Native Americans Still Fighting Poverty and Addiction

The following are rambling thoughts regarding a serious subject and are based on my limited understanding of Native American life and culture. I by no means consider myself an expert so I could have some things wrong and need to be corrected. I just want to note that not all reservations are in bad shape some have made great strides to combat poverty and substance abuse. It does seem the more remote a tribe’s reservation is the more social and economic problems they seem to have.

“Oglala Sioux Tribe sues Whiteclay stores, beer makers, distributors” Whiteclay is a small town with that boarder the Pine Ridge Reservation. Whiteclay has four beer stores and even though the population is like 14 people +/-the beer stores sell like 4 or 5 million beers per year which is like 11,000 to 14,000 beers a day. Because of alcohol reservations such as Pine Ridge have high incidents of violence, domestic violence, rape, health problems and fetal alcohol syndrome to name a few.

Now several reservations have issue with alcohol, drugs and crime but it seems that Northern Plains reservations tend to higher amounts of it which is due to that they tend to be more remote and impoverished. Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux Tribe Reservation has about 40,000 members living on the Reservation and have an 80% unemployment rate and according to their law suit they claim that 85% of their members are affected by alcoholism. The last I heard alcohol was banned on the Reservation and I think that includes even consuming alcohol on the Reservation is illegal. In a NY Times article “Brutal Crimes Grip an Indian Reservation” Feb 2, 2012 discussed alcohol, violence and crime issues associated with the Wind River Reservation home of Arapahoe and Eastern Shoshone tribes in Wyoming and even with two casinos the still have 80% unemployment and issues with poverty, addiction and crime.

Alcohol entered Native American life by Europeans especially through fur traders. Many young adult natives typically ran the fur trade for their tribes or at least for their own interest with European. Euro/white fur traders found if they provided alcohol (which typically was partially water downed) before trading with Indians, at certain periods in time it was illegal to trade alcohol for furs but traders could give them alcohol before or after trading which in many case after Indians got a taste before trading commenced they ended up more interested in getting more alcohol which they would get after trading was done and usually it was even more watered downed. Tribes before reservation life had the culture/spiritual safeguards to keep alcohol from becoming an overall problem in tribal society even though they did have cases of domestic violence becoming the first sign of troubles to come. In European culture the abuse of alcohol was seen as lack of moral character if not the Devil itself but in most Native culture the drinker was never blamed for their action because they were under influence of alcohol, so it was alcohol’s fault not the individual.

There are many different types of tribes, east and west Coastal tribes, river and Great Lake tribes, Northeast and Southeast Woodland tribes, Southwestern semi-nomadic and agrarian tribes, Southern Plains nomadic tribes, Northern Plains nomadic tribes and a few others types. Coastal, river, Great Lake, certain Southwestern and Woodland tribes tend to less nomadic and had more agrarian capabilities compare to their nomadic Plains cousins. Nomadic Plains tribes did have some capabilities of raising food but it was more like gardening and not farming. Nomadic Plains tribes tend to be more hunter/gathers.

When the government put Indians tribes on reservations it really changed their lives. Government geniuses at the time thought that Northern Plains tribes such as the Sioux and Arapahoe as well as Southern Plains tribes like the Comanche who tend to be nomadic/hunter/gatherer/horse cultures could become farmers. Farming was difficult in most cases for Northern Plains tribes mainly due to the land they were usually placed on as well as other problems. So they ended up dependent on the government to feed them which also was not as simple as it sounds, mainly due to scrupulous government Indian Agents who tend to sell a portion of a tribe’s supplies on the black-market and in some cases supplies that did reach tribes maybe spoiled. During the American Civil War the Federal Government would redirect money that was owed to Indians on reservations to the Union war efforts. In one such case when annuities as per treaty agreement was held up that was due to the Dakota Sioux and local and Federal traders refused to extend credit to the Sioux so that they could get food and add in that the Sioux were starving ended up leading to the Sioux uprising of 1862. The government also banned many tribal traditions and rites which was the heart of their society and identity.

