Stop perpetuating the idea that avoiding eye contact = lying. Some of us are just autistic and shouldn’t have to force ourselves to make eye contact just to avoid being called liars.
Same goes for fidgeting. It doesn’t necessarily mean someone’s lying or nervous. It could just be the result of neurodivergence.
Many, many neurotypical people who are not from English-speaking Western culture will also not look you in the eye if you are an authority, because in their culture, that’s how you show respect.
And people with albinism and other low vision conditions often have something called rhythmatic nystagmus, where their eyes move back and forth uncontrollably.
It’s ableist against more groups than just the neurodivergent and it’s ethnocentric, bordering on outright racist, to perceive “not looking you in the eye” as dishonest or disrespectful.
Oh no it IS outright racist. That many Indigenous people don’t make eye contact ESPECIALLY with strangers was widely used against them because: SEE THEY ARE LIARS. DECEITFUL. HIDING THINGS.
I didn’t know that. This is a very important addition to my post.
I heard about a pipeline protest, what’s going on?
There is a proposed pipeline expansion being currently constructed that will bring nearly 1 million tar sands per day from Alberta, Canada to Superior, Wisconsin.
It’s known as the Line 3 Pipeline. Indigenous ppl have been protesting it with the help of allies. As of recently though the situation has escalated to police brutalityand suppression of rights, including treaty rights.
Why is Line3 so bad?
Good question. A brief peek at this map makes it very clear to see why the Ojibwe ppl would be upset.
Pipeline 3 violates several treaties with the Ojibwe people. Treaty rights surpass the authority of even the constitution.
But that hasn’t stopped police from breaking those rights and making over 600 arrests since the protests started.
The placement of it puts at risk the water that 18 million humans and wildlife rely on. That’s 23% of all of public freshwater, nearly ¼ of our entire supply.x
It also will be carrying several kinds of tar sands crude. which is a carbon intensive oil which contains 37% more carbon than conventional oil, meaning worse for our environment than normal oil.
The pipeline would have the climate cost equivalent to 50 coal power plants
The company in charge if it is infamous for it’s spills. They’ve already spilled drilling fluid more than 5x. x
Theyre even abandoning their first attempt at the pipeline once the replacement is constructed because of all the issues it’s had (that’s right, they’ve failed once already) x
As such, Water Protectors have been protesting against it. Going so far as locking themselves to equipment, crawling in pipes, and getting arrested. Anything to stop construction.
Not only that but the pipeline has given cause for concern that there would be an increase in MMIW2SG (Missing and murdered Indigenous Women, 2 Spirit, & girls, a national crisis) The concern is not unfounded.
In March, the anti-violence and anti-human trafficking nonprofit Violence Intervention Project requested reimbursement from Enbridge’s public safety fund for anti-human trafficking efforts associated with the project. x
Recent Timeline of Events & Escalation
July 27th it was found Blue Lives Matter was going to start organizing to “help” the police. x
July 28th the White Earth Nation ordered a 48 hour cease & desist, which Enbridge ignored. x
July 29th HR- 1374, a bill that would allow foreign corporations (like Enbridge) to publically hire state officials to brutalize/kill protesters that disrupt “critical infrastructure” (like pipelines) passes the House and goes on to the Senate. x
July 29th police started using rubber rounds & pepper spray. x
July 30th A vehicle swerved into Water Protectors. x
July 30th Additionally, Enbridge spilled drilling liquid again (called a frac-out) on the same day. x
July 30th 2 Enbridge workers are found in a sex trafficking sting x
August 1st we learn Water Protectors have not been allowed to change out of the clothes covered in the chemicals law enforcement used, their dietary needs have been ignored, and they’ve been treated poorly while in custody. A call to action is posted x
Follow Indigenous creators/media. A good place to start are the ones I’ve linked through out this post & going through the #StopLine3 tags
We’re having a very hard time trying to spread awareness due to media suppression so please spread this like wildfire
Leave comments under (big) creators that pride themselves on being green or eco-friendly asking them to raise awareness.
Answer the call for action and contact the Pennington County Jail and demand humane treatment of Water Protectors. Read the script too if that’s easier:
I am calling today to demand that water protectors are treated humanely and fairly, that their dietary needs are respected and their medications be given properly.
