ADULTHOOD IS A S#!%SHOW
“And yet it was here that ‘Native Americans were occasionally skinned and made into bridle reins,’ wrote the scholar Charles Mills. Andrew Jackson, the U.S president who oversaw the forced removal of indigenous people from their ancestral homelands during that Trail of Tears, used bridle reins of indigenous flesh when he went horseback riding.”
Via: Topash.Skharr
Indians scattered on dawn’s highway bleeding
Ghosts crowd the young child’s fragile eggshell mind.
Me and my -ah- mother and father – and a
Grandmother and a grandfather – were driving through
The desert, at dawn, and a truck load of Indian
Workers had either hit another car, or just – I don’t
Know what happened – but there were Indians scattered
All over the highway, bleeding to death.
So the car pulls up and stops. That was the first time I tasted fear.
I musta’ been about four – like a child is like a flower,
His head is just floating in the breeze, man.
The reaction I get now thinking about it, looking back
Is that the souls of the ghosts of those dead Indians
Maybe one or two of ’em, were just running around freaking out,
And just leaped into my soul.
And they’re still in there.
Indians scattered on dawn’s highway bleeding
Ghosts crowd the young child’s fragile eggshell mind.
Blood in the streets in the town of New Haven
Blood stains the roofs and the palm trees of Venice
Blood in my love in the terrible summer
Bloody red sun of fantastic L.A.
Blood screams her brain as they chop off her fingers
Blood will be born in the birth of a nation
Blood is the rose of mysterious union
Blood on the rise, it’s following me.
Indian, Indian what did you die for?
Indian says, nothing at all.
Photo: Haatepah Clearbear
As time goes on Native Americans, the ONLY people with a true claim to this land, lose it. The current administration has attempted to block coronavirus aid and reverse laws that protect their reservations. All while pretending to be an ally. How often do you pay attention to Native American issues?
Book Recommendation: https://sainttwenty.com/2019/10/16/there-there/ (Will be adding more, other people’s narratives are important).
Via: NDN Collective & Soap Box Stand
The only people who have a claim to this country, yet somehow are ignored while their allotted land is being taken away from them. Fuck Columbus. When’s the last time you immersed yourself in Native American affairs? Name three Native American contemporary public figures.Via: Berry Bomb Bloggery
Are you Native American or nah?
Via: Betch Mood
Just another way to disenfranchise black people. First of all, Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter aren’t mutually exclusive. How dumb you sound saying this can be explained in the following example:
Polar bears are going extinct, poacher’s are shooting them for sport. Polar bear advocates see this and campaign for poachers to stop, before the majority of the species disappears.
Polar bear lives matter!
Simple minded Karen see’s this, then starts “pontificating.” Well there are other animals on the planet: cats, dogs, zebras, lions, tigers…Why are they only talking about polar bears!
All animals matter!
Despite the fact that poachers aren’t shooting ANY of the animals Karen named for sport. Those animals aren’t on the extinction list; their population is thriving, unharmed and unbothered about dying when out and about. Polar bears on the other hand, can be sleeping, or playing with their children, at home, or going to get food…Still they’re killed for fun, or hate.
Saying polar bears lives matter when they are dying, doesn’t mean all animals don’t matter. Not only are you advocating nothing, because the animals you’re including are fine, but you’re an accomplice to murder. Diverting attention from the polar bear, that actually needs help, for animals that aren’t being mistreated, does nothing to stop the polar from being terrorized. It only interrupts the changes that can be made to prevent the polar bear from going extinct, aiding the poachers, making you complicit.
Funny, every time someone say’s all lives matter I reply with:
-So why did you take this land from the Native Americans?
-Why did you call all hispanics Mexican and put them in cages?
-Why did you use the Chinese to build railroads, then kick them out amongst other things, with the Chinese Exclusion Act?
-Why did you put the Japanese in internment camps?
-Why did you make black people slaves?
-Why did you label middle eastern people terrorist?
