The book that I have found to be the most helpful so far is
Treuer’s Everthing You Wanted to Know about Indians But Were Afraid to Ask
(Treuer, 2012). The easily understood writing allowed me to quickly reference
thoughts and ideas that I was confused about. The most helpful web source for
this module was Word & Place, an extensive review of the oral histories and
traditions of the Native American. There are detailed discussions regarding
each song and poem that explains the history and meaning of each piece. This
brought about thoughts that had me reference the other texts in this class to
gain a better perspective on the given assignment.
The first few weeks of this course have been difficult for
me. The concept of Reflexivity is difficult for the nurse in me. I have been
nursing for almost 30 years and have always practiced cultural sensitivity.
Cultural sensitivity is accepting everyone for who they are with no thought of
one’s own bias or feelings. Please be patient as I explore how and why I feel
about the Native American people.
On an exciting note, a family member introduced me to Sly
Fox. Sly Fox whose English name is John Oakley, belongs to the Mashpee
Wampanoag Tribe in the Algonquin Nation. Sly Fox was generous with his time and
extremely patient with my ignorance. He was able to better explain the
governance of the Nations and individual tribes so I could understand it
better. His older brother, Drifting Goose, is the Grand Chief of the Wampanoag!
Sly Fox got his name from his father who named all the children. The naming was
not done immediately, but over a period of observation so that the name you
were given reflected the your nature and characteristics (Sly Fox). His
sister’s name is Wild Flower and twin brother is Slow Turtle. We talked about
historical perspectives and how we learned the history of the First Thanksgiving.
Sly Fox relates that he regularly goes to schools and works with students
regarding the real historical perspective of the American Indian. I can’t wait
to share more with him.
Evers, L. (n.d.). Words & Place.
Retrieved June 04, 2016, from http://parentseyes.arizona.edu/wordsandplace/
Sly Fox [Telephone interview]. (2016, June 2).
Treuer, A. (2012). Everything you
wanted to know about Indians but were afraid to ask. Saint Paul, MN:
Borealis Books.
I really like that you were able to incorporate a personal experience into this first blogging exercise. I like you are often challenged at the beginning of a course until I understand the expectations and rhythm. In particular this introduction has opened my eyes to noticing things around me related to Native American culture in order to gain a better understanding. For example, in my travels this past weekend on the New York State Thruway West, I passed a sign on the side of the highway that stated:
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Seneca Nation. You have now left New York State and are subject to the laws and jurisdiction of the Seneca Nation. A fee is being assessed for your passage through Nation lands and paid by New York State on your behalf.
Interesting I thought to myself...
That is amazing. Where exactly is that? I was in the Finger Lakes this spring, Cayuga Lake to be specific, and although the area is rich in Senaca history, I saw no references or historical markers regarding the Senaca Nation. I do remember seeing a references to the fur trade influences by the French.
ReplyDeleteThis class has really made me look harder at the area that I live in. The Lower Hudson Valley is rich in history. I feel like I am looking hard and not seeing the Mahican people.
I also found the readings from Truer to be extremely helpful. I am not extremely knowledgable about Native American history and culture and the book really makes it easy to find answers to many of the questions i have found asking myself. That is awesome that you got to have that kind of experience and I am looking forward to hearing more after your next encounter. Great post!
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