In the Columbian exchange it is obvious that the old world European countries had an advantage whilst trading.  Although if that was unfair is disputable because although the Indians might have traded something of much more value in England like gold or spice and got in return things of much less value like glass beads.  The Indians were not held against their will in the trade they willingly gave up their items.  Some could even speculate their loss of valuables was there fault because of their ignorance.  Then again you have to way in the fact that not only were the native Americans getting a bad deal they were also being infected with diseases their immune system had never seen before and were completely fatal.   This is due to the domesticated animals that the Europeans and which were new to the Native Americans.  So the Native Americans were exposed to the diseases of the Europeans through livestock.  Once again though the Europeans showed the Native Americans steel and rifle not to mention the huge variety of working animals mainly the horse which greatly improved the life of all Native Americans.  They also were unskilled in these arts though and when they started to rely on them they were wiped out by the Europeans who were more trained to operate the machinery.  Because of the fact that this exchange led to the entire abolishment of the old Native American ways I think it is safe to say that it wasn’t fair to the Native Americans.  But if we were just talking about if trading two things that aren’t of equal value but are in one mans mind I’m torn to say whether or not that is fair and it really isn’t my place to speculate.

Why does the picture look so bleak for certain tribes? There is a lack of comprehensive, accessible healthcare inclusive of the whole life span. There are the multitudinous disparities seen in the social determinants of health. And finally, U.S. policies over 200 hundred years have likely contributed to the health status of federally recognized tribe members and by ethnic Indians.

The Indian Health Service is charged with providing health services for members of federally recognized tribes. They state on their “About Us” page that, “The IHS provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 564 federally recognized tribes in 35 states.”

Having worked for several years at an IHS hospital, I have nothing but praise for those providing care to American Indians with a lot of “making do” and workarounds. They are earnest and talented. However, services are in fact shrinking rather than becoming more comprehensive as is IHS stated goal. For example, in 1991 the Santa Fe Indian Hospital was a “full service” hospital. It had an emergency room, intensive care unit, a step-down unit, labor-and-delivery, a 29 bed medical pediatric service, surgery and outpatient clinics. By 1995, critical care levels had decreased to urgent care and step down only. Today its size, level, operational hours and services provided are almost unrecognizable by comparison. This facility serves nine Northern Pueblo Tribes in New Mexico. It is but one example of shrinking services.

My interest is largely in aging. IHS has had little funding or focus for eldercare beyond swing bed demonstrations and small grant programs. Tribes themselves have had some innovative programs and can fill some gaps. Culturally, elders are treasured and one would hope for more solid efforts by the IHS. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act has been folded into the Affordable Care Act new provisions for eldercare have been authorized, but unfunded. On the one hand this was a coup as the IHCIA was previously left to languish for years and years without re authorization. However, no one can say what the health law will look like in practice, let alone the American Indian provisions.

One view of health is that a relatively small portion of one’s health status is the result of healthcare utilization. A large component of one’s health is manifested from social determinants of health, genetics, and any resulting behaviors. If solid education, poverty eradication, job building, optimum nutrition, clean water, safety, housing, drug and alcohol programs, and language and culture revitalization contribute a larger percentage to one’s health than the healthcare system does, then maybe we shouldn’t be cutting these programs to bolster healthcare. Instead, we need complete, sustained attention and conviction in Indian country around these “causes of the causes”.

Historical trauma has undoubtedly fed into the health and well being of America’s indigenous people. This is trauma suffered by one’s ancestors and is manifested in the present day individual. Historical trauma can result in depression, anxiety, loss of role, identity, shame and all the behaviors that may be sought to alleviate the these conditions. A further complication is that there may be contemporaneous individual trauma occurring. Homicide, suicide and violence numbers are all elevated for American Indians by comparison to U.S. all races numbers. Historical trauma in part is a result of the federal policy periods beginning in the 1800s, such as removal, reservation, termination, and allotment and assimilation. American Indians were not granted citizenship widely until the Snyder Act in 1924. These policies and the histories they generated are undoubtedly feeding into the health of American Indians today.

With earlier onset of disease, shorter life spans, higher levels of poverty, lower levels of education and the lack of truly comprehensive care, Indian Country needs focused attention, assistance, and an influx of real dollars for health and infrastructure. Health care for American Indians was to have been an unquestioned provision, as a result of lands already ceded, treaties signed and law. Unfortunately, I have been a nurse for over 20 years and the things I saw then I am still writing about today. The status quo is deafening. Again I ask, where is the moral outrage and where is the call to action?

In “The Heroic Death of Custer”, he is the last man standing until he is shot down by a Native American. In “Custer’s Last Fight” he and three others are the last ones standing against a wave of braves coming quickly toward them. It depicts a courageous Custer dressed in his buckskins pointing his revolver out of the frame. I find that the two depictions of what is called “Custer’s Last Stand” both have American bias due to the vehement emotions of the American people after what the Sioux and Cheyenne did to the great American cavalry. However, “Custer’s Last Fight” is more believable due to the fact that in “The Heroic Death of Custer” he is not wearing his buckskins, which was what he was actually wearing during the fight. Also, the second picture shows Custer wearing a hat; however one can see that his hair is cut shorter than in the first picture. It can be concluded that McCracken, the artist of the second picture had more knowledge of the truth of the battle than did the artist of the first. Both pictures, though, show how Americans viewed the Sioux and Cheyenne’s victory at Little Bighorn: Custer died at the hands of savages. With that in mind, it was not surprising that the American government would launch an even bigger attack the next time around.

