View unanswered posts | View active topics It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 3:17 am



Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
 Native American History 
Author Message
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:13 pm
Posts: 24
We talked in class a little about Native American history. Racial segregation against them has at times been very bad, from the Trail of Tears to boarding schools that wiped out their languages. This discussion reminded me of the book Curly, written by my learner diversity professor, Dr. Bryant. I sometimes think we do not spend enough time discussing their history after the Trail of Tears. The book ia about the Cherokee community and how they were treated by the white people. They were looked down upon and not given a fair chance at living. I think segregation against them is getting better and we are now trying to learn more about their culture after nearly destroying it. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Do you think racial segregation against any group is continually getting better, or is it staying the same? Segregation against the Indians affected so many people and their story deserves to be told.


Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:23 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:01 pm
Posts: 27
Post 
I think that more and more people are starting to listen to these stories and are beginning to come to the realization that this really did happen. I also believe that the schools are beginning to discuss this issue more, especially at the college level. Because of this I believe we are taking a step in the right direction to end racial segregation by telling the stories of the oppressed.


Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:38 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:34 pm
Posts: 29
Post 
I do believe that out of all the races being segregated, Native-Americans are the ones who are still being most ignored. Teachers are still teaching the wrong type of Thanksgiving activities, schools still have mascots mocking Native-American names, etc. When we say that we respect Native-Americans or any other race and that race claims otherwise, who do we believe? The other race! Whites are just so used to be overwhelmingly dominating. It's time that we listen to what races have to say and not worry so much about coming back with what seems to me stupid comebacks that prove us even more racist!

_________________
Jessie Carrigan


Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:33 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:03 am
Posts: 25
I completely agree with Jessie's comments. Sadly, I think our society's tendency to racially discrimnate gets continually worse. Yes, more and more of us are aware of other cultures and ethnicities, whether or not we truly respect them is another question entirely. Many things we still do discriminate against Native Americans like the Thanksgiving activities, school mascots, etc... that Jessie mentioned. A teacher at Valle Cruces Elementary told me that they recently had to change their mascot because it was offensive to Native Americans and the way he said you could tell he thought it was ridiculous. That was a 4th grade teacher! I was disgusted. And I can tell you alot of future teachers I have come in contact with are just as backward, conservative, and unreceptive as your stereotypical racist. Whether or not you make a racist comment as a teacher your students will know, just from unconcious body language.

_________________
Brandon J Fiedor


Thu Mar 15, 2007 5:55 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:55 am
Posts: 26
Post 
In my experience it seems that most people tend to relate racism with relations between blacks and whites. I think that the main focus in education today is primarilyWhite-European history and some African-American history. I think it is important to celebrate and study members of every race, which we do not do. In order to combat racism, and ignorance when it comes to members of another race we need to use our position as educators to teach our students about all the people of the world. I think our education curriculum is severley lacking in this matter.

_________________
Chelsie Alfaro


Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:27 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:31 am
Posts: 29
Post 
Everyone has made great points, and I agree with just about everything that has been said thus far.

One tragic ramification of the European conquest of the New World is that all of the varied, profoundly different cultures that we lump into the broad category of Native American have almost been completely destroyed and all that remains is a small, minuscule fraction of what once was a thriving population of indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, using the term Native American makes assumptions that all of these indigenous people were similar or related in some way, which isn't necessarily true. The small remaining populations in America today are so small that it is difficult for us to recognize the differences between tribes and types of Indians.

Another major hurdle for educators is the inherently ethnocentric view that so many of our textbooks use in approaching Native American history. For starters, many textbooks begin this history with their "discovery" by Europeans. Earlier history is glossed over with a couple of sentences, often romanticizing the cultures before Europeans. This ignores the complex social relationships that existed in these cultures, and therefore gives the impression that "civillization" is a European phenomenom and a gift from the whites. Even the use of the term "civilization" implies certain inferiorities of different societies. As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on whether or not one type of social organization is better than others. Centralized government does not make hunting and gathering irrelevant or inferior in any way!

It's time to revolutionize the way we teach this type of history. The world does not begin with the European colonialists. Native history spans approximately ten thousand years before we usually begin their story.


Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:58 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 6 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.