in this random rambling thread we post random pictures

[sgtmom52]

Return of the 17 year cicadas

http://sites.bio.indiana.edu/~hangarterlab/broodx/broodxmovies/NSFmovie.htm

 

[sgtmom52]

 

[KristyHall]

 

[KristyHall]

So in my state of tiredness, and watching people post pictures of idle no more and argue about who is being a "real indian" I ended up posting this long massive rant, and I am still short on sleep so bare with me.

( . So I have been doing some off hand research for a few friends on Native Issues. It only reminds me just how complicated things are when it comes to Native Heritage. I am mixed race. My mother is 3/4ths Native.
I was raised in the traditions she was. My fathers mother was born on a temporary reservation here in Alabama in the 1800's. I have proof of my heritage.

People ask why I never bothered to try and register with federal tribes. It never seemed important to me. But I see so much infighting, so many people struggling to be recognized, and this odd mix of "either you're native or your not attitudes", and a " you know who you are" attitudes. For some they require a card to be given some legitimacy, for others it means none, but the laws can get complicated, and people can get confused. Throw in people pointing fingers at who is damaging the Native images and cultures, who are frauds, and who are not, and even more people get confused.

In Idle No more, I am seeing more people banding together for a common cause, but how long will this last? It is fine now, having unrecognized, mixed race, full bloods, recognized natives marching together to save Native rights, but what will happen after wards? It strikes me as a similar problem many African Americans face. You have mixed race African Americans who struggle to be identified as " either or" They can be criticized for not acting "black enough" or for becoming stereotypes, or bending to varying social pressures.

So what is "black enough?" what is "Indian enough" What difference is there if we have a mixed race president,w ho is often only identified as one race, and sometimes criticized for not adhering to what some think her should behave as in only one of his racial sides? Does race mean culture? must one be of a certain race to be apart of a culture? Why can't we openly celebrate our multiple cultures? I have met federally recognized people who are blond haired blue eyed, and non registered people who were near full blood ( if you wish to use this term)

I have met federal people who knew nothing of their tribal culture, and non recognized people who were fluent in their tribal language. what of people with a multi tribe heritage? My mother is one of these people. Why must we only identify as one? Why do I find myself sometimes falling into the trap of this thought that i must carry a card to have any weight to my words. Being Native, in the US, is a massively complicated thing. It is many things, it is racial identity, political status, cultural identity, family identity, legal status, citizenship status. It has roots in language and religion. It is so many things. Then when you get governments involved, fights over sovereignty, treaty rights, and defining what treaties apply to what people not based soley on blood but also on what side of the line one stood when certain judges rule.

These identities, these laws, these very definitions are in a constant state of upheaval. Court battlers are fought, even today, people's very heritage is legally won or loss based upon the ruling of who ever is in the position of power at the time. These people decide legal status, but what is legal status? Are we truly identifying ourselves as Native people, or mixed race, or Irish, based on a simple legal status rather than the culture one is raised in? A decision that can be made, the fate of entire generations availability to their own identity because of others political maneuvering? And for what? Many people have different motivations. Some is greed, some is fear, some is desire to maintain their own identity.

But is our identity truly one or lost based on whether or not other people are recognized.... or not? Isn't that just another form of elitism? A frantic grab at claiming to be the true natives? A right to claim to be The true champions of a common ancestor based upon arbitrary lines? What possibly can be gained when we allow ourselves to be caught up in simple labels when cultural identity is far from simple? )

 

[sgtmom52]

When you see it....

 

[sgtmom52]

 

[zazouse]

A redneck with a bucket full of live fish, was approached recently by a game warden in Texas as he started to drive his boat away from a lake. The game warden a...sked the man, "May I see your fishing license please?" "Naw, sir," replied the redneck. "I don't need none of them there papers. These here are my pet fish."
"Pet fish!?!?"
"Yep. Once a week, I bring these here fish o'mine down to the lake and let 'em swim 'round for a while. Then when I whistle, they swim right back into my net and I take 'em home."
"What a line of baloney....you're under arrest."
The redneck said, "It's the truth, Mr. Gov'ment man. I'll show ya!
We do this all the time!!"
"WE do, now, do WE?" smirked the warden. "PROVE it!"
The redneck released the fish into the lake and stood and waited. After a few minutes, the warden said, "Well?"
"Well, WHUT?" said the redneck.
The warden asked, "When are you going to call em back?"
"Call who back?"
"The FISH," replied the warden!
"Whut fish?" asked the redneck.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
We may not be as smart as some city slickers, but we ain't as dumb as some government employees.