            The American government was growing increasingly agitated with the actions of the Great Plains Native American tribes. The recent annihilation of the 7th Cavalry caused the U.S. government to become overwhelmed by anti-tribal sentiments among the American people. The government had other issues such as many tribes’ refusal to sell the remainder of their territory to the United States and the persistent negotiators from the tribes who came to try and talk with congressmen to help them out. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills, the second treaty of Fort Laramie of 1868 which acknowledged the abandonment of the Bozeman trail and guaranteed the Sioux exclusive power of South Dakota west of the Missouri, (History-Q15) was broken by the same soldiers who were meant to keep treaty breakers out. They deserted the military and went in search of their own gold. This was it for the Sioux who were tired of treaty after treaty becoming broken promises and so in 1875 they left their reservations defiantly “outraged over the continued intrusions of whites into their sacred lands in the Black Hills” (Rosenberg-A3) and (Connell-J1) Problems such as a failure in the Indian Affairs Bureau in 1876 caused them to be unable to send the regular supplies to the tribes. Due to this shortage of supplies, many traveled north to Sitting Bull’s reservation to join him. (Jackson 177-F4) The U.S Army dispatched three columns to bring the Natives back to their reservations. (Connell-J2)

            In a trip to what was supposed to be Washington D.C. Sitting Bull and Colonel Allen stopped in Philadelphia so that Sitting Bull could speak in front of an audience of scholars. A young man, who had grown up a Sioux native heard Sitting Bull’s speech and translated it properly into English.

“My friends, white people, we Indians are on our way to Washington to see the Grandfather, our President of the United States. I see so many white people and what they are doing, that makes me glad to know that some day my children will be educated also. There is no use fighting any longer. The buffalo are gone, as well as the rest of the game. Now I am going to shake the hand of the Great Father at Washington and I am going to tell him all of these things.” (Rosenberg-A4)

However, the young Man was astonished when he heard a horrible mistranslation by Colonel Allen which had made it sound like Sitting Bull had described his bloody triumph at Little Bighorn. The audience’s hatred towards Sitting Bull was obvious and visiting the president was not on his itinerary. He would not see the president nor would he get the affection of the white people. In fact, his mistranslated speech made the relations between tribes and the white people much worse.

            After all of these events, it is not difficult to understand why the U.S. government would have taken any excuse to deal with the tribes once and for all. By finding a scapegoat, they would be able to confiscate the remainder of the tribal lands and control the unruly Sioux and Cheyenne better. That excuse came in 1870 in the form of a ritual called: The Ghost Dance.

            The first Ghost Dance originated from the Paiute dreamer Wodziwob and it spread from 1871 to 1873 among the Northwest tribes in California and Oregon. It soon died down as it faded or was turned into other rituals. The second came from Wovoka, also a Paiute whose father had worked closely with Wodziwob. History.com describes how Wovoka came up with the Ghost Dance. “During a solar eclipse in January 1889, he had a vision of dying, speaking with God in heaven, and being commissioned to teach the new dance and millennial message.” (History-M) His vision combined with a “dormant dancing religion aimed at communication with the dead became a dream of a heaven on earth for the Indians and spread over the Plains like a wind.” (Rosenberg-A9) Native Americans came from all over to learn from Wovoka, therefore the Dance spread to the Missouri River, the Canadian border, the Sierra Nevada and northern Texas. By 1890 it had reached the Sioux. (History-M) Kicking Bear and other Sioux ambassadors went to Wovoka and were

“Led way up a great ladder of small clouds through an opening in the sky until they came to the Great Spirit and his wife. Then from an opening in the sky they were shown all the countries of the earth. He promised the Indians would be his chosen people if they obeyed him.” (Rosenberg-A9)”

The Sioux loved the Ghost Dance because most of the bands had suffered harshly and for a long time in their reservations. Game was nearly nonexistent, supplies and annuities were frequently stolen by officials and many lived on the verge of starvation.(History-Q21) From 1886 to 1890 they had suffered: the loss of crops due to commissioners keeping them in conferences during harvests, a drought, and the supplementary meat ration had been cut by at least half. (Rosenberg-A8) Since the Ghost Dance promised the coming of a messiah, the disappearance of all white men, the return of the buffalo herds and the lifestyle they supported, and a reunion with all deceased tribal members, the Sioux people embraced this last ray of hope with all that they had. (History-Q20)

            The Ghost Dance was “a dance in which dancers would spin in a huge circle around a tree hung with ceremonial cloths, shouting, screaming and building their actions to a hypnotic frenzy. Some would fall to the ground in a trance and come back with insights, explanations and promises.” (Rosenberg-A10)

Short Bull and Kicking Bear, two Sioux apostles of the Ghost Dance invented the “ghost shirts” which were “flimsy cotton shirts emblazoned with magic symbols such as the sun, moon, stars, and other nature signs. It supposedly would stop bullets. (A-10)

The United States believed the Ghost Dance religion threatened an already uneasy peace so it sent out officers to arrest its leaders. In 1890, Sitting Bull was ordered to stay away from Ghost Dance gatherings, he curtly refused. So while resisting arrest, on charges that he would help lead the Ghost Dance movement that would help restore the Sioux culture, Sitting Bull was accidentally shot and killed on December 14th by Lakota police (History-Q22) and (History-R3) The efforts made to outlaw the Ghost Dance caused the Natives to become irritated with the interference with their religion. According to the U.S. Constitution, Americans had freedom of religion and the government had no right to get involved with religion. However they did. (Rosenberg-A12)

On December 29, 1890, the revitalized 7th Cavalry surrounded the Sioux at Wounded Knee, an encampment of nearly five hundred lodges of Ghost Dancers, mainly Brule Sioux from the Rosebud Reservation who had taken refuge at the northwest corner of the reservation.(Utley-C3) They began fighting over a young brave’s new rifle. A single shot was fired from the inside of the group of men and a trooper fell. After this, the 7th Cavalry with the assistance of machine guns fired from close range into the mass of Chief Big Foot’s Miniconjou Sioux who were armed only with clubs and knives they had hidden within their blankets. Those who fled were pursued and killed, some miles from the camp. A witness and survivor of Wounded Knee, Wasu Maca, reflects on the aftermath of the massacre. “I looked back at the camp. My wife and child were laying there motionless. A few paces away were my old mother and father, my sister, and, beyond them, my two younger brothers. All of them were dead. I waited there in the snow beside the bank and prayed for death.” (Miller-B11) It is impossible to rationalize killing women and children in this situation. There is no reason to kill men, never mind women and children in general. The massacre at Wounded Knee was without a doubt part of a genocide that has been going on for ages, ever since Powhatan had trouble getting along with the Jamestown colony.

