Generalization & The Art of Otherness

Generalization is an awful thing that tends to creep up any time one group of people encounters another. We want our definitions to be easy to understand and refer to so we stereotype and believe more of it than we should. In this stereotyping, the Irish are drunks, the French are arrogant, black Americans are all rapping criminals, Americans in general are all fat, and Indians are all feather wearing peace pipe smokers who talk about the Great Spirit and induce visions.

As with all stereotypes, there are many individuals of the cultures who fall into these neat little packages. However, there are almost always far more who do not. These stereotypes are created as a sense of explaining an “Other.” The other can be anyone who is not of the same group as the person creating the stereotype. It is by pointing out the things that make us different that we forget the things that make us the same.

Differences are a type of divisional fear that prevents ordinary people from uniting against the powerful. If there are several groups who are taken over by an oppressor, they can overthrow the oppressor if they band together. By keeping the groups fighting, though, they cannot overcome the oppressor and thus they remain conquered. This is what was done to the Native Americans.

The language used by the government was that of “savage.” Whenever a white person was killed by an Indian they were given a name and a small back story to make people feel bad for them. The Indians, on the other hand, were always talked about in the same language that would be used to talk about wolves or bad weather. This dehumanized the Native Americans and allowed the government to lie, cheat, and do whatever terrible thing they wanted to these people. After all, “they were only savages.”

Generalizing every Indian in the Americas as one people also allowed the government to take one universally hostile stance to get what they wanted. If every group was different then there would be “good” and “bad” groups. Any group labeled as a “good” group would not be able to be taken advantage of when the time came. This would mean the powerful would have to share their power and that was not one of their goals.

This sort of general grouping can be seen all over today’s political spectrum. Muslims are often viewed with fear because most people are very ignorant to their individual beliefs and differences. Much like the crusaders of old, violent fanatics give every one of their fellow believers a bad name. This bad name is difficult to overcome.

The same can be said about black people in the world who have been given a reputation of being more animalistic. In the United States, any time there is talk about gangs or drugs they show black people. Many times these black people are just walking to school or getting on a bus but the camera is shined on them anyway. This is also true when talking about Africa, which thanks to the media is accused of being one of the most dangerous places in the world.

The phrase, “oh crap the boss is coming, look busy,” is a fantastic example of the real vs the spun. The eye of a camera or the gaze of the story teller can color a people or a situation in any way they choose to. A people who are spun in a bad light lose support. Those who lose their support can become victims and no one will rise up to protect them. This is how the Native American was pushed into their present situation. This is why we all need to be more vigilant and not believe everything we hear.

Greed and Destruction

Our latest reading assignment was a difficult one to read. The fall of the Native American to the United States Government is a horrible story of betrayal and selfishness that shows some of the ugliest parts of human nature. It is a story that causes me to fall into a depressive funk for a few hours, and then it makes me angry.

My anger is a mixture. I am angry that our government could do such a thing. I am angry that our government still does very little to help these people out. I am angry that I am held accountable to things that my family was not even in the country for. I am angry that the human race is capable of this type of behavior. I am angry that men can claim to have honor and integrity and then shit all over a people just because they are greedy.

It is difficult for me to fully understand the mindset of the time period because I was raised to believe that we are all people and I need to treat everyone with a base line of respect. I guess I am an odd sort of person because I was raised to worship selfless heroes like King Arthur and his knights. I have always held myself to that standard. That is why I joined the Army after 9/11. That is why I was often on a superior’s crap list while in the Army. That is why I struggle to understand our world and the people who are in it.

The people of this nation have a real problem with admitting fault. Our sense of self importance causes us to push other people down in a way that should be beneath us. We are better than this… we should act it.

Stories

The stories of the Native American Indians are what bring their world to life. To them the land is alive. The Shamanic traditions state that the world is a living creature who is the giver of life. People are to live in harmony with this life giver because to do otherwise is to secure our own demise.

The story of the Coyote made me think of the Road Runner cartoons. The foolish coyote tries so hard to do thing the unsafe and foolish way and is blown to bits at every turn. He always returns to life in the next part of the story but his misadventures are designed to teach and humor us.

Stories are how we teach children. Stories are how we teach each other. By writing stories, we can spread our points of view to others and help them to see the world as we do.

These stories help us remember who we are. Stories that are handed down allow us to remember who we were. For the Native American Indians, the stories are tied to the land and the people who live on it.

The Confusion of Knowing

Coming into this class I felt I knew a great deal about Native American Culture. I am a practicing shaman, I have read and studied many books, and I have always been interested in the Native American struggle. Unfortunately, every time I think I know what I am talking about, I get told that I don't. Every time I think I am understanding, a Native American in a business suit and a deeply engraved scowl tells me that I am very wrong. This upsets me in ways that are difficult to describe.

I have a conflict in my mind. On one hand I wish to learn about this amazing culture. On the other hand I feel there is entirely too much whining going on and people need to organize and do something about it. I hope to put these feelings to rest in this class with the healing power of learning. I hope to learn what it is that I am missing that creates so much anger and keeps me from being at peace with this topic.