Some I've been working on for Europe that anyone is welcome to copy, repost, hand out at protests, etc.
1st Handout
Ten Things About Native People Today That May Surprise You
Native people are a lot like you.
Rap is the most popular form of music among young Natives.
Metal, punk, reggae, and country are also very popular.
Natives have always used technology. There is an American Indian astronaut, John Herrington. One of the five inventors of the Internet was a Choctaw Indian.
We Live in the Modern World and have modern problems like crime, gangs, racism, AIDs, diabetes, pollution, unemployment, and political corruption.
We drive cars, use computers, fly on planes. We live in the year 2005, not 1491.
Most Natives live in large cities.
New York City has the highest number of Natives in the US.
Mexico City has the highest number of Natives in the world.
Most Natives are Christians.
Most also practice their traditional religions at the same time.
For many Indian nations, being Catholic, Baptist, etc, has become what IS traditional.
Most common professions for Native males: agriculture, construction, military.
For Native females: healthcare, agriculture, social work.
Native people are nothing like hippies or New Agers.
We have strong warrior traditions. Most males are military veterans.
We value sobriety. We look down on drunks and drug abusers.
We value marriage and hard work.
We don’t respect people who “do their own thing??? if it is not the right thing, if it harms others, or if it lacks respect for the community or for Native people.
Native elders and medicine people are deeply aware of and involved in politics.
Native people laugh and cry as much as anyone else. We are not unemotional or stone faced like they show in movies.
Native people are a lot like you. We are not Noble Savages or Red Gandalfs.
We are not here to have fantasies invented about us. We are not here to live up to the stereotypes outsiders make up. We need to be seen as we really are.
Handout 2
Good Sources About Native Peoples, Cultures, & Spirituality
History
As Long as the Grass Grows and Rivers Flow by Clifford Trafzer, Harcourt Brace
500 Years Since the Invasion
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/articles/art00019.htm Decolonization Methodologies by Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Zed Books
Natives and Academics edited by Devon Mihesuah, Univ. of Nebraska Press
How Nuage/Pseudo-Shamanism Is NOTHING Like Native Beliefs
Cherokee Tribal Warnings
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/articles/art00001.htm Gohiyuhi, Respect in Cherokee
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi Hopi Tribe Warnings
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/articles/art00075.htm New Age Frauds Plastic Shamans (NAFPS)
http://www.newagefraud.org http://www.nafps.net/ Playing Indian by Phillip Deloria, Yale Univ. Press
Spiritual Abusers Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/spiritab_anon/ They Call Us Indians, Various, World In Our Hands Foundation
Travelers Warning for “Spiritual Tourists??? in Latin America
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/nafps/articles/art30.htm Signs of a Fraud
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/nafps/articles/art34.htm Modern Native Warrior/Military Veteran Traditions
Crossing the Pond by Jere Franco, Univ. of North Texas Press
Medicine Bags and Dog Tags by Al Carroll, Univ. of Nebraska Press
Strong Hearts Wounded Souls by Tom Holm, Univ. of Texas Press
Native News
Indian Country Today
http://www.indiancountry.com/ Indianz.com
http://www.indianz.com/ Native Studies and Tribal Universities
Arizona State University, H-Amindian
http://www.asu.edu/clas/history/h-amindian/ Haskell Indian Nations University
http://www.haskell.edu/haskell/ University of Arizona, Evaluating Native Websites
http://www.u.arizona.edu/~ecubbins/webcrit.html Spiritual Beliefs and Traditions
Cultural Theft
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/articles/art00037.htm Declaration of War on Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/articles/art00021.htm God Is Red by Vine Deloria, Fulcrum Publishing
Navajo Nation Declaration
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/nafps/articles/art19.htm Protection of Ceremonies
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/nafps/articles/art05.htm Warning on Sweatlodges
http://users.pandora.be/gohiyuhi/nafps/articles/art21.htm Wisdom Sits in Places by Keith Basso, Univ. of New Mexico Press.
Handout 3
Damage Done By Frauds Posing as Native Medicine People
Silencing Actual Native Voices & Replacing Them With Imposters
Justifying Genocide, Racism, & Religious Bigotry Against Natives
Turning People Away From Activism in Favor of Empty
Feel-Good Do-Nothing Beliefs
Disruption of Native Communities, Ceremonies, & Sacred Sites
Environmental Destruction, Loss of Native Sacred Plants, Desecration of Native Sacred Sites
Stereotyping Natives as Noble Savages & Red Gandalfs
Sexual Abuse & Exploitation of Followers
Commercialism, Putting Native Beliefs & Ceremonies Up For Sale, Distorting & Changing Native Beliefs
Some Frauds Promote Racist & Religiously Bigoted Violence
Spiritual Disruption & Harm Leading to Physical & Psychological Harm
