dodie, that being indian thing you wrote was funny. i enjoyed it . here is a new one to add to the list being indian is getting a government student loan to go on to college with your GED. lol here is the address to get a student loan and grant ----- Original Message ----- From: Dodie <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 9:49 AM Subject: [CHAHTA] Being Indian > Posted on ndn-aim > By Tammy Salinas > > This was forwarded to me by a friend. This may have already > been > posted, if so - sorry. If not, enjoy! > > BEING INDIAN IS.............. > > Being Indian Is-feeding anyone and everyone who comes to your > door > hungry, with whatever you have. > > Being Indian Is-having every third person you meet tell you > about his > great grandmother who was a real Cherokee princess. > > Being Indian Is-being broke all summer long because you try > to make > very pow wow. > > Being Indian Is-loving frybread and dry meat. > > Being Indian Is-masking your emotions in times of stress. > > Being Indian Is-respecting your elders who have earned it. > > Being Indian Is-never giving up the struggle for survival. > > Being Indian Is-trading your surplus commodities for > something you > are in more need of. > > Being Indian Is-being known for your great sense of humor and > having > the ability to make jokes and laughter out of the worse > situation. > > Being Indian Is-not rioting in the streets but occupying > godforsaken > places like Alcatraz, Mount Rushmore, the New York-Canadian > bridge, > etc. and Whiteclay, Nebraska!!! (And Gallatin/Owen Counties > in KY & > being *content* with it) > > Being Indian Is-owning land and not being able to rent, > lease, sell > or even farm it yourself without BIA approval. > > Being Indian Is- feeling Red Eagle, Medicine Cloud, and > Pretty Bear > are more beautiful names than Smith, Johnson, or Jones. > > Being Indian Is-watching your daughter give away her only > pair of > overshoes to somebody who needs them more than her. > > Being Indian Is-having your all-Indian school team playing > against 7 > men on the basketball court. > > Being Indian Is-playing basketball at the outdoor courts on > the rez > til 3:00 am. > > Being Indian Is-either borrowing or lending money to your > skin > brothers and sisters at > least once a week. > > Being Indian Is-having people ask if they can touch your hair > or take > your picture. > > Being Indian Is-worrying about diabetes. > > Being Indian Is-knowing why the rez car in "Smoke Signals" > was funny! > > Being Indian Is-having more cousins than trees have leaves. > > Being Indian Is-cutting the mold off the commodity cheese so > you can > eat it anyway. > > Being Indian Is-having to explain *again* why you don't like > the > mascot. (So don't explain more than once, more than likely, > they will > abuse your words anyway) > > Being Indian Is-cursing F.A.S. > > Being Indian Is-fighting the likes of Slade Gordon > > Doing Indian Is- know the Reservation of Education. > > Being Indian Is-eating salmon for the 6th meal in a row. > > Being Indian Is-knowing to many people that have died of > cirrhosis, > exposure, or "accident" > > Being Indian Is-knowing history started before 1492. > > Being Indian Is-laughing with your friends so much your > facial > muscles hurt. > > Being Indian Is-singing 49 songs using a garbage can for a > drum. > > Being Indian Is-road trips cross country . . . just because . > . . > > Being Indian is having the strength to move your family at > any given > moment, for any given reason of another . . . and making it . > . . > > Being Indian Is-reading about your ancestors and relations in > an > anthropologist paper. > > Being Indian Is-knowing someone in Oklahoma City, > Albuquerque, San > Francisco, > Minneapolis or any other relocation center. > > Being Indian Is-losing your job after the grant ends. > > Being Indian is losing your job because you're different. > > Being Indian Is-having a song come to you at the oddest > times. Aho! > > Being Indian Is-counting the number of brown people > photographed in > magazine advertisements. > > Being Indian Is-celebrating the whale hunt. > > Being Indian Is-full of acronyms that affect your world (BIA, > IHS, > CSBG, ANA, FEMA, CCDBG, JTPA, WIA, SYEP, JOM, NIEA, > UNITY....... > > > Being Indian Is-PRIDE. > > Being Indian Is-BEAUTIFUL > > Being Indian Is-FOREVER...... > >>>>>>>>> > This is truly what it is being Indian . :) > Dodie > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > Choctaw Home Page: > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/index.htm > >