When everything was over, over two hundred Sioux were dead (History P2): forty-four of which were women, and sixteen children. They were buried in a mass grave the following spring. In addition to the horrible loss of innocent Sioux lives, thirty American soldiers were killed. (History-P5) It is said that the gun had been fired by accident from the gun of Sitting Bull’s deaf and mute son who could not hear the order to disarm. After the first shot went off, the soldiers let loose everything they had. There was no way unarmed men, women and children could have a chance. Mounted soldiers then ran after them and cut them down with their sabers, then fired using Hotchkiss guns to destroy everything in the village including people, horses and dogs. (Miller-B10)

General Nelson A. Miles, who had tried to prevent an “armed collision”, sought to prosecute the 7th Cavalry officers responsible for the Wounded Knee Massacre. However, instead of being prosecuted, twenty-nine Medals of Honor were awarded by Congress to soldiers who participated in the campaign against the Sioux, twenty three of which were specifically awarded for Wounded Knee. (Miller-B13)

Even Wasu Maca stated that he did not want war with the whites. He claims the white men, by the winter of 1890 “were fearful that the Ghost Dance would lead to an armed intertribal outbreak.”

Both the American and Native American sides recognized the Ghost Dance as a possible spark for violence; however it in itself was truly not a dangerous dance at all. It was a dance of hope for the Sioux, and hope was all they had left. Then that hope was destroyed when Wounded Knee happened and the Sioux tribe surrendered to the American government completely. On January 15, 1891, the Sioux leaders surrendered and the last “Indian War” was over. (Utley-C10)

The 7th Cavalry attacked the Sioux at Wounded Knee due to their already prejudice attitude toward the Sioux. Little Bighorn was a slap in the face for the inflated ego of the U.S. Military. The loss of their 7th Cavalry in one day was a cause for anger and a desire for revenge. By the time the Ghost Dance had evolved into a widely accepted ritual in Sioux encampments, the United States had already been watching it, seeing it as an opportune moment to strike down the Sioux. The government claimed that the Ghost Dance was threatening the already uneasy peace of the tribes in that area. Therefore because they continued to practice it, the military was sent to take care of the “problem”. Behind the scenes, the American government was using the Ghost Dance as a scapegoat to hide the fact that they wanted the Sioux crushed. If the Sioux could not fight back, then the government would be free to claim the remaining parcels of their territory.

All in all, the Ghost Dance was a leading cause of the Wounded Knee Massacre, but not because it was a threatening ritual, but because the government saw it as a way to attack with a reason. At that point in time, Americans were all about land, money and power. They wanted more land, cheaper, and to control those who used to own the land.

They succeeded in getting that land for cheap and in the process destroyed thousands of years of rich, Native American culture. Black Elk, a member of the Oglala Sioux said in his book Black Elk Speaks, “I did not know then how much was ended…I can see that something else died there in the bloody mud, and was buried in the blizzard. A people’s dream died there. It was a beautiful dream. (History 04)

Works Cited

“Battle of the Little Bighorn” History.com. Web. 28 Apr.2011. http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-the-little-bighorn ( T)

Connell, Evan S, and Robert M. Utley. “The Battle of the Little Bighorn. 1876. “Eyewitness to History-History Through The Eyes of Those Who Lived It. Web. 27 Mar. 2011. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pfcuster.htm (J)

“Ghost Dance” History.com.Web. 25 Apr, 2011. http://www.history.com/topics/ghost-dance (M)

“Great Battle With the Indians” Helena Herald [San Diego] 4 July 1876.Web.27 Mar. 2011 http://www.astonisher.com/archives/museum/first_newspaper_big_horn.html (I)

“Heroic Death of Custer.” Cartoon. Web. http://history1800s.about.com/od/americanoriginals/ig/Custer-and-the-Little-Bighorn/Heroic-Death-of-Custer.htm (G)

Jackson, Helen. A Century of Dishonor: A Sketch of The United States Government Dealings With Some of the Indian Tribes (1900) . Boston: University Press. 1885. Print.

(F)

“Little Horn Massacre, The.” New York Times [New York] 25 July 1876. New York Times. New York Times. Web. 27 Mar. 2011.http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0625/html  (K)

McCracken. “Custer’s Last Fight.” Cartoon. Web. http://history1800s.about.com/od/americanoriginals/ig/Custer-and-the-Little-Bighorn/Custer-s-Last-Fight.htm (H)

Miller, David Humphreys. “Echoes of Little Bighorn.” American Heritage. June 1971: p.38-39 (hardcopy) p.1-15 (online printout) Print. (B)

“Sioux” History.com. Web. 25 Apr. 2011 http://www.history.com/topics/sioux (Q)

“Sitting Bull” History.com. Web. 25 Apr.2011 http://www.history.com/topics/sitting-bull (R)

 Rosenberg, Marvin and Dorothy. “There Are No Indians Left Now But Me.” American Heritage. June 1964: p.1-8 (online printout) p.19 ( hardcopy) Print. (A)

Utley, Robert M. “The Ordeal of Plenty Horses.” American Heritage. December 1974: p.15 (hardcopy) p. 1-9 (online printout) Print. ( C )

Utley, Robert M and Washburn, Wilcomb, E. The American Heritage History of The Indian Wars. Japan: American Heritage Publishing Co. Inc. 1977. Print. (D)

Wertz, Jay. The Native American Experience. London: Sevenoaks. 2011. Print. (E)

“Wounded Knee” History.com. Web. 25 Apr. 2011 http://www.history.com/topics/wounded-knee (P)

Works Consulted

“American Indian Wars” History.com. Web. 27 Apr 2011. http://www.history.com/topics/american-indian-wars (S)

“Black Elk” History.com. Web. 27 Apr.2011. http://www.history.com/topics/black-elk (O)

Chief Seattle’s Address to the President

How The West Was Won: Lakota: A Good Day To Die. Discovery Channel / Time Life. Videocassette.

