Cool Things at Cherokee National Holiday

In Cherokee Nation, Cherokee National Holiday, Oklahoma, Tahlequah by Adrienne K.6 Comments

(My Cherokee-style basket I made in Tahlequah!)

Labor Day weekend was the annual Cherokee National Holiday in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (the capital of the Cherokee Nation). When I used to work in Native recruitment at a university out west, my travels brought me through Oklahoma fairly often, but since I’ve moved to Boston I hadn’t been back to visit my family in a while–so the National Holiday offered a great excuse for a trip.

The weekend proved to be incredibly powerful and really transformational in a number of ways–it became much, much more than just a surface-level visit. I went to stomp dances, learned a lot more about my Cherokee history and family, and left feeling so proud and so connected to my community. I’ve been trying to put my feelings and experience into words, so I’ll put that up as soon as I feel comfortable with it. Then, on Sunday, I had the chance to meet up with filmmaker Sterlin Harjo for coffee and a chat. Post forthcoming on that as well (got the scoop on the New Moon Wolfpack Auditions video)!

So because the weekend became much more about family and community, I actually only managed to snap a few pictures throughout the weekend. Here they are:

This is from the “State of the Nation” address in Tahlequah on Saturday, that’s Deputy Chief Grayson and Principal Chief Chad Smith up on the stage. It was really interesting to hear about all the cool things going on in CN, and they gave out some community awards and had performances as well. They also had a huge, yummy (and free!) feed in honor of Wilma Mankiller afterward. I also stood next to Wes Studi, who was trying to be all covert in a hat and sunglasses, but I spotted him right out! No picture of him, unfortunately. I chickened out.

One of the cool things about Tahlequah is that all the signs are bilingual–even the big storefronts like Bank of America. You can see me in the reflection (hi!).

Here’s one of the street signs–Choctaw Street, in Cherokee.

Behind the main courthouse square, they had stations where you could learn some traditional Cherokee crafts, practice some Cherokee language, use a blow gun, and even play stickball. I made a basket (which I am exceedingly proud of, I even ordered supplies when I got home to make more!), and these cute mini-stickball sticks, which I would totally hang from my rear view mirror…if I had a car:

That’s my Auntie’s house in the background (like the Indian art?). Finally, I’ll leave you with this awesome bumper sticker that I saw at the Cherokee Heritage Center:

True that.

In addition to these random pictures, there was also a powwow, an art show, and a million other cool events throughout the weekend. It was so neat to see so many Cherokees in one place, and it just really had the feel of one, big, family reunion. I’ll definitely be back!
 
So stay tuned for a post about the more personal side of the weekend, as well as my interview (slash conversation with a tape recorder) with Sterlin Harjo!

 (Wado to Marcus for making me promise I would go!)

Jezebel Uses "#trailoftears" to Describe Megan McCain

In hashtags, jezebel, Meghan McCain, Trail of Tears by Adrienne K.8 Comments

(link to article here)
Notice anything distinctive about this posting from Jezebel this morning? Please direct your gaze to the upper righthand corner of the photo. See the hash tag? Here, I blew it up for you:
Yes, that says #trailoftears. Trail of Tears. The forced relocation of my ancestors, where they were unlawfully and forcibly removed from their homelands in the Southeast and marched over 1000 miles, in the dead of winter, to what is now modern day Oklahoma. Over 4,000 of the 15,000 Cherokees who began the journey died along the way from exposure, hunger, and disease. 

The Trail of Tears was also unlawful in the truest sense of the word. Chief John Ross of the Cherokee Nation took the case to court, fighting for the right for his people to remain in their homelands, where they had been for thousands of years. The Cherokees argued that as a sovereign nation, the state of Georgia had no right to enforce a removal within Cherokee territory. The case worked it’s way up through the court system, ended up in the supreme court. In a series of decisions, Justice John Marshall and his court sided with the Cherokees, stating that only the national government had the right to intervene in Indian Affairs. To which President Andrew Jackson reportedly stated:

“John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it!”

