“If someone tells you that an old Cherokee once told his grandson, “My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all…” or some version of that stupid story glare at them wordlessly— you know the glare I’m talking about— until they get it through their head they’re full of shit. If they ask which wolf you’ve fed, find a good sturdy stick and let ‘em know firsthand by whoopin’ their ass”
I could be WAY off base here…but didnt Billy Graham tell this story about an Inuit tribe?
Crazy how mess gets made.
(via golden-zephyr)
I.
How dead is your Indian,
when she wants to slip out of her skin
like the pink shirt she wore last night?
How dead is your
Indian
when two Navajo women dig for change
in a leather purse to buy a four-rack
and some fifths
And when Hopi men start to feed their half-Hidatsa
to the dogs…
As white-passing people of color, we have our own set of struggles.
We have to hear all the horrible, racist things that our white friends (and sometimes even our not-white friends) say about people of color that they wouldn’t dare say if we were visible poc. And because we …
Yes, yes, yes! It bothers me when white passing PoC do not want to admit their privilege. To society, we are white, and we are treated as a white person which is…a hurt all in itself. But, its true. We have privilege that our non passing PoC brothers and sisters do NOT and its time to start admitting it and doing what we can to open others eyes about the racial hierarchy in this world.
"Ouch, that really hurt. I asked you a question, as I stated from the beginning. "I am trying to explain to an individual why they should not wear tribal headdresses" No, you're not saying somebody can't represent who they are at all. And calling yourself a gypsy is just plain out contradicting. You are your own stereotype, hunny. Oh, and I'm anon because I don't have a tumblr. I was told about your ignorant post, and decided to say something. That is all." - Anonymous
Fucking.quote.me.or.stop.wasting.my.goddamn.time. That is all. Calling myself a Gypsy is not contradicting at all, and if you are too stupid to understand that..well, I am not sorry, and I am not surprised. So, stop typing paragraphs of utter bullshit to me, and quote me. Simple. Show me where I said that ANYONE cannot represent who they are. Show me. Should be reallyyyy easy, amirite?
And I am sooo sure that *someone* told you about my ignorant post and you dont have a Tumblr, lololol and you came here justttttttttt to talk to me!
Thats great and all..but…
If you dont have any actual valid arguments for me, and if you cannot show me where I said that someone cannot represent who they are, or that someone cannot represent their tribe, etc..then youre just going to have to sit the fuck down.
What you seem to be failing to understand is that I am not discussing Natives who are representing their tribes. I am not discussing Rromani women who are Tarot readers. I am discussing people who are misappropriating these, or other cultures. I am not talking about, or discussing, or referring to normal cultural exchange. I am not talking about, or discussing the normal, natural outcomes of living in a multicultural society where cultural exchange and some forms of appropriation are completely normal and a natural outcome. I AM talking about, discussing, and referring to, people who reduce PoC to stereotypes. A white woman dancing in a field with a crystal ball and her titties hanging out saying that shes a “Gypsy.” A white woman wearing bootie shorts and a wife beater with a full Plains headdress on. If you cannot see why those things are hurtful then I actually pity you, since you say you are Native American. I am not saying that ANYONE cannot do those things.
I am telling them why they should not. Representing who we are, whether white, black, purple or green…is NOT devaluing other cultures traditions by reducing them to inappropriate stereotypes. That is not representing who we are. That is not representing who ANYONE is. That is misrepresentation and misappropriation. Its..pretty simple.
As a matter of fact, since you cant seem to pose any valid counter arguments, I am going to recommend some reading material for you, since, quite obviously the ongoing ideology of white superiority in this country has gotten to you subconsciously and you cant seem to wrap your head around why white people shouldnt run around patting their mouths yelling “OH OH OH OH OH!!! hahahahahahahaha HOW! HAHAHA IM PART INDIAN HAAHAHAHA OH OH OH OH!”
Read:
Borrowed Power: Essays on Cultural Appropriation
and
Cannibal Culture.
Start with these two.