Before Indians were placed on a reservation they lived in tribal civilization which a lot people don’t understand. Everyone in a tribe had a job to do and the tribe’s survival dependent on it. Each family had to take care of themselves but also helping others in the tribe. There were all kinds of jobs that the able body adults did such as utilitarian jobs of getting, preparing and cooking food, gathering wood, making tools, weapons and weaving baskets and making clothes. Also military/security aka Warrior class which warriors would patrol tribe’s territory, yes Indians were territorial and claimed certain land as theirs own and even took land from other tribes if they’re were strong enough to do so. Then there were the spiritual jobs such as the Holy Man and Medicine Man. Then the artistic jobs such musicians, story tellers and dancers. Plus the tribal leadership and council such as the Tribe’s Chief, sub-chiefs, clan heads and elders. As soon as a child could walk they were being trained to work for the family and the tribe. Teenagers would be allow to do nothing, boys would be out on the hunt or practicing hunting or fighting skills or they would be put out on watch for the tribe or taking care and keeping watching on the horses or out stealing horses from rival tribes. Typically a boy will eventually replace his father whether it is warrior or Holy Man if they have the aptitude to do so. Teenage girls would babysit; help gather, preparing and cooking food and water. They would learn to make baskets and clothes. They might even be put on watch duty of the horses. Agrarian tribes of course had farming, herding and fishing add to the jobs to do. Only the ill or the very old were excused from working. The lame and very old still found something to do even if it’s babysitting, tribal or family history education. Tribes and members were self-sufficient, interdependent and communal. The number one job the adults and elders had was teaching the next generation about the tribe, tradition, rituals and how to survive.

So many Indians particularly the Plains/nomadic tribes who sat on a reservation with nothing to do but wait for their government allotments created the ideal environment for alcoholism which has its connection with abuse and violence then in modern time the addition to of drug addiction.

National Survey on Drug Use and Health, January 19, 2007

• In 2002-2005, American Indians and Alaska Natives were more likely than members of other racial groups to have a past year alcohol use disorder (10.7 vs. 7.6 percent)
• In 2002-2005, American Indians and Alaska Natives were more likely than members of other racial groups to have a past year illicit drug use disorder (5.0 vs. 2.9 percent)
• Rates of past year marijuana, cocaine, and hallucinogen use disorders were higher among American Indians and Alaska Natives than among members of other racial groups

Yet, the National Institutes of Health theorize that some Indians may "drink rapidly to induce an altered state of consciousness, a practice congruent with some Native American practices," which I don’t think is the reason for most Indians but maybe a few but I could see most using alcohol to alter their state of consciousness due to depression and hopelessness. But could it also be a predisposition to alcoholism/addiction or that Indians lack the large amount of enzymes in the stomach that would be need break down alcohol more efficiently.

I’m sure there are Native Americans who may drink responsibly but there are many who are not so lucky. Now the few Indians I knew didn’t bother with alcohol or drugs. I have no doubt that poverty and high unemployment have a part to play in this. Many Reservations have high unemployment even those with casinos. In a Forbes article “Why Are Indian Reservations So Poor? A Look At The Bottom 1%” it points out that many Indians on reservation can’t take out loans against the homes because they don’t own the property that the land it sits on because most reservations land is communally owned. This of course makes it difficult for these Natives Americans to consolidate debt with a home loan or even get a loan to possibly start a business or by a reliable car to even get to a job. In the Forbes article when it comes to business Bill Yellowtail, a former Crow official and a former Montana state senator says this:

“Our people don’t understand business. After 10 or 15 generations of not being involved in business, they’ve lost their feel for it. Capitalism is considered threatening to our identity, our traditions. Successful entrepreneurs are considered sell-outs, they’re ostracized. We have to promote the dignity of self-sufficiency among Indians. Instead we have a culture of malaise: ‘The tribe will take care of us.’ We accept the myth of communalism. And we don’t value education. We resist it.”

But Yellowtail believes that the situation is improving. He says there are more entrepreneurs than 20 years ago as networks of Native American business people have sprung up in Montana and elsewhere. “We have to start with micro loans, encouraging small businesses. Then we have to make it okay to leave the reservation because the most successful are going to want to branch out. Entrepreneurs are going to have to stick their neck out, be a role model. We Indians are going to have to do it.”

There will be no easy answers especially during these times where most American are dealing with unemployment and economic hard times. But this can also be seen as a lesson about what could happen to a society that becomes dependent on the government to take care of them. Several reservations have to deal with high levels of unemployment, alcohol/drug abuse, violence, unable to get loans, poor education and high dropout rates. Are not these problems also seen in high welfare communities and government housing communities in America?

I know the alcohol/drug problem seems pretty bleak for Indians but there are many Indians who are getting sober who are now helping other tribe members and tribes are now putting focus on their youth and encouraging them to pursue education, sport and the arts as well as connecting with tribal traditions and langauge. But this still doesn’t resolve the immedite issues of high unemployment and poverty but maybe this next generation of warriors will win these battles for their tribes.

