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Aloha e everyone and welcome
to April 2004 of Kaleo O Nani Newsletter!
I love wolves. In some ways
they remind me of the diversity in creators thinking. My grandfather  was
fond of telling me, "Nani girl, your character will be
measured by how you treat all creatures, big
and small, animal and human." The wolf is a
misunderstood creature and thus feared by man.
Unfortunately that fear often leads to wanton
destruction of these rather shy creatures. Isn't
it ironic that humans often fear and misunderstand
Diversity so they shy away, seek to ridicule, bad
Mouth or refuse to take advantage of educational
opportunities that could build bridges of hope. Our
Newsletter is about inspiring hope, tenacity, focus,
And living the golden rule. As always take what you need and discard the rest.
Enjoy, Nani
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First Annual Diversity Conference at Glasgow,
Montana successful thanks to all participants and Women’s Resource
Center. The participants made The day enjoyable by, listening with
the intent to Learn, catching each other doing things right, sharing
cultural ideas, working as teams, wearing leg Weights to understand
special needs better, speaking eloquently during class participation
scenarios. We were honored to have Mr. Larry Wetsin speak to us on
local Indian people, and Mr. Neil Taylor who was very nice to offer
examples or explanations on different tribal customs. The entire group
worked a tirelessly 10 hours and earned their 1 cr. Certificate at
no charge from Ft. Peck Community College. Donna Buckles, Distance
Learning Specialist from the college was on hand to take necessary
applications and information from each student. This Annual Diversity
Fundraiser Conference will be held in Glasgow next year Friday April
1, 2005.
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IRIS ALLRUNNER
WINS UNIVERSITY OF LIFE & HOPE LITTLE BROWN PENNY AWARD FOR
2003.
Iris Allrunner,
Sioux grandmother from Wolf Point, Montana won this year’s
award. Her message reads: "For
your courage in improving the lives of Native American Children and
your persistent and tenacious stand on issues that make a positive
difference."
Congratulations Iris, you have won because
you are worthy. I am so proud of you. Nani
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Did you know?
Blueberries: are
the best fruit antioxidants in the fruit food chain. According to
research from Rutgers University” blueberries
are rich in tannins, which coat the bacteria (in UTI) blocking it from
adhering to the walls of the urinary tract and multiplying.” According
to Amy R. Howell, Ph.D. lead researcher, if you feel a UTI coming on,
eat at least one half cup of blueberries and you should be fine the
next day. Better yet, snack on a handful every day for preventive care.
Yogurt: When
you take anti-biotics it is a good idea to eat live culture yogurt
as they replace the friendly bacteria that keep the bad ones from
multiplying. Michael Zemet Ph.D. director of the Nutrition Institute
at the U of Tennessee says,” eating
yogurt tells your body to burn excess fat faster.” And eating
yogurt can also prevent bloating and other types of stomach pain. At
least one cup of “live and active culture” a day or acidophilus
supplements work as well.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
If you worked
238 days out of the year times 10 hours(2380 hours yr.) average for
small business owners you would need to make $10.50 and hour to earn
$25K per year and $21.00 an hour to make 50K a year. Not so bad when
you break it down. To keep from being overwhelmed break things down
so you can “see” the doable nature of
life.
Point of action: What
are you spending your time doing? Make a list and see if you are productive
during the day or merely running in place?
Point to Ponder: The
world’s
greatest teachers did not etch their words in books. It is as if they
knew people would just bicker, split hairs and sometimes move the words
around to get their own way. When you unleash the power within you
realize “you are the book” because everything is written
inside. Make sense!
Point of Action: What will
you do to unleash the power within? Hint: by giving first you are rewarded
ten times over. Email and tell me what you think.
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MASTERING THE ART OF LIVING
By Nani Aki Linder
All humans have the innate ability to
change but, we must make the conscious choice to change. It is not
an automatic skill. It takes work, choices and tenacity. Racism is
a learned trait. Superior attitudes are learned. A feeling of inferiority
is an accepted attitude.