Lewey, Guenter. “Were American Indians the Victims of Genocide?” George Mason University’s History News Network. Web. 25, Apr 2011. http://www.hnn.us/articles/7302.html (L)

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s-z/wovoka.htm

“U.S. Army massacres Indians at Wounded Knee” History.com. 27 Apr. 2011. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-army-massacres…  (N)

Various American Heritage Magazine Articles From the Following Editions: 10/1976, 12/1975, 4/1962, 6/1971 p 38-39, 6/1964 p19, 10/1971 last page picture, 12/1973,

12/1974, 10/1967, 4/1973 p 5-6+17, 6/1977, 10/1966, 12/1990, 4/1996 p38

http://www.Wikipedia.org/ghostdance

http://www.wikipedia.org/Wovoka

Five hundred years ago, Native American tribes lost 1,854,000,000 acres of ancestral land to white settlers and their expansion. A few gave up their land in unfair trades but many were forced off their land by American explorers, settlers and military men. In the 1960’s Native American activism began to emerge nationwide along with the rest of the civil rights movement. Now that Native Americans have finally had their chance to speak freely about their hardships, American citizens are looking for the truth about why Native American health, education and economic averages are below national standards in many Native American reservations. They are lacking basic healthcare even as the rest of the nation worries about their pre-existing coverage changing. Education is not any better. Many Native American teenagers drop out of high school due to the fact that their employment options are few. Therefore, the reservations’ economies have been failing, diving farther into economic problems than those of the nation they live in. The United States’ government is not providing Native Americans the three basic rights of an American citizen: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

            One might think that Native Americans should simply leave their reservations to get proper healthcare, education and careers. However, it is not this simple. To a Native American, their reservation is not simply territory. It is their home, and every neighbor is a part of a larger family they call their tribe. Reservations are more closely knit than most people would know. Many Native Americans would rather not leave their reservation due to the fact that they usually do not have friends outside the reservation. Also, their traditions and cultures tend to make “outsiders” think badly of them, so many Native Americans would rather not leave the reservation even for serious health reasons. Therefore, healthcare is provided within, although it is most often, not the greatest. Native children were taken off of reservations to be “whitewashed” in schools such as the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is known that some brave high school graduates have tried to leave reservations to study in universities but have returned before graduation due to the fact that life outside their reservation, away from their tribe, is difficult. These are only a few reasons as to why a Native American would not want to leave his or her reservation. Ben Nighthorse Campbell wrote a letter to the Los Angeles Times; part of his letter stated: “ At the time of Columbus’ arrival in the New World, Native Americans had advanced cultures with strong family structures, devout religious beliefs, representative and elective governments, respect for elders, sophisticated medicine and an ecologically sound way of life.” For those who complain about how Native Americans would be better off if reservations did not exist: reservations are a way of keeping tribes together and keeping the old ways. Tim Giago, editor and publisher of the Lakota Times stated that “We (Native Americans) are not living in the past when we talk about our sacred treaties, sacred sites or the visions handed down to us through the oral history of our ancestors. We are talking about yesterday, today and tomorrow. To us they are all one and the same.” Native Americans would rather live in their ancestral land than in some foreign territory they were forced onto. It was also stated that “The modern Indian rights movement is rooted in reverence for land. Native Americans have never forgotten the vast territory they surrendered to the U.S. government more than a century ago. At the same time, they retain a deep attachment to the land they still hold. For tribal Indians, land is more than a source of food and work. It is an integral part of their religion and world view.” (Worsnop) Reservations were not needed before the white men landed on the shores of the “New World”. They were a white man’s creation and now the descendents of he who invented the reservation are complaining about how Native Americans would be better off leaving them. One positive aspect is that every reservation is treated as sovereignty. “This means that many local, state and federal laws are suspended on Indian territory.” (Querry 48) Sometimes the question of “Should America just have left it all alone in the first place.” arises and the answer tends to be “yes”. If European settlers had never been rude to the Native Americans in the first place, there would not be so many disputes over territory and legal rights today. However, there are also disputes over the quality of Native American health as well.

            Native American healthcare is poor. In reservations, for every 100, 000 people there are only 96 doctors and 251 nurses. For the general population, for every 100,000 people, there are 208 doctors and 672 nurses. This shows that although they do receive medical attention it is nowhere near the amount of medical attention the general population of the United States receives. It is difficult to comprehend how Native Americans, those who were here before the “Founding Fathers” of the United States of America, could be ignored as they are today. They suffer from diseases that average Americans do not normally acquire due to the fact that most Americans have easy access to many doctors and hospitals. This is never a good thing especially when easily treatable illnesses and disorders are on the rise on many reservations.

Suicide and alcoholism are two of the major causes of death for Native Americans.  Many of those deaths are teenagers who drop out of high school or just do not receive enough education about the dangers of alcohol abuse. According to an article from CQ Researcher Online, $70,000 was taken from a juvenile alcohol abuse prevention program to finance a fitness retreat for the Indian Health Service managers. While Native American healthcare nears oblivion, greedy “outsiders” take funds that are rightfully the native’s and use them for their own gain.

Another factor that leads to teenage suicide is the use of Native American names for sports teams. Susan Shown Harjo, president of the Morning Star Foundation in Washington D.C. “feels very strongly that Indian names for sports teams, such as Chippewas, Braves, Apaches and Chiefs, lower the self esteem of Native American teenagers and thus contribute to their high suicide rate.” To put this into comprehendible terms, the teenagers believe that they must live up to the name of the team but many of them feel as though they never can. Other times, teenagers feel as though the crowds who boo the team are really booing and jeering at them, rather than the team itself. Lastly, many gymnasium floors have a picture of the team mascot on the floor. When thousands of people walk all over that mascot, especially if it is a stereotypic face or emblem, it hurts emotionally. It would be as if a picture of Jesus was painted on the floor of a famous school and many basketball teams and teenage dances walked all over it, without a care in the world. To many Native American teenagers, seeing non-Native Americans carelessly step on a face of an “Indian” or scream “war chants” and wave tomahawks at football games hits home hard and scars them emotionally. It is essentially a form of emotional harassment towards Native Americans. Many high schools and colleges across the nation have accepted the fact that “portraying Native Americans as one dimensional warrior figures robs them of their dignity.” (Worsnop) Other teams such as the Washington Redskins refuse to change. Their owner, Jack Kent Cooke states: “‘The name was never intended to offend anyone.’ A Redskin’s policy declares, ‘Over the long history of the Washington Redskins, the name has reflected positive attributes of the Native Indian such as dedication, courage and pride.” If one were to ask ten Native American teenage boys across the country whether they agreed with Mr. Cooke’s statement, it would be probable that at least six out of the ten would disagree.

