Random Appropriation of the Day! (yes, THAT Hanson)

In hanson, random appropriation, thinkin bout something by Adrienne K.2 Comments

I’m about to let some of my major dorkiness show. Well friends, I have a confession to make. I, Adrienne K, am an unabashed Hanson fan. Yes, THAT Hanson. Of mmmbop fame. I’ve been a fan since I was 8 and I saw them at a county fair in Tulsa, and continue to be a loyal follower of their new music (which is actually really good!). The best birthday present I recieved in recent memory was a set of tickets to see their show in San Francisco for my 22nd birthday. So, yes, I am a nerd.

Anyway, I posted the random appropriation from their newest music video above. Did you miss the it? don’t worry, I made it more explicit below:

See it now? haha. Also, obviously, that’s not Hanson in the shot. It’s their band. But the big ‘ol cigar store Indian is in the background of most of the “studio” shots throughout. Their video is catchy and pretty good, and I think I might be the only one who caught the Indian in there–but I thought I would share.

And, if you’re curious as to what the Hanson bros look like now:

all grown up! And that’s Weird Al in the red pants, if you were curious about that too.

Here’s the video:

(Thanks Laksh!!)
 

The Jezebel Fashion Post that keeps on giving

In headdress, hipsters, jezebel, tribal fashion by Adrienne K.5 Comments

 (Jen Mussari’s now iconic image 🙂 )

I’ve come across some awesome blog posts in response to the Jezebel piece (found here) on Native fashion that Lisa at Sociological Images pulled together with images from this blog. The comment thread on the piece was really interesting, with people debating what should be deemed “ok” what is “offensive” and some just telling us all to STFU. I thought I would share a couple of the responses here. (If anyone knows of any others, please let me know)

Juila at a l’allure garçonnière posted a great response entitled “The Critical Fashion Lover’s (basic) Guide to Cultural Appropriation” and it’s definitely worth a read. I’m tempted to quote the entire thing. It’s beautifully written and insightful. She says:

” I have heard a lot of arguments that there are way more important things we could be debating instead of cultural appropriation; that native people themselves don’t give a shit if a severely intoxicated white hipster decides to tattoo pocahontas on his leg or if some magazine decides their next nude photoshoot should feature blonde women wearing headdresses. who knows! maybe the jingle dress will be the next hot thing in haute couture, but it doesn’t impact the quality of life of the people who make, wear and perform in those dresses.

my response to this is clear and simple; i don’t think the issue of institutional racism and discrimination can be completely divorced from the question of cultural appropration. they feed into one another. one would not exist (at least not in the same way) without the other. if we lived in a culture that acknowledged the fact that most of us live on stolen land in north america and that recognized native people as complex, diverse, intelligent people without romanticizing or glamourizing them, i’d like to think that it would put an end to these sorts of reductive stereotypes popping up in fashion, film, music scenes. reducing an entire culture to a simple “inspiration” for your outfit, art project, fashion collection, or photoshoot is disrespectful and unhelpful, especially when we look at the bigger picture.”

 And later she addresses what many of the Jezebel commenters were struggling with–what is ok to wear and what isn’t?

the biggest problem with the concept of cultural appropriation, in my opinion, is that it doesn’t set out any explicit black and white rules for people to follow. as you can see based on the comments on jezebel, people are genuinely confused as to what the “right thing” to do in these situations are, and there’s nothing wrong with that. you can’t get answers if you aren’t asking questions. my advice in these situations is largely about context, intention, and education.

She was able to put into words many of the issues I was struggling with after reading the comment chain. great stuff.

Another post came from Molly at the University of Michigan Arts Ink blog, entitled “The Hipster Headdress: A Fashion Faux Pas.” The post itself is great, but I really appreciated the back-and-forth she posted in the comments between her and some facebook friends. It’s really enlightening and says a lot:

Friend 3: …great opinionated synopsis molly, really like your writing style and i agree with the feathered headdress as a stupid hipster clique. Although to be honest, I sometimes wear a feather in my hair (completely in humble respect to the Native Americans)…a modest little decorative item once in awhile.

