I just want to reply to you about sundance. I would
like to dance it very much, but I cannot, because I am a woman. But if it
proves that I am serious, I could pierce my wrist or slash my skin, because that's what
women could do at the Sun Dance.At the
last year's powwow, an Indianist named War Bonnet did a real sun dance, with all the poles
and suffering. I think that Sky Hawk had simply been at a wrong powwow, there are two
powwows in Russia, at one of them they do not do a REAL sun dance, they just imitate it.
While I have never lived on the rez,(there are no reservations in Russia) I was raised in
similar conditions: a log house without heat in a dying-out village, with a lot of
alcoholism and poverty around me.
:
I do not steal your culture. The government in the 1890's stole it when they made the
little Indian children go to the boarding
schools, they took it away from them. I do not take anything away from you or anybody
else. And haven't the Natives "stolen" the Catholic faith and desecrated it
through the use or peyote? Or do you think you are entitled to take the trappings of White
culture (computers, shops, colleges) just because they are White and you are not? Doesn't
it seem a little absurd?
:
And if you call me a wannabe, I 'm darn proud of it. The suffragists and women's rights
advocates were called "wannabe"
men and ridiculed, the African-Americans that longed for economic freedom through hard
work instead of battling Whites and asking them for handouts were called "Uncle
Toms" and again, "wannabe" whites, So, maybe something will get out of it.
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From your messages Whitehawk you obviously lack in the necessary
Native peoples knowledge of spiritual ways re: the sundance. In the weeks to come my
website will address this topic. I have not really written anything on this subject, nor
done much art work here either--At least the past art works done have not been shown thru
the internet. It is a topic among US modern Indians that we must be careful how we
present. There are many imitators out there in the world and I would not want to give
anyone any false
ideas of the sundance. There are some terrible stories to tell of those not sufficiently
taught in native spiritual ways who have caused great harm to themselves and others.
On the matter of visiting Russia: I have been in your country on many visits from 1990
on--Via the Sacred Run 1990. I have been invited to many of the "powwows" thru
Indianists friends from
St.Petersburg to western Siberia, Altai mountain region...In general I have met two
"companies" of Russian Indianists located in St. Petersburg and Moscow.Then in
the following countries there are Indianists/hobby groupswhich invited me for visits to
their "powwows" and camp outs. England, France, Swiss, Belgium, Czech R., Solvic
R., Poland, etc., and largest of all Germany (former GDR, I mention the east this
way due to the wall coming down, Indianists have changed some what).
Let me end on a positive note. Because I have known so many hundreds of Indianists thru
the years and many Eurasian peoples have visited my Blackfeet Indian Country during
sundance season in the summer time, I write with the intention to help people think about
my experiences and educate those who think they know more than us Indians. I make fun of
the Indianists in Euro and America--Oh yeah! We have our share of wannabes in the US! But,
most of the Indanists who have gone thru their "playing" stage can see I'm
writing in a way to make a little fun. It is an ndn thing to make fun of folks,
especially, if you like them. So many Indianist friends I have made over the years have
invited me into their homes. In Russia where I have firsthand experienced the poverty of
your country, the people always managed to offer me their best. Friends are organizing a
visa to Russia for me soon and who knows, maybe, we meet at your campfire.
Thank you for your messages. I welcome them any time and look forward to more discussion.
And if you can ever come to America, you and yours are always welcome to visit my Rez...
Your ndn friend, SkyHawk
For other messages re: this topic, see Wanabees,
Wishiwas and other Indianists
Check out the previous
editorials |
