Indian issues
Published Wednesday, July 9, 2008
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Stumble It!Hello. It’s been some time since I have written a letter.
Since I am originally from Minto and have been throughout the state of Alaska, I am concerned about my Athabascan Indians’ way of life.
I have spent 20 years on the Alaska pipeline.
I also spent 20 years on the riverboats freighting out of Nenana, then I spent some 10 years throughout the state doing counseling work.
So I have met a lot of people. People are my big concern. I understand every person.
I also understand the children for I have spent much time with them.
Besides traveling through some parts of the Lower 48, I lived in Whitehorse some seven years.
Being aware of the response that I see to the different political ways, I watch how the Indians in the Yukon area handle the same issues in their ways, differing from the way the American Indians approach the same problem.
The Canadian Indians almost get anything that they want lobbying in Ottawa.
To make this a stronger activity, the Yukoners are inviting the North Americans to get involved.
This, I would like to see come to pass.
Community Discussion
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Native Americans have always been the losers in almost everything in the past present and future from the beginning I was raised in the lower 48. Native are almost ghosts in the wind here some are rich by casinos and poor by not having knowledge on how to use wealth. y daughts hopfully while still believe in elders but way things are looking more then likely believe in fame a fortune then what's right. Don't see it ever changing with things changing faster. Might be hard to see things getting back to way things used to be.
Wow! You understand EVERY person? Please do share your secret, I'd love to understand every person on the planet as well. This is incredible. You should run for office, we could use an omniscient politician.
I am not native so I may have missed the point of this letter - or maybe only natives can understand it....
But what exactly is the point? Seems kinda like rambling to me - please explain!
And I, too, find it quite amazing that you understand everyone...how remarkable!
Like the goat on fraggle Rock said: If you dont know I can't tell you!
akguy, I am Native and I also missed the point of this letter too. So there's natives that don't understand it too. There's no point to this letter.
And it is very stupid of him to say that he understands every person.
funny - i'm actually American Indian and for someone who "understands me" i have no idea what he wants me to do... any ideas anyone? ha ha
Who cares about the Canadian Indians and what they get?
Why should the AMerican Indians lobby to Washington they already get enough from the state of Alaska. DO they need more? They ought to try jobs and see how that goes.
I think it is totally remarkable that he understands all people. If he does why is he living here? He should be a rich and famous doctor in Hollywood or something.
What was the point of his story??? Maybe I missed something.
wife228, american indians or native americans or whatever you want to call them perhaps redskins or other deragoratory terms would be more suited to you. i mean seeing as you like to lump us all into one drunk, poor, jobless lot. i must just be some dumb squaw who doesn't earn a living just takes money from the good taxpayers like you right?
Oh and just to let you know you are missing something... about half a deck.
wife228-First off, why would American Indians be getting help from ths State of Alaska? Don't you mean Alaskan Natives. Second, what do you mean that we already get enough from the State of Alaska? Are you speaking in terms of food stamps, welfare? I known lots of Alaskan Natives up there who are hard working, tax paying citizens who do not live on welfare. People who pay for their own groceries. So for all you bitter people out there, whining because you think the Alaskan Natives have their way paid for them, HAVE A GREAT DAY!!
Graceless....
good one :)
AKN8NVA- thanks i didn't even think to tell her that alaska natives and american indians are two different cultures, i guess i just assumed that someone saying things like that would know. ha ha i should know better by now i hear crap like that all the time
My question: why does the FDNM print these pointless letters in the first place? And then before you know it, you have people arguing and attacking one another in the Comments section about what THEY said in response, since there's nothing really to say about the original letter since it was -- dare I say it? -- pointless!!!
If you look at wife228's post history, there is a trend there. Hate much? Why dont you post something constructive rather than your usual native bashing.
I'll say it again, Based on some of the comments, the lightening storm put too many neurons into the morons.
wife228 "If he does why is he living here? He should be a rich and famous doctor in Hollywood or something." What, one here cannot understand people and live here too? By the way, he lives in Whitehorse now.
CAD- I agree with you, maybe wife228 is unhappy within her own self and surroundings and need to 'bash' others to make her feel better or to justify why she is unhappy.
Knowing this author - just let in go in one ear and out the other
I see by many of the comments here that the buzzards are circling, waiting for the very weak, old, young, wounded, or dieing so they can swoop in and take advantage of another situation. The person writting the letter may not have the brilliant education some of you have, to express their words in an eloquent manner, so as to be pleasing to everyone. In my opinion, Larry is trying to bring peace among all people, reguardless of race. What he gets for his troubles is a bunch of racially motivated people with mob mentality using snide remarks to put down anyone who doesn't fit in their class and yes, their color of skin. Anyone disagreeing with them is labeled as being from the Outside, like myself.