Other surprising causes of death include: depression, diabetes, tuberculosis and sudden infant death syndrome. Such things as depression and tuberculosis are usually easily treatable, however in Native American reservations, such a level of healthcare is not as easily provided, and so many more people die from these illnesses than is usual in the United States. As a matter of fact, death rates from tuberculosis and alcoholism alone are 650% higher than the overall United States’ rates. Suicide rates of Native American teenagers are three times higher than that of the general youth population of the United States. (Katel) Part of the blame should go towards the fact that according to the 1980 census, 392,000 Native Americans were living in poverty. One quarter of reservation houses lacked complete plumbing such as running hot and cold water, a flush toilet or an indoor bath of shower. Sixteen percent of reservation house lacked electric lighting. How is a citizen of the United States supposed to maintain their health and proper hygiene when they are still in a state of living in a 3rd world country?

Thankfully, since 1980 laws have been passed that help to raise the standards of living in a reservation. One law protects against child abuse, as it ensures that workers dealing with Native American children do not have criminal records. In addition to this law, if anyone knows about a worker with a criminal background does not report it, and later gets exposed, they will be fined. Another law provides funding for immunizations, mental health care, child abuse treatment, health awareness and disease prevention. However, currently, in Arizona’s San Carlos Apache Reservation, they are dealing with a fatal methamphetamine epidemic. The Upper Plains and West Native American reservations are the third largest group of methamphetamine users. This is another negative aspect of Native American health. Many teenagers on Native American reservations face alcoholism and drug abuse. The worst part is that help is not as available to them as it is to the general population of the United States; so many cases of drug and alcohol abuse go unheard along with other diet problems.

 Eating habits in many reservations are also not to the standards of the average, healthy American. Due to their low incomes, many Native Americans do not have the funds to buy healthy foods such as fresh vegetables so many have no choice but to purchase cheaper, less nutritious, processed foods. This unhealthy trend leads to serious health problems, just as it has to over a million ‘general population’ Americans already.

Overall, the average age of death for all races in 1960 in America was 62 years old. For Native Americans, it was 42. The health of an average Native American is clearly not as high-quality as that of an average person from the general population. Due to problems in government, reservations do not receive enough funding for healthcare and this leads to serious issues in the lifespan of the average Native American. If the government does not provide Native Americans with the funding they require to be as healthy as an average American of the general population, then aren’t they allowing them to become ill and die? The three basic rights of an American citizen are: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How can a Native American ill with tuberculosis, without proper medical attention have life, have liberty and be able to pursue that which makes them happy? The government is not doing what it should to ensure that Native Americans have a fair chance at the three basic rights the United State’s forefathers ensured to all American citizens, and technically, Native Americans were the first citizens since they were here even before the forefathers of the United States were. Native Americans have always had a complex culture and they taught each generation well. However, things have changed since the 17th century. 21st century skills are lacking in many reservations.

            Native American education has not been doing well, now or ever. One out of every five Native Americans, older than twenty five years old in tribes that do not own any form of gambling business have less than a 9th grade education. Of those children who are educated, 90% go to state operated public schools outside of reservations, and 10% of children go to tribal schools, of which many can be described as “condemnable buildings.”(Katel) In the early 1900’s, Native American children were taken from their reservations and sent to white boarding schools such as the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where they were not allowed to speak their native languages. These boarding schools were run by the government and were designed to “whitewash” the “Indians”. This was just another way of trying to forcefully integrate them into the Neo-American culture. These schools tore tribes apart and ruined their culture because the young children were not allowed to practice their culture in these “whitewashing” schools. If the children could not learn or practice their culture then they could not pass on their knowledge of their ancestors to the next generation. Due to the lack of passing on of tribal historical education, the culture overall weakened in many tribes. This caused a decrease in the amount of historical stories and language knowledge, thus many tribes suffered spiritually as well as culturally.

In 2007, the Department of Education spent one billion on Native American education, six million less than 2006. However, the only thing that seems to be helping Native American education is revenue from gambling businesses such as casinos. The revenue is distributed among many categories of tribal life, including the education of their youth. Many tribes have difficulty educating their children because of their economic standings and overall status of schools. While many average American children go to school in well-kept public schools, the average Native American who goes to school on a reservation will not receive the same level of education as one who attends a state-regulated, well kept public school. This low level of enthusiasm towards Native American education leads one to conclude that the government does not care about the Native Americans anymore. The reasoning behind this is that they are merely putting a billion dollars in their fund without thought to what the money will go towards. To the extent of the researched information, there are not nearly as many regulations, laws and standards for Native American schools as there are for state regulated, public schools such as Northwestern Regional 7 High School. Due to the attitude of the government and education officials toward Native American schools, many choose to drop out before their 12th grade graduation. This does not help either the employment rate of the reservation or the overall 21st century knowledge level of the average Native American. There is a sense that the government simply does not care about the education of Native Americans. This apathy towards what some believe to be the most important ethnicity in the United States is reflected in the quality of life in many reservations. The level of poverty, disease, and substandard living conditions are all what one would find in a 3rd world country. However, one must still keep in mind that these words are being used to describe the lifestyle of a Native American in the late 20th and 21st century of the United States of America. This absence of knowledge in Native American reservations leads one to conclude that Native American education is no doubt below national standards.

            Many Native American economies have been suffering more than the average American. This is due to many reasons, one of which being that there are very few employment options on many reservations. Native Americans suffer from “rampant unemployment and underemployment.” (Worsnop) It is a fact that American Indians have the highest unemployment, poverty and disease rates of any ethnic group in the United States. To combat the shortage of jobs and lack of government funding, Native American tribes that reside near populated areas and famous tourist attractions may decide to build casinos.

