http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gathering-of-nations-powwow_us_5723aee4e4b0b49df6ab469b?utm_hp_ref=native-americans
I am curious to know how many people knew information about Native Americans, from factual news, or if you knew them based off of the films, cartoons, or comedy sketches that have come up?
“It’s a sad reality that many non-Native Americans know little to nothing about the Native tribes that have lived in the United States since long before the states were colonies. Pop culture imagery, like that of Pocahontas, in her clinging buckskin dress, or the mystical depiction of Indian people in J.K. Rowling’s recent story “History of Magic in North America,” tend to perpetuate stereotypes about almost mythical Native Americans, lost to history along with unbroken wilderness" ("Native And Indigenous Peoples Come Together To Celebrate Heritage").
I wish I could say that I was familiar with the Native American culture from the positive things I have heard about them through discussions and news stories, but unfortunately I have not. Growing up, my idea on Native Americans was based off of the characters in the movie “Pocahontas,” like the example used in this article. This article caught my attention because there is so many stereotypes on the Native American culture, and what does not get represented clearly is their beautiful heritage and their strong, spiritual beliefs. These are things I think we (I) have been learning in the past few weeks of this course, from the texts we have been reading. The short stories we read in our second class really draw us a picture of what life is like for Native Americans, and I don’t know about you, but it is a reality check for me when I read things like this. This article also discusses the strong ties these individuals have to their heritage, and it reminded me of the ties that Abel has in “House Made of Dawn.” I think that Abel loses his identity for a while, and he finds it again when he returns home—to his family and his culture.
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