With the signing of the Indian Removal Act in 1830, Jackson took matters into his own hands, authorizing the removal of thousands of Native people from throughout North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama. 
To put this in perspective, this is the mid 1800’s. The Cherokee Nation was a successful and prosperous community, with large plantations, farms, schools, printing presses that produced books and a newspaper in the written Cherokee language, a literacy rate exponentially higher than the local white community, and a system of colleges that educated members of the “Five Civilized Tribes” (I hate that term) in a way that incorporated both mainstream and tribal education traditions.
The federal government sent in troops to enforce the removal, and without warning, they swooped into these communities, burning homes, killing livestock, and removing families without even time for them to gather belongings. They were then rounded up into concentration camps where conditions were squalid and supplies limited, and then forced to begin their journey.
My great-great-great grandparents came over on that journey, a time that is called Nunna daul Isunyi in the Cherokee Language–The Trail Where They Cried. 
So, Jezebel, calling Megan McCain crying over her dad picking Sarah Palin as his running mate a #trailoftears? You are dismissing the pain and legacy of my community’s genocide–and that’s not something I take lightly. 
UPDATE 9/15: The #trailoftears tag is still there. On the day the post went up, I tweeted my thoughts on the tagging to Jessica Coen (@JessicaCoen), the Jezebel editor who authored the post, and received no response. Later, I tweeted this post, and again received no response. I received numerous emails from Native Appropriations readers who said they emailed the editors, and they received responses from the site ranging from “complaint noted” to “thank you for your response” to “dissent noted”. There are also multiple comments on the Jezebel post expressing concern over the tag, and then there is this comment thread: http://jezebel.com/comment/28874773/ (complete with the typical “stop whining” troll) that exhibits the thoughts of some of the Jezebel readership. 
Am I surprised they didn’t take the tag down? Not really. Jezebel is not exactly know for sensitivity about issues pertaining to race. Of course it’s still upsetting and frustrating, and the most annoying part to me is it seemed like such a simple fix–something that they could have gone in and corrected with little fanfare and no one would have been the wiser. I know it’s embarrassing to get called out when you eff up, but, I’m sorry Jezebel, ignoring the issue isn’t gonna fix it. This may seem small and inconsequential to you, but these are my ancestors and my community, and the way this was handled does nothing to restore my faith in how people of color are treated on your site.   

NeverShoutNever and the Hipster Headdress

In hipster headdress, indie music, myspace music, nevershoutnever by Adrienne K.5 Comments

Indie Hipster frontman Christofer Drew Ingle of NeverShoutNever, who apparently has an aversion to his spacebar, has decided to sport a huge warbonnet and breastplate in his newest promo shoot.


The picture is emblazoned across the band’s myspace, but was also used for several days on the general myspace music homepage, advertising a live Never Shout Never concert stream. Reader Erica sent over that image:

Then, back on the band’s myspace page, they’re using this image of a headdress-wearing buffalo to promote their upcoming concerts:

and finally, in their new video for cheatercheaterbestfriendeater (again with the spaces), they have this whole upside-down chin thing going on, and one of the “characters” they use? An “Indian.” With warpaint and everything:

creepy.

I have about 8 bazillion more examples in my inbox of indie bands who use Indian imagery in their promotional materials, but I thought this one was interesting since it hit a fairly mainstream audience with the myspace music homepage promotion.

So, for the inevitable NeverShoutNever fans who stumble over here and wonder what’s so wrong with dressing up like an Indian, read this post: But Why Can’t I Wear a Hipster Headdress?

But if you’re as adverse to clicking links as you are spacebars, here’s the cliff notes version:

Headdress wearing by non-Natives promotes stereotyping of Native cultures. It collapses 565 tribes with distinct cultures, traditions, and regalia into one stereotypical image of a Plains Indian. There are few tribes that actually wear headdresses like the one above. It places Natives in the historic past. We still exist and are still Native, but we don’t walk around in headdresses everyday. Headdresses are reserved for those given deep respect in Native communities–chiefs, leaders, warriors–and they have to be earned. It is offensive to see the frontman of a band wearing a headdress, implying he is on equal footing with these honored tribal members. Also, this practice is not “honoring” Native Americans. At all.