Have you never tried to say something and just couldn't find the right words to express yourself? Much like Sen. Obama. He speaks very well, with his Harvard education, but never really gets around to saying anything. Bad example, he intentionally dodges making any kind point. Larry has tried to make a point but just couldn't put it in the words he wanted.
Why not try to help by trying to understand, rather than looking down your noses at him. Time is too short to live this way.
wife228 take your racists views back to where you came from. (alabama, carolina, texas?) I've read your stuff and it is nasty. However, it does give me a good reason to post comments.
As far at the letter goes: Whaaaaat?
http://www.midnightsunpowwow.net/ July 11-13th come celebrate Life with us Native Americans and Native Alaskans and see what a vibrant and beautiful culture we have. You may learn something.
Ok KSflatlander. You had me until you said obama had nothing to say. Sorry to say you have to listen to what he says, and not look for the bumber sticker type sound bites. His speeches are not for those who don't want to listed to the whole thing. Agree or not with his ideas, his speeches are well written and delivered.
The bit about understanding every person caught my eye also. But, then I figured out that Mr Titus is writing in a second language. Sometimes, something gets lost in the translation. There are many contributors to these comment sections that have English as their first language, and still have trouble expressing their point well.
Alaska Natives and American Indians lobby Congress all the time. Some more effectively than others. I am a member of the Cherokee Nation, and we have been lobbying the federal government for well over 100 years. Not always successfully (lands were stolen), but consistently.
Today, under the leadership of Principal Chief Chad Smith, the Cherokees in Oklahoma have successfully gotten into the gaming industry, and spun that off into a variety of business interests in order to employ tribal members. This success is also benefitting cultural education and substance abuse rehabilitation. These successes are due to good leadership, and the ability to lobby Congress successfully.
Just to be clear here folks -- pls don't misunderstand my point. I know many Native elders whose first language was not English, but they are quite capable of speaking about the sorry state of Native Alaska in a clearer way than this! The FDNM has published some pieces recently -- Matthew Gilbert's comes to mind -- that was clear and well presented. The FDNM could have contacted this gentleman and asked him to clarify his points a tad -- not that this would have deterred the racists in the crowd from making their snide comments regardless.
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Hey Larry, are you offended when one say's your an indian or do you like Native Alaskan? I was just wondering because the news miner spanked me for saying that the Athabascan's were indians. The news miner advised me that the proper way to address the indian race is not to call them that word but to use Alaska Natives. What's up with that?
See above for cases in point.
His message is clear, WHY all the confusion?
My concern about the gaming industry is that it is yet another addiction. Even with just Bingo and pull tabs (and the occasional illegal card room) here in Fairbanks, you hear of people spending their whole pay check on gambling. When you combine drinking and gambling in the same place, you have two addictions working together to suck the life out of people.
Sure, casinos provide jobs. But at what cost to the people?
Our Native corporations here in Alaska have the potential to serve that same purpose of providing jobs in construction, maintenance, and many other fields, as they grow and expand into more and more areas. And without the high cost of life and self-respect that comes with the presence of alcohol and gambling.
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alaskaflower doesn't seem to realize that we just happen to, ALL of us, be on Indian/Native American land stolen or otherwise conned from the indigenous peoples of the area.
The right to run a casino is the governments way of trying to "reimburse" or some type of payoff for simply STEALING land.
If I were to walk on some farmers property, point a gun at him and say "I need this land to grow food for my family and people and it's just too bad for you injun, I would be arrested and put away for a long time, but when Europeans did it it was called "conquering the west" and the ONLY people prosecuted or persecuted, were American Aboriginals.
Most poor people are not on welfare. . . I know they work. I’m a witness. They catch the early bus. They work every day. They raise other people’s children. They work every day. They clean the streets. They work every day. They drive vans with cabs. They work every day. They change beds you slept in these hotels last night and can’t get a union contract. They work every day . . .
- Reverend Jesse Jackson (So what do you think this wife228)
Hehe, yeah there is a ton of prejudice around. Unfortunately it goes both directions as well. Some of the more racist people I have met in my life were not white.. Although there are plenty white ones as well. I think that large issue, is that people get hung up on stereotypes. I see a drunken native staggering downtown, so all of them must do that. I see a black guy steal something, they all must do that. I see a white guy bashing an asian, they all must do that... No, every culture has their ups and downs. And, yes it's usually a lack of intelligence causing that issue.
