Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with NativeAmerican

Help me learn more of the Dine

azpenguin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:28:00 -0800

I'm wanting to learn more about the Navajo Nation. Any recommendations for good resources? I've always been fascinated by the Navajo Nation. I cross it a few times a year on my way to see Family in the Four Corners area. The land is massive, open, empty, and beautiful. The people have always been friendly when I've come across them. I've just always been interested by what I've seen. And reading Tony Hillerman's books, set in places that I recognize, has only made me more curious.

So recently I decided to make an effort to learn more. I read The Navajo Nation by Peter Iverson, and I'm almost done with The Book Of The Navajo by Raymond Friday Locke. I'm also party way through The Navajo by James Downs. I've picked up Navajo Trader by Gladwell Richardson for some more perspective. Thing is, the more I learn, the more I want to learn. Iverson's book is a great read on Navajo government, but it only goes to 1980, and a lot has happened since then. All the books cover subject that there is obviously a great deal more to learn about.

Any recommendations on books, websites, whatever? Thanks!

Is there a connection between Italians and Native Americans?

Paul KC — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:23:56 -0800

While traveling in Italy, I happened to notice Native American tattoos on more than one youngish Italian man. Was this just a coincidence, or is there a preoccupation or admiration of Native American culture among Italians? I saw two of these tattoos in my 5-day visit, and both of them were of Native American chiefs in traditional feathered war bonnets.

Why is Red Sacred?

Edelweiss — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:56:43 -0800

I'm trying to reconcile the significance of red cloth to the natives in Eirik the Red's Saga. Can anyone point me in the right direction? In the Saga, the Vikings are confused about the natives' interest in red cloth, which the Vikings consider worthless. My gut tells me that the natives consider the color red sacred, but I'm not having any luck at finding any scholarship to prove it. I've tried searching the obvious keywords in Google Scholar and JSTOR.

Where might I find authoritative evidence that red would have been considered sacred or valuable by native North Americans?

Wendigo myth in the Northwest

Artw — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:36:03 -0800

Is the Wendigo purely a Northeast American (and Canadian) myth? If so is there a Northwest equivalent?

Seeing the industrial and political landscape of the southwest

salvia — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:25:55 -0800

I'm taking a road trip through the southwest, and I'd like to see places with an interesting backstory or that show you "behind the scenes." I'm interested in places with political, economic, environmental, or industrial significance. Can you recommend some? Here's the route: Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, Moab, Phoenix. I have 11 days. I've done most of this as a tourist before, so I'm interested in seeing some of the more hidden sights.

As I said, I'm interested in the politics, economics, history, environmental, and industrial factors behind the landscape. I'm still modifying the route so I can check out interesting places. Here are the kind of places I'm talking about:

- power infrastructure (Black Mesa, the Glen Canyon Dam)
- water infrastructure (aqueducts, river diversions?)
- the nuclear program (I'm missing the Trinity Test Site visitor day by a week! Should I still go to Alamogordo? Where to go near Los Alamos?)
- mining booms and busts, related pollution (Moab's uranium tailings pile; oil, gas, and coalbed methane development)
- industrial-scale production of anything from cattle to computer chips
- Native American history (the Cochise stronghold)
- prisons, military bases, and other nearly-blank spaces on the map (obviously, I can't enter, but I would like to know they're there)
- anything else related to political, economic, or cultural geographies (I really like Jake Kosek's stuff)
- wildlife protection or environmental restoration areas, current environmental disputes

I'm interested in current or upcoming issues, not just history, and I have just started trying to get up to speed about some of the work going on now. If you have anything interesting you'd like to share but would need kept fairly quiet, my email is in my profile. (I work for an environmental nonprofit, so I understand that certain information is sensitive and needs to stay fairly confidential to keep sites from being defaced or overrun with visitors, or to protect ongoing acquisitions, negotiations, or investigations.) Thank you!

Hiring on the res?

Skwirl — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:29:37 -0800

How do I advertise my open job positions within the Native American community? I work for an American Indian/Alaskan Native non-profit in Oregon and we're hiring for several full-time volunteer with living stipend positions through AmeriCorps. I'm in charge of the recruitment campaign and my grandiose marketing plans fell through when I was sidelined for a week with an unexpected illness. I'm hitting up all the regular recruitment resources, but I feel like I should put a greater effort into recruiting within the tribal community and on reservations.

