'Spirit and Resistance' by George Tinker (Osage)

[Barnaby_McEwan]

Spirit and Resistance: Political Theology and American Indian Liberation. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Publishers. 2004. ISBN 0800636813.

From a review:

After laying the groundwork for the significant differences between Native thought and ‘the white virus’, Tinker turns his attention to those within and without Native communities that have appropriated Native traditions for profit. His is merciless in his criticism of those who have sold out their Native heritage and pitiless toward those who seek what they cannot and will not find in pretending to adopt Native ways. Throughout his critical appraisal Tinker notes the damage that ‘individualism’ has done to Native life and lifestyles.

From the book:

Can and should non-Indians - particularly the colonizer/settler class of euro-Western whites - participate in the ceremonial spirituality of American Indian peoples? [...] For the most part, the question is articulated by people whose sincerity I do not question. They voice, at least, a great respect for the ceremonies, but they also express a deep-felt need for their individual participation in Pipe Ceremonies, "Sweat Lodge" purification rites, Sun Dances, and a variety of other events. Many of these non-natives have come to see American Indian ceremonial spirituality as somehow essential to their own well-being. In an amazing but convenient turnaround, our ceremonies are no longer castigated as demonic, savage, and uncivilised; instead, with Indian land and natural resources already plundered, our ceremonies have become the new prize possession of the colonizer, and their theft the ultimate act of postmodern colonialism. [...]

Non-natives who have participated in in native ceremonies invariably announce that they were, in fact, invited by Indian peoples themselves to participate. The invitation, in a sense, becomes their passport into the spiritual world of Indian peoples. The actuality is that hospitality is one of the most important virtues in every Indian community. This makes it most difficult for Indian people to say no, even when it means the invasion of ceremonial privacy and sometimes even when we do want to say no. Non-Indians seem, correspondingly, to have difficulty in not taking advantage of Indian peoples in any context, even taking advantage of extreme generosity. It can be argued that euro-american people are culturally good at taking what they want or think they need but have great difficulty in receiving any gift, especially if understanding the boundaries of the gift is implicit in the giving, and further, that euro-americans are best at imposing on others rather than offering their own gifts. Somehow, it is never quite clear to the colonizer that there are some things that we do not want to share. [...]

Even in those cases, however,where a non-Indian has a clear invitation from an Indian participant, the question must be raised whether the Indian person has the right to extend the invitation. In any euro-american context, of course, the invitation of one individual to another individual can be taken at face value as a valid and authentic invitation, which the other person can accept or not merely on the basis of personal preference. The complicating factor in the American Indian ceremonial context is the community. since the ceremony is a community event and all participants affect the entire community and its ceremony, who does have the right to invite a non-member into the intimacy and privacy of the community's ceremony? While this complexity should be a warning to all of us in the Indian community in terms of our sense of generosity, it should also be taken seriously by our euro-american relatives. Any non-Indian who is so invited needs to question seriously within her- or himself whether the invitation is even remotely valid or genuine - even if it comes from an elder or leader who seems to hold high status. And perhaps, before even expressing interest in experiencing someone else's intimate spiritual relationships, individuals should also engage a personal examination of their own motives for doing such a thing.

That quotation is from issue 36 (March 2006) of the newsletter of the Viola White Water Foundation for Native American Culture and Education, which contains a long excerpt reprinted with permission. The newsletter's available in the UK from

Michael Seeley
15 Richborough Close
Hastings
East Sussex
TN34 2BP
UK

Copies of 'Spirit and Resistance' are available from the same address for £15.

[Ken]

'Spirit and Resistance' looks like an interesting read.  Without reading the rest of the book I do take issue with these two statements; ".....pitiless toward those who seek what they cannot and will not find in pretending to adopt Native ways" and ".......these non-natives have come to see American Indian ceremonial spirituality as somehow essential to their own well-being. "  Here the authors make the assumption that Native Americans and non-Natives cannot possibly have exactly the same spiritual values, each derived independent of the other.  Setting the ceremonies aside for a moment, I feel they express a bias here that seriously damages their case.  I do agree with them that just because a non-Native has the same spirituality they do not have the right to participate in Native ceremonies.  I can understand the interlopers' desire to undertake what they see as "ready-made" ritual that fits their own spirituality but that certainly gives them no free ticket to ride.  From the Native American point of view I have read in these forums statements to the effect that "this is 2006" and perhaps past traditions could be updated.  As one who values tradition I have mixed feelings about this.  Even the Catholic Church has made some fundamental changes to "update" their rituals (alter girls for example).  

[yellowthunder_bolt]

'Siyo dohitsu oginali,

Spirituality even among our people is a personal to the individual, it is never taken that someone else is more spiritual than another, we do not judge that. The honor and respect that is given to our Elders, medicine people is do to the wisdom that is carried and earned, and passed down as is our traditions and ceremonies. So to compare, say your spirituality against anyone elses, native or not, needs to be thought about.

Why are so many wanting American Indian "spirituality" Why not the Mormons, Catholics, Penticostal.. thats what I really would like to know.

As far updating our traditions to fit 2006, well that is the problem here,NAFPS. Newage pertraying themselves to be Native. Traditions are just that.. no we do not need to update our traditions, we'll keep them close to the heart so as to not have them taken from us also.
 Wado Thomas

[yellowthunder_bolt]

post script.

clarification: NAFPS is here to oppose frauds and new age. That is what I ment when I mentioned NAFPS. Fighting those who are stealing what does not belong to them and twisting it all.
                                       Thomas

[Le Weaponnier]

? Here  ? I can understand the interlopers' desire to undertake what they see as "ready-made" ritual that fits their own spirituality but that certainly gives them no free ticket to ride. ? From the Native American point of view I have read in these forums statements to the effect that "this is 2006" and perhaps past traditions could be updated. ? As one who values tradition I have mixed feelings about this. ? Even the Catholic Church has made some fundamental changes to "update" their rituals (alter girls for example). ?

