U.S. Commission on Human Rights p 501, line 16). These are heavy subjects to think about,
that truly does challenge the mind and consciousness of all of us living in America today.
For instance, I wrongly thought Native Americans were happy in a sense, where they are
today. That their life was better and that they had all the same accessibilities to education and
success in life as the rest of the population. Perhaps others around me think so as well and that is
why this issue is so important. I was shocked to learn how wrong I was. The Christian
“education” that was forced upon the Indians was cruel and unjust. As Mary Brave Bird
described her school experience as “All I got out of school was being taught how to pray. I
learned quickly that I would be beaten if I failed in my devotion or, God forbid, prayed the
wrong way, especially prayed in Indian to Wakan Tanka, the Indian Creator” (Bird, Erdoes, p
412, line 32). This was never a just or fair educational system and forcing alien religion will
always be plain wrong. Humanity still have a lot to learn about the precious and priceless
currency of culture. This cultural capital lends visibility to some bodies, while rendering others
invisible. Native Americans goods are still very sought after, we value their culture in goods but
not as individuals.
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Aaron Huey presented his experience and story during an TED broadcast of a video
called “America's Native Prisoners of War” in 2010. This story is powerful because it is not told
by an Native American, but a white man who has no relations to the Indian people. Yet his
passion and fight to educate and change the lives of the people he does not belong to, but loves is
beautiful. This story stood out more to me then anything else I read during my semester. The
reason is because for some reason I never hear about these problems in today’s society. Is it
because the white men so successfully pushed the Native Americans into submission and forced
them to hide rather then prosper? I think so, their silence today is proof of that. They are still
prisoners of war, and I think it is far past time for the liberation of Native American tribes in the
US. The Lakota tribe at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation lives in absolutely horrible situations,
and the statistics are proof of that. Statistics such as School drop out rate is at 70%. These
reservations are indeed “War camps that now are reservations” (Hues, 2010).
The Lakota calls the white man “the one that takes the best meat” that means greedy or
“non indian”. Even if a white man is an integrated part of Native American culture today, he will
never be one of them because he is the reason for so much pain to them and they never forget.
“Conventional wisdom has it that the United States has always been an affluent land of
opportunity. But the truth is that affluence has been the exception and that real upward mobility
has required massive affirmative action programs…” (Brodkin, p 50, line 40). With that brutal
understanding, one can see how white men became what they were and are today, while the
Natives suffered greatly. Pushed back and hidden in lands that white men did not want and with
no such action programs, with only a highly questionable choice of education to help them
succeed. Is it not time that changed for the better? I think it is our time to give back.
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In people's stories are much knowledge to be found. History, medical history, mental
history, wisdom, stories, folklore and just everyday conversations. Listening to stories makes me
a better person, it makes me think and philosophize about life. Listening can help me make a
better decision or change a viewpoint. Listening can be educational or part of an experience.
There is so much to be taught by people around us and their stories when we open our hearts to
them they teach us precious lessons of life and death. The Native American Indians have so
many stories to tell, not only from the past, but from life today. All we have to do is listen and
help make this country better, for everyone, and remember that “Racism breeds racism in
reverse” (Bird, Erdoes, p 413, line 32).
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Work Cited
Rothenberg, Paula S., Mary Brave Bird (Crow Dog), and Richard Erdoes. "Civilize Them
With a Stick." Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study. Ninth ed.
2004. 410-413. Print.
Rothenberg, Paula S., and Pem Davidson Buck. "Constructing Race, Creating White
Privilege." Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study. 6th ed. New
York: Worth, 2004. 33-38. Print.
Rothenberg, Paula S., and Karen Brodkin. "How Jews Became White Folks." Race,
Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study. 6th ed. New York: Worth, 2004.
39-53. Print.
Huey, Aaron. "America's Native Prisoners of War." Aaron Huey:
https://www.ted.com/talks/aaron_huey?language=en. 1 Sept. 2010. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.Web.
Rothenberg, Paula S. "Indian Tribes - A Continuing Quest for Survival by the U.S.
Commission on Human Rights." Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated
Study. 6th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1998. 501-505. Print.
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