Molly: I think moccasins are items of comfort – though I realize there are “designer moccasins” out there selling for hundreds of dollars. You don’t put on a headdress because you lost your baseball cap. They’re not practical or comfortable. Plus, you can wear moccasins and walk down the street, go to a party, and nobody would really notice. I don’t know why people wear headdresses around, but whether or not it’s their intention – they get attention. I realize throwing in that P.S. is rather hypocritical regardless, but perhaps the note’d make more sense taking into account that Native Americans, at powwows, posts, what have you, might sell moccasins or dream catchers or other crafts – but you never see them selling headdresses (unless for ceremonial purposes, I suppose, but I’ve never seen a headdress for sale personally, at least). I found a hawk feather and wore it around for a little while. I don’t think single feathers are offensive, though I know that’s again flirting with contradiction. It’s like the difference between wearing some green eyeshadow or painting your entire body green. Also, I’m not insinuating that anyone who enjoys wearing headdresses occasionally is absolutely void of morals. I’m just not a fan.

Thanks to both of you for keeping the conversation going, I’m just so glad these issues are being discussed in the blog-o-sphere after remaining off the map for so long. Keep up the good work!

Julia’s post: http://alagarconniere.blogspot.com/2010/04/critical-fashion-lovers-basic-guide-to.html

Molly’s post: http://www3.arts.umich.edu/ink/2010/04/14/the-hipster-headdress-a-fashion-faux-pas/

The original Jezebel post: http://jezebel.com/5516362/feathers-and-fashion-native-american-is-in-style

Random Appropriation of the Day! (Indian Smurfs)

In random appropriation, smurfs by Adrienne K.3 Comments

Virtue B. sent over these smurf figurines from her recent trip to New York. They were posed to look like they were acting out a scene from a movie with cowboys and Indians.

This guy’s wearing a buffalo headdress and leggings/loin cloth combo

While this guy’s got an angry expression, some war paint, and a feathered spear. (see the smurf with the boom mike and headphones in the back?)

Note the mid-war whoop pose on that center one.

The thing about these little figurines is, I have one. My friend Scott has them in his office (he’s Native). The associate director of the Native program at my school has some. I can only speak for myself, but I bought the one I have (he’s in a canoe) because I thought it was hilarious and should be so offensive, but, it’s a smurf, so you can’t help but smile. Sometimes you just have to laugh at the ridiculousness, because I find it tiring to be angry all the time. By buying the figurine I realize I play into the stereotyping and mis-appropriation, but at the same time having it in my room as something ironic and silly makes me feel I have more power over it. It’s a give and take. 🙂

(Thanks Virtue!)

Sweat Lodges Part II: No, you can’t. Here’s why.

In cultural appropriation, Details, jezebel, sweat lodge by Adrienne K.17 Comments

AK note: This is Part II in discussing sweat lodges and non-Natives. For Part I and background,click here.

After that long lead in, lets break it down into some of the major issues at play here. I feel like I’m treading in a bit of dangerous water here, because admittedly sweats have not been a part of my spiritual tradition. If anyone has corrections or comments, please let me know, and know that it is not my intention to generalize, stereotype, or offend.

Sweat lodges are sacred. plain and simple. Not every tribe in the Americas has a tradition of sweat lodges, but many do. Each tribe has different origin stories surrounding the ceremonies and songs–hear that? songs, not chants!(one of my pet peeves)–that go along with them, so it is impossible for me to write a concise history. But realize that these ceremonies, when performed in their traditional cultural contexts, are religious practices. Equivalent to something, like, say, the act of receiving communion for Catholics (not an exact comparison, but work with me). Even non-Catholics respect the role of a priest and his position, and would never wander around selling “communion ceremonies” out of a backyard or garage, and moreover, people wouldn’t think that participating in one of these ceremonies was a replacement for the real thing.

Why, again, is it ok to appropriate sacred traditions from Native peoples?

There are many directions I could go with this discussion–the commodification of cultural practices (ie there are many “legit” Natives who sell their services as medicine men and women or lead sweats for money) , the fact that these men (and jezebel women) are participating in dangerous practices that when not understood or performed correctly can result in death and injury (see this case from Arizona last year where 4 people died in a sweat run by a white new-ager), or the fact that these non-Native “shamans” are making $500 an hour on an appropriated (well, stolen, really) practice while Natives live in some of the poorest communities in the US. All valid issues. But, for sake of space, I’ll focus on the Macho Man/oppressed women narrative.