Casinos have been zproven to increase the standards of three aspects of a Native American lifestyle: health, education and personal economies. However, not only do they bring revenue but also employment opportunities.  According to R.L Worsnop from a C.Q. Researcher Online article, “Indians get $1.3 billion from their casinos and many tribes say that those kinds of revenues are ‘crucial to their economic survival.’ Gambling is a key source of jobs on reservations, where unemployment rates are above 40%, which is not uncommon.” (Worsnop) These gambling centers bring tourists and therefore revenue into tribal hands. Many Native Americans have been able to find work in casinos and this helps both the employment rate of the tribe and the Native American’s well-being. According to an article by P. Katel in CQ Researcher Online: “Two hundred twenty-eight tribes in thirty states opened 367 high stakes bingo halls or casinos in 2004 and earned an estimated $19.6 billion.” These gambling businesses helped to ease the problems created by low government funding. Although casinos have decreased the status of Native American people, they have increased funding for education, health care and tribal government. They are “powerful economic energies for many tribal economies”. (Katel) Overall, fifteen grossed $250 million or more, forty grossed $100 million to $250 million, fifty-seven earned $3 million to $10 million and ninety four earned less than $3 million. (Katel) If properly distributed, even $3 million dollars makes a difference in the lives of Native American tribes. Even those casinos that never make more than five million dollars, still obtain some sort of revenue to help pay for tribal expenses.

Many presidents have not been helping to aid the Native Americans, such as President Reagan in the 1980’s. He cut 1/3 of the federal assistance to Natives. $ 3.5 billion dollars was cut to $2 billion dollars. Very few tribes were able to recuperate and gain revenue from other sources. President Regan also pocket-vetoed a bill that was to provide $100 million for an Indian Redevelopment Finance Commission that was to make loans to Indian businesses. However in 1970, President Nixon reorganized the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Native Americans were given top level bureau positions. Also, federal funding for Indian programs was expanded.

Although the presidents have a large responsibility to fund Native American tribes, there have been some that have successfully funded themselves through ancestral ways. Take the Navajo for example, they decided to grow potatoes, and now they are Frito Lay’s largest supplier of potatoes! (Worsnop) Since they took their financial issues into their own hands and figured out how to make ends meet and beyond, they earn enough to keep the reservation running healthy and also provide enough for a better education than most Native Americans receive in general. However, their potato sales are not enough, and in 2004 they finally approved gambling on their reservation, they only approved it for two reasons: they needed the jobs and the extra revenue it would bring to the tribe. When Native American unemployment on reservations nationwide is 49%, which is ten times the national rate, (Katel) ideas like these bring about positive changes to Native American tribes and eventually help them to recover from their social depression.

As of 2006, the per capita income has increased 20% on reservations to $7,942. In tribes who operate a casino, it has increased 36% to $9,771. Unemployment, on the other hand has decreased five percent on reservations and Native American areas. Child poverty in non-gambling tribes dropped from 55% of the child population to 44%. Times have been changing for many Native American tribes, but when one’s ethnicity makes up a bit more than 1% of the national population, (All percentages and values, Katel) the changes are not seen as prominently as if they were changes made to white populations. Although the Native Americans were here before the forefathers of this nation and the immigrants who came here to escape the countries they hailed from, they were pushed down and disregarded as anyone important. Immigrants from many nations quickly overtook the land the natives called home. In addition, when immigrants were given their rights, not a single thought was spared for the Native Americans, those whose land was now inhabited by strangers. Still today, they do not seem to have the full rights of an American citizen. At least, they technically have the rights, but the government will not approve anything for them, leaving many tribes out of sight and out of mind. If the government is supposed to represent that which it governs and stands for, then how can is represent that which it does not care for? It is common knowledge that in modern times, if one does not have the means to support themselves, then they will not go far.  

In conclusion, Native Americans have been struggling for centuries to catch up to the United States government’s standards of health, education and economy. However, the government has not been trying its hardest to support America’s true founding fathers. Therefore, if they are dying from disease, forced to stay on reservations for their own safety and economic security, how can one say that Native Americans have the same basic rights as the general population of the United States? What does America really owe those who inhabited this land before the white men, those who taught him the ways of this land? What does America fail to give back to those who gave us everything in return for nothing, moved their people almost without opposition? Has the United States failed to provide to the true forefathers of this land, that what Americans declared in their Constitution, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?”

 _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Works Cited

Cooper, M. H. (1996, July 12). Native Americans’ future. CQ Researcher, 6, 601-624. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1996071200

Katel, P. (2006, April 28.) American Indians. CQ Researcher, 16, 361-384. Retrieved March 1, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher.com/cqresrre2006042800

Landers, R. K. (1991, January 18). Is America allowing its past to be stolen?. CQ Researcher, 1, 34-49. Retrieved March 1, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher.com/cqresrre1991011800

Querry, Ronald B. Native Americans Struggle for Equality. Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Corporation, Inc, 1992.

Worsnop, R. L. (1992, May 8). Native Americans. CQ Researcher, 2, 385-408. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher.com/cqresrre1992050800

Minor Sources

Davey, Monica. “Insult or Honor?” The New York Times: Upfront.

Josephy, Alvin M. Red Power.

Image via Wikipedia

I encourage you to review this image in larger detail, then view the image below. Please go to their Wikipedia link and zoom. It is unbelievable what the new settlers of America have done in only a few millennium.

Image via Wikipedia

Romanian language:

     Ai putea crede că fotografiile de mai jos sunt atat de frumos incat ar putea fi realizată numai în Photoshop. Ei bine, te înşeli. Acesta nu este fix asa ca nu, dar o stâncă situată în apropiere de malul lacului Huron unul din America de Nord. Huron trib nativ american, care a dat numele său şi din cauza lac, considerat un loc sfânt. În urma fotografii ale rock, făcute în cursul unui an întreg, începem să înţelegem de ce nativii americani credeau ca spiritele doar ar putea locui într-un loc de o astfel de frumuseţe …

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            “In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Most of America celebrates him as hero in our country’s history, but what exactly did he set in motion? How were both Europeans and indigenous peoples in the Americas affected by fifteenth and sixteenth century European exploration and conquest? When the first European encountered the first Native American, nobody expected the great changes that this meeting would cause. Cultures collided, and both the Americas and Europe would never again be the same. The effects of European exploration of the Americas affected both sides positively and negatively. However, Europeans got the better end of the deal. The contributions of Americans to Europeans were far greater than the relatively small positive effect that Europeans had on Americans.