UR

The Ghost Dance

My commentary is below the video.



The Ghost Dance was a “round dance” that was part of a religious movement in 1890 that was started by a Paiute Indian named Wovoka also known as Jack Wilson, a name he adopted after his father died and was taken in and raised by a rancher by the name of David Wilson as a teen and worked there well into adulthood. Now Wovoka’s father was a medicine man and Wovoka was learning from his father but Wovoka was also known for having visions. Wovoka was well versed in Paiute traditions and religion but while being part of the Wilson family he was also taught the Bible and Christianity.

In January 1889 Wovoka had a vision during a solar eclipse. Wovoka’s vision showed the return or resurrection of the Paiute dead and that the white man and all that he has brought and done to the Indians would vanish and that the Indians and buffalo return to the days before the whites. Wovoka believed this could only be done by doing the Ghost Dance and living a righteous life. Wovoka was a pacifist and encouraged his follower not to harm the whites and continue to work with them. I believe Wovoka incorporated Indian beliefs with Christianity and some have said even as far as that Jesus would return as a Indian to bring about Wovoka’s vision. Wovoka’s vision and Ghost Dance began to gain attention from other western tribes who then sent representatives to meet and learn from Wovoka.

Now these tribal representatives returned to their tribes after learning the Ghost Dance, songs and prayers. Many tribes made changes to the song, prayers and even the dance so to fit into their traditions. But it was the Lakota Sioux who went further. Many Lakota by this time were highly resentful to the wasicu, which in Lakota means non-Indian and not “fat taker” which is “wasin icu” but wasicu overtime did become a derogatory and is associate with “greedy” or “untrustworthy”. Lakota were also resentful to the US Government and corrupt Indian Agents. We need to remember this 1890 and Custer’s last stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn which the Sioux killed Custer and massacred the US 7th Calvary was only about 13 or 14 years earlier. So the Sioux felt that they were still paying for that. Sioux were eventually forced on to the reservation due to lost of their main food resource the buffalo which were hunted nearly to extinction for their hides and bones by whites with the encouragement of the Government so that the Plains Indians would lack their number one resource and the cattle ranchers how want the buffalo and Indians gone for their land to raise cattle.

By February 1890 the Federal Government decided to break it treaty with the Sioux and breakup their reservation into smaller reservation and divided up the Great Sioux Nation. Even thought the Government tried to teach the Sioux to farm they did take into account the difficulty to farm in the Dakotas at that time. So at the end of the growing season of 1890 with poor precipitation and extreme heat the Sioux were unable to have any kind of substantial harvest. But the Government simply accused the Sioux of being lazy and they cut the Sioux’s supply rations and now that the Lakota didn’t even have the buffalo anymore they began to fear that they might starve. So the Lakota saw the Ghost Dance as a last hope but where Wovoka want a peaceful conversion the Lakota saw it differently.

The Lakota took the Ghost Dance and created specially designed shirts which were said to give the wearer special powers and protects the wearer from bullets. The Lakota reservation’s Indian Agents became increasingly worried about this movement and those who wore special magic shirts that they thought were bullet proof on the reservation and two great tragedies came to pass. The first was that the Sioux reservation Indian Agent suspected the great Sitting Bull was behind it or may soon join it. On December 15, 1890 the Indian Agent sent a group of Indian police to take him to custody but as they were trying to arrest Sitting Bull’s supporters began to gather around and when Sitting Bull began to resist and member of supporters raised his gun and shot the head officer who in turned shot Sitting Bull in the chest then one of the Indian police shot Sitting Bull in the head. By the end of the skirmish 9 Indian police and 7 of Sitting Bull’s supporters were dead as well as the great Sitting Bull. For trivia purpose apparently in 1983 Sitting Bull was baptized into the Roman Catholic faith.

The second tragedy of course was December 29, 1890 the Massacre at Wounded Knee. Of course story about what happen on the day depends on which side is telling it. This is what we do know. 200 members of Sitting Bull’s band left the Standing Rock Agency where Sitting Bull lived after hearing the death of Sitting Bull and fearing reprisal went and joined Spotted Elk (aka Bigfoot) at Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. Then on December 23rd Spotted Elk and his band along with 38 members of Sitting Bull’s band left for the Pine Ridge Reservation to seek protection under Red Cloud. But on December 28 they were intercepted by the 7th Calvary and Spotted Elk and his 350 followers were taken to Wounded Knee Creek which the rest of the 7th Calvary joined up bring the 7th’s numbers to 500 and the Indians’ at 350 with 120 of those being women and children. Well the US Calvary began disarming the Indians and here is different stories about who shot first happened. But in the end over 150 Indians were killed out of that over 60 were women and children and as for the Calvary over 30 were killed some speculate that many of that 30 were from friendly fire due to crossfire.