Tweet their accounts as well. Demand humane treatment
@/govtimwalz
@/ltgovflanagan
And contact your state representatives & tell them you WILL NOT vote for them again should this HR-1374 pass. That this bill is against your interests as a constituent & NOT a reflection of your states values.
Different camps have different security practices. Some camps welcome you to come directly there, some want to have you vetted first to protect themselves and their work.
Join Us in The Fight to Protect Our Water
8-2-21
My other posts are getting long and confusing with all the updates. Please reblog thispost.
Stop coming into my inbox asking how you can be a better ally. Natives have already expressed their needs, as an ally it’s up to you to find this information. If you’re expecting me to have this all neatly complied so your job is easier, you’re doing it wrong.
Hey everyone, the Semillas Collective is working to build a clinic to provide culturally integrated healing to their community and id appreciate it if we could boost and share <3
More info on this project by Zapatista community in Mexico:
Also I am on mobile so if anyone could help with translation (found on their IG/go fund me also) and making this post accessible for those who use screen readers I’d be very thankful!
This community still needs help so boost + donate if you can pls! They’re working on getting much needed healthcare to their people who have been defending the land!
The zapatistas are awesome and had better healthcare that Mexico’s capital city not so long ago! They deserve all the help they can get.
Indigenous people gathered in Brasilia for a 10-day protest camp demanding better protection for their land and rights.
Thousands of Indigenous people have marched in Brazil’s capital to press Congress not to pass legislation proposed by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s government that would open their protected lands to commercial mining and agriculture.
According to the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), some 6,000 people from 176 different groups marched on Wednesday towards the National Congress in Brasilia as part of a 10-day annual protest demanding the protection of Indigenous land and rights.
Chanting and holding signs criticising Bolsonaro, participants called for more Indigenous representation in the parliament, where there are currently no Indigenous elected officials.
John Wayne tried to assault Sacheen Littlefeather at the 1973 Oscars. But let’s keep talking about how the “slapping incident” was the award show’s darkest moment ever.
“As she delivered the speech John Wayne was furious. She later said, “During my presentation, he was coming towards me to forcibly take me off the stage, and he had to be restrained by six security men to prevent him from doing so.”
Besides John Wayne’s abhorrent behavior other celebrities like Clint Eastwood, Raquel Welch and Michael Caine also piled on.
John Wayne quote is taken right from a Playboy interview.
Indigenous people in the Arctic: *cause virtually no harm to the environment with their hunting practices / have been sustainably hunting animals forever / have to suffer the consequences of food deserts and sky-high prices no white vegan will ever have to deal with*
White vegans: you know what’s really bothering me…seal hunting…let’s stop that somehow…
According to the ministry of natural resources in Nunavut, the hunters in Nunavut could hunt a ringed seal for each person who lives in Canada every year and there would still be a net INCREASE in the seal population. Traditional Inuit methods of hunting help maintain the environment, because an overpopulation of seals would be a disaster for fish stocks in the territory.
Also, the shit about clubbing baby seals is a racist myth based on the assumption that the Inuit are “savage”, so we white folks could stop repeating that myth
Let’s not forget that because of bioaccumulation & their diet composed of eating predators, these people, despite being in what most would consider ‘the most remote place possible’ suffer more from pollution than the rest of us.
#Repost with @lilnativeboy Reminder that May 5th is the National Day Of Awareness for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women #MMIW & note that 86% of men who commit these crimes are Non-Native *check my last post if you haven’t already*
The Alamo is a sacred indigenous (Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan) burial ground. It’s not just a pretty building in the middle of a city; it is a sacred site which the Texas Historical Commission has repeatedly disturbed. Even during this pandemic, the THC is trying to disturb four indigenous remains from the burial site. Tap Pilam people have been calling for them to stop, their entire tribal website is plastered with the issue, yet the THC doesn’t set up even a sign at the Alamo that acknowledges the sacred nature of the area or the issues of Tap Pilam people today.
Instead of saying “remember the Alamo” please say “remember the burial grounds.” This is a sacred site for Tap Pilam people.
