The Modern American Indian - Essay Example

? Modern Indians The Modern American Indian is not just another minority group. He is the descendant of the first peoples of the United States, with a culture, history and philosophy enviable to all. However, lately, the once glorified image of the Indians has been replaced with a substandard one. Nevertheless, despite the problems confronting the Modern American Indians at present, the richness of their history and culture as well as a positive perspective regarding their present problems still define the Modern American Indians as one of the greatest ethnic groups in the world. The greatness of the Modern Indians shows in their cultural roots. As long as the white American and the rest of the world looks at the Modern Indians in non-Indian eyes, then one would view Modern Indians as a mere minority group, or another group not even worth mentioning in history books. However, the ancestors of what are known today as American Indians have always inhabited North America and the neighboring islands for over thirty thousand years and even possibly much longer (Dorris). Therefore, when it comes to history, nothing could beat the ancestors of the Modern American Indian. They therefore, as descendants, deserve so much respect as they deserve. The American Indians were actually the first people who took care of the land, sea and air of the United States, which are the very things that Americans are enjoying now. The aboriginal peoples of the American Indians were “mightily heterogeneous” in the genetic, social, linguistic and political aspects of their lives, thus it became a reason for the vagueness of their identity as well as their segregation into many tribes, which were definitely not united and cooperative with each other (Dorris). These people had cultures of different types of governments – theocracies, democracies, chiefdoms, and matrilineages. Nevertheless, despite the myriad diverse customs identified with each of the Indian tribes, “single tradition – survival – unites them all” (Dorris). It is sometimes said that the different Indian tribes were not able to develop unity and cooperation among each other, as they had different groups and identities. However, they are all unified by tradition and this tradition is survival. All Indian groups faced serious challenges from the American government ever since. Yet, they are still in existence until now, all because of this tradition of survival. Their existence is a sign of their strength and this thing alone makes the Modern American Indian deserve our respect. Modern Indians have also been known to adapt to temperature extremes from the subarctic to the desert. They have also exploited several environmental possibilities in order to survive from deep-sea fishing to the intensive and organized cultivation of both natural and hybridized crops (Dorris). The strength of character of the Modern American Indian is indeed complemented with physical strength and endurance. The fact that the Modern American Indian can withstand extremes in temperature and the fact that they still do exist today, are both telling us that the Modern American Indian is a race that deserves respect, admiration and praise. Their mere possession of strength and endurance is indeed something that deserves praise and emulation. The ancestors of the Modern Indians also each maintained a “far-flung, dynamic set of trade and cooperative relations with other neighboring societies” (Dorris). This means that the people who have first ventured into business in America were the American Indians, and obviously they were the first to formulate the laws of business and economics used in America in the modern past or even now. The fact that the ancestors of Modern Indians were the first to go into business is telling us that they were an intelligent people before and that they must have been the reason for the intelligence of the American citizen today. At this point, one can see that the American Indian is not only a tough soldier in battle – he is also a skilled businessman in times of peace. Such versatility indeed deserves praise and respect. By the end of the 1970s, the Modern American Indians were among “the poorest economically, the least employed, the unhealthiest, the lowest in education and income level, and the worst-housed ethnic group in America” but they were found to own something more valuable than the rest of the United States (Dorris). The federal government was actually surprised to find around 53 million of the 90 million acres of land on which the Indians live contain enough raw materials for the United States to reach a state of “energy independence” (Dorris). Moreover, almost two-thirds of all sulfur-coal reserves are found in Modern American Indian territory, and nearly all of the potential uranium reserves are found also on American Indian land. The Uinta-Ouray Utes located in Utah and the Southern Utes in Colorado, the Blackfeet region in Montana and the Shoshones and Arapaho in Wyoming all contain gas and oil reserves, while other tracts of Indian tribal lands contain huge reserves of copper enough to power the country with geothermal energy (Dorris). The American Indians may actually be thankful that they are the ones who own the rich and fertile land upon which the whole country may depend. They therefore deserve respect from all other Americans because of the simple reason that they have something that America wants to claim. Despite the negative approach of the government after the latter forcefully took their lands and exploited their energy resources, the Indians protested but they did not use