"So I have met a lot of people. People are my big concern. I understand every person."
It seems that people have taken his last sentence of this paragraph out of context. For me, it seems as if he was stating that he understood those who he has met.
And, it seems that he wants Native people to gather to make a difference.
James
Coming from Minto isn't much of a reference .. a bunch of thieves for the most part. They stole most of my stuff over on the lake several times and the troopers won't touch it.
Are you aware of the non natives that hunt on those lakes also, but of course in your lil mind it had to be the Minto (thieves) that stole your stuff that was left in the middle of no where.
James go hunt else where then.
Hey, I like what Larry wrote. Yes he is not the most educated in western ways but he sure know old ways. So he understands feelings of others and trys to be nice to them. I have no problem with that. We lost everything to western society, land, water, resources, and hunting and fishing rights, yet he never complains about that. And he wants Native people to try new things to make their lives better, no problem there either. We are but a speck of sand on this earth so who are we to judge him or another. We should let things go for now, we did enough judging of one another for one day, and we are not making this a better world by spreading hatred. Have a good day.
Ahh broad-brush racism, both sides pointing the fingers at the other. As long as we allow organizations to promote their own culture, we'll continue to maintain the racism that permeates our culture. Until everyone acknowledges that there is only one race, human, there will always be racial problems.
As far as the "thieves in Minto", I parked my truck in Minto overnight once. We went fishing in the flats, met some locals on passing boats and had some good conversation with some good people. Came back to my truck the next morning, everything still in the bed as I left it, no problems. There's bad apples in every bunch, but to apply the brand to an entire locality because of a bad experience is ignorant.
Yes, I am as white as the day is long. The problem isn't race, it's ignorance.
i know the author too. he is a very intelligent and caring man who went out of his way to help me once. i'm not native. that didn't matter one iota to him. he helped me any way.
please don't pass judgement on his prose. i've seen examples of his writing, it isn't one of his strong points, dispite being a graduate of the university of alaska. (which really makes me wonder about the quality of that university)
he is very interested in the future of his culture and he spends much of his efforts working to benefit his people. no culture is inherently superior or inferior to any other, however because of the very values the native culture embraces, they will continue to struggle to exist as a functioning culture.
In some cases Europeans took land from Native Americans similar to individual tribes taking land from other tribes. The Romans took land from the Gauls. Someday a force from within or without will take the land that we currently occupy and may have deed to. A greater or stronger group will take it as sure as the sun rises. Just a matter of time. Humanity has been stealing land from each other since the beginning of time and will continue.
Wow! A letter that ends up saying......absolutely nothing that makes sense or a point. "Just say no", bub.
So by the logic of "internationa" because the romans stole lands from the Gauls, Europeans were justified to murder innocent people so they could grow corn on a horse pasture to feed people in boston or wherever.
native people had wars, of course, nobody ever denied that BUT- things did not come to GENOCIDE until Europeans got involved, not only did "our founding fathers" murder, use BIOLOGICAL WARFARE upon, and deceive the American aboriginals- when the takeover was complete, they simply DENIED EXISTENCE of entire tribes, causing further suffering to an already beaten people that had totally lost the only way of life they had known or ever thought they would know.
Before anyone calls me prejudice for simply stating the plight of the American Indian in the united states remember that it is not prejudice to state FACTS.
nevertheless I am grateful for the way of life we have now, tho prejudice still abounds in our society at least it is not fashionable (in most circles) to be racist anymore
While this letter may not be something on the level that some of you believe you are capable of writing it poses a valid concern held by the author.
A few comments: some of you need to drink less hater-aid, some of you need to really look at the state of people around you, some of you need to study history and treaties better, and most of you should refrain from making comments based on your ill-conceived notions (be they about race, welfare or what have you) because they surely do not become you.
Many of you made valid points which contributed to the discussion in a positive way, and other comments just left me wondering about some of the people in this community. I like glacierles and a registered member of the Cherokee Nation West. I also have studied in depth the history several of the American Indians, as well as the history of the Alaska Native people. YES- there is quite a difference between them. Yet so many of the issues remain the same- namely language, culture, land rights, and where the American Indians are concerned- treaty rights.