Problems arise often
when we pre-judge for example; “your
brother never made it so you might as well quite now.” Or, you
are only a stupid woman, slob, ignorant, whatever! No where on any
of our job descriptions is there a space for, “knows the future,
qualified to be judge, jury and enforcer!” If creator God doesn’t
stand up in heaven and say, “well let me see, you two will be
losers, those 5 will be brilliant, lets give you an extra dose of ugly
or stupid, you and you will be drug addicts or alcoholics, 14 thousand
will be liars, a million will be in poverty”. We are all born
with the same clean slate, capabilities, and love. It is our environment,
our intent, our choices, what we learn that mold us into what we become.
Being poor doesn’t
mean you have to stay poor, many of the wealthiest people alive started
out poor. They applied strength of will, tenacity, persistence and
refused to quit when the going got tough. They learned to fish and
have it their way.
Here is a tip that
might help. Whenever a negative “I
don’t want” enters your thinking, replace it immediately
with what you do want and let your sub-conscious mind move you towards
attaining that which you do want. In my new children’s book,
Be A Star I have two powerful statements for the children to learn
as a way of life so they might THRIVE.
I can be what I will to be! Do
not confuse it with “I can be what I will be!” The first
is filled with possibilities of ones choice, the second is acceptance
of where they are. The sentence difference is subtle but one is powerful
in the positive the other in the negative. Careful!
The second is a simple prayer:“I’m whole, perfect,
strong, powerful, loving, harmonious & happy!” This is one
of those mysteries of life because this is as we are at birth and how
creator sees us. It is the essence of truth that keeps our body, mind
and spirit in tact and loving. This simple function of purity of thought
releases endorphins and serotonin and all the healing tools our cells
need to thrive and keep us healthy. We are all born with this gift;
it is only man that pollutes these attributes with negative attitudes.
Think about it! Which of these words are not true or doable? Which
judges as not worthy? When you affirm this for yourself do it as well
for everyone in your family, friends and foes alike. When we teach
this to our children as an automatic way of life we promote and enhance
hope, and hope is the greatest gift one can bring to the life of others
and indeed your own.
Successful living
always depends on intent and purity of thought to do no harm as you
go about your life’s
journey. All things begin with choices and then work. Nothing is automatic.
Seeing your life as half full or half empty is a choice. One is on
survive mode, the other thrive. Pick one!
Malama Pono, Nani
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FEATURE ARTICLE PART 2
Riveting conclusion from Christine Rose. Read with the intent to understand
and see through the eyes of others. Mahalo Christine
Untangling the Web of Racism in the School Yard:
When Civil Rights Do Not Apply
Part 2
By Christine Rose
Although for the better part of my life I was unaware of it, I came into
this world with many privileges. I have never had to deal with being turned
down for housing because of assumptions about my behavior, or for a job
because it was assumed I was not qualified solely because of my race or
ethnicity. I can live where I want, anywhere in the country, and be surrounded
by others that resemble me. Testing in schools reflects my culture and knowledge
base so I am assured my children are being tested fairly. When I walk into
a store, it is not automatically assumed I am going to steal. My morals
and values are not judged by the color of my skin. And even with the best
of intentions, even while feeling I am as unbiased as I could be, there
are certain life experiences that passed me by that prohibited my understanding
of what its like to be a person of color.
Until my path led me
to do the work I do now, I never even considered I possessed any privileges.
How could I? I could never have imagined the kinds of things that some
people have to face. My own experiences led me to believe that life is
the same for everyone. I had always assumed this was truly the Land of
the Free.” My patriotism was unchallenged; my
belief in what this country stands for was firm. In fact, I do still believe
that everything this country is supposed to stand for is correct, but all
too often now I see another side of life and I know that for many people “Justice
for All” is an empty phrase.
