Post by perspicacious on Sept 9, 2013 16:44:59 GMT -5
I was raised an iyeska Oglala Lakota and was curious what folks discuss at this website. It does seem that discussing the alcoholism and violence and suicide and poverty rampant on most reservations and in urban Indian neighborhoods should be front and center, as it should at least be as interesting as identifying the photo of an obscure Lakota from the 19th century. I suppose people have a fascination with the historical Indian, and want to preserve the ancient aspects of Indian culture, particularly the language and spirituality. To the extent that advances knowledge and understanding, that's good, but the future is coming, really fast, and just like you can't put the tooth paste back in the tube, you can't go back to the blanket. You can try, but you'll only succeed in becoming a luddite and an anachronism. If praying on mountains actually did any tangible good for the people it would have accomplished this good back in the 19th Century, when it was sorely needed most.
Maybe I shouldn't get too down on the spiritual stuff, because I am not anti-spiritual in practice, but being raised on welfare and food stamps in a racist South Dakota town full of myopic provincials hasn't exactly convinced me returning to the science ignorant superstition of crushed and exploited ancestors offers any real future.
But for those who come to this site, and respect and admire many of the most important aspects of North American aboriginal culture, thank you for not hating us. Outside my window, up the streets of the northern Black Hills town where I live, there are plenty of Indian haters still going strong, and since I don't get gassed or toke up, my mind is nice and clear; I can even apply critical thinking skills, when I mull over their culture and individual behaviors, which I slip into my mongrel breed itinerary at least once a day. Not sure it accomplishes anything, but it keeps me out of County Lockup.
Mitakuye Oyasin.
