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INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS |
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1. Do
make the point that indigenous people are alive and well today.
Do stress the fact that many indigenous people
are able to combine contemporary life-styles with traditional
values, tradtions, and spirituality. Don't use
the past tense unless discussing historical events. 2. Don't use dehumanizing materials that depict indigenous people as objects or animals rather than as human beings. Avoid using books, songs and alphabet cards that say, “I is for Indian", "E is for Eskimo,” or “One little, two little, three little Indians…” These examples dehumanize and belittle an entire ethnic group. |
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3. Do
discuss the trivializing effects of school or team mascots and
logos such as the “Redskins.”
4. Don't
lump all indigenous people together.
Each nation
or tribe has its own
customs, history, language, spirituality and treaties.
It is as inaccurate to discuss
totem
poles and teepees when discussing the arrival of the Pilgrims in
the
Northeast as using Swedish cultural examples when
discussing Italy. |
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5. Do
use the real names for each nation or tribe.
For example, the Mohawk
are the Kanienkehaka and the
Sioux are the Lakota, Nakota or Dakota.
6. Do
discuss, evaluate and challenge stereotypical representations of
indigenous people as
portrayed in books, cartoons, movies, advertisements and
colloquialisms. It
is important to stress that indigenous people differ in
appearance and do not all
look the way Hollywood has made the public think
they should look. Do
point out that each person has their own unique look and
personality.
Terms such as "stoic," "noble," war-like," "savage," "primitive,”
and “blood-thirsty"
should not be used to describe an entire racial group. |
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7. Do avoid using derogatory or stereotypical figures of speech, such as “sitting Indian style," “acting like a bunch of wild Indians," and “going on the warpath." Do refer to indigenous children as children, men as men, and women as women. Terms such as squaw, brave, warrior and papoose have been misused and misunderstood. "Squaw” in some languages can be an insulting term. "Warrior” and "papoose" carry other meanings within some groups.
8. Don't display illustrations that mislead or demean. Animals dressed in "Indian" attire and holding sacred objects, children wearing adult headdresses, caricatures of Native Americans painted with red skin, and drawings of Indians who all look alike or who are depicted as "sneaky" are demeaning. Do point out and discuss how such depictions are inappropriate and insulting. Do write to publishers of such materials to voice your concerns.
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9. Do
refer to the three-day feast that was enjoyed by the Pilgrims
and Wampanoag as 'the first giving of thanks that the Pilgrims
and Wampanoag shared together.
It wasn't "The First
Thanksgiving," since many people around the world were already
giving thanks for successful harvests long before the Pilgrims
arrived at Plymouth Rock.
Do discuss how the Wampanoag saved the lives of
the Pilgrims.
10.
Don't act out sacred
dances and ceremonies or play games like "cowboys
and Indians.”
Being a cowboy is a chosen vocation. Being Indian is
being born with a particular racial identity.
Many Native Americans today are also cowboys. Don't
role-play a racial group.
Do role-play specific historic and contemporary
situations in order to analyze
problems, solutions and reactions. Indigenous religious
rites should be treated as respectfully as the religious rites
of other groups.
Sacred stories should be referred to as such and not as
myths. |
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13. Don’t refer to traditional regalia or outfits as “costumes.” Costumes are what people wear when they are pretending to be something or someone other than themselves. Today, most Native Americans wear clothing just like everyone else. However, traditional clothing might be worn on special occasions like ceremonies, powwows, festivals, and to show pride in their culture and heritage.
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