The Texas Historical Commission is currently deciding whether to disturb the remains of four more Tap Pilam ancestors at the Alamo indigenous burial ground. Tap Pilam people have repeatedly asked them to leave their sacred burial site alone. And yes! The THC is doing this in the middle of a pandemic!!!
Please help these indigenous folks preserve something that is very sacred to them & their ancestors! All you have to do is email or call Esther Brickley, they have a script available on their website!
Though I’m guessing the feedback is reserved for US citizens, boosting this will still help a lot if you’re not from the US! The Public comment period ends today.
because I haven’t seen anything posted about it here, the Māori people are currently going through a similar struggle to the people protecting Mauna Kea, where the sacred land at Ihumātau is going to be destroyed and turned into housing. the people who have a right to the Whenua or land have been thrown out by police and there are currently protesters fighting against this. for us the land is such a sacred thing, it’s what gives us our Mana Whenua and it represents what our ancestors fought for. this land was taken from us in 1863, in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the people have been fighting for it since. the choice to start building on it is a fucking disgusting move by Fletcher Building, and honestly not good enough by a government who has done nothing yet to stop this shit from happening
if anyone is near that area, turn the fuck up for our people and help join in the protest. send letters, emails, whatever works best to Fletcher Building and the government, keep talking about this, sign petitions, post about it, make sure everyone is aware that this shit is not good enough. not in 2019, not in a country that supposedly is helping restore our land, but in all reality is just taking the pretty parts of Māori culture and ignoring the rest
“ For The Buffalo that could not dream, German photographer Felix von der Osten chronicles life on Montana’s the Fort Belknap Reservation, where since 1888, the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Native American tribes have raised their families and continued to foster a deeply-felt respect for the land. “
You know what, I have gotten my life limit of looking at pictures of natives that white people have taken. Hell, we still gotta deal with Curtis and his baggage he left. Also, the photographer was there for a month and suddenly can shoot photos with feeling that a Native couldn’t have done with an eye far more clear for having experienced it their whole life?
No, my friends and family, you want to see some amazing work, look into the book, “Shooting Back From the Reservation”, where Native children were given cameras to capture their lives and did so with grace and laughter and leave this German bozo alone.
All right, Fam, I got some pretty horrible hate mail for this opinion of mine so now I’m going to expand on my LOVE for “Shooting Back from the Reservation”, and why I dislike this German man’s photos of Natives.
If you have seen Edward Curtis photos (and who hasn’t?) these were taken in the same vein and tell about as much about Natives as Curtis’ did (which is not a lot).
Posed, un-smiling, dressed in regalia - heck, not one picture that this Felix guy took has anyone who is smiling! Not even the children! All posed and stern, with serious faces - this is not the full reality and isn’t the most important part of our communities! Even in the landscape pictures he conveyed isolation and emptiness when it’s not really like that. How can the land be empty when my grandpa taught me how to speak to it?
Shooting Back was made by Native children who were sharing and exploring different aspects of their LIVES. It shows how life really is within a Native community by young Native people. It’s not someone who showed up on a reservation for a month because his girlfriend had extended family there and took pictures. This is a glimpse of a moment out of their day and holds so many aspects of their life that you cannot view from an outsider’s pictures.
It shows you that there is no one way a Native is suppose to look,
It has chubby babies with big heads and intelligent eyes,
And shows that often our places are run down, and held together with more than a little duct tape, WITHOUT it being poverty porn,
It shows the love of rez dogs and rez cars,
And dads that make funny faces just because he likes to hear you laugh,
It shows a cemetery with too many graves,
And those medicine wheels that your aunt makes when you get a new to you car,
It shows kids playing, goofing around, and laughing!
And standing kinda awkwardly next to a white guy,
And elders that make silly faces too!
But my favorite part of this book is that in a society where our Native youth have some of the highest suicide rates, where they are silenced twofold because not only are they Native but they are also children and apparently that means that you’re not a full person yet, this book gives them a platform for their voice.
And I. I just really love this book. So if you want to see what Native life is, not just the poverty porn and the Edward Curtis wannabes, please check this book out. That is all.
