Why do they do that...?

[debbieredbear]

I probably don't expect an answer, but I noticed this from Matt in another thread:

And by the way, why DOES every wannabe latch on to Sioux words for everything? Is she Flathead or Sioux? Or do newagers think EVERY tribe calls their sweatlodge an "inipi" and say "Mitakuye Oyasin" after any utterance?

I have noticed this even among NDNs and I don't get it. SOmeone came to a sweat at a relative's house and asked about the "inipi". This person was not Lakota and neither was the relative. The relative looked at this person and said "I am Anishinabe, not Lakota. I do not use Lakota words in my lodge and I do not do things the way that Lakotas do. If that is what you are expecting, then this is not for you."

I also noticed starting a few years ago that people starting saying "AHO!" after somethings were said. To my knowledge, this is a Kiowa word (as was told to me by John Emhoolah in the 70's), so when I hear non Kiowa people use it, I go "Huh?" I noticed that earth also said it was a Kiowa word, so I knew I was not wrong.

So I don't get why people use words from other tribes instead of words from their own people. I just don't. Ican see it if you are using the words in a ceremoney with people only from that tribe. Of course, I don't expect most nuagers to do different, I guess, because they latch onto a word and run with it including changing what it means.

I guess I really don't expect an answer. I am just thinking on things this morning.

[earthw7]

Thank you saying this i remember we had a man from german who came to visit the tribe
as in all our meetings we say a prayer before the meeting when the elder was done with the prayer
the german told him, he said the prayer wrong because he did not say Aho at the end,
we all looked at him like are you crazy why would we talk Kiowa. He said a real Indian would say AHO.
We just shook our head because we know who we are

[debbieredbear]

I had a friend who was a Canadian NDN and he used to lead a dance troup to Germany. He was sewing his regalia and got chastized by one of the German "hobbyists" for using a needle and thread instead of sinew and bone awl. He just laughed at the guy and said "I'm a modern Indian and I use what is easiest to use."

Another thing that bugs me, since I am on a roll: Some people we knew used tp come and ask my husband all kinds of questions and my husband would tell them that they would find the answers when they had been around for awhile. He was trying to tell them, in a gentle way, that you get to know people and become part of their lives and gradually learn things. They wanted answers right NOW! So after awhile, the main guy wasn't around so much and he found out that he was hanging out with this guy who was well known for making stuff up. You see, that guy gave them all the answers. He just didn't say they were the RIGHT answers. Most of us that know that one guy, just roll our eyes when we hear stuff he is telling people. But here he had a bunch of guys hanging on his every word.

[milehighsalute]

hey debbie...i first heard word from john too.....he did my initiation ceremony along with chuck ross when i entered dance arena......i dance southern straight

[debbieredbear]

Cool! I so missed John and his family when they moved away. He was teaching at the University of Washington and was on a drum group called Northwest Intertribal Club. I was also friends with his daughter, Glenna.

[milehighsalute]

yeah.....john got the whole powwow scene in denver saying AHO....and yes its kiowa

it means hello, thank you, good bye, or all is good

[Mahekun]

I don't get the use of other nations' words with some people either. People should learn what their nation's language is if they're not familiar with it and use it. It would really help in stopping original languages from dying out too.

[MattOKC]

When I sweat with C&A's in Oklahoma, a lot of them say "Aho" as a response too, including responses to prayers only made in Cheyenne.

I'm Ojibway, and since I agree that languages shouldn't be "newageified" into a pan-Indian vocabulary, when I've gone into sweats run by other tribes I make a point of trying to learn their songs and terms first. I wouldn't want to go into a Cheyenne-Arapaho sweat and start using Anishinaabemowin to their spirits!

[debbieredbear]

Matt, I understand that. I would do the same. But I here nuagers and some tribal people throwing around words they heard somewhere. It bugs me.

[Defend the Sacred]

I had a white woman shout "Ho!" at me. Out here in the Northeast, the pretendians say, "Ho!" instead of "Aho!" They picked it up from predator Vincent LaDuke's gatherings. It's spread through the newage/hippie crowd to such an extent that the white woman who said it to me swears she didn't even know it was based on misappropriation. She had been in a support group with other non-Native women, and they all said that after someone finished speaking. Eeeek. 

I forgot to ask her if they also passed around a "talking stick."