I am not a lazy, drunk, uneducated Indian- and for the record, Native People do work hard and value education on the whole. I work full time, take care of my children, have two associate degrees, am working on my bachelor's degree, and am NOT on any type of welfare (which although many brought it up was not what the letter was about anyway). There are people in every culture of every race and ethnic background that fit both the lazy and the hard worker "labels" but one would dare not say (for instance) that white people are all cocaine attics just because a few white people are, and those that played into that part of the discussion really need to step back and think- it is not appropriate in this day and age to stereotype people at all, much less in a community forum where we are all supposed to be adults who can hold intellegent conversations.
Every people group has their issues, and they should not be belittled. Mr. Titus does get the basic gest of his point across, and those with any bit of intellegence and half an ounce of compassion understood it well.
all i have to say is NO MATTER what color your skin we are exactly the same, do we not remember. you may fallow whatever culture you want to as culture is a life style.and Alaska belongs to americans not Alaska natives.
WE belong to the earth, the earth does not belong to us.
You all missed his point...read it again. He's saying that Native Alaskans and American Indians should lobby Ottawa. :-)
WOW!!!!!
So many comments. Many of you have made positive comments that were sparked by negative ones. OK, so I don't know how old Larry Titus is, but maybe he felt good about writting the article. From the years listed in the different places he has lived and worked, I am guessing he is "an elder". So, because many of you did not get any point out of his article does not make it right to bash the man.
God Bless America, God Bless Our Troops and God Bless the Sound of Freedom
Amazing how this letter trying to help his Native people turns into a racial debate.
I am sure that I will be attacked by saying this, but here goes. Internationa is right--lands have been taken over by others for years and will continue. If the Americans hadn't taken over Alaskan land who would have?? Someone! I would hate to think of how the Native Americans would have been treated if they were.... Russian!
With that being said, I understand just fine what this man is trying to say and there is nothing wrong or appauling about it.
no... the earth was given to us by god. it is ours to do with as we see fit. we do not belong to the earth. the earth is a thing, not a living entity. things can't possess things. here i think is the largest rift between european based culture and native north american culture. natives will say they can't tell you what they are doing next weekend because they can't predict the future. western culture people will tell you what they are going to be doing next weekend because they will make the future happen. this is the difference why i think the native culture is in trouble. it is too passive and surely to be run over by more aggressive cultures no matter from where on earth it comes from. i'm not saying this is right, just a fact.
it is OBVIOUS that polarmark does NOT understand native culture, anywhere.
So by internationa's and lagirls logic I could come to your house's and take over? I mean people have done it for years so, why can't i have your property simply because I think I have MORE of a need for it than you do, please tell me cause I could use some free land, remember people have done it for a long time so that justifies it. ;)
LostAlaskan99712: "WE belong to the earth, the earth does not belong to us."
LostAlaskan99712: "we just happen to, ALL of us, be on Indian/Native American land stolen or otherwise conned from the indigenous peoples of the area."
LostAlaskan, if you truly believe that the earth dows not belong to us, how can you claim to own the land that was "stolen" from you?
Either you believe one or you believe the other. Both can't be true.
I think what the author is getting at is he would like Alaska Natives and other Indigenous peoples to become more proactive and organized in their politics. I agree that their must be a resurgence of the Native warrior through healing our communities, retaining our subsistence lifestyles, western education, revitalization of our languages and political activism. If the author is referring to Canada's recent apology for damage done to generations of aboriginal Canadians who went through Indian residential schools than I think its a good reminder for our community of what happened to Native people during the first decades of contact with westerners and how those interactions still shape the health of our communities and our people today.
http://www.slaw.ca/2008/06/11/government...
LostAlaskan99712--you can agree or disagree with me, but it still remains a fact.
The beauty of living in this wonderful country is our freedom to do what we want (unless it hurts someone else). You most certainly could try to come and take my land but I would remember that the Constitution of the United States says that I have the right to bear arms.
Polarmark: After a week of work, at week's end, I am going to drive to Tok to visit my husband. Because I know what I will be doing next weekend, does that mean I'm caucasian?
I didnt say anything about "arms", I just want to set a farm up on your land so I can grow crops to feed my family.
You're the one that said it's ok to kick someone out of their home, simply because other people have done it before.
If you people do not UNDERSTAND, truly understand the meaning of Native sayings then do NOT presume to judge them from a domineering "holier than thou" point of view, people that have not grown up as a native DO NOT understand native culture, these are a people that existed just fine without destroying the landscape or being genocidal just for some farmland.