Just bought the book, thanks for the rec!
OMG!!! So excited about that! Please let me know how you like it!
Indigenous people of Tumblr, Native Americans, First Nations, Inuits, Metis, Maoris, Aborigines, I seek learning!
Specifically, I’m asking about indigenous portrayal in films and TV. What are any films or shows about Indigenous culture that are actually made by, and starring, indigenous folk. Or at least, films that portray Indigenous cultures in a way that isn’t inaccurate and insulting.
I know about the film Smoke Signals, and I’ve heard good things about Dead Man (even if it’s directed by a white man, it’s got a very likeable and smart Native character played by Cayuga actor Gary Farmer, as well as good usage of Cree and Blackfoot language. Not to mention his character is a clever riff on the Tonto stereotype.). I also like to think that Deputy Hawk from Twin Peaks is a pretty good representation, even if his Blackfoot mythology may not be super accurate. Correct me if I’m wrong about him tho.
But yeah, hit me up with some other stuff! I’m eager to hear what Indigenous people consider to be good representations of their culture in media. Also musicians, I wanna find some more awesome indigenous musicians to appreciate and support!
My friend is Ojibwe and a dedicated Indigenous researcher and activist. She recently has discovered a number of Ojibwe ponies (also known as the Lac La Croix pony) for sale by a white-owned farm.
This is really important because these ponies are very important to the Ojibwe – these ponies are also the only known Indigenous-developed breed of horse in Canada, and there are only 200 left in the world.
[Image: A girl sitting on an Ojibwe pony and hugging its neck. Image credit to Broadview.]
The fact that there are 200 left at all is incredible at all, because in 1977, Canada took the last known four ponies away to be destroyed, and they were rescued by an Ojibwe man living in Minnesota.
My friend is arranging to have five of these horses brought back home to the Ojibwe, and her elders are already planning a welcome ceremony for these horses. If anyone has anything to spare, it would be a huge help to bring them home.
Artist Statement: Shawi is the name of an indigenous group inhabiting a spit of land in the Province of Alto Amazonas, in the depths of the Peruvian jungle. Even when living two days away from the closest city, over the course of centuries, they have lived in complete isolation, resisting and holding out against the indifference and ignorance of the Peruvian State.
In the late nineteenth century people came to extract rubber from their trees, in the twentieth, they cut them down to use their timber and since then, they come for the oil beneath their feet. Nevertheless, because of their striving, the Shawi people have managed to keep more territory than other indigenos groups and they have become throughout the years a symbol of the indigenous communities’ struggle to preserve their land from the ever-growing interest in exploiting its rich natural resources.
They are one of the least studied groups living in the Amazon Rainforest, however, one of the largest in number, with 13,000 inhabitants scattered through the jungle. They bare an ancient way of unabridged coexistence with the forest, by learning about their mystical powers guided by shamans. These shamans foster Shawi’s religious magic by developing their knowledge of plants and have always been highly respected in the Amazonian legends because of their voluntary isolation. Many of these important lessons are disclosed when speaking Ayahuasca. The initiation ceremonies for the taking of Ayahuasca are carried out between the headwaters of the Paranapura and Sillay rivers since before the Inca period. It is a vine that has psychotropic properties which enable communication with the spirits of the forest.
TW: Transphobia, mentions of violence, residential schools, mentions of death and abuse, cursing
Everyone can miss me with that “Canada is better than the US” shit because it’s not. We are no better and to say we are is a blatant lie.
First, the bodies of 215 Indigenous children were found in a mass grave at a residential school site in Kamloops, B.C.. These children were killed by the residential school system. Residential schools are not a “dark chapter” in our history, they ARE our history. Canada was built on cultural genocide. The last residential school in Canada closed in 1996. My parents, who are not yet 50, got MARRIED that year.
Then, I find out yesterday morning that a transgender Tik Tok creator I follow, who’s from Quebec, got attacked. She was the victim of a goddamn hate crime and I wouldn’t have heard anything about it if I wasn’t a follower of hers.
I’m just so tired and angry and I want to do more to fight all of the injustices that are happening here but until I move out I’m not gonna be in a position to do so.