            Agricultural products and techniques from and to the New World greatly diversified diets, extended lives, and provided increased productivity. Before European exploration and conquest, European diets were bland, and often poor people could only afford bread to eat. Explorers returning from the Americas introduced Europeans to many foods which have become staples of their diet today such as tomatoes, chili peppers, lima beans, string beans, squashes, avocado, cacao beans, tobacco, peanuts, manioc, maize, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes.[1] Out of all these, maize and white potatoes have had the most impact on society. They are easily cultivated and provide an abundance of the carbohydrates necessary to life. Maize is one of the most productive and hardy crops in the world. It can be eaten unripe or overripe, and has an incredibly long shelf-life. Not only is it a delicious and nutritional food, but even its other parts have use. Huts and sheds can be built from its long, straight stalks, and pipes can be carved from their cobs. Potatoes are packed full of nutrients and vitamins such as vitamin C, starch, and protein. In fact, a strictly potato diet is almost enough to stay health. It is easy to farm and very efficient; only a half acre of potatoes could feed a family of five. [2] Europeans did not have foods that could compare with American crops, but they did have one crucial contribution: livestock. The Americas had never before seen beasts such as horses, cows, sheep, pigs, and goats. In fact, one of the only large animals that the Americans had was the llama, which is useless for farm work. Animal labor was a huge improvement in American farming, but the effects of American agricultural exports were far more important and had a larger impact on the world.

            The exchange of products between the New World and the Old World was called the Columbian Exchange; this included the food mentioned, but also included the terrible diseases that attacked unsuspecting, unprotected victims. Diseases transported across the Atlantic Ocean preyed on both sides of the Columbian Exchange. Soon after the first explorers returned from the Americas, people began contracting a disease called syphilis. Often called the Spanish Disease, syphilis was a sexually transmitted disease, but did not have a major impact on European society and could be easily avoided.[3] American germs had little effect on the Europeans, but the same was not true at all for European ones. Europeans brought over deadly diseases such as malaria and smallpox, which were horrible in Europe, but often fatal to the Native Americans. Native Americans had no build up immune system, so they were very vulnerable to these crippling afflictions. As conquistadors and explorers marched through the New World, these illnesses spread out ahead of them, decimating entire populations. Oftentimes, almost entire tribes succumbed to European diseases, and survivors had to join other ones. Estimates put Native population at around twenty million and European diseases killed of about half of them, so ten million people died horrible deaths by diseases alone.[4] The biological battle between the two continents of the Americas and Europe was won by the Europeans in a landslide. Diseases left the Native Americans weak and frightened, and this led to discussion over their fate.

            The American people themselves and their population decay affected both Spain and the Americas profoundly. The indigenous people of the New World were easily conquered by the advanced Europeans with war horses, thunderous guns, and cold steel. To Europeans, the Natives were barbarians because they were very different from the Europeans. They did not have iron or steel, had primitive technology, and often did not even wear clothes. Some people claimed that the Spanish, as a superior, wiser, and more powerful race, had the right to suppress them and force them to work because of reputed bloodthirstiness and cannibalism of the indigenous peoples. It was even argued that the Native Americans were natural slaves because they were skilled in labor. [5] Others, however, said that because the Native Americans had government, religion, and legitimate business, that they should be free to govern themselves. Supporters of Native American freedom claim that their skill in manual labor only proves that they are equal to the Europeans.[6] Debated raged on in Europe about the humanity of the indigenous peoples of the Americas; meanwhile, in the Americas, the Natives were dying from diseases and horrible working conditions. Soon, the source of cheap labor for European colonists dried up, so they turned towards Africa. The decline of Native Americans is directly responsible for the African slave trade which oppressed black people as the Native Americans were.

            European exploration and conquest had a truly profound effect on the Americas and Europe. Both sides benefited and suffered from the outcomes of it, but the balance tipped in favor of the Europeans. The indigenous people of the Americas were overcome, and Europeans gained their knowledge and resources. The Native American population dwindled, and the Europeans continued to flourish and expand in the New World.

Bibliography

de Las Casas, Bartolome. “In Defense of the Indians,” in The West in the Wider World: From Early Modernity to the Present. Eds. Richard Lim and David Kammerling Smith, Vol. II. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.

Gines de Sepulveda, Juan. “Democrates Secundus” in in The West in the Wider World: From Early Modernity to the Present. Eds. Richard Lim and David Kammerling Smith, Vol. II. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.

McComb, David. World History: 1500 To the Present (Annual Editions : World History Vol 2). 7 ed. Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 2002.

Schlesinger, Roger. “In the Wake of Columbus,” in The West in the Wider World: From Early Modernity to the Present. Eds. Richard Lim and David Kammerling Smith, Vol. II. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.

Sherman, Dennis, A. Tom Grunfeld, Gerald Markowitz, David Rosner, and Linda Heywood. World Civilizations; Sources, Images and Interpretations Volume I. 4th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2006.

[1] David McComb, World History: 1500 To the Present (Annual Editions : World History Vol 2), 7 ed. (Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 2002), 15.

[2] Ibid., 15.

[3] Roger Schlesinger, “In the Wake of Columbus,” in The West in the Wider World: From Early Modernity to the Present. Eds. Richard Lim and David Kammerling Smith, Vol. II (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003), 19-20.

[4] Dennis Sherman et al., World Civilizations; Sources, Images and Interpretations Volume I, 4th ed. (Boston: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2006), 191-192.

[5] Juan Gines de Sepulveda, “Democrates Secundus” in in The West in the Wider World: From Early Modernity to the Present. Eds. Richard Lim and David Kammerling Smith, Vol. II (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003), 22-23.

[6] Bartolome de Las Casas, “In Defense of the Indians,” in The West in the Wider World: From Early Modernity to the Present. Eds. Richard Lim and David Kammerling Smith, Vol. II (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003), 24-26.

“Geronmo!” has gone down in popular cultural history as what you yell before taking a dangerous jump, and it became  a slogan of US paratroopers during the second world war.

Geronimo was a 19th century Chiricahua Apache hero. It is therefore questionable to choose this name for Osama bin Laden, his story is full of symbolic parallels for those inclined to regard Bin Laden as a great warrior. Maybe the US government just gave them a helping hand.

