"Fading Tradition"
Every spring the University of Iowa has held its annual pow-wow, which is organized and administered by the American Indian student organization. Every year I look forward to it, although I'm not always able to attend. I love to browse the merchandise booths for artwork and watch the children perform their dances with tremendous energy. You can tell they really get into it, more so than the adults.
This year it will be different because the University has cancelled the pow-wow. There will be no tasty aromas of fry bread drifting throughout the air, no bright costumes or performances, only the empty echo in a vacant arena. It is actions like these that begin the demise of programs...and I've long been concered about the future of the American Indian and Native Studies Program at the University. Only one of the reasons listed for the cancellation makes any sense to me. Debt accrued from past pow-wows has reached $8500 and in a time of budget problems, that is a big no-no. The other two reasons were that there were less "actual" American Indian students than in the past and a "lack of UI appreciation". As for the students, in a country where our ancestors tried very hard to eliminate any sense of identity among the indigenous tribes, is it any surprise that those students who may be native american don't list their ethnicity as such? I have native american ancestry in me, but I am not native american. To claim to be such is absolutely ridiculous. If you don't grow up native american, most people of that ancestry will not claim themselves to be native american. There are many who identify themselves as other ethnicities that participate in the pow-wow every year. I don't think lack of listed native american students is a good basis for cancelling the event. Additionally, membership in the student organization for american indians is a personal decision. They are not obligated to participate.
As for "lack of UI appreciation", please....let's keep the cheap shots on the playground kids. You're only spiting yourself here.
6 comments:
Now that is something that I didn't know about you! Did you check native American when you were applying for college? I would have had I found even one ancestor that was Indian. I hate that system of reverse discrimination where a white boy like me can't get grants, scholarships, etc because I wasn't a minority even if my academic achievements were better. I wish they would eliminate those check boxes off of all forms.
But back to your blog, I guess I am in favor of closing it down for the financial reason you listed above. I'm also in favor of keeping it running if it is run as a profit center from now on as all things should be.
No, we have native american ancestry on my mother's side, but there are no "valid" sources to prove it. I believe it was my great-great-great-grandmother who was considered "full-blooded" but because of the social stigma associated with being Indian at that time in history, it was often hidden and anything that would have proven it was destroyed. The only legacy I have of that ancestry are a few facial features and an interest in native american issues.
GidgetPowr - I always wondered why you had an interest in Native Americans but now I know. Wasn't that one of your majors?
Giorgio - Welcome to Gidget's blog. I am the self appointed welcoming committee, at least until she fires me. It truly is one of the more interesting blogs that I have found so far which is why I read it everyday too.
Giorgio, Thank you for your kind comments! I look forward to reading your blog as well!
Its surprising how many people have Native American ancestors. My great-grantfather on my father's side was full-blood Blackfoot. I also have no way to justify checking "native american" on the gov't questionaires, but I do consider it a very interesting part of my heritage.
My dad was born in 1926, and he very clearly remembers his mom having to deal with being a "half-breed" throughout the depression. A lot of people wouldn't rent to them, because his dad married a "half-breed".
I think because of that, my dad raised us to just be white folk. Much simpler that way, unfortunately.
I wonder if a full blood native American were to marry a white person tomorrow and have kids if there would still be some stigmatism placed on the kids as they grew up? Or is there been enough mixing of races that it wouldn't be looked as being different?
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