I think a big reason for NOT changing the traditions (at least at the moment) is that it further blurs the line between 'REAL' and 'FAKE' ceremonies. This makes it easier for the con-men like the Deer Tribe, to sell their fake ceremonies, fake sweats and other crap.


As it is, the average New Ager has not the expertise to tell fraud from reality. And as the frauds are often created in a way that 'seems' like what they think Native Ceremonies should be, the
New Agers readily grasp on to them.
They convince themselves that the fake ceremonies 'work' and they tell others and so forth.
They tell these others how real the ceremonies are and propagate the fakess even further.

[educatedindian]

Thanks Barnaby. Another one to add to the reading list.

From the table of contents:
"Ch 5 Fools and Fools Crow: The Colonialism of Thomas Mails' Fools Crow: Wisdom and Power"

Worth reading for that alone. If anyone gets hold of it before me, please pass along Tinker's debunking of Mails.

Tinker's bio.
http://www.counterbalance.net/bio/tinker-body.html

[Ken]

Thank you Yellowthunder_bolt, that helps considerably with an overall understanding of how spirituality is viewed.

[frederica]

Actually, I view the stealing, twisting and selling of ceremonies and traditions as a form of genocide. That may be harsh, but the lines become so whitewashed and blurred they may eventually not even be recognizable.  And the common Nuage concept that they are saving it from dying out is exactly the opposite. They are killing it. Thomas is absolutely correct. As to the reason why they do this, I asked the same question, and was told "they have big holes in their spirit". And I will leave it at that. frederica

[Ken]

I do see an unsettling trend in the recommended reading.  While much of the subject matter touches on real issues of direct importance to Native peoples there is a disturbing tendency to be approaching these subjects from the Marxist standpoint.  Race and class struggle are vital social issues, especially where the dominant culture restricts the rights of others.  George Tinker is a strong proponent of Liberation Theology ( http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1571&C=1498 ) and this philosophy does seem to thread through the list of recommended reading I've seen posted on this site.  The danger to any worthwhile struggle for cultural integrity is that the leaders become the Malcom X's and not the Martin Luther Kings of the cause.  Perhaps Gandhi and not Karl Marx would be a better guide along the path.

[Barnaby_McEwan]

While much of the subject matter touches on real issues of direct importance to Native peoples there is a disturbing tendency to be approaching these subjects from the Marxist standpoint. [...] George Tinker is a strong proponent of Liberation Theology...

You and he might agree on more than you think. From a review of the same book:

Although liberation theologies have presented Christ as liberator from colonial oppression for indigenous people throughout the world, Tinker critiques liberationists' Marxism stance. He argues that Marxism subsumes the distinctive political and social identity of American Indians into the classless Marxist society. Rather than liberating Indian nations, liberation theology reduces Indian individuals to nonpersons.

Tinker's attention to the uses and nuances of language sharpens the issues in the debate over whether one can be both authentically Indian and Christian. He introduces and explicates new terms for the dialogue and offers concise critiques of government economic-development policies and of Christian idealism in liberation theology. Scholars in the field of contemporary American Indian religious thought will find much to respond to in Tinker's book.

[Ken]

You and he might agree on more than you think. From a review of the same book:

That seems to be at odds with "....An ordained member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, he is a member of EATWOT, an association with firm commitments to liberative theology. "

http://www.counterbalance.net/bio/tinker-body.html

[educatedindian]

"there is a disturbing tendency to be approaching these subjects from the Marxist standpoint."

Are you kidding us Ken? I don't see even one single recommended book anywhere in here that could be called Marxist.

I wonder how you are using the term. Are you using it the way some people on the Right Wing use it, to mean any idea you find vaguely threatening but can't say exactly how?

"Race and class struggle are vital social issues"

From a Marxist POV, race is merely a subset of class, or part of the superstructure of an oppressive system. That's miles away from how most Natives would view these issues, including as far as I can tell everyone here.

"George Tinker is a strong proponent of Liberation Theology and this philosophy does seem to thread through the list of recommended reading I've seen posted on this site."

Once again, are you serious? I don't see a single recommended work in here that comes from any proponent of LT, outside of Tinker's.

"The danger to any worthwhile struggle for cultural integrity is that the leaders become the Malcom X's and not the Martin Luther Kings of the cause."

Read Deloria. He argues that most NDNs of the time felt far more of an affinity to X's POV than Kings.

"Perhaps Gandhi and not Karl Marx would be a better guide"

And then again, perhaps neither. Perhaps we'd rather follow the likes of Deloria, Looking Horse, Lyons, etc.

As far as LT, you don't seem to have much of a grasp of its tenets. I'm not a believer in it, but San Antonio probably has more LT proponents among its Catholic clergy than any other city in the US. LT uses the Marxist critique, but does not follow Marx's ideas in the slightest when it comes to either tactics or solutions. That last one shouldn't even be a surprise, given Marx's atheism and anti clericalism.

[Barnaby_McEwan]

That seems to be at odds with "....An ordained member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, he is a member of EATWOT, an association with firm commitments to liberative theology."

Perhaps there's a reason why they used the word 'liberative' rather than 'liberation' there, Ken. If we read the book that'd probably lead to a more productive discussion but it seems you're finding reasons not to read it or any of the other books people have recommended (I'm also stumped about which might be dangerous Marxist tracts). If you don't want advice, don't ask for it, and especially don't tell people who know more than you (presumably that's why you asked them) that their advice is wrong.