News Collection Diary starting on 9.24.10

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1. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer has release the 2010 tribal relations report:

   The 72-page report, a result of a 2003 state law, highlights more than 650 cooperative agreements, trainings, projects and collaborative efforts in effect between the state and the tribes during the fiscal year, covering every aspect of governmental operations, including economic development, the delivery of human services, environmental stewardship, cooperation on finance and justice issues and education.

   “This report demonstrates the State of Montana’s commitment to sincere and meaningful state-tribal relationships,” Governor Schweitzer said in a press release announcing the report. “We look forward to continuing these historic efforts and strengthening the government-to-government relationship.”

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2. It took about a decade, but the City of Tacoma has its first Native American monument.

   The monument is a cedar statue of a Native American woman. Located in Tollefson Plaza, a place that was once an important village site to the Puyallup people (the first people to occupy Tacoma), she stands 22 feet tall and wears a traditional woven cedar hat and white dress with a Thunderbird design. Her hands are outstretched in a welcoming gesture.

   The statue was carved by Puyallup artist Shaun Peterson (Qwalsius). According to an article published by The Olympian on Aug. 15, when Peterson set out on this project in 2000, the piece was to be only eight feet tall. But thanks to his dream, financial support from the community and some luck in finding a log tall enough, he was able to more than double the size.

   Source: …

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3. Bad pennies keep turning up, so here I am.

   I enrolled specifically to present a question that this group is especially qualified to answer. I’m soliciting your advice.

   In a dKos conversation a commenter described someone as “going off the reservation”. Unless I misunderstand, that’s not exactly a phrase welcome to Native eyes/ears. My reply required that I repeat the phrase, which I was uncomfortable with, but expressed that discomfort only by  putting the phrase in scare quotes, which the commenter had not.

   Since I was at least mildly disagreeing with the contents of the comment, I certainly didn’t want to start a tangential argument.

   Thus I’m asking you guys for your opinions; should I just ignore that kind of thing, or point it out and, if so, what would be the best approach to the desired end?

   Any and all opinions are sincerely appreciated.

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4. …you SHOULD bring up this issue. Consciousness raising is important.

   “Off the reservation” has a connection to another slur, “renegade.” If you look up the dictionary definition, you’ll find some variant of “traitor,” “deserter,” or a person who sells out her people.

   In fact, most Indian “renegades” were the opposite. They were those who fought for people’s right to determine their own lives outside the POW camps. They were, if you will, hard-liners in the struggle for sovereignty and self-determination. Osceola, Tecumseh, Crazy Horse, Chief Joseph and Geronimo were all among these “renegades,” Indians who refused to live where the government demanded they live and died fighting or gave up only when all hope was lost.

   So today, like “off the reservation,” “renegade” is a slur that ought to be a badge of honor.

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