Who Are We Anyways?

By Taqseblue

I saw him sitting on a chair, looking old, tattered, worn around the edges. He wasn't the kind of "elder" I remember learning about growing up. This man was "old". Behind him was a teepee, or at least a small version of what some people consider to be a teepee. He had wrinkled bronzed skin, grey eyes. . He wore a headdress, like the kind we see in the movies. Red, pink, white and blue feathers were the colors.

He wasn't a big man by any means but he stood out amongst his surroundings. All around were signs beckoning people to come into "their" tourist shop. "Authentic Indian made crafts" Souvenirs made by Indians" "Moccasins here". Were just some of the signs that played amongst this scenery.

I was afraid to look him in the face, for fear of embarrassing him. But I did. His eyes were blood shot. Probably from standing in the sun all day. Next to his chair was a sign that read " Get your picture with Indian Chief, your camera-donations. My camera-$5.00". I read the sign and I turned away. Mixed emotions, I didn't how to react. What to do. Pass this man by. Ignore his plea for money? He must be in dire need of cash if he is going to sit and do this all day, was my thought. My heart sank with in me, as we passed him by. He looked unhappy. Just doing his job. Maybe he even made pretty good money doing this. I had to rationalize this for myself, just to help me get through this instant in time. So I reasoned within myself that he was raking in the bucks and was a happy man just making some ones dream come true, "getting pictures with a real chief".

As I tryed to get to sleep tonight the image of this man and others like him come racing back to my mind. Today we went to the reservation to celebrate our "Indianness". We danced, we laughed, we visited, we had fun. Then when it was all done we walked the town streets to check out all the tourist shops that rake the main cruize into town. Just about every shop was the same, most tourist town shops are. But something pulled at my heart this time. Here I was in Indian country, and most every shop had items made in "Japan". I know that is not unusual, but I really expected more. Don't get me wrong, just about every shop had genuine Indian made stuff. But I was just so surprised at all the imports that were brought in, and actually being sold!

Where am I going with all this? I have been wrestling with these emotions and praying for the guidance to understand this all. I guess what it must come down to is "dignity". Where is the dignity in all this?

My grandfather was a real Indian Chief, Chief of Swinomish tribe of Indians of Washington state. A very honorable and respectable leader. A man that got things done for his people, and accomplished much in his long life. A man of dignity. I don't think Grandpa would have ever sat on a street corner with a headdress and camera waiting for people to take his photo for cash. He didn't have too. Don't get me wrong. I don't look down on these men for doing such. I just ache to see my elders being exploited, even if they are doing it themselves.

This man was not smiling either. I guess I don't blame him one bit. Seeing that his family history is probably like every other red-blooded American Indian family alive today. Upheaval, uprooted from sacred hunting grounds, fishing grounds. Taken off to far away places to be assimilated into white society, only after much suffering on poverty induced reservations. Throw in some alcohol abuse and domestic problems and maybe you might not smile either.

I have a hard time describing what I feel inside about all of this. When I go to the reservations, I don't see what I want to see. Instead I either see poor destitute people just trying to survive a modern day society. Or I see one that has jumped on the band wagon of "Smile, say cheese!".. Then we have the tribes that are raking in the bucks on tobacco, bingo, and "harrahs".

I wonder what our Native founding fathers would say today if they were approached with an offer to open a 5* casino in Indian territory? Chief Joseph, Red Cloud, Sitting Bull? What response would they give?

