The Forgotten Race

I often hear people from different ethnicities talk about how their race is “dying out” or being “watered down”. These feelings can often root from ethnocentricity(the belief that ones ethnicity is supreme over others) this is also the reason as to why many are against interracial marriage.There is often talk of oppression and abuse of the race. However, many of the cultural traditions of these ethnicities still prevail. Whether it is through food, clothing, decorations, or even religious practices. However, there is one race that is often left out. That is the Native Americans.

The Native Americans inhabited the United States for years beyond the “Americans”.They were used in the beginning by settlers and eventually slaughtered and moved by them due to the settler’s belief of Manifest Destiny.President Andrew Jackson even made a legal policy, the Indian Removal Act, to push the already moved Native Americans even further west.He then passed another policy which resulted in the deaths of over 4000 Cherokees!17,000 in all were forced from their homes to embark on the “Trail of Tears”. Many still struggled after this, as they were confined to reservations, raped, murdered, and ridiculed. In 2003, an estimated 2 million Native Americans inhabited the states. You may say that this is a lot but our total estimated population as a continent is over 300 million. Caucasian people make up for roughly 75 percent of our total population,Hispanic account for fifteen percent and African American represent roughly 13 percent. Wow-2 percent.

As I mentioned many races and ethnicities still hold cultural traditions and many are integrated  into mainstream America. However, other than the occasional “artwork” you see in a Dollar Store or the bead work that makes it’s return into fashion every decade or so, what piece of Native American culture is seen in America?

Native Americans face extreme cases of poverty, and health problems. Including the popularly laughed upon disease of alcoholism.-Along with high rates of heart conditions, diabetes, and mental illness. They also lack proper health care.Although many acts have been passed to assist the Native Americans, the conditions of the acts though make it difficult for many to actually obtain the help. The American Indians are actually the most impoverished of all races here in America.Only one percent of American Indians own their own business.They have the highest teen suicide and teen pregnancy rates, highest high school drop out rate and the highest unemployment rates. Wow, that’s a lot of hardships for someone in the “home of the brave and land of the free.” But let’s not forget that the origin of this term excluded minorities including the Native Americans. All of this is due to lack of education, skills, effective planning,etc. It is said that Native Americans have many natural resources that they could use for bettering their lives. And  they do have many natural resources in their possession, however they are not truly in their possession-they have no control over them-our government does(even though most tribes have their own governments).

And so, many ethnicities are being mixed which in turn leads to the conception that they are dying out. However, their traditions, culture, stories, and descendants are still being passed on. However, the original inhabitants of our country will not have descendants to pass stories to.

Image via Wikipedia