Assumption One: Participating in a sweat is a way to “prove” your manliness, push yourself to the limit, put on a show of bravado

No. Again, I can’t speak for all tribes, but from my understanding, it is the exact opposite. A sweat is a time to be humble, not assert your strength. This description from a book written by a non-Native, called “The Lakota Ritual of the Sweat” (you can read part of it online here) shows just how unimportant machismo is to the process–though I hesitate to post it because I can’t vouch for the accuracy or if the community is ok with the publication:

(I hope I’m not violating like 1200 copyright laws with that). Note the lines “This was not an endurance contest”, “insisted he was not worthy”, “repeatedly stated that he was poor, humble, and nothing”. Does this sound like the description from Details? not so much.


Assumption Two: Not allowing women who are menstruating into the sweat is a sign of patriarchy and sexism and is rooted in a deep disrespect of women.

No. Again, it is completely the opposite. Barbara Omaha, White Earth Ojibwe, says of the practice:

During her Moon time, a woman is going through her own natural purification process. While her body is going through this natural purification, she is also recharging her own body’s powers and energies, so it is a cleansing and restorative time for her. Because a woman’s power is being renewed during this process, she must stay away from all sacred ceremonies…A woman’s power during her moon time is so strong that it can draw the power away from the sacred Sweat Lodge, Sundance, and Pipe ceremonies. Her power during this time can interfere with the power in the Sacred Pipe, Eagle Feathers, and the food offered for the feasts following ceremony.

Women cannot participate not because they are “unclean” or as a sign of male power, it is because women have so much inherent power that they can interfere with the ceremony. Omaha also notes:

Men do not have their own natural purification and renewal process, therefore they must come to the Sweat Lodge ceremony for purification.

So, Jezebel women, it’s not a sign of disrespect, it’s a sign of ultimate respect. That’s the case with many practices outsiders deem sexist towards women in Native communities–standing outside the drum circle, for example–come out of a place of a deep understanding of the power and role of women in our communities.

In sum, cultural sensitivity: ur doin it rong.

For a great documentary on the subject, check out “White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men”, which is actually on youtube, in three parts (but it appears part 3 is missing). Watch it. Inform yourself. Part 1 below:

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCLmT_M-qtk)

Article on deaths in Arizona sweat lodges:  http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/religionandtheology/1906/new_age_tragedy_in_sedona:_non-indians_in_the_sweat_lodge__/

Earlier: http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2010/04/sweat-lodges-bro-therapy-part-i-summary.html

Details article: http://www.details.com/style-advice/grooming-and-health/201005/sweat-lodges-enlightenment-health-detox?currentPage=1

Jezebel article: http://jezebel.com/5517139/sweat-lodges-the-therapy-of-choice-for-bros

Sweat Lodges: "Bro" Therapy? (Part I, the summary)

In bros, feminism, jezebel, sweat lodge by Adrienne K.1 Comment

AK note: Thank you all so much for the love and positive feedback I’ve gotten in the last few days. It’s so exciting and humbling that this project I thought wouldn’t go outside of my family and a few friends has taken really taken off. I’m so appreciative of the support and so glad these issues are getting out there!

So, I had another post all ready to go for today, but then logged onto Jezebel this morning and saw this post entitled: “Sweat Lodges: The Therapy of Choice for Bros”, and decided that after the comment thread on the post about tribal fashion yesterday (here) I should say something.

The Jez post is based on an article in Details concerning a new “trend” towards successful, macho, business men participating in “sweat lodge” ceremonies for renewal and cleansing purposes. The Details article is pretty bad overall, though I feel like the tone is a little mocking towards these “bros”, so that’s good (?). First of all, the title of the post is “The Hottest (and Most Dangerous) New Trend in Therapy”. They then describe Durek Verret, a former model and self-described “healer” who looks “more like a hipster than a healer”:

Verrett works out of a converted garage next to the laundry room in his home. Between chants, you can hear the dryer churning. On a makeshift altar on the wall behind him, he has placed a beeswax statue of a rotund woman he calls Mama, a cylinder of sea salt, an empty wine bottle, and a dried pomegranate…Verrett charges $500 an hour for these sessions and sees about 25 clients a week.

 and describe a “healing session”:

Verrett—the son of a Norwegian medicine woman and the grandson of a Haitian shaman—starts by summoning Hale’s spirit guides, asking them to enter the young man’s body, which is reclined on a massage table. “We now begin to unprogram all of the fears he has in his relationships,” he says. “He’s running from love. He uses these fears to block him from experiencing women the way he needs to.” Verrett moves his hand in the air above Hale’s body like a magician set on making something vanish. As Hale shakes and flops, the healer yells, “Now, spirits! More, spirits!”

