Indian Health Center

Who is taking advantage of American Indian rights and privileges? Anybody that can convince the front desk they are "INDIAN". Now when white men stumbled upon America they spread they word they found Indians...thinking they were like those of India not a different kind of peoples from what would be called America. This mistaken identity has held strong since the misidentification! I prefer Native American, as I am.

The United States government has given Native Americans certain rights and privileges for the deceit, raping and pillaging of their lands which we now call our home--as we share with one another in some respects. There are cities, there are states, there is Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands and there is Tribal Lands. One thing I know about Tribal Lands is that the Native Americans get a way to make money...casinos and gambling is reserved for them and should be on Tribal Lands. But that has gone array and casinos and card rooms are everywhere. So sue ya.

Native American art processes and likenesses are extra protected--no copying, please, or else. This includes sculpture, paintings, ledger art, blankets, rugs, pottery, clothing, etc. But did you also know they receive privileges like schooling and health care?

I went to the Indian Health Center off of Meridian Avenue in San Jose, CA yesterday and was appauled to see non-"INDIAN" peoples. Yes, we can change the name to Native American to make it loud and clear...these services do not pertain to East Indian peoples who are more recent immigrants and have not gone through some of the atrocities that the Native Americans have gone through...were your children torn from your arms, taken to a boarding school, told their culture was devilish, and raped and murdered while there? Some returned to their families but with a disconnect and disrespect for their own culture...or so badly bruised they have become alcoholics?

Likewise, there were Mexican peoples also receiving services, black people--happy as a clam, and Asians. Most, not mixed blood. I being Native American was denied free services and quoted a very high price--quite out of my range $294.00 for a first dental check-up.

So where do we go from here? Change the name. Stop the mislabeling. And quit employing Mexicans. Quit thinking Mexicans and Native Americans are the same thing. They are quite different cultures. Mexicans are war people, they are cannibals and they are of Central America near the equator. Native Americans had Council between Nations, lived in Northern America and ate from the Buffalo, Deer, Fish and gathered from the lands.

*My wish is for a Powwow to be televised if that would be permitted...

Song selection: "Indian Outlaw" by Tim McGraw

"Pray to the Lord" by Fawn & Dallas

"God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood

Video: Celebration of Powwow I The Living History of Native American Gatherings

Class Notes: Teaching Appreciation and Understanding for Native American Music and Culture