I thought and thought and thought to myself about the word "Indian." It's an interesting word when you think about it as an Indian in America. As discussion after discussion has gone in class, I cringe slightly every time I hear the word "Indian." Not because I think there is anything wrong with that word, no. I am Indian. No, not Native American or indigenous, Indian. I understand that the White Man came to America and called the indigenous people they encountered "Indians," but the acceptance of this word and calling yourself "Indian" when you truly are not, that is giving in to the White Man and his improper label. In other words, it bothers me immensely, more recently than previously, that America's indigenous people are letting themselves be called "Indians." All I can think inside is, "You aren't Indian. I am." Harsh, but true. It took me some time to actually realize that this was a problem for me. Not so much the fact that the indigenous people choose to call themselves "Indians," but the idea that using this word within their own culture, whether on the reservation or not, gives them less of an advantage in getting the amenities they seek from the government. How can a group of people expect to get anywhere when they don't call themselves what they are, rather they call themselves a name, and label themselves with a word, that was given to them by ignorant settlers. That is the part that bothers me the most...I almost feel like it gives them a lack of identity. Using the name of their tribe, or indigenous as a whole, or Native American all show that sense of individuals fighting for their beliefs, they are not a label, they are not to be taken advantage of, they are powerful. But, to me, using the word "Indian" instead of indigenous, or others, is presenting a powerless and passive argument.
This idea was re-sparked in me when I read Diane Burns' "Sure You Can Ask Me A Personal Question." It was always there on the back burner of my mind, but she gives me a reason to bring it to the forefront. When she mentions that she is not American Indian, she is Native American and not from India, it makes me feel good inside. She is recognizing that she has been improperly labeled by ignorant settlers and colonizers and the fact that she fixes her statement shows that she is rejecting the colonization. Another thing that sparked my interest in the second poem, "I Am Not Your Princess" by Chrystos, was when she states. "This is Indian food only if you know that Indian is a government word..." (lines 12-13). This emphasizes the idea that the government has labeled Native Americans this way and that they should NOT accept that. In a sense, they shouldn't be calling themselves what they are not. They aren't Indian, they are Native American, indigenous, and more.
On a different note, I found the ideas portrayed in the tone of the two poets very appealing, especially when read aloud. Being able to hear the hostility or resentment and slight annoyance in each line of these poems gives the reader a sense of how the two women feel about what the majority of people think about Native people as a whole.
I absolutely agree with you. Every time someone uses the term "Indian" when they are talking about Native Americans, I inwardly flinch a bit. I mean really, why call yourself Indian if you're not from India or don't have predecessors from India? How ridiculous would it be if foreigners went into Mexico and called everyone Filipino just because they couldn't tell the difference? And it'd be even more peculiar if the Mexican people just started accepting it!
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha...I love your Mexico analogy! I don't see too big of the resemblance or whatever between Mexicans and Filipinos but I have heard that happen before and I was surprised! I also understand that my view was/is kind of harsh but I honestly believe that calling Native Americans Indians isn't write. I guess, in a sense, it's not politically correct. In America maybe, though it really shouldn't be - ignorance - but everyone else in the world you find Indians being from India. Especially if you think about Aztecs, Incas, Mayas, etc. and you realize that they aren't called Indians, so why are Native Americans in the United States called Indians? It really doesn't help the fight for recognition by the government and it shows they are giving in to the "white man." It doesn't work for me, and I'm actually Indian, and I don't think it should work for indigenous peoples either.
ReplyDeleteIt is pleasant to hear that another person also thinks like me. I one hundred percent agree with you. Why are the Indigenous people going to let others called them Indians when they are not. Native American people are not from India so why call them Indians. Being called Indian is like a slave name to me. It is identical as the word "nigga" for African American people. I always wondered why people disliked the name the Indians for the baseball team when a was younger, but now it makes perfect sense. That is an insult to Indigenous People. That is like naming a team in Mexico the "Gringos." You see that is not right.
ReplyDeleteI also say what you were saying about the poems of how both authors did not want to be called Indians no more but instead another name that was appropraite for them. That made me happy inside to see that these authors are putting their foot down on the oppressors.
