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Everything you wanted to know about Indians but were afraid to ask

Call Numbers

  • 970.00497 T811.1 (CEN, OSH)
  • H 970.00497 T811.1 (CEN)

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Publication Information

Saint Paul, MN : Borealis Books, ©2012.

Physical Description

190 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 22 cm

Summary

What have you always wanted to know about Indians? Do you think you should already know the answers -- or suspect that your questions may be offensive? In matter-of-fact responses to over 120 questions, both thoughtful and outrageous, modern and historical, Ojibwe scholar and cultural preservationist Anton Treuer gives a frank, funny, and sometimes personal tour of what's up with Indians, anyway.

Contents

  • Introduction: Ambassador
  • Terminology:
  • What terms are most appropriate for talking about North America's first people?
  • What terms are not appropriate for talking about North American's first people?
  • What terms are most appropriate for talking about each tribe?
  • How do I know how to spell all these complicated terms?
  • What term is most appropriate-nation, band, tribe, or reservation?
  • What does the word powwow mean?
  • How can I find out the meaning of the place names around me that come from indigenous languages?
  • History:
  • How many Indians were in North and South America before contact?
  • When did Indians really get to North America?
  • Why does it matter when Indians got here?
  • What do Indians say about their origins?
  • Who else made it here before Columbus?
  • Did Native Americans scalp?
  • Did Indians practice polygamy?-do they now?
  • What are native views about homosexuality?
  • How was gender configured in native communities?
  • Do indigenous people in Canada get treated more fairly by their government than those in the United States?
  • What is the real story of Columbus?
  • Why does getting the Columbus story right matter?
  • What is the real story of Thanksgiving?
  • What is the real story of Pocahontas?
  • When did the US government stop making treaties with Indians and why?
  • Why do some people use the word genocide in discussing the treatment of Indians?
  • Religion, Culture & Identity:
  • Why do Indians have long hair?
  • Do Indians live in teepees?
  • What is fasting and why do Indians do it?
  • What are clans and do all Indians have them?
  • Where are the real Indians?
  • What does traditional mean?
  • Aren't all Indians traditional?
  • Why is it called a "traditional Indian fry bread taco"?
  • What is Indian time?
  • What are Indian cars?
  • I thought that Indians have a strong sense of ecological stewardship, so why do I also see a lot of trash in some yards?
  • Do Indians have a stronger sense of community than non-Indians?
  • What is Indian religion?
  • Why do Indians use tobacco for ceremonies?
  • It seems like Indians have a deeper spiritual connection than in many religious traditions. Is that true?
  • What are some of the customs around pregnancy and childbirth?
  • What are naming ceremonies?
  • Can a nonnative person get an Indian name?
  • What are coming-of-age ceremonies?
  • How come everyone's laughing at a traditional Indian funeral?
  • Do they charge for participation in native ceremonies?
  • What is a sweat lodge?
  • Do Indians still get persecuted for their religious beliefs?
  • Powwow:
  • What is a powwow?
  • What do the different styles of dance mean?
  • Why are "49" songs sung in English?
  • How come they have a prize purse at powwows?
  • Can white people dance at powwows?
  • Do women sing at powwows?
  • What is the protocol for gifts at powwows?
  • Tribal Languages:
  • How many tribal languages are spoken in North America?
  • Which ones have a chance to be here a hundred years from now?
  • Why are fluency rates higher in Canada?
  • It seems like tribal languages won't give native people a leg up in the modern world-why are tribal languages important to Indians?
  • Why should tribal languages be important to everyone else?
  • What are the challenges to successfully revitalizing tribal languages?
  • When were tribal languages first written down?
  • Many tribal languages were never written-why do they write them now?
  • Why is it funnier in Indian?
  • How do tribal languages encapsulate a different world view?
  • Politics:
  • What is sovereignty?
  • Why do Indians have reservations?
  • Why isn't being American enough?-why do Indians need reservations today?
  • Why do Indians have treaty rights?-what other rights do they have that differ from most people?
  • What is allotment?
  • Why does my land have clouded title?
  • Is something being done about clouded title?
  • If tribes had hereditary chiefs, how come there is a democratic process in place for selecting tribal leaders in most places today?
  • What's the Indian Reorganization Act?
  • What are the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council?
  • Why do so many Indians live in urban areas today?-what is relocation?
  • What is termination?
  • Why do Indians have their own police and courts in some places?
  • Why does the FBI investigate murders on some reservations?
  • Why do state law enforcement agencies investigate murders on some other reservations?-what is public law 280?
  • Don't tribes ever investigate murders on Indian land themselves?
  • Do Indians face racial profiling from law enforcement?
  • Should Leonard Peltier be freed?
  • Is AIM good or bad?
  • What is the Indian Child Welfare Act?
  • What is blood quantum, what is tribal enrollment, and how are they related?
  • How has tribal enrollment affected you personally?
  • How come some tribes ban the use and sale of alcohol?
  • Is there a solution to substance abuse in Indian country?
  • Do all Indians have drinking problems?
  • Why is there so much concern about mascots?
  • Why don't tribes do more to support language and culture?
  • Why are Indian politics often such a viper's pit?
  • Are tribes getting better?
  • Why do Indians have so many kids?
  • I heard that a lot of Indians serve in the US military-how do they reconcile their service with the fact that the US Army killed so many of their people?
  • How do Indians feel about the use of Geronimo as the code name for Osama Bin Laden?
  • Economics:
  • Do Indians get a break on taxes, and if so, why?
  • Do Indians get a break on license plates?
  • Why should Indians be eligible for welfare if they are not taxed the same way as everyone else?
  • Are all Indians living in extreme poverty?
  • Are all Indians rich from casinos?
  • How has casino gambling affected Indian communities?
  • How have per capita payments affected Indian communities?
  • What is the future of Indian gaming?
  • What should tribes be doing to improve the economic condition of their citizens?
  • Education:
  • What were federal residential boarding schools?
  • How come 50 percent of Indians are flunking their state-mandated tests in English and math?
  • Is there anything that works in the effort to bridge the achievement gap?
  • How does No Child Left Behind affect Indian country?
  • Do all Indians have a free ride to college?
  • Perspectives: Coming To Terms And Future Directions:
  • Why are Indians so often imagined rather than understood?
  • As a white person, I don't feel privileged-so what do Indians mean by that term?
  • Why don't tribes solve their own problems?
  • All these problems are not my fault-why should I be asked to atone for the sins of my ancestors?
  • Is there anything wrong with saying that some of my best friends are Indians?
  • Is there something wrong with saying that my great-grandmother was a Cherokee princess?
  • I might have some Indian ancestry-how do I find out?
  • Why is that picture End of the Trail so popular in Indian country?
  • Regarding casinos and treaty rights, I'm not racist, but it doesn't seem fair to me-what's wrong with that line of thinking?
  • I'm not racist, but it all happened in the past-why can't Indians just move on?
  • Why do Indian people often seem angry?
  • Do Indians ever work together?
  • What are some good books to read about Indians?
  • Are there any good Indian movies?
  • Have you ever been the object of direct racial discrimination?
  • You're testament to your race-how did you turn out so good?
  • How can I learn more?
  • Conclusion: Finding Ways To Make A Difference:
  • How can I help?
  • Acknowledgments
  • Recommended reading
  • Notes
  • Index
  • Illustration credits.

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