What are the best channels to go through to reach the Native American audience? I'm so-so new and we're an urban agency, so I'm not particularly familiar with the Oregon tribes and reservations yet. How should I go about advertising these positions in tribal newspapers and at tribal colleges? Are there other resources that I should seek out? Bonus points for efficiency, since the application date is mere weeks away. Are there any sensitivities that I should be aware of?

Books on Native Americans

heylight — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 05:44:51 -0800

Looking for advice on some good books about Native American Indians. More specifically, for something that focuses on cultural aspects (which I realise varied between tribes, but a focus on particular tribes or indeed on general practises are both fine with me, both would be ever better) – I’m looking for info on all aspects such as art, mythology, spirituality, social structure, laws, morals, hunting practises, and I’m also especially interested in information about their use of drugs like peyote, psilocybin (the sacred mushroom) and ololiuqui (similar to LSD, although I’m led to believe that it was more common amongst native Mexicans) – also, post-colonial history doesn’t really interest me so much, but pre-colonial is good.

Thanks!

Hi-Res Image Need of Specific Dawes Rolls Page

vanoakenfold — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 12:45:33 -0800

Need High-Res image of one particular Dawes Roll page. I have a low-res image, but I can't read some of the words. Longish story within. The story goes that my grandmother was left at the doorstop of a family friend as an infant, like in the classic cartoons. The adopting family knew the parents well, and a note said they would return for her, but never did. The family that took her in eventually adopted her, and was fairly certain her parents were full-blood Native American. So began our quest to see if we could find the parents' names on the Dawes Rolls, the crudely made Census of made of Natives. We knew their names and approximate locations at certain times, but could uncover no actual proof (documentation) that they actually existed except merely by recollection of repeated stories.

Alas, we found them on the Dawes Rolls, but all we have is a fairly low-res, pixelated image of the actual page with a b/w computer printing job. Can anyone find me a more clear image of this particular page? The following are the known details of it that we can make out.

15th Census of the United States: 1930
Sheet No. 10A
Pyote City, Texas
Ward County, Precinct 4
(Enumberation?) District 238-6
Supervisor's Number 16

First two entries are for "Ragsdale, Thurmon" and "---------, Gladys" (assuming the dashed line is the same as repeat-quotes). Thurmon listed as "brother" and occupation "engineer" and something about a "gasoline pump".

Thanks for your help!

Can you tell me how to get... how to get this song...

muddylemon — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:30:57 -0800

SongFilter: Have you heard an Indian/Native American version of the Sesame Street song? Know where to find a copy? Our local independent radio station in St. Louis, KDHX, has a Native American show with all sorts of interesting music. One night I heard a mashup (sorta) of the Sesame Street theme song sung in a group pow wow style (sorry if that's not what it's called - I'm not sure what the name of this style is) It was really enchanting and fun, and I'd love to hear it again - but I can't seem to google it. Any ideas?

I'd like to visit a Native American Reservation.

jur777 — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 08:07:25 -0800

I'd like to visit a Native American Reservation. The reservations I've been able to dig up through google did not have very informative websites. The reservation has to be west of the Mississippi and not in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas or Oklahoma. I will possibly be visiting all other states during my cross-country trip. My ideal situation would be to have one on one contact with a host family and be able to stay on a reservation. I'm not into group tours or history videos - I'd like the experience to be more genuine.
So can you recommend a reservation (preferably from experience) that welcomes in outsiders and shows them the good and the bad of the modern Native American lifestyle?

How to target an ad to Native Americans?

MarvinTheCat — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 16:54:22 -0800

I need to design / lay out an ad targeting Native Americans, specifically those considering an MBA. Please help me not offend anyone. The ad is copy heavy, about 200 words, so the graphic aspect will be limited. The timeline is very short: probably the day after tomorrow, the ad is for an MBA fellowship foundation, and a marketing pro with the client is writing the copy. We're both struggling with the knowledge that the Native American population is extremely diverse. The foundation benefits African Americans and Hispanic Americans also; NA's are their smallest constituency, therefore the unfortunate lack of knowledge. Any knowledgeable suggestions regarding non-obvious pitfalls I might encounter, or suggestions of graphic elements that have wide acceptance or importance among the NA population is greatly appreciated.