Hey Lost--I think you are putting words into my mouth. I never said that it was okay to take land. All I did was state the facts-- that it has happenend and the native americans should count their blessings that it wasn't a different country that did the taking. No matter how you look at it Native, Black, White, Purple, etc.... you have the right to live how you would like--there should be nothing misunderstood about that.
This conquering western attitude that the Earth was given to us by God to do with as we see fit is the basis of all of the problems we now have with regard to declining resources, unclean water and air, and so on. I believe that we were put on Earth by God as stewards and are supposed to lovingly care for it, not destroy it and render it unlivable. We all do belong to the Earth - when you die and decompose and become a source of nutrients for future plants and animals, you will have completed the intended cycle of life.
I think that Larry may understand all people, in the way that he was speaking, which is to get to the essence of a person. He was also saying that if Alaska Natives would unite with Canadian first peoples when lobbying they would increase their realm of influence. You know, strength in numbers. Plus, the Canadians have a long experience of working successfully with government to gain back some of what was taken and are also always given a seat or seats at the table when resource and environmental decisions are being made. We could all learn from them.
yeah ok, thank god it was British people that murdered, enslaved, stole from and deceived Natives. You're right it doesn't matter what color you are when you think you are better than another because they don't wear clothes or worship the cross, that doesn't give anyone of any color the right to DESTROY a cultures way of life.
So what if Natives get to run casinos and make some decent money instead of living off of YOUR taxes and begging in YOUR streets (cause apparently natives are incapable of working).
Europeans took away American Aboriginals way of life and gave nothing but scorn and rotten meat in return for eradicating the buffalo herds, at least the American government has now granted recognition, "sovereignty" over their granted space and last but not least CASINOS!!! sorry but I think if ya'll had a choice between giving natives their traditional territories back or letting them keep the casinos......
one of the funnies things I've ever heard was in Wisconsin- A certain local tribe was just granted permission to spear fish in a local river, beer soddened rednecks were incredulous that all these "drunken indians" were allowed to do something they were not, what made me laugh was when I heard someone yell in between all the other derogatory shouts and rock/bottle throwing- "go back to where you came from you f***in indian!!!", hilarious as it is ironic I thought.
Larry was educated by the white man. It's not his fault he doesn't know how to write a letter correctly. Also, I'm Alaska Native and proud of it. Peace!
Okay Lost--I get it you are too bitter to listen to other people. Lady-warrior--DNM should remove your comment. You should have just said you were a racist and got it over with.
Apparently lagirl didn't read the prejudice comment posted by "wife228", or maybe you did and just deny that it's racist? or are Euro-descended people the only ones allowed to be bitter?
DenaliGuy---
Have your Cherokee neighbor link to http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/ to keep up with Cherokee news and to get other links.
There is no registry in Alaska that I'm aware of, but since there are more people that claim Cherokee heritage than any other tribe, I believe, I would imagine that there are many around.
I dont know about the hunting regs that you mention. I do know that if your friend has a BIA card then he is eligible for Alaska Native Health Care.
Best wishes.
Lost--I read the comment from that woman and I think it was appauling. Although I figured enough people bashed her for her comments, so there was no since in beating a dead issue.
It seems like the only people--aside from wife228--making racist comments are the native people. They not only make the comments but announce after that they are native and proud of it. You are not doing your race justice. Why not focus on the letter and what the gentleman was trying to tell you. If you don't like things the way they are then make a stand. If you do this in a positive light then you will get more of a response. Making racist comments just turns people off from listening, because it only shows how ignorant you really are.
why is it racist to state FACTS???
With no disrespect, Larry has written several pointless letters that have been printed to the DNM... this is just the first where we can respond or comment...
If it's not racist to state FACTS then the fact is if the NATIVES weren't AMERICAN (BY DEFAULT) they'd be a citizen of a different country and wouldn't be half as fortunate as they are now.
If it's not racist to state FACTS if Larry wasn't educated by the "white man" (per lady_warrior) he would be illiterate and wouldn't have the capability of writing a letter (even if it's confusing).
If it's not racist to state FACTS you no longer own this land. The US negotiated and acquired this land with your permission, GET OVER IT!
IT it's not racist to state FACTS I'm AMERICAN (it doesn't matter my race) and proud of it! You should be too.
This letter is NOT racist.... it's those that dig into this that make it racist.