This reads like a parody of a new-age healer. Working out of a garage? makeshift altar? summoning “spirit guides”? but it gets worse:

In the garage in Silver Lake, after some chanting in Greek and Italian, he closes the session by rubbing lemongrass on Hale’s chest to clear his mind and sprinkling sea salt on him for protection.

Chanting in Greek and Italian? rubbing him with lemongrass and sea salt?  a Jezebel commenter pointed out that it sounds more like he was preparing him for dinner than summoning spirits.

The second half of the article describes a group of men who participate in “sweat lodges,” which are described by the author as “macho bonding experiences”:

A fixture in Native American culture, sweat lodges were embraced by men’s groups in the sixties and again in the nineties as macho bonding experiences, hearty cures for the emasculating upheaval of the women’s-liberation and political-correctness movements. Today they’re mostly seen as dangerous.

These men in the article sit in a sweat lodge in a backyard that is adorned with elk antlers and a disco ball “just for fun” and participate in primal screams during the final round of the sweat. One man mentions he found his “spirit animal” during a sweat in Alaska–he now calls himself “Summer Fox” in his prayers to the “Great Spirit”. gag me.

Anna, the author of the Jezebel post, had this to say as her closing:

And before I rag on the middle-aged white dudes in Schaefer’s article for appropriating Native American traditions to solve their decidedly white-dude problems, I should confess that I too once signed up for a sweat. But I couldn’t go. Because I was menstruating. True story.

She had an opportunity to address the inherent issues with the idea of white bros and white “shamans” appropriating spiritual practices, but instead the comments turned to swapping stories of sweat lodge experiences and disdain over the fact that menstruating women weren’t allowed into Anna’s sweat.

Some of the Jezebel comments:

“I used to do a sweatlodge with my all female feminist women’s group in my hometown, all were welcome, no matter the time of the month. It was actually amazing. We’d sweat and meditate and then run out buck naked and jump in the river. Young, old, skinny, fat, and we’d just dance or howl or sit quietly. It was great. And we always called the sweat lodge “the womb” so take that Macho Man!”

and

Sweat Lodge culture is very weird place for women. I once had to do a sweat lodge ceremony when I was dating the future Mr. Tusk (his godfather was WAY into it) and I was asked in front of a large group of strangers (and my boyfriends parents!) if I was menstruating!! I was told that if I was, I had to go and sit in the other tent by myself and I couldn’t participate. Needless to say, I’m a bit jaded on sweat lodges and their lodgers.

 and

I did a sweat lodge once. My friend was doing a rotation in holistic-style medicine and one of her teaches had a lodge in her backyard. A Native American man led the experience with the appropriate chanting and so on. I have to say, it was an incredible experience. I did not expect to be affected the way I was.  

All I have to say is: YOU’VE GOT IT ALL WRONG!! There are so many assumptions and inaccuracies in this discussion, I don’t even know where to start. This is already the longest post ever, so I’m splitting it into two. Part II immediately to follow.

Part II can be found here. 

Jezebel Post: http://jezebel.com/5517139/sweat-lodges-the-therapy-of-choice-for-bros

Details Article: http://www.details.com/style-advice/grooming-and-health/201005/sweat-lodges-enlightenment-health-detox?currentPage=1

Treasure Madness Update: Time to remove "Chief Scramble"

In chief scramble, random appropriation, treasure madness by Adrienne K.11 Comments

A few days ago, I posted this screenshot as a Random Appropriation of the Day:

The next day, I was surprised when I received this comment on the post, from a representative of Treasure Madness:
Hi ADRIENNE,

Sorry if this egg offended you, it’s really just a joke.

