"Racism is rendered as the innocent daughter of Mother Nature"
"This leads us to another equally important ideal, one that Americans implicitly accept but to which they make no conscious claim. Americans believe in the reality of "race" as a defined, indubitable feature of the natural world. Racism--the need to ascribe bone-deep features to people and then humiliate, reduce, and destroy them--inevitably follows from this inalterable condition. In this way, racism is rendered as the innocent daughter of Mother Nature, and one is left to d
Tiger Lily (Doll) Finds a New Home
Just an update on what ultimately happened to my Tiger Lily doll. After I had purchased her for use towards the "Taking Back Tiger Lily" submission I had published by Four Winds Native Literary Magazine, I felt like I wasn't quite sure what to do with her. Would I still use her occasionally with my Robohontas site? Was she just going to sit on a shelf and not do anything? Well, I finally realized where she needed to end up. Last week I mailed her to the Editor of Four Winds a
That’s Why I Learned My Ceremonies—To Help People
“We are all brothers and sisters on this Earth. People are similar throughout the world and we need to work together to solve problems. We need to carry on our culture, to take care of each other and our planet, not poison our atmosphere and our food. It’s not only our people, but others where people get sick and don’t know how they’re going to get well. We need to help one another, teach one another for a better way. That’s why I learned my ceremonies—to help people.” -
In Search of Native Art at Seattle Art Fair
Ahhh, the inaugural Seattle Art Fair! I didn't even realize the scope of what was happening until I was there at the opening night event. Our work received a few VIP passes from a local magazine and so a couple of coworkers and my best friend and I wandered down to the Century Link Event Center on Thursday night to check it out. Once I saw the crowd and some of the initial art, I realized that Seattle was really trying to create a northwest version of the many popular art fai
So I do say now that I am Indian
"So I do say now that I am Indian. But I say those words with humility. I say those words knowing that they are part of a circuitous path toward Indigeneity. I say those words knowing that I do not speak Cherokee, knowing that I do not know so much about what it means to be Cherokee. But I also say those words knowing that not having access to our oral history is an authentic Indian experience. Knowing that not being able to care for your son, giving him up for adoption, was
