Changing the master narrative: The problem with dressing children as "Indians" for Thanksgiving plays, selfies, and social media outlets

My Facebook feed has exploded today with images of charming little white kids dressed up in feathered headbands, fake braids, and colorful "Indian" clothing. I try, I really do try to change this master narrative by posting informative pieces from real Native peoples living and working today - from Indian Country Today Media Network, Beyond Buckskin, Native Appropriations, Last Real Indians...in the hope that some of this new information would puncture the master (and incorrect) narrative that we Americans continue to tell ourselves about the origins of Thanksgiving.

And it seems I haven't made a dent. This explosion of images and comments proclaiming how "cute" the kids are...proves that all of my efforts are in vain. No one is paying attention. No one gives a shit. No one wants to change the comfort of the master narrative. And why is that? Are we really so vapid as a people that we can't accept that dressing little white kids up as "Indians" isn't appropriate for Halloween or Thanksgiving or ANY time of year?! Is it really that difficult to suggest that perhaps your child or your child's school focus on the truth about this holiday or at least choose a less racist costume?

Sigh.

We have a responsibility to ourselves, to our youth, and to the actual real living Native peoples existing in this land today to change the master narrative, to speak truth about our past, and to stop dressing little white kids up as "Indians." It isn't that hard, I promise.

It starts by recognizing that dressing little white kids up as "Indians" is reinforcing a stereotype and a belief that Indigenous peoples are no longer with us and therefore, are available to us as a source of mockery to be represented any way we see fit. Ah, and there's the rub. Indigenous nations in North America number in the hundreds today - they are still here - and they see what you do. They are not honored. They are not amused. Some choose to ignore our racist behaviors because, quite frankly, they have enough to worry about with the health and wellness and success of their own communities. But for those who do look up, look around, and see how we think of them - as nothing more than a costume to be used on a fake holiday for the amusement of ourselves and our friends?

Take one moment out of your ever-thankful proceedings to stop for a hot second and consider what that might feel like if it was directed at you. Imagine that your life, your history, your identity, your ideals, your cultural practices were constantly belittled and demeaned in the public domain and no matter how loud you shouted that you deserve more respect than that, instead of being heard, you are ignored and laughed at and told to lighten up. How do you feel now?

Feast away. Be thankful that your white privilege is strong and powerful enough to permit your need to dress your children as a fantasy idea of real living peoples. But dump the "Indian" attire. Your kids are not cute dressed in racist and inappropriate costumes, no matter what your friends and family say. If those people think it's cute, then they also need the same smack-down lesson. Just stop.

You should be teaching your children better than that. And for that more appropriate teaching, here is a list of children's books to get you started. Now is a great time to stop contributing to the problem of racist stereotypes of Native peoples and start changing the master narrative:

Beyond the So-Called First Thanksgiving: 5 Children's Books that Set the Record Straight

Why I'm not thankful for Thanksgiving (and you shouldn't be either)

Where to begin. Oh, yes.

Racial and cultural stereotypes.  Romanticized misinformation. Seductive mythology. Historical distortions.

Shall I continue?

Lots of people have corrected the misinformation over the years, quite publicly, and yet we still see “the first Thanksgiving” being taught to kids in schools fully focused on everything in my opening lines, from war bonnets and fringed loin cloths, to noble Europeans feasting openly in friendship with the noble “Indians.” Did you know that the colonists may have raided the Wampanoag food cache just to survive that first winter? That’s not friendly or neighborly; it’s desperate. But instead of punishing these white-faced morons, the Wampanoag taught them better planting techniques and skills the following spring so that they would stop raiding their winter food stores. (Feeling the Thanksgiving love yet?)

Read this for more information about the truth of why that first “thanksgiving” event was indeed a happy one.

Singular perspective.

The story of the “first” mythological “Thanksgiving” is always, always, always told from the European Pilgrim perspective, never from the Native American perspective. Not only is this wrong, it is disingenuous and irresponsible. Try this story on for size - Happy Thanksgiving: An American Indian Perspective.

If you are a parent and you know that your kid’s school is perpetuating this myth and the accompanying stereotypes, then you are responsible to correct this misinformation. Call the school. Complain. Ask for the Native American perspective to be included in the lessons. Talk about why Thanksgiving is a Day of Mourning for many indigenous peoples in this land, instead of a day filled with jubilant overeating and family goofiness. Ask that the students be exposed to some of the original documents from that time period so they can get a more accurate picture instead of fantasy images that have no connection with reality. Case in point:

At least this early school activity says "Native Americans." Small miracles, I suppose. But here's the other problem related to this image...


"Indians are dead, right? A thing of the past?"



When I teach Contemporary Indigenous Rhetorics, or talk to people, even casually, about this subject, the reaction is sadly often reflective of this statement. I'm taking liberties and being blunt, but this is the assumption: Native peoples WERE, not ARE. They existed in the past - the past celebrated by this ridiculous holiday that doesn't "honor" anyone. Rather, this holiday only serves to relegate these vibrant, real, present peoples to a past steeped in Euroamerican myths and misconceptions.

