In my experience, most Indian people not only reject these two as sources,
they vehemently object to the mass-market elevation of them over authentic
sources. Lynn Andrews and Jamake Highwater are two others who are nearly
universally rejected. I think it's important to consider that forces
outside the cultures are amplifying certain voices, the ones that appeal
most to European/Americans, as well as distort traditions that are very
much under seige. People feel outraged: they took our land, outlawed our
religions, now they want to steal our culture. They also feel strongly that
charging large fees for sweatlodges and for initiating people as
pipeholders (as Sun Bear has done) is blasphemous. The elders of many
Nations are unanimous about this, so it behooves us to respect their own
definition of their religions.
If it hadn't been for the mission enslavements, Puritan repressions, Ghost
Dance massacres, imprisonment of medicine people, the mass seizure of
medicine bundles and sacred images and sanctuaries, the outlawing of Sun
Dances, kidnapping of children to boarding schools and the constant
attrition by missionaries, these books would not have garnered the
disproportionate influence they have in defining what people think First
Nations religions are. But there has been and still is cultural genocide
and cultural appropriation. There's no fence to sit on here.
>Also welcome would be suggestions about how to treat the work of Hyemeyohsts
>Storm and Sun Bear. Some Native Americans denounce them. On the other hand,
>thousands of people seem to have been inspired in positive ways by their
>work. One thought is to make a separate listing of 'Contemporary
>interpretations of Native American Spirituality open to non-Native
>Americans', 'Contemporary spirituality derived from Native American
>Traditions', or something similar.
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>Best Wishes
>
>Vivianne Crowley
Max Dashu <[log in to unmask]>
International Women's Studies
<www.suppressedhistories.net>
|