(Thanks Micah and Erica!)

Monuments and Mosques: A Debate Over What’s Sacred (An American Indian’s Perspective)

In CrazyHorse Memorial, Ground Zero Mosque, Guest Posts, I Am Not A Mascot, Sacred Spaces by Adrienne K.8 Comments

CrazyHorse Memorial, South Dakota
(Image source.)

AK note: Today’s posting comes from Simon Moya-Smith, the author behind I Am Not A Mascot. Simon is Oglala Lakota, writes for the Denver Post, and offers engaging and poignant commentary about what it means to be a contemporary Indian in America. You can also follow him on twitter, @IAmNotAMascot. 

So the controversy – for the moment – is over the mosque slated to be built near the site of the World Trade Center bombings in New York City. Don’t you worry, though. We’ll get back to that ugly immigration debate momentarily.

None the less, I feel compelled to share some not-widely-known wisdom with my mosque-naysayers, for if there’s one thing citizens in this country get instantly aroused by it is some good old American Indian wisdom, so here you go, folks:

Since time immemorial, the Black Hills in South Dakota have been a holy place for the Lakota Sioux – my people. And to the Lakota the Black Hills is where Life began. Although the story of creation significantly differs between Sioux and Christians (our messenger from The Creator came in the form of a woman) Paha Sapa is not unlike Christianity’s Eden in its significance.

But here is where today’s debate over the mosque and my peoples’ sacred site come together: It didn’t matter to the Christians, those innumerable settlers who came west seeking gold, land, riches and religious freedom (ironically) that the Black Hills was our holy site, our sacred location, our Jerusalem. No. What mattered was that their monument – Mount Rushmore – be chiseled into it.

And the key word here is “on,” not “near.” The American Muslim community wants to build their 13-story mosque near the World Trade Center bombing site, not on it. Only if we – American Indians – were lucky enough to have seen Christians build their much coveted religious institutions and monuments to their leaders near our holy sites, and not on them.

And for some odd reason, the desecration of the Black Hills continues in the form of the Crazy Horse monument, still in construction. Although it is said that Lakota councils support the depiction of the never-photographed war leader on its rock face, I remain of the opinion that Crazy Horse would want his likeness carved into the Black Hills as much as a priest would like someone disfiguring his cathedral.

Sadly, and much to my chagrin, there seems to be no stopping in sight for the desecration of American Indian sacred locations. Take DIA in Colorado for example.

Denver International Airport, built in 1995 and residing only 20 minutes east of downtown, is on sacred Indian burial ground, and it now appears the city is considering a $1 billion facelift of the airport including the construction of more facilities.

Albeit, if the voices of protest aren’t speaking loudly enough, the spirits most certainly are.

Pass through any one of the concourses at DIA – especially Terminal A – and one will detect the subtle, familiar sounds of American Indian flute. The high harmonies play on a continual loop, serenading frequent fliers from out camouflaged speakers behind glass cases displaying old Indian trinkets and blouses.

These flute tunes aren’t there to pay homage to the plains Indians that once inhabited the area. Nor do they play to create a “Welcome to the West” ambiance for airport patrons on layover to Seattle. No. The Indian flute plays to pause the pranks and creepy occurrences that sweep the facility.

During construction, innumerable unexplained phenomenon occurred at DIA, and reportedly continues today 15 years after its unveiling. In the late 1990s, airport big shots summoned Colorado American Indian elders to place blessings on the airport in a last ditch effort to rest the restless spirits and mitigate the often frightening, reoccurring events airport staff were reporting on a consistent basis.

In 2000, paranormal researcher Dennis William Hauck placed Denver International Airport on his list of spooky spots around the world in his book “The International Directory of Haunted Places.” Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, the principle matter still looms: A building was constructed on a sacred site.

Christians obviously feel they have the constitutional right to build what they want, where they want, when they want. I find it most hypocritical that the same Christians who are for building edifices on sacred Indian sites are the very same voices of opposition regarding the erection of a Muslim mosque near Ground Zero.

