Personally I prefer "indiginous Peoples", but I can never remember that word or how to spell it, so I guess I'll just be a Choctaw. Colin Kelley -----Original Message----- From: Dennis Boswell [mailto:dennisb@primenet.com] Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 8:55 PM To: CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] twinkies Dusty, did you mean to say "Indian" or should the question have read, "What is a Native American?" At 08:29 PM 04/05/2001 -0500, you wrote: >Gemma and all: > >I am intrigued and challenged by your question, "Does the community still >exist." I have pondered this question for many years and under many >different circumstances., and would like to get some feedback from other >listmembers. > >What is the state of the Indian community today..... >Specifically, WHAT IS AN INDIAN? Is it a matter of blood quantum? >Lifestyle? Beliefs? > >There can be no argument that there is definite predjudice among NA as to >"who is Indian" and who is not. There are "skins" and there are "bloods". >Why the separation? What does it take to be considered "Indian enough". >Are some NAs practicing a racism they would decry in other races.? Don't >quote me the government's definition of Indian, I'm well aware of that. > >I want the opinions of others on this list. > >dusty > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: David and Tommie Marsters <haili65@proaxis.com> >To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 7:30 PM >Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] twinkies > > > > Well put, Gemma. I agree. > > Tommie > > > > Gemma West wrote: > > > > > What has happened for many people is that they wander through life >trying to > > > figure out what is wrong...trying to figure out why they don't fit in. > > > Attempts are made to mold themselves into someone else's defintions of >good > > > and bad. These attempts fail. Finally that person decides to look to >their > > > ancestors. They find themselves. They finally feel comfortable. It is > > > obvious to all that ancestors shape our biological characteristics. It >is > > > obvious to me that ancestors shape our spirituality. The sad thing is >that > > > sometimes the assimilation is so thick that you can grow up around >Indians and > > > still not know your own spirituality. The beautiful thing is finding >the few > > > who have refused assimilation and are willing to share knowledge. > > > > > > When non-Indian people ask to be allowed into the community it causes us >to > > > question ourselves. Does community still exist? What are they here to >get? > > > Are we really different from them? I think the great thing about this >reverse > > > acculturation is that it is spurring some of us to re-embrace our own > > > ancestors. It is removing the shame that our elders had to live with. >This > > > shame had no place and that is becoming clear to new generations. If we >can > > > influence people to live a balanced life then that is a great thing. >After > > > all, our children and their children will have to live in a world shaped >by > > > the parents. We can not afford to be selfish with principles of >balance. It > > > seems that they need these principles much more than we do. > > > > > > Barbara Ellison <greybird7@pisp.net> wrote: > > > "Our spirituality" is not "just an idea" and it is not something we went >to > > > class and learned somewhere, or got off the internet...it is born in us > > > (which is obvious to those Indians who were raised surrounded by a white > > > society) and a non-Indian may be able to learn from us some things, but >they > > > cannot "acquire" what they are not born with, and their attempts to put > > > themselves on an "equal footing", with Indians, so to speak, is at best > > > futile...and at worst, an attempt at cultural theft... > > > B. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Dusty" <dustyc@microgear.net> > > > To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 8:59 PM > > > Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Elkdreamer, twinkies > > > > > > > I shall play devil's advocate again and expose my rear to everyone's > > > slings > > > > and arrows... > > > > > > > > What about those people who do not "want to be NA", but just think >our > > > > spirituality, philosophy and way of life is a good idea. I've had > > > countless > > > > elders tell me, "I don't care what kind of blood you have, as long as >it's > > > > human". Just because an Anglo wants to practice our ways because it >works > > > > for them, doesn't mean they deserve to be belittled by a derogatory >name. > > > > Are there really that many among us that are so arrogant to do so. > > > > > > > > Where did we ever get the idea that that we were so exclusive? Isn't >that > > > > TRUE racism? > > > > > > > > dusty > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: John & Arla Williams <jaws@crosstel.net> > > > > To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 8:45 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Elkdreamer, twinkies > > > > > > > > > > > > > Elkdreamer, Where did the term come from? Arla > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > > From: "Elkdreamer Wilkins" <elkdremr@hotmail.com> > > > > > To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 8:38 PM > > > > > Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Elkdreamer, twinkies > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Halito Fay > > > > > > Mostly people that want to be N/A and really have no Indian blood >at > > > all > > > > > > Walk in Beauty > > > > > > Elkdreamer > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > > > To subscribe to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L genealogy mail list: > > > > > Send msg. to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > Put "one" word in "body" of message:... "subscribe" without the >quotes > > > > > Nothing in the subject line... Turn off signatures....... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > > Choctaw Home Page: > > > > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/ > > > > > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > Need more CHOCTAW information?? Visit Judy White's pages at > > > http://accessgenealogy.com/native for rolls, data, etc. > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > To subscribe to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L Genealogy mail list: > > > Send msg. to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > Put "one" word in "body" of message:... "subscribe" without the quotes > > > Nothing in the subject line... Turn off signatures....... > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > Markie and Fay's CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST Home Page: > > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/ > > > > >==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== >Markie and Fay's CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST Home Page: >http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/ Regards, Dennis K. Boswell 301 Crow Canyon Drive Folsom, CA 95630 Tel: (916) 987-3599 Fax: (916) 987-3555 ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== Choctaw Home Page: http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/