It simply angers me that native people are not allowed to speak of traditional lands being literally stolen, people brush it off as "racism" like it's their fault their way of life got destroyed, how many of YOUR relatives know persecution? who within the last 50 years can say they have relatives that have been denied as living people in the good ol' U.S.A.? simply because they refused Christianity and spoke a different language.
The writer of the above letter is calling for unity of ALL Aboriginal North American people I believe, I also agree as well and would like to see history of other tribes as well, sort of an "information pool" if you will, pertaining (in short) to subsistence traditions and migration routes from pre-European contact times (approx. 500-1000yrs ago).
"By conservative estimates, the population of the United states prior to European contact was greater than 12 million. Four centuries later, the count was reduced by 95% to 237 thousand."
Credits: Sharon Johnston, The Genocide of Native Americans: A Sociological View, 1996.
"In 1493, when Columbus returned to the Hispaniola, he quickly implemented policies of slavery and mass extermination of the Taino population of the Caribbean. Within three years, five million were dead. Las Casas, the primary historian of the Columbian era, writes of many accounts of the horrors that the Spanish colonists inflicted upon the indigenous population: hanging them en mass, hacking their children into pieces to be used as dog feed, and other horrid cruelties. The works of Las Casas are often omitted from popular American history books and courses because Columbus is considered a hero by many, even today.
Mass killing did not cease, however, after Columbus departed. Expansion of the European colonies led to similar genocides. "Indian Removal" policy was put into action to clear the land for white settlers. Methods for the removal included slaughter of villages by the military and also biological warfare. High death rates resulted from forced marches to relocate the Indians.
The Removal Act of 1830 set into motion a series of events which led to the "Trail of Tears" in 1838, a forced march of the Cherokees, resulting in the destruction of most of the Cherokee population." The concentration of American Indians in small geographic areas, and the scattering of them from their homelands, caused increased death, primarily because of associated military actions, disease, starvation, extremely harsh conditions during the moves, and the resulting destruction of ways of life."
Credits: Sharon Johnston, The Genocide of Native Americans: A Sociological View, 1996.
"During American expansion into the western frontier, one primary effort to destroy the Indian way of life was the attempts of the U.S. government to make farmers and cattle ranchers of the Indians. In addition, one of the most substantial methods was the premeditated destructions of flora and fauna which the American Indians used for food and a variety of other purposes. We now also know that the Indians were intentionally exposed to smallpox by Europeans. The discovery of gold in California, early in 1848, prompted American migration and expansion into the west. The greed of Americans for money and land was rejuvenated with the Homestead Act of 1862. In California and Texas there was blatant genocide of Indians by non-Indians during certain historic periods. In California, the decrease from about a quarter of a million to less than 20,000 is primarily due to the cruelties and wholesale massacres perpetrated by the miners and early settlers. Indian education began with forts erected by Jesuits, in which indigenous youths were incarcerated, indoctrinated with non-indigenous Christian values, and forced into manual labor. These children were forcibly removed from their parents by soldiers and many times never saw their families until later in their adulthood. This was after their value systems and knowledge had been supplanted with colonial thinking. One of the foundations of the U.S. imperialist strategy was to replace traditional leadership of the various indigenous nations with indoctrinated "graduates" of white "schools," in order to expedite compliance with U.S. goals and expansion.
Probably one of the most ruinous acts to the Indians was the disappearance of the buffalo. For the Indians who lived on the Plains, life depended on the buffalo. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, there were an estimated forty million buffalo, but between 1830 and 1888 there was a rapid, systematic extermination culminating in the sudden slaughter of the only two remaining Plain herds. By around 1895, the formerly vast buffalo populations were practically extinct. The slaughter occurred because of the economic value of buffalo hides to Americans and because the animals were in the way of the rapidly westward expanding population. The end result was widescale starvation and the social and cultural disintegration of many Plains tribes.
Genocide entered international law for the first time in 1948; the international community took notice when Europeans (Jews, Poles, and other victims of Nazi Germany) faced cultural extinction. The "Holocaust" of World War II came to be the model of genocide. We, as the human race, must realize, however, that other genocides have occurred. Genocide against many particular groups is still widely happening today. The discrimination of the Native American population is only one example of this ruthless destruction."
Credits: Sharon Johnston, The Genocide of Native Americans: A Sociological View, 1996.
Sometimes it's hard to see the answer even when it's staring at you in the face....
Think some more... Cripes no wonder the Treasonous Neo Con Parasites are Gutting and Usurping the United States Constitution and getting away with it. What do they teach in school these days?