So I present the obvious: Why not build a mosque near the hallowed grounds of the WTC? American Indian holy sites are desecrated by Christians all the time.

I am one of the last few true natives in this country, and I don’t expect many – or any outside of Indian Country for that matter – to subscribe to or even comprehend this rare perspective. But for the sake of doing away with double standards, I think this unfortunate reality for Indian peoples was worth pointing out today.

OK. Now back to the immigration debate.

Still Not A Mascot,

-Simon Moya-Smith

See the original posing here:
I Am Not A Mascot: Monuments and Mosques: The Debate Over What’s Sacred (An American Indian’s Perspective)

(Thanks Simon!)
PS-Want to see your writing on Native Appropriations? I’m always looking for guest posts. Send an idea, completed piece, or any questions over to NativeAppropriations@gmail.com. Don’t hesitate, just do it!

Random Appropriation of the Day! ("Money House Blessing" Air Freshener?)

In Indian Spirit, Money House Blessings Air Freshener, random appropriation by Adrienne K.3 Comments

One of the things I love most about having this blog is getting Random Appropriations from my friends as they go about their lives all over the world. Last week I got a text message from my friend Shane in Taipei showing an “aboriginal” cartoon at the airport, my friend Steven sent me some great ones as he drove cross country this summer, and then this weekend my friend Genia tags me on Facebook…as this. I burst out laughing in the middle of the library. I love it.

Let’s discuss.


Things I am partial to: “100% Genuine!” and “Contains Genuine ‘Indian Strawberry'”(?) and the nice aesthetics of the Mr. Stereotypical Plains (we’re getting pretty well acquainted on this blog, aren’t we?) with the cornucopia of strawberries. Award-winning graphic design, right there.

But the best part is the “Money House Blessing.” While, as Genia pointed out, we all can probably use some Money House Blessings…I’m not sure even the included “Genuine Indian Strawberry” is gonna get it for you. Sorry.

I’m guessing the company is playing off of the tradition of smudging (burning of certain sacred herbs, roots, or grasses) that many tribes use as a form of blessing or purification, but trying to commodify that in a pink can? Ridiculous.  

Also amazing, I googled to see if I could find any more information about the company, and found this:

Shoprite.com has a glorious typo–“Monkey House Blessing.” Pretty fitting, actually. Cause there’s about the same probability spraying this stuff will bring monkey blessings to your house as there is that it’ll bring money blessings. That’s all I’ve got to say.

(Thanks Genia!)

"Navajo" Fashion Spread in Seventeen

In "tribal", Navajo, seventeen, tribal fashion by Adrienne K.12 Comments

(via my culture is not a trend, click for bigger version)

Cultural appropriation in fashion has now gone seriously mainstream. The favorite read of tweens and teens everywhere, Seventeen Magazine, featured this “Navajo” fall fashion spread in their August issue. On many levels, I find this even more offensive than having a generic “tribal fashion” spread. I know I always point out that those spreads lump a million different Native tribes, images, and traditions into one catch-all, otherizing, “tribal” idea–and at least this one listed a tribe, right? Yeah, not so much. 


They still rely on generalized Native stereotypes, but this time are referring to a specific culture. This points to the fact that in the collective American consciousness, all tribes are interchangeable. Navajo, Ojibwe, Kootenai, take your pick. They’re all the same! For instance, dream catchers: definitely not Navajo. Would I still be upset if they had paid attention and made taken inspiration from actual Navajo culture? Like if they had a white model dressed up in a rug dress? Of course. But hopefully you see my point.