I have always had a theory that life is like one of those electronic walkways
in airports; we think we are walking, but an unseen path beneath our feet
is taking us where we need to go. And my path has taken me deeper into Indian
Country than I could ever have imagined. Through a series of events, I have
come in contact with many people whose children are suffering extreme situations
of racism in the schools on and off reservations, throughout the country.
Iris All Runner in Wolf Point, Montana was the first person to enter into
my life at this particular fork in the road. Iris faced a racist school
that had refused to budge in their tactics, some so archaic it is hard to
imagine they had not been banished decades, even centuries ago. It was a
school with an 80% Native student population and a completely white administration.
The school board was white but for one Native man who had a very hard time
making his voice heard. There was absolutely no cultural understanding between
staff and students and the results were disastrous. Parents felt intimidated
by the staff and teachers, there were no cultural references that indicated
that this school was attended by Native students, no classes that reflected
Native culture, no library books about Native people, history or culture,
none of the curriculum focused on the history of Native people and began
with the arrival of Columbus, who was lauded as a hero. With Columbus responsible
for the death of millions of Native people, and his arrival heralding the
demise of an entire civilization as it had been known up to that point,
the majority of the students had a distinctly different perspective than
was being taught.
Beyond that, discipline
techniques that were being employed by the school were reminiscent of
the old boarding schools where assimilation of Indian children was imposed
by a heavy hand. The Wolf Point School earned the national reputation
of being one of the most awful places to have sent one’s
children before Iris put out a call to bring it to a halt and change is
still slow in coming. Is it possible to imagine that a 7 year old child
was placed in a padded cell for letting her foot wander beyond the parameter
of her desk? Can you even consider that a teacher molested young students,
both male and female, and was supported by the school administration?
I would like to say that this is unusual but the many situations I have
encountered and many people that I have met, show me that it is far more
prevalent than one would imagine.
We hear about the Indian
sports logo issue and so many people say, “But
its an honor,” or “Its only meant in fun.” But when one
looks at a line-up of all the emblems for sports teams, it is glaringly
apparent that Native American Indians are the only humans represented as
mascots, which are sort of like pets. Why is that? Well, it is partially
from the belief that Native people have disappeared and they are seen as
almost mythological rather than as People who continue to live among us
today. But it is also a national, though subliminal, manifestation of the
stereotypical ideas of Indian people. Many schools and teams have indeed
changed their name in recognizing that having a team of people who are pretending
to be another race is kind of like having a team called The African Americans
or The Asians. It doesn’t make any sense.
Many may think that the mascot is a small issue considering the other
issues facing Native people, such as teen suicide, higher rates of alcoholism
and drug abuse, diabetes and heart disease, government housing with black
mold and often no heat and unclean water. Yes, these issues are extremely
important but if the country barely recognizes that Native people are real
and respectable by the continued use of sports names and mascots, how can
they comprehend the greater issues that face reservation communities?
And where do these
greater issues originate? Many people of privilege do believe that Justice
For All actually means something, and it can be unfathomable as to why
conditions exist on some of the reservations as they do. I have been asked
more than once, “Why don’t they get off
the reservations and get a job like everyone else?” This certainly
seems an easy enough question.
But it again denies
that Native culture is real and thriving, and for that to continue, many
Native people choose to remain among their own people. And while it isn’t
true for all Native people, many who leave the reservations can become
part of that enormous melting pot that this country is famous for, where
practicing their culture becomes a quiet affair, or where their children
may become embarrassed about their customs and culture, and begin to assimilate.
In Peggy Macintoshes
article entitled “The Invisible Knapsack”,
she states, “my colleague Elizabeth Minnich has pointed out: whites
are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average,
and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as
work which will allow "them" to be more like "us". It
is important for non-native people to recognize that Indians did not immigrate
here, they liked it the way it was, with their own sophisticated societies
that thrived before the arrival of the Europeans.
Native cultures do
continue to exist, and the differences between them and the dominant culture
are awesome. In fact, the value of accumulating a lot of “stuff” is
not a value to be found in almost any Native culture. Some Native cultures
communicate more in non-verbal than verbal ways and as Columbus found
out, some tribes were more loving and giving in their approaches to others.