Geronimo was originally called Goyahkla (He Who Yawns). He was born in 1829 in modern New Mexico. It was Mexican soldiers who gave him the name of Geronimo. They prayed to St Jerome, after seeing him attack with a knife after apparently being shot himself.

Geronimo had vowed revenge against the Mexicans for their massacre of his mother, wife and three children. He stood for resistance against the White Man’s broken treaties. He refused to surrender and live quietly on a reservation like other tribes had done after being driven from their tribal lands.

Geronimo also famously said he was not a chief or a political leader. Instead, like Bin Laden, he saw himself as a military leader.

Bin Laden’s fundamental hatred of the west allegedly stemmed from the US presence on holy (and oil-rich) Saudi Arab soil. Many people forget (or never knew) that bin Laden was Saudi Arabian. Go back to the 1860s, and the gold rush caused the US and the Mexican governments to speed up the seizing of lands from the Native Americans.

Geronimo became known as a powerful war leader. He symbolized resistance to the white occupation lie no-one else did. He had just a small band of followers but they successfully raided settlements in Arizona and attacked US troops. He was rarely defeated and against him, the US struggled to formulate a successful strategy of negotiations.

Perhaps the US should take note of this as they think about withdrawing from Afghanistan and discuss whether to come to the negotiation table with the Taliban.

The American Indian wars only ended when Geronimo signed a peace treaty with General Nelson Miles. The man had failed to defeat him by military means.

Gernomo’s end came through a humiliation of broken promises, not assassination. No doubt President Obama is aware of the less than honorable actions of US forces against American Indians, like Geronimo. He and others like him were moved around Florida, and Alabama and end up in Oklahoma. Geronimo was not killed in a compound; he died on the US military base of Fort Sill in 1909, after completing his autobiography.

Even in 1960s, when American Indians were considered the bad guys in an almost wholesale fashion, Geronimo was treated in Hollywood movies as a family man and great military hero who was wronged by Federal forces.

In 2011, some analysts say that the US military chose to code name their operation Geronimo because Bin Laden, like Geronimo, had evaded capture for years. If they were trying to avoid yet another conspiracy theory and mythical hero, perhaps they chose the wrong code name.

What do you think?

Women’s indian outfit for all occasions

When it comes time to wear a women’s indian outfit, you’ll want to be as genuine as possible. Bring your native american indian dressing put cooperatively well is needed for thanksgiving plays, tribal dances and of course halloween. 

What makes the female indian so huging are their versatility. There are long indian apparel that are worn in many rite. Then there are the female indian maiden apparel that come up above the knees. 

What is also very fascinating is the many choice of accessories that are valid to the women indians. The most common is the eagle kind clips that are worn in the hair. Also, the splendid genuine indian necklaces are a great supplement for any dress, but particularly when requiring to dress up in women’s indian outfit. 

Some of the many native american tribes are; cherokee, bannock, ruffian, dakota, eskimo, guarani, hopi, innoko, jemez, konomihu, lumbee, mojave, nambe, ottawa, pawnee, quechan, red indians, savannah, twana, unami, ventureño, wampano, yuma, zoque. . . Just to grab one from each letter of the alphabet. More data can be found at the native-languages site. 

When you see the list, you’ll notice that there are so many unusual indian tribes i believe you will be very surprised! and when it comes time to create a play for thanksgiving or when you’re ending your female native american outfit, you can describe what kind of indian tribe you’re impersonating. That is unless you previously do belong to an indian tribe. 

The most important people in the unequal struggle of American Indians against the invading white settlers 

APACHE 
Beside the Sioux, the Apaches were the ones who resisted the domination of the white man any longer. Divided into several small tribes and nomads, not spending much time in one place only surrendered even when 5000 U.S. soldiers surrounded the group of 50 warriors led by Geronimo 

COMANCHE 
The brave buffalo hunters fought not only the States, getting to hang with ugly fights with Spaniards and to the Apaches. They acquired horses from Spanish enemies and combat techniques developed at a gallop to attack enemies 

CREEK 
It was the first tribe “civilized” by the efforts of George Washington – first U.S. president. Creeks maintained extensive trade with the British and fought long wars to protect the territory against the Americans 

NAVAJO 
Excellent hunters, also fought the Americans and Spanish invaders with bows and arrows. With 220,000 members, the Navajo are now the second most populous Indian nation the U.S., controlling the largest reserves in the country with the size of Ireland 

PUEBLO 
The pueblo people was very competent in the use of clay pots used in the construction and housing. They supported the colonization of the Spaniards, Mexicans and Americans, being one of the few tribes that still occupy the area originally populated 

CHEROKEE 
Largest indigenous population in the U.S. today, with nearly 310,000 members, the Cherokee Nation has incorporated many customs of European settlers. Because of this, they were known at the time as one of the “Five Civilized Tribes” 

IROQUOIS 
They formed a confederation of six Indian nations, living under one democratic government. Later, Benjamin Franklin was inspired by the model of the Iroquois nation to develop the U.S. Constitution 

CHOCTAW 
Was also part of the “Five Civilized Tribes”, along with Cherokees and Creeks, mentioned in our list, and people Chickasaw and Seminole. They had their land expropriated for the cultivation of cotton and housing of slaves employed in agriculture 

SIOUX 
Formed by Dakota Indians, among other peoples, the great Sioux nation – that means men-buffalo – was the fiercest in defending their territory. As in the famous Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876 when, under the command of Chief Sitting Bull, settled the 7th Cavalry of General Custer 

Blackfoot 
Moccasins with soles that wore black earned them the nickname Blackfeet – “black feet” in English. Availed themselves of an aggressive cavalry, equipped with firearms, to conquer neighboring tribes and play the terror against the invading white-skinned 

Chippewa 
Living on the edge of the Great Lakes tribe specializes in fishing, but not reduced their firepower fought alongside the French against other Indians and the British have a force that fought against the former colony that was already called the U.S. 

Mandan 
More peaceful, was dedicated to agriculture. No wonder its towns became major centers for commerce of articles CSA. Like many tribes, have suffered from epidemics of smallpox that decimated much of the population in the 19th century.

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