In Treasure Madness there are also hundreds of more authentic treasures to find, related to lost civilizations. Currently we have mostly explored pre-columbians with loads of artifacts from Aztecs, Maya, Inca etc.
And some day soon we will venture into North America and pay some honest respect to the cultures of Chreokee and all other native tribes.

I hope this makes up for annoying you in the first place, do you think we should remove Chief Scramble and why?

thanks,

For Treasure Madness,
Louis.

So, here is my open response to them–I tried to remain rational, calm, and collected, though I was very tempted to behave otherwise. Apologies for being long winded, I had a lot to get in there.

Hi Louis,
Thanks for your comment in response to “Chief Scramble,” I really appreciate you reaching out to me, and I hope I am able to illuminate how and why this egg that you deem “just a joke” is actually quite hurtful and offensive to Native peoples.
I’d like to start by noting I have not played Treasure Madness, nor do I plan to, so my analysis is based solely off the image that was sent to me and the description you offered in your comment. 
The image of “Chief Scramble” itself is offensive because it offers a stereotyped and inaccurate image of Native American people. The egg is shown with “war paint”, braids, and a feather headband. These are false cultural markers that have been popularized by hollywood and other forms of pop culture, and bear only minimal resemblance to traditional regalia worn by plains tribes. In addition, by calling this image the “Native American Egg,” it collapses 564 federally recognized tribes, each with their own unique cultures, languages, traditions, and histories into one stereotyped view of what an “Indian” looks (or “should” look) like.  In addition, while the color of the egg may or may not have been a conscious choice, the redish hue makes me think only of the derogatory term “redskin.”

By calling this egg “Chief” you are degrading the role of tribal leaders, both contemporary and past, in our communities. While not every tribe calls their leader a “chief,” these men and women are held in a position of highest honor in their communities, and the title is one given utmost respect and reverence–not something that would ever be lightly assigned to a cartoon egg named “scramble”.

Finally, in the description you sent, you claim to have “authentic” treasures for your players to find from indigenous groups, and that “someday soon we will venture into North America and pay some honest respect to the cultures of Chreokee and all other native tribes.”

All I can say is, please don’t. I already cringe at the thought of what “authentic” artifacts you offer from the Incan and Mayan cultures, I can’t imagine what would be an “authentic” Cherokee artifact. There is no way that anything of that nature can be “honoring” to my community. The mere thought of being “honored” by anonymous players in an online game finding disconnected, out of context, “artifacts” of my living culture makes me feel ill.

So, in conclusion, please remove Chief Scramble, it represents a set of hurtful, false, and offensive stereotypes of Native people. And please, please be careful in your further representations of “lost” Indigenous Peoples in your game–these images are not “jokes,” these are our cultures, our histories, and our lives.

Wado (Thank you),
Adrienne K.

Member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma

Roundup time: There’s been a lot going on!

In link roundup, mascots, PACT act, reel injun, UND sioux by Adrienne K.2 Comments

Apologies for the lack of posts in the last week or so, I’m taking a statistics class that likes to take over my life every time we have an assignment due. But a lot has happened in the last few days, so I thought I’d do a little round-up!

In the news:

 (AK note: yay! I might write more on this later.)

The Fighting Sioux mascot will no longer be the face of the University of North Dakota, but the warrior’s visage will still play a prominent role in the school’s sports program.
The North Dakota State Board of Education on Thursday ordered the university to drop its Fighting Sioux mascot, prompting student protests on the Grand Forks campus and leaving many there feeling glum.

“The president of the United States invited Native American leaders to Washington, D.C. in November and looked us in the eye as a sign of good faith in his pledge to protect federal treaties. Now four months later he has betrayed that promise.”

Obama signed the legislation, known as the PACT Act, March 31. The new law bans the U.S. Postal Service from delivering cigarettes and certain other tobacco products – a move that will effectively extinguish the mail order tobacco trade run by the many business owners of the Seneca Nation of Indians and other Indian-owned tobacco businesses around the country.

Now, Mr. Cameron said, he has been spurred to action, to speak out against the looming environmental destruction endangering indigenous groups around the world — a cause that is fueling his inner rage and inspiring his work on an “Avatar” sequel.
“Any direct experience that I have with indigenous peoples and their plights may feed into the nature of the story I choose to tell,” he said. “In fact, it almost certainly will.” Referring to his Amazon trip, he added, “It just makes me madder.”