My friend Marlon did a little research, and found out that in January 1973 Seventeen actually did a cover story entitled: “Special Report: Today’s Young Navajos”. I love the cover image (below) for many reasons, but mainly because they didn’t have her pose in traditional clothes or try and have her conform to a more stereotypical image. She looks like she’s about to laugh, just hanging out with her friends. Well done. I can’t find the article, so I have no idea if the accompanying story was a shining example or a cringe-inducing piece, but it’s still pretty interesting to examine the cover alone: 
 

As I was pulling together this post, I wanted a shocking, over-the-top example to illustrate how these fashion spreads make me feel every time I encounter them in magazines or on other fashion blogs…so I turned to polyvore and MS Paint, and made this:

UPDATE 8/28: After sleeping on it, I took it down. What was here was a “fashion” spread made up of various Africa/Urban/other Black stereotype “inspirations”. It didn’t illustrate my point, and any point it did make was at the expense of another marginalized group with not nearly enough context or description given. I was going for a visceral reaction, but in a blogging world where most page views are a matter of seconds, it’s definitely not enough to throw that up there alone. I also want you to focus on the juxtaposition of the two Seventeen images rather than my misguided attempts at making a point. Apologies for my initial transgressions, and in the words of Kanye West’s prolific Twitter: IT’S A PROCESS.  Thanks for bearing with me.  
I bet every fashion blogger making an Native-inspired version relies on the same tatic–pulling together complete stereotypes of what they think of when they hear “Native American”. We are so much more than that–but to the readers of the August issue of Seventeen and the fashion blogosphere, we are simply feathers, dream catchers, headdresses, warpaint, moccasins, and beads. Nothing more. 

(Thanks Lauren and Marlon!)

Awesome Contemporary Native Art: Indian Shrek and More

In Bunky Echohawk, Contemporary Native Art, Susan Shown Harjo by Adrienne K.2 Comments

(image source, (c) Bunky Echohawk)

Reader Carleen sent over this image, which comes from an exhibition of contemporary Native art that Susan Shown Harjo curated in DC back in 2007. I know it’s old, but you know how much I like art and images that call into question preconceived notions about Indian identity, clashing with stereotypes and challenging ideas of Natives in the historic past, as fantasy characters, ect. This painting definitely fits the bill, and let’s be honest, it’s pretty fun too.

Lots of other great images from the show can be found at the Washington Post here. The show was entitled “American Icons Through Indigenous Eyes”, and The Post noted that the exhibition was a “rare chance to see modern works by Native Americans that don’t necessarily reflect craft traditions, anthropology or history, but instead a viewpoint and a vision for art.” Exactly what I love about contemporary Indian art. There are even some images that play with cultural appropriation–I especially liked this one by David Bradly, called “Land O Fakes”:

 Have I mentioned my undergrad thesis was on contemporary Indian art? It might be obvious by now. 🙂

Today’s my first-ish day of class (still “shopping”), so expect posting to return to normal next week!

Colorlines: Must See Political Native American Art
Washington Post: American Icons Through Indigenous Eyes

Earlier:
Masking Tape and Markers=Beautiful Native Street Poetry

“I bead contemporary Native life”: The Art of Teri Greeves

Native-themed Banksy Street Art in San Francisco

(Thanks Carleen!)

"Hipsters Like to Put Things on Their Heads": Links, Links, Links…and More!

In link roundup by Adrienne K.3 Comments

  • Hipster Wife Hunting did a piece on appropriation of Native culture in fashion. I thought it was satire at first. I was wrong. Though, all my curiosities about the hipster headdress have been cleared up in this sentence: “Hipsters like to put things on their heads”. But of course! And here I was giving them credit for trying to make a societal statement or something! 
  • Sociological Images looks at a vintage tobacco ad showing an ethereal (and benevolent) white woman bringing the gift of tobacco to the wild Natives. 
  • Charles Trimble proposes a tax on “Wanabee” Indians. “This past week I had the opportunity to attend a social event, and to observe white culture in action. There were 80 people at this event and five of them represented to me that they had a great-great-grandfather who married a Cherokee” (story of my life).

Just some cool stuff to keep you posted on what’s been happening around the ‘ol internets in the last few weeks. Thanks to everyone who sent me these–sorry I was bad about keeping track this time. But I am very much in appreciation for your tips!

