Reflections
from the Ahnishinahbæótjibway (We, the People)
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April 23, 1993
[unpublished]
“Being Indian is a very old
tradition among the blacks in New Orleans. I have Indian blood, but you
don’t
have to,” according to Big Chief Ferdinand Bigard, quoted in an article
by
Shelley Holl in Sunday’s Minneapolis Star Tribune.
“Being Indian” is also an old tradition among a number of
peoples
in Northern Minnesota, including the French Métis, the French
Mulattos, and
others who may not have a drop of aboriginal Indigenous blood—this
includes the
former “Indian Tribal Chairman” Roger Jourdain. Many
of these “Indians” will tell you that being “Indian” is a
matter of spiritual orientation,” or “adoption by the ‘tribe’” [but
which
“tribe,” and who owns and defines it?]; but in another linear-thinking
category
they reckon their U.S. Government “Indian blood quantum” down to
fractional
64th’s and marry their own first cousins so their children can be
“enrolled,
federally recognized ‘Indians’.” This
kind of inbreeding was a part of the Wanna-be Indians’ traditional
French-Arab
culture in France four hundred years ago.
Aboriginal Indigenous Peoples’ Dodems prevent this kind of
incest. If many of these
“Indians” looked as their actual ancestors, they’d be quadroons.
I applaud Joe Sayers’
efforts to address racism in Bemidji.
However, by maintaining his public identity of “Indian,” he is
defeating
his own purpose, and ends up promoting the racist mythologies which
cannot be
separated from the artificial identity of “Indian.”
Although the racism that Joe Sayers is dealing with in Bemidji
is
real, Joe is relying on the White man for his identity.
The “Indian” identity is a projection, a
stereotype which is by definition loaded with the racism of the
immigrant
Europeans. When he, and other sincere
“Indians” trash that stupid artificial identity, and become who they
really
are—then they won’t be handicapped and handcuffed by this imposed
identity. Right now, they’re being
outmaneuvered by racist European philosophy that’s built into the
invented
European identity of Indian. When these
“Indians” take on their real identity, then the White man won’t be able
to
categorize them, manipulate them, and dismiss them as “tokens.”
If
the people who are promoting this racist Indian stereotype
get themselves out of this identity trap, and find out who they really
are,
then they own their identity, and can get back their personal
Sovereignty,
their culture, and their history. One
needs to seriously address the racism of the United States Government,
which is
using Aboriginal Indigenous Peoples’ money and resources to
intentionally
create a messed-up, factioned Indian community. Under
this classic Machiavellian tactic, a few, mostly White,
“Indians” are subsidized in high-paying, status-laden jobs, while under
this
crooked scheme, most of the rest of the “Indians” are confined in
welfare
ghettos, and told they are supposed to be “Indian and free,” and
“Indian and
proud.”
By
learning his language of crooked European English, I see
the White man for who he really is. His
language clarifies the White man’s racist strategies.
What he has done is told the “Indians” that “Indian” is a
wonderful and romantic identity, and has told the “Indians” to go get
their
“Indian traditions.” The real Indian
tradition is selling stolen Aboriginal Indigenous property, and signing
crooked
Treaties (like the 1837 one). But, by
promoting
his Disneyland mythology of caricature Indians, by sending people down
the “Red
Road” which he defines, the White man diverts people away from studying
his
crooked language and culture, and distracts people from having the
power of
knowing who they really are and owning their real identity.
INDIAN RELIGION: The
mainstream Judeo-Christians are
violating their own U.S. Constitution with their legislation
establishing
“Indian Religion” under U.S. jurisdiction.
The Senate Subcommittee recently met in Hawaii (the only state
which
does not have “tribes of Indians”—unless they are turning the
indigenous
Hawaiian people into “Indians”). The
mainstream Judeo-Christians also violated their own Constitution, and
David
Koresh’s Civil Rights, by killing him and his followers.
Whatever happened to “Freedom of Religion?”
I
asked Senator Inouye’s office to send me a copy of their
proposed legislation a month ago. I
haven’t heard from them yet, and probably never will.
There is no provision in the Treaties (which the “Indians,” not
the Aboriginal Indigenous People, signed) giving the United States
Government
jurisdiction over Aboriginal Indigenous Peoples’ burial sites. The “Indian Freedom of Religion Act” is
trying to change this, and give the U.S. jurisdiction over our peoples’
burial
sites using their fictitious “Indians.”
I predict that one of the consequences of this present
“religious
freedom” act will the a “legal” market in stolen grave goods, which
have
already been dug up. They’re covering
up this violence (and the genocide which has been and continues to be
done
against Aboriginal Indigenous people) by having White “Indians,” like
those on the Minnesota Indian Affairs
Council, rebury Aboriginal Indigenous People after their possessions
have been
stolen. The racist piece of
legislation, the “Indian Freedom of Religion Act” is anarchy—where can
an
Aboriginal Indigenous Person take the U.S. and their White “Indians”
flunkies
and sue them? Will the amended “Indian
Freedom of Religion Act” be reciprocal, and give Aboriginal Indigenous
People
the “legal right” to go dig up the “Indian’s” graves, which are in the
Christian cemeteries. Will we be able
to dig up famous White people like George Washington, sell their
artifacts, and
then go bury them someplace else in unmarked graves, so the next
generation can
claim they “never existed”?
The
“Indian Freedom of Religion Act” establishes “Indian”
religion under U.S. regulation, and creates White “Indian Medicine
Men,” like
Big Chief Bucky Head and Holy Man Sargent.
Grand Medicine Man Inouye already has his Department of Interior
flunkies issue licenses to carry eagle feathers, as well as the
feathers
themselves. Do the Government Indian
Medicine Men have an “endorsement” on their laminated plastic “Indian
Card”? One of the most vicious—and most
hidden—strategies of the imperial Indo-Europeans (for at least the last
three
thousand years) has been using an “established” religion, rather than
honest
spirituality, to control and subjugate their people.
David Koresh was simply following the same pattern as the “world
religions,” all of which are dishonest manipulations of human beings,
and all
of which have committed child abuse (how about the “Indian boarding
schools”)
as well as genocide. If these “world
religions” were legitimate, you wouldn’t see any missionaries,
particularly
those who “shoot to convert” along with their secular brothers who
“shoot to
feed.” You don’t see any Aboriginal
Indigenous missionaries, we don’t need to sell people on our
spirituality. I haven’t seen any of the
real Midewiwin
spiritual elders out trying to “convert” people—although there are some
fraudulent “Indian Medicine Men” who make big bucks playing the “Indian
religion” scam.
My telephone number
is (218) 679-2382 and my mailing address is P.O. Box 484, Bemidji, MN
56601.
Wub-e-ke-niew
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