Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 12:58:12 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: re: museumizing the other/native.....


hello michelle and all,

just as an aside and not really in response to your observations...

i had heard some time ago that "Indians" prefer to be called just that -
Indians.  they maintain this so as to not lose sight of the pejorative
history that accompanies the use of the term.  i have a friend who is
doing research among the nez perce in idaho, and he says the same.  Gerald
Vizenor, in his introduction to _Fugitive poses_, comments briefly  on the
use of racial and cultural names as regards the american indian people,
and relates it, as has occurred to me, to the use of "nigger" or, more
precisely, "nigga" among black people (as a mode of signifying, a la
Gates).  other variations include young men greeting each other with
"what up, black?"   the connotation emerges as quite ironic and
subversive.

any comments?
rebecka r


On Thu, 12 Oct 2000, Michelle Rader wrote:

>     I noticed on the local news the other day a clip on a local(Chico, CA, USA) elementary school class spending a day on "Indian" study, doing projects related to the "traditional Indian culture"  (meaning Native American).  It made me think a great deal about the U.S. school curriculum and how it may inadvertantly contribute to this "museumizing" by concentrating on certain glorified "traditional" objects and practices of native peoples without teaching their  current lifestyles and situations, which may be very different from what is taught in the school's program.  In this way I think the American school children may get a very stereotyped perception of native people and culture that is highly inaccurate! 
>      I know that my preschool-aged son has come home with just such ideas...that "Indians" are very different from us.  (I have had numerous talks with him since, pointing out that yes there may be some cultural and physical differences but that all people are unique in many different ways, which is what makes this world interesting, but that also they are still "just people" like ourselves with many of the same feelings and experiences we have.....that many of those "Indians" live and work and go to school in our community just like we do, and look and dress just like us, etc., etc. ....)
>     Of course, these perceptions are also perpetuated by many other sources in our society, such as movies and television, children's books, museum displays, etc..
>     Is this something that is pervasive out there, or is it just my personal observation? Any comments?  Suggestions for change????  
> 
> Michelle Rader 
> 




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