 

[3goodeggs]

So in my state of tiredness, and watching people post pictures of idle no more and argue about who is being a "real indian" I ended up posting this long massive rant, and I am still short on sleep so bare with me.

( . So I have been doing some off hand research for a few friends on Native Issues. It only reminds me just how complicated things are when it comes to Native Heritage. I am mixed race. My mother is 3/4ths Native.
I was raised in the traditions she was. My fathers mother was born on a temporary reservation here in Alabama in the 1800's. I have proof of my heritage.

People ask why I never bothered to try and register with federal tribes. It never seemed important to me. But I see so much infighting, so many people struggling to be recognized, and this odd mix of "either you're native or your not attitudes", and a " you know who you are" attitudes. For some they require a card to be given some legitimacy, for others it means none, but the laws can get complicated, and people can get confused. Throw in people pointing fingers at who is damaging the Native images and cultures, who are frauds, and who are not, and even more people get confused.

In Idle No more, I am seeing more people banding together for a common cause, but how long will this last? It is fine now, having unrecognized, mixed race, full bloods, recognized natives marching together to save Native rights, but what will happen after wards? It strikes me as a similar problem many African Americans face. You have mixed race African Americans who struggle to be identified as " either or" They can be criticized for not acting "black enough" or for becoming stereotypes, or bending to varying social pressures.

So what is "black enough?" what is "Indian enough" What difference is there if we have a mixed race president,w ho is often only identified as one race, and sometimes criticized for not adhering to what some think her should behave as in only one of his racial sides? Does race mean culture? must one be of a certain race to be apart of a culture? Why can't we openly celebrate our multiple cultures? I have met federally recognized people who are blond haired blue eyed, and non registered people who were near full blood ( if you wish to use this term)

I have met federal people who knew nothing of their tribal culture, and non recognized people who were fluent in their tribal language. what of people with a multi tribe heritage? My mother is one of these people. Why must we only identify as one? Why do I find myself sometimes falling into the trap of this thought that i must carry a card to have any weight to my words. Being Native, in the US, is a massively complicated thing. It is many things, it is racial identity, political status, cultural identity, family identity, legal status, citizenship status. It has roots in language and religion. It is so many things. Then when you get governments involved, fights over sovereignty, treaty rights, and defining what treaties apply to what people not based soley on blood but also on what side of the line one stood when certain judges rule.

These identities, these laws, these very definitions are in a constant state of upheaval. Court battlers are fought, even today, people's very heritage is legally won or loss based upon the ruling of who ever is in the position of power at the time. These people decide legal status, but what is legal status? Are we truly identifying ourselves as Native people, or mixed race, or Irish, based on a simple legal status rather than the culture one is raised in? A decision that can be made, the fate of entire generations availability to their own identity because of others political maneuvering? And for what? Many people have different motivations. Some is greed, some is fear, some is desire to maintain their own identity.

But is our identity truly one or lost based on whether or not other people are recognized.... or not? Isn't that just another form of elitism? A frantic grab at claiming to be the true natives? A right to claim to be The true champions of a common ancestor based upon arbitrary lines? What possibly can be gained when we allow ourselves to be caught up in simple labels when cultural identity is far from simple? )

One of my best most favorite quotes... actually all of my favorite quotes comes from a Muppet movie, "People's are peoples"
When we can drop the color and religious and regions and all the barriers that we throw up to keep us apart and just enjoy everyone's differences as valuable qualities instead of reasons to keep us from loving each other - the power we will have for good is unfathomable. I can not imagine how powerful that would be.

 

[KristyHall]

 

[KristyHall]