Would it be something like this "My brothers, you say you want to come to our lands and till up the sacred soil. To remove the beauty that our Creator has established here since time immemorial. You say it would profit us much. It would make us more like you, more civilized. You say money is where it is at. We could then feed our children, leave with them a legacy to carry on. But you fail to see that we already have a legacy. We pass on to our children honour and dignity. With these things you offer we see much destruction, much pain. Much greed that would make our children cry in sorrow, for loss of what is right. We now teach our children how to honour and respect the Creator, and all he has made. We teach our children the sacredness of life and death. We teach our children the ways of our ancestors, too respect mother earth. We teach our children to hunt and fish only what is needed to get us through the winter months. We have no need to collect much legacy, for the Creator saw it fit to provide us with what we need on a daily basis. We breathe His air, we drink his water, we marvel at the beauty of His stars. We look to The Great Spirit for all our needs, and we thank Him in our ceremonies. Why then do you say we need this Casino? Why then do you say we need this Bingo Hall. Why do we need the Alcohol license, when alcohol has proven to turn our warriors into useless men. It degrades our women and makes them vulnerable to much shame. Why would we say yes to such reproach and degradation? Do we have no recourse to your talk? Do we have no dignity that you would even suggest such an offer, as you call it? Brothers, we understand you just want to help us, but we don't need your help. Please understand that we just want to live in peace with you, we don’t understand this "greed" that has caused you to take us from our homelands. This same greed that wants all that we have and when it is not enough, you bring in substitutes and call it "Indian" so it will make you money. These things we don't understand, and don't want you to teach us. So please don't till up our sacred grounds, and take away our legacy of honour and dignity. Please don't take away our culture and history."

When we go to the pow-wows we dress up in our regalia. Some of us don't have our native dress anymore. It was wiped out with assimilation. But that is ok, because we have our neighbors across the river and over the hills that will come to our side. They honour us with a dress, a feather. A gift from our brothers and sisters from another reservation. We pick each other up and share, just like we have done since time immemorial. This is the way it was, we shared. We did not horred. To him who had little, we took care of.

The beauty of the dancer at your modern day pow-wow may not be the same as it was 200 years ago. Today it is very colorful. Bright dyed feathers, beautiful satin and velvet fabrics have changed much of our look. Our beads are import from Asia and Europe, We have taken the beautiful things of another culture and assimilated them into our own look and style with out changing our hearts. These things we can do and keep our dignity at the same time.

When I look at this man selling photos of himself. I wonder if he is doing this for rent, food, or just plain extra cash. Does he enjoy fulfilling dreams of the American frontier, in a photo? The tourists come in and want a picture of authenticity. The real thing. But they fail to understand that this authenticity lived through many struggles to get "there".

My grandfather wrote a book called "Indians of Skagit County". A book to preserve our history. He learned this history from his elders, his mother was a tribal historian. He wanted the preservation of his people carried on through successive generations. Our ways were becoming extinct and he saw a need to record it the way it was taught to him. When he was done with the book, he gave it to the publishers who in turn took the book and rewrote it so it would satisfy their appetite of authenticity. Then they published the book. When my grandfather saw the changes he was upset and went back to the publishers and told them that if they kept the book in its original format and words then he would forsake his royalties from the sales. They agreed to the offer. Today that book is in it's fifth printing. And the family of this great man does not receive any royalties from the sales of the book. We have to buy every copy we want, just like everyone else.

My grandfather said no to the money. And said yes to the important things. This is the way it was, and this is the way he lived his life. This was not selfish pride, or want of material riches. This was dignity in it's most beautiful display.

So when do we say "yes" to that offer for more money, and "no" to that offer for more money? I suppose for everyone that answer will be different. Where we are in the valley of priorities and self worth might make a big difference as well.

We must take pride in who we are as Indian people. We are the remnant of survivors after the holocaust. We are the offspring of survival. Survival taught us how to hold on, and in that holding on we have forgotten who our forefathers hoped us to be.

I pray that my brother who sits on the street corner selling his pictures has much self worth within his own heart. That he does this because "he" wants to do it and really and truly enjoys doing it. Because then it would be "ok" for him to carry on as he is. But if my brother is dawning a headdress and tomahawk to satisfy a stereotypical dream of another, so he can cash in on all the money that he doesn't want the white man to get a hold of, then my heart aches within me for this man.

I put on my wingdress, put a eagle feather in my hair, lace up my moccasins and dance to the beautiful beat of the Indian drum because it is "inside of me to do so". I have a sense of respect for my ancestors ways. If you want my picture ask me first. I hope your intentions are pure, and simple, because I most likely will say yes because I just want to share the beauty of my people. I hope you will see joy in my face and love in my steps, because my dance is a prayer to the Creator for true peace amongst all men. And with true peace will come true dignity for all to see and behold.