And not a single person responds, because people who say ALM are racist. Knowingly or unknowingly, “all lives matter” until it threatens white supremacy and domination, obtained through violence. Can you think of other cruel behavior to add to the list? Artist: Simone Agoussoye
To the people coming here to learn, forgive me for a moment while I address the bullies who jumped out of their clown car. Now you guys want to rep BLM, after trying to bully a black woman minding her business? Coming to my facebook page, seeing what I wrote about complaining of boredom as a first world problem, attached with an article on Indian slums and thought it was funny to do the opposite. All you proved is you’re heartless. Pulling up on my social media to see this woman these men are into (mind you I don’t fight over men, it goes against nature and my self-respect) with your insecurities and empty brains, then you tried to bend or break me? Spend the same time doing something productive; no wonder you’re bored in the house, in the house bored, no brain, no heart, no spine. Yuck. Use your position to elevate humanity, not just to prevent you from being called out and dragged. I’m not fooled, you aren’t good people.
Doing damage control when you’re caught between a rock and a hard place is very…telling. I’m going to go easy on you since it was beneficial, but the fact remains that I was a fan of all parties and still you tried to gang gang. Why? For a celebrisite (someone who feeds off their relationship with celebrities, rather than a talent) who was what, loyal? Didn’t your NDA call for that, when you hired them to do their job for a powerful family? You don’t get a gold star for that, you tried to troll a person whose aesthetic profits you. Maybe if you were less involved in appropriating my culture, you could have told your friend using Kimono was offensive to Asians, specifically Japanese people. Instead you trolled me with poorly written captions and ill formulated thoughts, that prove the lack of talent portion of my statement. Instead of being held accountable, because again I was minding my business allowing you to monetize off my follows, likes and views, your providers all tried to bully. I could go in on how they’ve accessorized and commodified black people, as well as black culture so well blacks don’t even notice, but I’ll save that dissertation for if you try it again. Count yourself lucky, due to the impact the man one of you married had on my upbringing.
Moving forward. Today’s topic is appreciation versus appropriation.
If you’re ever confused by the two here’s the difference. Appropriation is taking of one’s culture, exploiting it for your own personal gain and giving them no credit. To do this is extremely disrespectful. For instance wearing traditional garb, or hairstyles without acknowledging the culture that inspired you. The Kardashian’s have rocked the black aesthetic from head to toe, with people all around the world who have never met a black person, nor respect black people taking our shit too.
They have no idea they are replicating us, but fix their filler lips to demean us to stereotypes as seen on tv. Kim has never sat in a Polish airport on layover with people gawking, because they’d never seen a black person in the flesh. Kylie has never had a loan application denied, because of braided hair. You didn’t suffer for this divinity, but you take it to market? Now people think it belongs to you. Abhorrent.
Appreciation is what Gwen Stefani does. When she is dressed as a Chola in her Luxurious video, she is surrounded by Mexicans, crediting the people she mimics. She does this in her What You’re Waiting For video, surrounded by Harajuku girls, the same with her reggae work. In all instances she involves the community of people whose culture she’s showcasing. There is NO confusion on who created what. Thank you Queen. She also brings attention to the mainstream, making everyone more culturally aware and worldly.
People of color are not costumes. That kimono, that sari, that Indian featherhead, that afro, those “boxer” braids aka cornrows, that hanbok means something. You can’t tell people white is right, discriminate against them (denying loans, racial slurs, not getting hired for jobs, not being allowed to buy a home…), then take the same things you held against them for you. That’s the issue. How many of you take time to research and learn about other cultures? When people complain of appropriation did you educate yourself on why they were upset, or the significance on what was taken?
Copenhagen artist Daniella Jones is drop dead gorgeous. Not only does she create shadows with her brush, but they play with the cheekbones on that chiseled face. I thought she was some super hot insta model, making me question my sexuality, but she has talent. I love that she finds “inspiration in outliers,” very diverse, cultural art is essential. Which piece is your favorite? Photos: Dan Dan Jones
This is super apt since Columbus Day just passed. There, There is author Tommy Orange’s literary debut. It tells the story of the Native American diaspora, the consequence of a genocide that America masks and glorifies. Through various perspectives, the reader is able to see the cause and effect the massacre of these people have had generationally.
Imagine trying to put together the pieces of broken glass. Gathering up all the pieces is nearly impossible, even if you did what tools could you use to put it all back together? How do you do it without getting shards underneath your skin, without bleeding? This is the struggle of the contemporary Native Americans, trying to rebuild what was dismantled and destroyed.
Beyond history class, Columbus Day and Thanksgiving, where are the voices of the Native American people? This book is gritty, thought provoking, heart rending and necessary. These voices need to be heard. Their stories are integral to the history of the American people.