Lost Alaskan is right. The mission schools here in Alaska punished the Alaska Native kids for speaking their language and practicing their culture. Forced assimilation.
The loss of our language and continuous deliberate public racism and daily subtle attacks on our culture has a lot to do with the high suicide rate of our young people.
Don't go to the white mans god for help... The United States Supreme Court uses Genesis 1:28 as a legal precedent in seizing Native American lands, starting with the Forced Cherokee removal in the early 1800's... The infamous Cherokee "Trail of Tears".
Still I hear Natives spouting off the white mans bible even when it's used against us. Do they need the white mans bible as a crutch to stay away from their vices?
Maybe if some of our Alaska Native Leaders would use their power to better their people instead of sucking up to or belonging to the Republican Mushroom Party that's trying to stomp us out..
But again.. Life goes on..
LostAlaskan - I hear your bitterness and I see your pain in your words. I guess my question though is what is your answer? We cannot go back to yesterday, nor would I argue that it would be desirable to do so. All we can do is live in today and attempt to keep our histories alive as much as possible.
I guess where I get confused in this whole argument of who was here first and who did what to whom is there are so many differing factors involved that I think it is hard to point any fingers. For instance - I appear Caucasian and was born in Alaska, but my roots are strongly Greek, being only third generation American on that side of my family (the other side seems to have came here in the late 1700s). My great-grandfather certainly didn't have anything to do with the eradication of the Native Alaskan or Native American way of life and much of the US was settled by the time other relatives came over. They were just immigrants trying for a better way of life. Not homicidal maniacs looking for victims...
I am honestly curious as to what your answer is to solve the Native American and Native Alaskan pain. Do I go back to Greece and take my kids with me? I know that much of Greek populations migrated up through Africa, as that is the birthplace of man. Do I go back to Africa? Is there a way for peace to happen for all of us? It doesn't seem that hatred, anger and racism from ANY group will be the answer for any of us...
CurtJ - Yes continue to blame conservatives for all the ill in the world. It's accurate and productive. What DO they teach in school these days?
i was born right here in fairbanks a long time ago and to this day i am not accepted here as a native or even an american. we came up from mexico and el salvadore so actually i am probably more "native" than most, but still just another "beaner" who doesn't "act like the rest", thats right i have heard this often.
well, i am not white like most of you, english, french, greeks, irish, russian, you are all white folks, you may think you got some color in you but dream on, having color is when are in america and do have some color, not pigmantation so much as culture color, everyone wants you to leave america and just because your family came from south of the border you are lumped into that group who is expected to check the box labled "other". heck, even other "natives" want us gone, we are not natives in their eyes because we were "tropical-injuns" and not "ice-injuns"!! thats right a stupid word for a stupid way of thinking. since america sometimes tells me i am passing for white,and i have been given a visa into the white part of town(the town i was born in) heck i may as well take the blame for all of the "white-men". thats right, if there is a traffic jam or a earthquake in ethiopia the world blames the "white-man", even the "white-women" blame the "white-men" for all sorts of things. heck, the brazillians are cutting down all of the trees in the rainforest, "its those "white-men"!!! america is filled with fat people, " it is because of those "white-men", oh, and my favorite,"the white man created aids to eliminate person of color from the world".
i think it is time to quit worrying about things that happened before most of us were born, i didnt bring the africans here to pick cotton and i didnt bring the chinese to build railroads, and i didnt create the potato famine. but for all the "white-folks" who rightly say they were not even here when the manure hit the fan, well i must tell you that the manure is still hitting the fan for those with a little more pigmantation in their skin than what you have.
wife 228- turn off your computer in your single wide in lakeview terrace and go fry something up. you obviously have no clue what you are talking about.
DanaVanDam-
How would you feel about owning gold stolen from Jews by nazis during world war II?
now tell me how you feel about living on land STOLEN from Native peoples by the American government for YOUR well being, not my ancestors.
When Native people speak of "owning" land it is not the same as the western-euro meaning of "ownership", and if you don't know the Native meaning then do not cast judgment, ask a native elder what it means or just stick your head back in the silt and pay no mind to the doings of native people.
LostAlaskan - I cast no judgment. My head is not now, nor has it ever been in silt. I pay mind to "the doings of the native people" because I, too, am human and have an interest in my home and the people that exist here; as I said I was born here. Had you read what I wrote rather than reading into what I wrote, you would see that. I asked you a very specific question about what you thought the answer was. Everyone came from somewhere and it's not feasible for everyone to return to where their "roots" are. What is your answer?
the answer? what solving YOUR racial issues? my mind is clear on what the issues are. As for your "answer" there is none that I could conceive that would be to your liking or mine, it's only when we know where we come from that we will know where we should go to.