 In the media:

“Hollywood has made over 4000 films about Native people; over 100 years of movies defining how Indians are seen by the world.Reel Injuntakes an entertaining and insightful look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through the history of cinema.”

AK note: I’ve been meaning to post about this film for awhile, it looks awesome and is getting great reviews. The issues covered in the film are many that I discuss on the blog. It’s currently making the rounds in Canada, but will hopefully have some US dates soon! here is the trailer, definitely check it out:



In the blog-o-sphere/world of internets:

Native Appropriations has gotten some shout outs on great blogs/sites, check ’em out! (theres a few more to come this week)

(Thanks to Stef, Kianga, Ray, Jesse, and anyone else I forgot!)

Wilma Mankiller, former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, passes

In Uncategorized by Adrienne K.1 Comment

 (image via cherokee.org)

Not an appropriation, but a sad day for Indian Country. Wilma Mankiller, the former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, and the first woman to be elected to the position, passed away this morning. The press release from the Cherokee Nation is below:

Wilma Mankiller, former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, passed away this morning.  Mankiller served 12 years in elective office at the Cherokee Nation, the first two as Deputy Principal Chief followed by 10 years as Principal Chief.  She retired from public office in 1995.  Among her many honors, Mankiller was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton. 
 “Our personal and national hearts are heavy with sorrow and sadness with the passing this morning of Wilma Mankiller,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.  “We feel overwhelmed and lost when we realize she has left us but we should reflect on what legacy she leaves us. We are better people and a stronger tribal nation because her example of Cherokee leadership, statesmanship, humility, grace, determination and decisiveness.  When we become disheartened, we will be inspired by remembering how Wilma proceeded undaunted through so many trials and tribulations. Years ago, she and her husband Charlie Soap showed the world what Cherokee people can do when given the chance, when they organized the self-help water line in the Bell community.  She said Cherokees in that community learned that it was their choice, their lives, their community and their future. Her gift to us is the lesson that our lives and future are for us to decide. We can carry on that Cherokee legacy by teaching our children that lesson. Please keep Wilma’s family, especially her husband Charlie and her daughters, Gina and Felicia, in your prayers.”
 Mankiller requested that any gifts in her honor be made as donations to One Fire Development Corporation, a non-profit dedicated to advancing Native American communities though economic development, and to valuing the wisdom that exists within each of the diverse tribal communities around the world.  Tax deductible donations can be made at www.wilmamankiller.com as well as www.onefiredevelopment.org.   The mailing address for One Fire Development Corporation is 1220 Southmore  Houston, TX 77004.  Her memorial service will be Saturday at 11a.m. at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Grounds in Tahlequah.

I always found so much inspiration in her journey to leadership and her life path, she will be missed. Indian Country lost an incredible leader today.

Random Appropriation of the Day: Easter Edition

In easter, native american egg, random appropriation, treasure madness by Adrienne K.3 Comments

Today’s loosely-Easter related Random Appropriation comes from the “Treasure Madness” game on Facebook–which from what I can gather is a game where you, well, look for “treasure” in a virtual world. Tiffany (who sent this to me) noted that there is an Afro-egg that can be discovered as well.

 Text under the egg reads:

“You have found Chief Scramble or Poached, the native American Easter egg.”

Treasure Madness has 900,000+ fans on FB, so a whole lotta people out there are seeing this. Annoying.

(Thanks Tiffany!)

White Wolf and Running Bear (Speidi) Update

In heidi montag, Native American names, Speidi, spencer and heidi pratt, TMZ by Adrienne K.5 Comments

(image via tmz.com)
Ugh, another reason to just love the folks over at TMZ. Today’s Heidi and Spencer Native name drama headline?
Thanks TMZ for throwing that stereotype out there right off the bat, clearly the earlier posts were too subtle. Cause all us Natives smoke the peace pipe and everything, and that’s all we would need to completely rectify the situation! (sarcasm, in case you missed it)
Apparently Heidi and Spencer are “surprised” that Native groups are so offended, having this to say:
 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