Emphasise on Minorities...but where is the emphasize on American Indians?

GigageiTsula

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This is something I just cannot understand. Perhaps someone can explain why there is so much more emphasise given to African Americans or to Mexican Americans while there is hardly any mention, acknowledgement or recognition of American Indians in today's media or culture? Yes, I know that American Indians are only 1% of our population (thanks to the forced assimilation, cultural genocide, five centuries of oppression, and the near annihilation of this race). But American Indians are, in fact, the first people of Turtle Island.

I have often heard it said among native circles that this land is stained with the blood of our Ancestors. I am now believing that to be true. It is as if American Indians are somehow second class citizens compared to the other minorities in this country. Am I the only one who thinks this? Now I am not trying to stir up trouble or discord, but this bothers me. Are red people invisible?

I found this graphic online and I wanted to share it. I wanted other Indigenous views on it. Tell me what you think. Let us discuss this issue in a calm, civilized manner. Go ahead and share your opinions. And please remember, I bring this up out of concern for fairness and justice for our people.
 
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NDNgirl4ever

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I've noticed the lack of attention as well, and yes, it makes me sad that we are ignored. People don't want to acknowledge the wrongs that were (and continue to be) done to Indian people. There are a lot of people out there who have no idea who Sitting Bull, Sequoyah and Geronimo were. There are people who have no clue as to what happened at Wounded Knee in 1890 or 1973 and if you ask them about the Trail of Tears, you'll get a blank stare. I've heard of Non-Indian people who think that the Cherokee's lived in Tipis, and are suprised to find out that we wear blue jeans, shop at Wal-Mart and drive cars!
Indian people are ignored a lot, and I am tired of it as well.

I love the graphic by the way. It's very true.
 
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GigageiTsula

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I've noticed the lack of attention as well, and yes, it makes me sad that we are ignored. People don't want to acknowledge the wrongs that were (and continue to be) done to Indian people. There are a lot of people out there who have no idea who Sitting Bull, Sequoyah and Geronimo were. There are people who have no clue as to what happened at Wounded Knee in 1890 or 1973 and if you ask them about the Trail of Tears, you'll get a blank stare. I've heard of Non-Indian people who think that the Cherokee's lived in Tipis, and are suprised to find out that we wear blue jeans, shop at Wal-Mart and drive cars!
Indian people are ignored a lot, and I am tired of it as well.

I love the graphic by the way. It's very true.

The most frustrating part of all of this for me is the ignorance so many non-natives have of American Indians or of Indigenous people, in general. No, NDNs do not live in tipis or spend all their time in Casinos. Here are more common myths about American NDNs, Mistakes, Lies & Misconceptions.

No, many non-natives have no idea who Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, Sequoyah, Geronimo, or even Crazy Horse are. Non-natives, in general, I think, see no point or significance in learning about Americans Indians either. Nor have any idea about Wounded Knee or Sand Creek, most do not care to know either.

It does feel good to finally have the opportunity to talk about these things, especially with someone who understands what all of this feels like.
 
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seashale76

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Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but this is something I've seen too.

I wish I had an answer for why, but I don't. It is ignored in school curriculum frequently- I know that I never got the chance to study much about American Indians when I was in school.

My brother-in-law is Indian and I still remember back when he applied to a minority teacher education program and was rejected. Someone actually told him that he wasn't the right kind of minority. He decided not to pursue action against them (even though we all encouraged him to) and went on to a different career. However, it's been quite a few years, but just yesterday he was lamenting the idea of never becoming a teacher. I still think he'd be a good one. He tried to laugh it off by saying he'd take a significant pay cut to do it now, but he obviously regrets never pursuing it.
 
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Etsi

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I think part of it is how mixed so many of us are. If I applied for a grant as a Native American, they would take one look at me and stamp "denied". As far as the US is concerned it's not really about what you are as much as it is about what you "look" like (subjective rather than objective). In Europe when you have minorities in a country they can look like much of the rest of the population as far as colouring goes, but they are recognised for what they are or what they identify as.
 