I agree with your words and i must say you write beautifully. When i hear the word Indian I think about Indians from India not the indigenous. I do not feel like it is a correct word that best fits these peoples. It is like if I called all people who are white Caucasian when not all of them are some can be asian or Philippino or even Mexican. It is taking away from the meaning of the word and is also taking the words from other cultures that the word best fits.
ReplyDeleteYou are like the authors in our recent poems we read like in the one 'I am not your princess" i think , how the indigenous character in this story stands up for herself and tells this other person what is on her mind and how it is making her feel especially with all the insulting questions being said.
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ReplyDeleteI'm really glad to see that I'm not the only one who feels this way. I felt that it was way to harsh to actually express my sentiments, but coming from a real Indian, not real in the sense that indigenous peoples aren't but they really shouldn't call themselves that, it's something to really think about. Do the people really realize how it sounds for most of the people they express their feelings to? To me, it makes me kind of skeptical about the whole thing because it seems like they aren't trying hard for their own independence from the White Man and fixing the problems that they have with the government, especially in the United States.
ReplyDeletesagj4711, I agree with you too. It made me happy inside to know that these poets were fighting for their independence and they weren't going to sit back and let people stereotype them and be ignorant to who they are as their own race and force of people in America. Thank you so much Aphrodite, I appreciate the compliments. And especially coming from someone who is Indian, I have to say, "Oh, wait, Native Americans. They mean Native Americans." They really shouldn't accept Indian as their label because, you're right, it isn't the word that best fits. Thank you for comparing me to these poets, that was actually really great! I felt the need to finally express this because these two women gave me an even more perfect opportunity to do so.
Let's not forget to mention that whenever I tell people that I am Indian, or if they ask (which has happened quite a bit since I came to Davis), they never mean Native American. That just emphasizes the idea that people don't often think Native American when they hear the word "Indian."
I am really happy that you enjoyed these poems and they provoked such emotions :) You guys are def touching upon one of the biggest debates in NAS. I also appreciate your commentaries and your frustrations with the term. This is the space to express such subjective feelings, "harsh" or not.....Minor corrections before I play devils advocate and complicate this already complicated debate.....When you mentioned "Especially if you think about Aztecs, Incas, Mayas, etc. and you realize that they aren't called Indians, so why are Native Americans in the United States called Indians?" All Indigenous persons are referred to by this term be it be in English, Indian or Spanish, indio. So this includes the Incas, Mayas, Huichol, Navajo, Inuit, and all of the hundred of other tribes, bands, and groups of the Americas (from the Arctic to Patagonia). Where in Latin American the connotation around indio still remains negative, the term Indian in the United States has entered into the slippery slope of P.C., colonization, derogatory terminology, decolonization, reappropriation, and personal choice. Especially in a government that has a sector, BIA (Bureau of INDIAN Affairs) to 'deal' with Native American issues, by NOT adhering or recognizing ourselves as such this may actually give us "less of an advantage in getting the amenities they seek from the government". Nevertheless, this is the debate as you guys correctly addressed, why is the government the one that still defines us and why aren't we dealing with the USA on a Nation to Nation basis?....For these reasons (and innumerable more) we are seeing an increase of self determining terms and decisions, one of which is the return to addressing ourselves in our Native tongues. But this is a long process that requires decolonization. Some aren't aware of the debate and others, such as some of my family members, are aware of the debate but still are finding our footing. Therefore, I feel, are to be given the time, space, and right to make their own decision and decolonize at their own pace and on their own terms.
ReplyDeleteNow, let me play devils advocate....
Taking these ideas presented in this blog, I pose another question to you guys, is it appropriate to call people from India...Indians? This too reflects a colonizing term being applied to inhabitants of the continent of India which was colonized and given its name by colonizers. Each Indigenous group of said continent has their own name just as the Indigenous peoples of the American continent. Therefore, is it also an injustice to the Indigenous people of that continent to call themselves Indians as well?
Piggy backing off of that notion, we can even bring it closer to 'home'. I am referring to when people from the United States call themselves Americans and exclude others from the use of this terminology. Why is that term exclusive to the United States when all inhabitant of the continent of America (North and South) are Americans too?
Great discussions in this blog....I hope we get some more feedback ;)