Mid-Week Motivation: Adriel Luis Spoken Word+Pocahontas

In adriel luis, mash up, once tongue tied, pocahontas, slip of the tongue, spoken word by Adrienne K.4 Comments

If anyone needs an extra push to make it through your Wednesday, check out this awesome video via Sociological Images. This mash-up came out of a class assignment to use art to “inspire a critical perspective”. Socimages gives the context:

Last semester my colleague, Mary Christianakis, assigned her students a mash up.  The idea was to take two forms of art (loosely defined) and combine them to inspire, instead of state, a critical perspective.  Below is one of the exemplars, by her student, Samantha Figueroa.  It combines scenes from Pocahontas with a spoken word poem, Slip of the Tongue, by Adriel Luis.

 I’ve watched this almost daily since it was posted, so I thought I would share. Here are the full lyrics to Luis’ piece:

My glares burn through her.
And I’m sure that such actions aren’t foreign to her
because the essence of her beauty is, well, the essence of beauty.
And in the presence of this higher being,
the weakness of my masculinity kicks in,
causing me to personify my wannabe big-baller, shot-caller,
God’s gift to the female species with shiny suit wrapping rapping like,
“Yo, what’s crackin shorty how you livin’ what’s your sign what’s your size I dig your style, yo.”
Now, this girl was no fool.
She gives me a dirty look with the quickness like,
“Boy, you must be stupid.”
so I’m looking at myself,
“Boy, you must be stupid.”
But looking upon her I am kinda feelin’ her style.
So I try again.
But, instead of addressing her properly,
I blurt out one of my fake-ass playalistic lines like,
“Gurl, you must be a traffic ticket cuz you got fine written all over you.”
Now, she’s trying to leave and I’m trying to keep her here.
So at a final attempt, I utter,
“Gurl, what is your ethnic makeup?”
At this point, her glare was scorching through me,
and somehow she manages to make her brown eyes
resemble some kinda brown fire or something,
but there’s no snap or head moement,
no palm to face, click of tongue, middle finger,
roll of eyes, twist of lips, or girl power chant.
She just glares through me with these burning eyes
and her gaze grabs you by the throat.
She says, “Ethnic makeup?”
She says, “First of all, makeup’s just an anglicized, colonized, commodified utility
that my sisters have been programmed to consume,
forcing them to cover up their natural state
in order to imitate what another sister looks like in her natural state
because people keep telling her
that the other sister’s natural state is more beautiful
than the first sister’s natural state.
At the same time,
the other sister isn’t even in her natural state,
because she’s trying to imitate yet another sister,
so in actuality, the natural state that the first sister’s trying to imitate
wasn’t even natural in the first place.”
Now I’m thinking, “Damn, this girl’s kicking knowledge!”
But, meanwhile, she keeps spitting on it like
“Fine. I’ll tell you bout my ‘ethnic makeup.’
I wear foundation,
not that powdery shit,
I wear the foundation laid by my indigenous people.
It’s that foundation that makes it so that past being globalized,
I can still vocalize with confidence that i know where my roots are.
I wear this foundation not upon my face, but within my soul,
and I take this from my ancestors
because I’ll be damned if I’d ever let an American or European corporation
tell me what my foundation
should look like.”
I wear lipstick,
for my lips stick to the ears of men,
so they can experience in surround sound my screams of agony
with each lash of rulers, measuring tape, and scales,
as if my waistline and weight are inversely propotional to my value as a human being.
See my lips, they stick, but not together.
Rather, they flail open with flames to burn down this culture that once kept them shut.
Now, I mess with eye shadow,
but my eyes shadow over this time where you’ve gone at ends to keep me blind.
But you can’t cover my eyes, look into them.
My eyes foreshadow change.
My eyes foreshadow light.
and I’m not into hair dyeing.
but I’m here, dying, because this oppression won’t get out of my hair.
I have these highlights.
They are highlights of my past atrocities,
they form this oppression I can’t wash off.
It tangles around my mind and twists and braids me in layers,
this oppression manifests,
it’s stressing me so that even though I don’t color my hair,
in a couple of years it’ll look like I dyed it gray.
So what’s my ethnic makeup ?
I don’t have any.
Because your ethnicity isn’t something you can just make up.
And as for that crap my sisters paint on their faces, that’s not makeup, it’s make-believe.”
I can’t seem to look up at her.
and I’m sure that such actions aren’t foreign to her
because the expression on her face
shows that she knows that my mind is in a trance.
As her footsteps fade, my ego is left in crutches.
And rejection never sounded so sweet.