The Ghost Dance seemed to vanish after Wounded Knee. Perhaps it been turned into another round dance. I only heard of only one tribe still doing it. Interesting the Navaho never accepted the Ghost Dance due to cultural fear of ghost and dead. Even today Navaho Indian Police will get calls by elder Navaho and/or traditionalist if they even think they hear something they believe is a ghost and the Indian Police will come out and investigate. As Wovoka he passed way in 1932.

I thought this interesting regarding Ghost Dance Photos
Reading Photographs:
Imaging and Imagining the Ghost Dance: James Mooney's Illustrations and Photographs, 1891-1893
Thomas W. Kavanagh


UR

Please let them keep it

Thanks to New Agers, Native Americans are becoming more guarded about their culture, spirituality and religions, which I believe is a good thing.

When it comes to Native American cultures professional New Agers steal it; they corrupt it and change it to fit the New Agers ways. Professional New Agers always want something to sell and they like to sell spirituality. You can have spirituality but you don’t own spirituality and you cannot sell what you do not own.

Native Americans are just people like anyone, same strengths and weaknesses with many of the same worries and concerns and problems like family, health, economics, jobs, alcoholism/drug addiction and many others things that we are worried about. The biggest concerns they have that we don’t, is survival of a tribal culture and having to walk between two worlds/cultures. I heard an Indian woman explain her daily difficulty she had going from her life on the Rez to her job off the Rez in the city and at the end of her work day going back to Rez life. The difficulty of going from Indian time to non-Indian time and then back. She described it as being a very difficult transition on a daily bases and having to learn to walk in two worlds.

American Indians are not a mystical people they just people, but people of a different culture. Their spirituality is what gets them through things. But many American Indians do lose their way just like non-Indians. They get lost in drugs and alcohol just like non-Indians and yes some lose their spirituality just like non-Indians.

Some Indians practice a traditional Indian spirituality, some practice a Christian based spirituality and some mix the two. Spirituality is about your relationship with God. Everyone can have a Spirituality without religion it make no difference whether it be Christian or Indian. Truth is there is no one “Indian spirituality” it varies from tribe to tribe. As Natives Americans vary from tribe to tribe so does their spirituality and rituals. It’s a culture thing, a tribe thing. It’s what makes them who they are. It’s sacred and must be kept that way. It’s their heritage.

The non-Indians who want to embrace Native American spirituality tend to reject Christianity for some reason, perhaps it’s the praying or rituals or maybe the rules or the bible. Well Indians do pray. Indians tend to pray for others or their people. Typically rituals are used for specific purposes to gain understanding of themselves. In some cases to discover what purpose the Creator has for the individual and they have to fulfill that purpose if they don’t bad things can happen to the individual. Even Indians and their God have rules. These are not things to be taken lightly. I would never recommend doing it under a New Ager it can harm or even kill you. Even though a New Ager would be easier because you just have to pay to do it. It’s different with Indians.

I’ve met New Agers who claim to practice a Native American culture or should I say lifestyle but yet they were vegetarians, against hunting, against guns, are pacifists and have anti-military tendencies. But the Indians I’ve met seem to love meat, many like to hunt, many have guns, not afraid to fight and not anti-military, either they were in the military or had a relative in the military. Indians did fight over territory, food and even for revenge. Most tribes had its allies and enemies. Even before the Europeans arrival war was part of American Indian lives. Indians had a very complex culture. New Agers try to simplify it, which is dishonest and degrading. New Agers like to try to make people believe America was one big peaceful commune and all Indians got along. Indians did war with each other but from what I can tell they did not have religious wars. Win or lose it was what was meant to be. If one tribe beat another tribe it was because they had better warriors or it just was their day. Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you. It’s the way of nature.

If you learn a way of spirituality you should treat it like a gift and either keep it or give it away. But no worries, professional New Agers are very good at changing and charging. It’s all about what feels good and providing others at a price to feel good. I remember one Indian referred to New Agers as the “Doe Nation” which was a play on words for “Donation” because they almost always want finical “donation”. But for Indians it’s all about life, culture and heritage. Please let them keep it and if they want to share it they will.

UR