We even apologize badly.

Did you know that every year since 1990, the U.S. President has issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring November to be Native American Heritage Month.

On one hand, it is a positive rhetorical move. On the other, there is no practical action attached to it, which essentially makes the gesture moot. Be honest. Did you even KNOW about this proclamation? Even if you did know, what do you do to celebrate real Native peoples and cultures this month? And don't say "celebrate Thanksgiving." Some schools and towns might hold a "Native American Festival" for a day or a weekend and invite regional tribal peoples and groups to hold dances and traditional craft demonstrations. Good stuff, right? Wrong. We are keeping over 500 federally recognized tribes buried in the past because we can't be bothered to question and reverse our comfortable "truth."

The past is present.

One of my favorite Ojibwe comedians, Jim Ruel, had a great bit in one of his comedy shows (wait, you're thinking, Indians aren't FUNNY?! And they have stand-up comics?! Whaaa? It's ok. I'll give you a moment to watch this clip and then I'll continue with the story):

http://www.myspace.com/nativecomic/videos

Anyway, the bit involves physical gestures that ends with the classic middle finger. His friend asks him if Indians celebrate Thanksgiving and Jim responds, "We do. We call it You're Welcome Day."

Manifest attitude.

From the hideous days of Manifest Destiny when white Euroamericans made it their mission to take everything from Native peoples, from food, clothing, and culture, to ceremonies, identity, land, and life, to today when us white Euroamericans continue this oppression by simply ignoring and not even having the courtesy to acknowledge this devastating reality connected to our "day of thanks" national holiday.

It is disgraceful. And we are culpable. We should care. We could try harder. Maybe it's time for more of us to feel distinctly uncomfortable with this reality and share these facts with our friends and families. Share this post - that's a start. Go ahead and stuff yourself and play silly board games and love Mom's pumpkin pie...but take a moment to acknowledge the truth behind this holiday.

Knowing is the first step.

Harvest feast celebrations have always existed with human populations; but our time to celebrate should also include honoring the truth of the past and acknowledging that Native American peoples still exist as vital, modern cultures who practice traditional beliefs while surviving and thriving. Educate yourself, share the knowledge, and be thankful that you are no longer perpetuating a lie or continuing a stereotyped myth.

Sharing the knowledge is a better beginning.

Every day should be "gratitude season"

Apparently, the rash of "I'm so thankful for (fill in the blank)" status updates on Facebook has something to do with "gratitude season," which is an expression I spied on a friend's feed.

Gratitude season?!

I'm sorry, I really am, for what I am about to do, especially if you buy into this particularly saccharin mode of public expression.

I call bullshit.

But let me tell you why.

Every day of every week and month and year should be "gratitude season." And not just in our hearts (gag), but in very practical, lived ways. Why on earth would we restrict our thanks and expressions of gratefulness to November and December, a time for holidays that I find particularly distasteful anyway, no matter how yummy the mashed potatoes and turkey. But my problem with Thanksgiving will be reserved for another post. And don't even get me started on Christmas. Back to my lack of respect for a "gratitude season."

If you do not take the time during the regular course of your life to thank the people around you, to express your gratitude for tolerance, love, acceptance, a raise, your neighbor's willingness to lend you a ladder, whatever...then you have abdicated your right to complain about the state of humanity. If all of us spent more time thinking about how we could thank the people in our lives who make them better, on the whole, then our society would have a much different and more forgiving and tolerant tenor than it does now.

I know that the folks expressing their thanks publicly are doing so because they care, they love, and they want others to know how sincerely they appreciate people, ideas, services, etc. Putting it in writing somehow lends it, dare I say it, gravitas. A sense of weight and importance and sincerity. Fine. Good! I'm glad to see people spending a minute on such efforts. Now how about doing this every day, all year long? Carry these feelings of gratitude with you into, say, March. Or July. Why wait until a random public sanction allows you or requires you to do so?

And now a word in support of those who aren't participating in "gratitude season." Perhaps you consistently express gratitude and thanks on a regular basis to those you care about and just don't feel like doing so publicly. The pressure will mount on those of us who aren't participating in the form of unspoken eyebrow raises and silent judgments from the people who ARE publicly expressing gratitude and thanks - they may look at our political or humorous or non-grateful status updates and judge us negatively. My, my, look at her - not ONE gratitude post ALL season! Tsk, tsk.

I suppose I'm just getting more jaded and cynical with age. Or maybe I just prefer my humor and politics to be public (much like my writings), while my gratitude and thanks are mostly private affairs, often expressed in handwritten notes at random times throughout the year and not in a socially-established and sanctioned "season." I've had the same problem with Christmas, too, so don't think that I'm just focusing on THIS particular made-up "season." They're all a load of crap designed to make people feel better about themselves as opposed to truly bringing light and love into others' lives.

So, for "gratitude season," I say, "Bah, Humbug!" Spread that love and thanks around during the year - don't just wait until November and December. And on behalf of everyone who finds this idea ridiculous and who won't be posting "gratitude" missives, please don't assume that we aren't grateful...we just prefer expressing it in other ways. ;)