I have skimmed thru most of this so I may have missed it. Has anyone asked Larry what he meant? We all have our opinions and our prejudices, maybe we could learn more by asking him to explain what he meant.
I sure enjoy reading the comments, it more fun then the comics. There is an old saying "Fools names, like fools faces are always seen in public places" Guess I joined all of you by writing this note.
well brother your words bring an idea. many of us would like to embrace. govt is different as you know and take a lot of time to make changes. our tribe was never conquered just minipulated by feds and locals. who "see fit" for our welfare. keep honor among our brothers and sisters. salmon forever moose will roam
Why are people so racist in Alaska? What good does it do, does it make you a better person? Do most of you that posted comments say these things out loud or just complain bout it on the DNM?
Good Grief! A simple letter in which a man gives a bit of his background so that the reader will understand his perspective (i.e. travel through the villages as he worked on the barge; travel in the Lower 48; work on the pipeline)and that he has had the opportunity to meet many people from many different cultures and understand them; including children. He expresses his concern for people. He has lived in Canada and has seen first hand what the First People of Canada have been able to achieve through unity and lobbying the government in Ottawa. When he says that the Indians of Canada get what they want from Ottawa he is speaking of autonomy and respect for their culture; cooperation. This is not something that Alaska Native communities have been able to depend on from Juneau or Washington DC. He continues his letter by refering to the willingness of the tribes of the Canadian Yukon to work together with their relatives from Alaska to address mutual visions and culture and have strength in unity. He ends by saying this is something he would like to see happen. His idea has merit.
A quiet, peaceful letter and it engenders ridicule?
If you don't understand his letter, perhaps it's because you don't understand the issue but that is no excuse for being disrespectful to the the writer. I've met Larry Titus and had the occasion to talk with him and listen to him a number of times. He is a man who is as friendly and helpful to non-Natives as he is to his own people. He is also someone who has spent much of his life trying to understand and help others.
Given the subject matter it is likely that his letter was intended primarily for the News Miner readers who are Alaska Native. I've no doubt that most Alaska Native leaders had no trouble at all understanding what his letter was about.
Lack of communication, knowledge and understanding between Alaska Native and Non-native people is at the root of the prejudice and racial finger-pointing that has been so clearly illustrated by the posts on this board.
I have been very frank here with you, and you have been nothing but unnecessarily insulting. Such is life.
I come from Alaska, LostAlaskan. THIS is where I come from. I'm sorry you don't like it and I'm sorry that you perceive me as having a racial issue that needs to be solved; to be honest, I don't understand how you have come to that conclusion. If I were a racist, I certainly wouldn't attach my name to my words. I wish you luck and peace in your future.
Hey Nightshade
please dont calling loser to native people . i am native too u need to STOP IT
Curt J:"The loss of our language and continuous deliberate public racism and daily subtle attacks on our culture has a lot to do with the high suicide rate of our young people.
Don't go to the white mans god for help... The United States Supreme Court uses Genesis 1:28 as a legal precedent in seizing Native American lands, starting with the Forced Cherokee removal in the early 1800's... The infamous Cherokee "Trail of Tears".
Still I hear Natives spouting off the white mans bible even when it's used against us. Do they need the white mans bible as a crutch to stay away from their vices?"
If the United States Supreme Court used Genesis 1:28 as a legal precedent for seizing Native American lands, it is because they did not know their Bible well enough to read it correctly.
Curt, what is this about the "white man's bible?" The Bible is not a white man's Bible. Jesus had skin as dark as any Alaska Native's. The Bible is regarded by cultures all throughout the world as the message from the Creator to mankind. A majority of Alaska Natives claim to be Christians. Christianity has been a part of Alaska Native culture longer than sled dogs and glass beads and Spam and Pilot Bread. You're an intelligent man. "White man's Bible" is a racist expression born of ignorance. To those with open minds, the Bible offers the answer to the high Native suicide rate (which has Nothing to do with language) and the prevalance of alcoholism and racism and hatred and all of our society's other social ills.
akmexican, you are correct, ak. is a very racist state, it is kept out of view a lot but it is alive and well. very few minorities have had much luck getting jobs on the state or local level, they hire a "token" few but it is rare.
i think it was better here before the pipeline days when so many moved here and brought their values with the