This is still true with many traditional Native people, whose children
do not react well to discipline. Native children in schools are sometimes
treated harshly because they may respond differently to questions, often
choose to keep their hair long for traditional reasons, and are frequently
misunderstood because they may not be willing to share their culture with
outsiders. In many tribes, children are taught to respond slowly and thoughtfully
to questions while the children of the dominant culture are often taught
to learn by rote and to respond quickly.
White teachers often do not understand why Native children take so long
to answer a question. The fact that Native cultures can be so different
from the dominant culture is one of the greatest causes of all the problems
that Native children face in school because teachers in the dominant culture
do not recognize or understand behavior than is different from their own
norm. I have heard from so many Native parents that their children, well
behaved at home, have been accused of belligerence, ignoring the teacher,
procrastinating, having learning disabilities or that their children, who
they know to be bright, should expect to fail.
When teachers of the
dominant culture don’t recognize that Native
children are behaving normally according to their own culture, disaster
occurs. The teachers may be perceived by the Native parents to be racist
because the behavior a teacher may be complaining about seems normal to
the parents. The teacher doesn’t have a clue that their attempts to “fix” the
child may be seen as trying to assimilate Native children. When the teacher
recommends behavior modification such as discipline or medication to make
the children fit their own idea of the norm, which is to make Native children
behave like white children, the parents may think their children are being
treated unfairly because they don’t see the same behavioral problems
at home. If a teacher says, “He won’t look at me when I am speaking
to him,” they may not know that eye contact in some cultures is a
sign of disrespect.
Teachers who are unfamiliar
with Native cultures can completely misinterpret the behavior of their
students. This is a culture clash where people who are speaking the same
language actually don’t understand what the
other is saying because of their own cultural references. When a child who
responds in a culturally appropriate manner is under attack for misbehaving,
it can cause confusion and resentment in the child. Feeling misunderstood
and inherently un-liked, he is likely to exhibit different behavior than
his parents are used to seeing from him. In the end, the parents can’t
understand what the problem is and the teacher labels the child as a trouble-maker.
Because the Civil Rights Movement did not change the perception of Native
people and the stereotypes of times gone by, racism has been allowed to
exist and this mistreatment is reflected in the way Indian students are
targeted in schools.
Many stories of teachers berating Indian students, and turning a blind
eye to white students who do the same as well as endless accounts of bullying
have come across my desk with examples as bad as:
An 11 year Lakota old
boy who was thrown in a trash bin by students who told him he couldn’t
come out until he stunk like an Indian.
The same boy who was
jumped and painted brown by high school students as he walked home from
school and was taunted as a “gay Indian.”
A 14 year old Native girl who was raped by her white teacher and told
she would die if she told. When she reported the incident, the school tried
to protect the teacher. In another school, eighteen Native girls have given
accounts to their guidance counselor of sexual harassment by a white teacher
who was suspended last year for the same. These new complaints are not being
investigated by the school and he is still teaching in the same school today.
A Dakota boy was knocked down and whipped on the playground by white classmates.
He went to the nurse and was told to lie down for a while. The school never
notified his mother, who only found out by seeing the deep welts on his
back days later. The boys who whipped him were not reprimanded until the
mother sued the school.
Young Native children in South Dakota are arrested at school and brought
to Detention Homes or even prisons. Often, the school does not alert the
parents, who only find out when the child does not return home on the school
bus. The parents have to fight, sometimes for years, to get their children
back and often, the treatment of the child in these detention homes or prisons
is so severe they suffer irreparable emotional damage. The offenses are
often unjustified or are minor offenses such as talking back to a teacher
or pushing in the lunch line.
There are endless stories
across the country of children being teased by being called the names
of the school team or mascot, such as Redskin. Is such treatment even
imaginable towards a child of any other race? Yet it is considered “all
in fun.”