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GigageiTsula

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November has been designated as Native American month. But unfortunately, there is hardly a whisper of this in the non-native media. However, Black History Month and National Hispanic Heritage Month are literally plastered all over the media. There are special television programs done in honor and recognition of them, there are displays put up in stores about them, and each one is officially recognized by local, state governments, and the federal government.

So, will someone please explain to me why is there such a lack of concern and recognition for the true inhabitants of this country, the Native Americans? Why even bother giving the Native Americans a month of recognition at all when hardly anyone, except for Native Americans themselves, pay any attention to it? Why are Native Americans considered less important than any other race in this country? Why are Native Americans treated like second class citizens in this country? I find it all of this incredibly unfair and really annoying. But what do you think?
 
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apache1

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To show you how different it is nowadays, an Indian (which I have proud heritage) when I grew up was Cherokee, Apache, Tarahumara, Seminole, Sioux, etc., now when you see the term "Indian" it's someone from Calcutta, Bombay, Amritsar, or somewhere else on the "Indian" Subcontinent. I have never totally gotten used to the term "Native American" or "First Nations", for one thing strikes me as patronizing two-face politically correct b.s., also "Native American" too many syllables to say. viva la indigenous people of the Americas (and other places too), and to people of the world in general, and praise be to Jesus!:clap:
 
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apache1

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I think part of it is how mixed so many of us are. If I applied for a grant as a Native American, they would take one look at me and stamp "denied". As far as the US is concerned it's not really about what you are as much as it is about what you "look" like (subjective rather than objective). In Europe when you have minorities in a country they can look like much of the rest of the population as far as colouring goes, but they are recognised for what they are or what they identify as.
Same here .... here in the Appalachian region of the country, there are MANY people (white, black, etc.) that have varying degrees of Cherokee or other Indian blood, to the point in some families, you might have a very pale blond haired blue eyed kid or, rarely, a very black kid, who either one might have a sibling that looks like could be grandchild of Sequoyah or Sitting Bull. Also, several areas of Appalachia have lots of people with Melungeon ancestry(look it up on Wikipedia...p.s. Elvis, Abe Lincoln AND Jefferson Davis, etc. in a book I recently read have Melungeon roots).
 
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Jahleel

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I believe it to be because the white man took the Native Americans land and so because the Native Americans stood up for themselves and thought for their land culture etc the white man doesn`t like it, or to put it another way you`re being punished because your ancestors stood up for themselves and did the right/only thing you native Americans today are being punished because of it.
Also remember people are scared of what they don`t understand ;).There`s a lot of misconceptions of Native Americans out there.
I love native Americans.Tecumseh is my favourite chief because he united all the different tribes, next is of course Geronimo.
 
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Jahleel

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Thank you for sharing your opinions with us here, Jahleel. I appreciate your input.
Your welcome, thank you for the graphic btw:thumbsup:
It`s a subject close to my heart, i love Native Americans, and the old Native American life, and everything about them.
 
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Radrook

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I think part of it is how mixed so many of us are. If I applied for a grant as a Native American, they would take one look at me and stamp "denied". As far as the US is concerned it's not really about what you are as much as it is about what you "look" like (subjective rather than objective). In Europe when you have minorities in a country they can look like much of the rest of the population as far as colouring goes, but they are recognised for what they are or what they identify as.

The European HW boxer Tyson Fury is a good example of what you are referring to since he is culturally a gypsy.
Looks 100 Caucasian though as do all of his Gypsy relatives.

About how it is in the USA, I have been living here for all my long life and my experience has been that USA AAs and whites are culturally prone to seriously consider ethnicity when categorizing someone as white or not. For example, most AAs consider only Nordic type Europeans as truly white and view southern and Eastern Europeans as mixed ignoring the fact that there are millions of Northern European looking persons in all areas of Europe.

They also tend to mindlessly classify all Hispanics as mixed even though there are millions of Hispanics of European unmixed descent-especially in such countries as Costa Rica, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Southern Brazil. There are also millions of unmixed Native American Hispanics, especially in such countries as Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador as well as millions of unmixed black Hispanics specially in such countries as The Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Brazil. Yet in the average American mind they are all mixed.

So I guess our perception of how USA Americans view race differs considerably.
 
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