Changing our names to Running Bear and White Wolf isn’t meant to be disrespectful … we respect [Native American] heritage and have a sincere acknowledgment of their beautiful culture. we would like to invite any Native American tribal leaders to meet with us to help us further understand their culture.
Note the use of “their culture”. As my friend Marjorie pointed out, “their implies not yours!!“. At least they recognize that that. But, “a sincere acknowledgement of their culture”? So, you recognize our culture, sincerely? that just doesn’t make sense (grammatically and otherwise). Also, it’s not our tribal leaders jobs to meet with you to help you “further understand” our cultures, they’re pretty busy running sovereign nations. And make note of the “s” on the end of that. cultures. nations. We are not one singular, monolithic, culture. There are hundreds and hundreds of tribes and communities–are you going to take the time to meet with leaders from all of them?
I could go on–“beautiful culture”? condescending much?–but it’s not even worth it. Heidi and Spencer, just go away.
PS-look at the image. TMZ used the logo of NIEA and the Rosebud Sioux. Like I said before, what the heck does NIEA have to do with this? Do they know TMZ is using their logo?
PPS- a commenter informed me that I missed a quotation from the Rosebud “representative” that noted the names Speidi chose (white wolf and running bear) are legitimate names in their community, making it all the more offensive. So I guess that begins to answer my question as to why TMZ decided to call the Rosebud Sioux out of every tribal community in the US.
But, I think more of the point I was trying to make by drawing attention to their choice to call a Sioux community was, to me, it just pointed back to a prevalent issue in the stereotyping of Native cultures–most of the stereotypical imagery we see around us is associated with plains tribes (tipis, warbonnets, buckskin, dances with wolves, etc), and as a result, whenever someone needs a “real Indian” they tend to look to the Lakota/Dakota communities, furthering the stereotypes that “real Indians” live in tipis and hunt buffalo. But that’s a bigger issue for another time.
Right now, let’s just sigh and roll our eyes at the ridiculousness of Heidi and Spencer.
TMZ post from today: http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/02/spencer-pratt-heidi-montag-native-americans/
Previous Post: http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-wish-this-was-april-fools-jokespeidi.html
Comments
Get over it ‘blogger’ you’re too critical, and unnecessarily politically correct. Let these people do what they want just as you like to pretend in your lonely world that you’re a reporter for TMZ.
Time to feed the ugly troll.
Those who throw around ‘political correctness’ as a slur just want to legitimise their own fuckwit behaviour and not engage in considered thought or debate. Wrong site for that, mate.
Some questions for you to answer. WHY should appropriation be deemed an uncessary topic of discussion? Why do you think Indigenous persons such as Adrienne K. should just ‘get over it’? I don’t think centuries of oppression will go away anytime soon. Do you think it has? Please feel free to explain why.
Idiots such as yourself no doubt sleep easy at night because you are just exercising your ‘right’ to ‘free speech’ without giving a fuck about anyone else or your own place in the world. Generalisation? Isn’t that what Speidi are doing by appropriating names, which to you is fine?
And TMZ as a ideal place of employment? Propping up ignorant morons as persons of interest, posting 911 calls and harrassing people? Yup, I bet Adrienne K. is just dying to jump into that industry. A pissweak barb if I’ve ever read one.
I never get why some people think they have a right to decide just WHO is the person who should get over it (usually it isn’t them btw) why did these people (do I actually know heidi and spencer?) not just get over the fact that from a cultural perspective they are plain common mainstream. Taking names -IMveryPO- isn’t an easy matter. If I choose a name to *create a link* to a certain culture I would think that at least warrants a little more than mere looking it up. Political correctness is an unfortunate *stigma* but it came up because APPARENTLY one can no longer rely on things like good taste, decent manners (among other things because manners are so different in various cultures) and mere consideration for the feeling of others.
My last name is White Wolf,from the cheyenne river sioux tribe in south dakota, I just wanna say that are family don’t appreciate them using are name, we think thats very disrespectful,my grandpa gave my brother his indian name “White Wolf”,over 28 yrs ago so its already takin, and we are meeting with A.I.M ( American Indian Movement), so they’ll be hearimg from us
Ridiculous.