So powerful. I love it. Enjoy!

Sociological Images: Pocahontas Meets Adriel Luis’ Slip of the Tongue
Youtube: Once Tongue Tied

Why don’t you write?: Some reflections of 7 months of blogging

In Uncategorized by Adrienne K.7 Comments

(Leather postcard found at an estate sale by Jodi–great use of the alcohol, right? geez.)
Many of you have probably noticed the blog has been a bit quiet this summer, going from about five posts a week during the school year to, like, one–if that. I’m not going anywhere, I promise! I’ve just been finding it a bit hard to balance summer life with its lack of schedule and blogging, which requires a fair amount of discipline. But it’s given me some time to think about the direction of Native Appropriations, and definitely lots of time to reflect on what I’ve learned over the last few months of writing.


Back in January, when I started Native Appropriations, it started with a Facebook-note blitz to all of my friends, asking for suggestions and contributions, for a “project” on cultural appropriation and images of Natives. The response I received was overwhelmingly positive, and I never realized how many of my friends kept files on their computer (like me) where they stuck the offensive images they encountered in everyday life. From that, le blog was born.

I can’t believe it’s really only been 7 months, I’ve learned so much since that first trip to urban outfitters. We’ve dealt extensively with The Strange Case of the Hipster Headdress, endured a wave (that’s turned into a tsunami) of tribal fashion, seen an “Indigenous Olympics,” and survived a sh*t storm created by discussing non-Native participation at powwows. But there were some great things too–like Native street art, powerful advertising campaigns, representing ourselves, and beading contemporary life. 
I should also thank the “big” blogs–Sociological Images, Racialicious, Shakesville, and even Jezebel(!), for believing in the message and featuring my blog. I’ve truly been humbled by the response.
Through it all, I’ve had my identity as a Native person questioned more times than I can count, had my character attacked (“no better than a pedophile” I think was the best one), and been told I have “no life” or should find “something better to do.” But for every scathing, negative comment, there have been 10 people who’ve emailed to say how happy they are to have found the blog. I’ve definitely gained a thicker skin and a desire for constructive criticism, which has already begun to serve me well in my grad student life. 
So, Dear Readers, thank you. Thanks for sticking with me, for coming around even in these dry months of summer, telling your friends, neighbors, and colleagues, and sending in all the fantastic tips from around the world. I truly wouldn’t be anywhere without you! 
With that, here are some things (minor changes) to be expecting from Native Appropriations this fall:
Guest Posts:
I want more voices than my own on this blog. This started as a collaboration, and I want it to return to that. There are millions of Native perspectives on these issues, and I represent only one. I’m in the process of trying to work out some formalized relationships, but I’d rather just have you send in your thoughts on an issue. Write it up: 250-500 words (or a little more), include some pics, a little snark, and you’re on the blog. Truly. Don’t hesitate, just send it over! 
Comments: 
I’m going to start moderating comments on older posts–it’s not productive to the conversation to have trolls jumping in on old issues. I’m also going to try and contribute in the comments a little more, up until now I’ve tried to stay out, since I didn’t want to seem like the all-knowing “expert” on everything. (see #1) But do know that I read and appreciate all of your contributions, and do take them to heart.
Emails: 
I read them. All of them. I get a ton of tips, and admittedly I’ve been bad about responding–so I’m going to be better! I love hearing your thoughts.
Posts:
Expect a bigger mix of the usual Random Appropriations and longer posts, but I’m also going to start talking about some of the “bigger” issues in Indian Country too, and linking Native Approp’s readers up with some other great Native blogs and resources on the internets. 
Now:  
What are your thoughts? What would you like to see more of on the blog? Less of? Anything I didn’t cover that’s been bugging you? Let me know! 
Thanks for a great start, and let’s get the word out about Native Appropriations–remember, you can also interact with the blog in other ways:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nativeappropriations (I tend to post some interesting articles and links here in between posts, and “fans” post some great stuff too, so check it out!)