A Pep Rally was held
at a Minnesota school for an upcoming game with a team called the Indians.
At the rally, teachers dressed up as cowboys and Indians. The “cowboys” pulled
out guns and aimed at the Indians and told them to go back to the reservation.
After the Pep Rally, just outside the school building, Indian boys were
assaulted by white students.
A young Tulelip girl
worked to have the “tomahawk chop” removed
from her high school football teams “pep” activities. The team
uses an Indian name. When she was successful, she was told by white students
that she would be raped and killed, her cousin was beat up, they taunted
her with “Hiya ya ya” whenever she passed by, and ultimately
she had to leave the school. She states that she could never go to another
game or she would be in “big trouble.” All in fun?
A father complains
that his son is so harassed, he is turning away from his culture and “becoming white before my very eyes.” His
son is so embarrassed at being Indian, his father must drop him off a
block from school in the mornings.
Multitudes of children are placed on Ritalin or other similar drugs to
cure them of the learning disabilities that most often do not exist but
are only misunderstood cultural responses.
There are so many stories of mothers afraid to complain about their schools
for fear of having their children removed by Social Services. Native parents
live in constant fear that if they step out of line, their children will
be taken from them. In Montana, the Native population is about 6%. The amount
of adopted children there who are Native is 33%. In Denver, Native infants
are taken from their birth mothers sometimes even without consulting the
mother before giving the child away for adoption. And in Iowa an investigation
will soon be underway as to the reasons so many Native children are adopted
out to white families, which is against the Indian Child Welfare Act, that
states Indian children should be placed within the tribe.
Their removal is no
different than when children were forced to attend the Indian Boarding
Schools. There they were often abused as a way of making the children
abandon their culture. Language was forbidden, traditional clothing replaced,
hair cut, until the child was stripped of his identity, which in turn
was responsible for the demoralization of the tribes, whose communities
were left devastated by the absence of their children’s
laughter. The removal of children by Social Services for bogus reasons is
no different today. No other group of people must fear the removal of their
children, who carry the torch of their culture into the future. When the
children are removed and raised in white families, they can lose their sense
of self and have very high rates of suicide. A piece of the culture is lost
with every child who is removed from their home or tribe.
In schools, Native
children are often told by teachers that they will fail anyway, so they
might as well quit school. Statistics in many schools show a high Native
population, anywhere from 30-80% in elementary schools but less than 6%
in high school. These children are routinely forced out of schools. They
are forced out and leave their self-esteem behind. They have been called
Redskin, they have been humiliated for their learning styles, their culture
has been mocked, they have been treated unjustly in so many cases, and
it all goes unheard. The papers won’t print it, the news
programs won’t cover it. The excuses run from, “The Native population
is too small so there aren’t any ratings in it,” to the real
truth, “No one cares.”
Is this a hopeless
situation? To many Native parents, the answer sure feels like Yes. But
it isn’t.
When calls come in
about discriminatory situations, there is usually one strong person who
isn’t afraid to make a lot of noise and demands
that their voices be heard. In Wolf Point, that voice came from Iris All
Runner, and in other Native communities where change has come there has
always been one person who took the lead. Certain government agencies, such
as the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights and the Department
of Justice have been called in to help clean up the situations. But there
are endless stories like these and government agencies can and will only
do so much.
Change needs to begin
with each person. We all need to understand that until we walk a mile
in another person’s moccasins we cannot begin
to understand their life’s experiences. We need to realize that school
pow wows put on by white teachers embarrass Native children because of their
inaccuracies. Team names and mascots mock the heritage of Native people.
Native students need to see their history and heroes reflected in the curriculum.
Pride and interest will be instilled in them when they see themselves reflected
in their studies.
Teachers who try to use methods that are resonant with the heavy-handed
discipline techniques of the past find they will not be effective with Native
children, or even many sensitive children of the dominant society. A gentle
and loving approach, a respectful approach, an approach that serves to encourage
Native children rather than mistreat them is going to be effective in lowering
drop out rates.
