Indigenous Revelations

facingthefallacies:

1. Stereotype: Indians are all alike.

Reality: In America alone, there are 2.1 m of us belonging to 511 culturally distinct  federally recognized tribes or an additional 200 or so unrecognized tribes.

2. Stereotype: Indians were conquered because they were inferior.

Reality: We were conquered because we had no immunity to European diseases.

3. Stereotype: Indians were uncivilized when Europeans came to America.

Reality: We had our own unique societies, different from those already seen by Europeans.

4. Stereotype: Indians arrived here via land bridge.

Reality: We believe we have always been here. Each tribe has its own creation stories.

5. Stereotype: Indians were “savage” and mean to one another.

Reality: We fought to defend our cultures, land and people from invaders.

6. Stereotype: Indians have no religion.

Reality: We each have our own religious beliefs that are specific to each tribe.

7. Stereotype: Indians welcome outsiders to participate in their religious      ceremonies.

Reality: We usually practice in secrecy and ask for privacy in worship.

8. Indians are a vanished race.

Reality: There are 2.1 million of us in the USA today.

9. Stereotype: Indians are confined to reservations, live in tipis, ride horses and always wear their hair in braids.

Reality: There is nothing that confines us to reservations, few of us wear braids, ride horses and even fewer own tipis.

10. Stereotype: Indians have no reason to be unpatriotic.

Reality: Most American patriotism is the celebration of Euro-American history and Interests. Euro-Americans’ behavior and policies towards us have been brutal throughout American history.

11. Stereotype: Indians get a free ride from the government.

Reality: This money either comes from casinos owned by individual tribes, or is granted as compensation for treaties and government agreements.

12. Stereotype: Indians have a tendency towards alcoholism.

Reality: We are no more likely to be alcoholic than anyone else.

13. Stereotype: All Indians have an “Indian Name”.

Reality: Most of us only have Euro-American names and those with tribal names are the minority.

14. Stereotype: Indians are stoic and have no sense of humor.

Reality: We have as rich a sense of humor as anyone else. 

15. Stereotype: “My grandmother was an Indian.”

Reality: Thousands of Americans “wannabe” us… but they are not.

Taken from American Indians: Stereotypes and Realities by Devon A. Mihesuah

(via velocicrafter)