In education, each
child’s cultural differences and learning styles
must be recognized and respected, regardless of whether we understand it
or approve of it. Multi-cultural education must begin to include Native
Cultural Awareness and teachers must be required to attend courses to help
them understand the children they are teaching. This must be mandated in
areas with large Native populations and yet is equally important in places
where the Native population is less visible. We need to teach all children
to respect each other’s cultural differences and understand that what
is right for one is not necessarily right for all. We must see that an expression
such as Land of the Free and Justice for All does not reflect truth for
all people in this country and we must be sensitive to what we don’t
understand. And for those of us who were born with white privilege, we must
recognize that privilege comes with a responsibility to see that all people
are treated equally or we are not doing our part to further the American
Dream.
Christine Rose is the
founder of Students and Teachers Against Racism, a small organization
dedicated to removing racism against Native Americans in education. She
is the author of The Tears of Strangers Are Only Water, published by the
University of Virginia Law Review as well as many other articles for newspapers
throughout the country. The Southern Poverty Law Center published an article
regarding STAR’s efforts in the summer
of 2003 and she was consulted for Inside Edition’s television program
on Bullying. Through her efforts, The US Commission on Civil Rights issued
their resolution against Indian team names and mascots and her work prompted
State Boards of Education to issue similar resolutions. Currently, she is
investigating racism against Native people in schools in more than ten states.
Visit the STAR website at www.racismagainstindians.org
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The Final Word: Christine’s
article is important. She writes about serious issues that somewhere
in America as I write another Indian child is experiencing. It just
makes my heart limp to visualize the horror many face. Those who see
and do nothing consent with their silence. Those who know and say nothing
consent by their silence. Now that you know, what positive steps will
you take to help in your area or the next time you see an injustice?
Will you step up to the plate and drop a quarter and call or write a
letter? Will you share food, shelter or clothing with those in need?
It only takes a minute to do a good deed and that can make the difference
in whether another human being survives or thrives. I read today that
when we call someone else for an opinion we are searching for an accomplice.
Interesting thought!
In the sacred time of sunrise and sunset, lift
your thoughts and petitions to Creator and lets pray for peace, happiness,
justice and health for all.
For more information contact me, 509-467-7714
or nani@universityoflife.info,
in wolf point or poplar contact Theresa Knoble or myself at Box 1032,
Wolf Point Montana
Next month's guest writer is
Dr. Gene Adams, PH.D all the way from the outback of Australia. Be prepared
for an exciting read. Need a keynote, Diversity, Leadership, spirit of
hope health and wellness or communication skills speaker? E-mail me Nani@universityoflife.info
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University Of Life Spring-Summer Schedule
1. Frassati School of Leadership Diversity Conference is rescheduled,
Spokane, Washington June 2004. Call Michael or Rachael Muglia for
reservations and information. 509-487-5323. Nani Linder trains the
staff for Frassati and they teach exclusively “Be A Star” and “ University
Of Life Spirit Of Hope Cross Cultural Leadership” as their curriculum.
Certificate available for this conference.
2. Nani
will be teaching Be A Star series with the possibility of teaming
with another teacher. “Raven’s Voice” in May 20-21, 2004, at Ft. Peck Community
college. Roxanne Bighorn and Theresa Knoble are handling the details
of this conference. 1 cr. available.
3. Spirit of Hope conference Wolf Point,
Montana May 22, 2004, details in May
newsletter. This addresses health and wellness issue and natural possibilities
of regeneration. It is our belief that the body itself is the miracle
when you feed it proper nutrition. WRC fundraiser, 1 cr. Certificate.
Theresa Knoble is contact person and coordinator
4. July I will be in Hawaii
5. June I will be in Sedona Az. and Spokane, Wa.
6. August
3 conferences scheduled details to be announced in next month’s
news letter.
A hui hou dear hearts until next month May 10, 2004
www.universityoflife.info 509-467-7714
nani@universityoflife.info
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