any violence or force in addressing their sentiments. This alone also deserves the respect of all non-Indians. In fact, although some harsh critics of the American Indians have called them the “vanishing Americans,” over the past five centuries, the Indians have proven their resolve and their staying power (Dorris). It is true that American Indians have been beset by problems and conflicts with the government ever since and from the days of the Trail of Tears under President Jackson. Nevertheless, the Indians deserve the praise and appreciation of every America citizen for the former endured their hardships and never resorted to any violence in trying to defend what was rightfully theirs. Truly, the person who deserves pain is one who has undergone all hardships yet come out of it alive and a better person on the other side. Nowadays, critics of the Modern American Indians usually point out the serious social problems that beset the Indian tribes of today. These cultural and social dilemmas that are believe to threaten even the very fabric of their society as well as the ideologies brought forth by their ancestors include alienation, poverty, a high rate of alcoholism, gambling and many other social ills (Problems Facing Native American Indians in the Modern World). Nevertheless, the solution to this is great understanding on the part of the non-Indians as well as help from other non-governmental organizations. It is high time that the non-Indian population of America and the world will begin finding ways to help the problematic Modern American Indian. Some form of financial and medical assistance would be very helpful in this case. Mass migration of Indians into non-Indian territories as well as interracial marriages with non-Indians somehow threatens the existence of their cultural identity. The mass migration has actually turned the American Indian group into an “oppressed minority” numbering at around 24 million (Problems Facing Native American Indians in the Modern World). This is now the time for the government to address any issue of so-called oppression among the Indians. However, as no one can actually control migration and interracial marriages, there is a need for cultural revival among the Indians but which will be initiated by non-Indian supporters and sympathizers. These activities of cultural revival will hopefully teach the Modern American Indian to preserve its culture and identity. Thus, they may continue their practice of interracial marriage but they will start taking their culture and identity seriously. Another social problem among Modern American Indians is the loss of the interest of the Indian youth in oral tradition. Thus, younger Modern American Indians somehow refuse to study the ways of their ancestors and so there is a risk of losing American Indian oral tradition forever. The oral tradition of the American Indians is actually the key to the continuity of their culture, and so anything that goes against oral tradition threatens culture itself (Problems Facing Native American Indians in the Modern World). The idea here is to reform the educational system of the American Indians and let the old people talk in many classroom settings as well as at home and in the classroom. The family, especially the parents, should also be re-educated so that they would know to instill in their children what they need to learn about American Indian history, culture and philosophy. It is only when parents or other older relatives become lenient that children are not motivated to follow and are actually discouraged from learning more about and cultivating their people’s culture and spirit. Modern American Indians are also beset with the problem of alcoholism, which is considered much higher than the national average. It is believed that one in every 10 American Indian deaths is related to alcohol. Nevertheless, one should realize that the probable reasons for alcohol consumption may include depression, unemployment, poverty, as well as other social ills brought about by the image of the Modern American Indian community as an “oppressed society” (Problems Facing Native American Indians in the Modern World). Although it is not exactly true that the Modern American Indian community is called an oppressed society, it may be true that many American Indians are treated as such a level of discrimination by whites and other non-Indians. Depression, however, can be solved if the federal or even just the local government would give encouragement and appreciation to the non-Indians, and would seek psychiatrists in order to cure the depressed as well as to give lectures to them after. This will surely somehow positively affect how the Modern American Indian should see himself. As unemployment and poverty are closely related, I believe it is time for the federal and local government to start assessing the educational attainment of many Modern Indians. These gaps in education should then be appropriately addressed through the help of departments and non-governmental organizations in charge of educating and re-educating the youth. As soon as the educational attainment issues are addressed, what the Modern Indian needs in order to regain the lost trust and respect in him is to have a decent, well-paying job. The government should help in the revival of the culture and identity of the Modern American Indian. More importantly, considering that Native American Indian males have a suicide rate which is nearly twice as high as any other racial group, then it is possible that more American Indian men than any other man of another race die. It is also just as important, however, to understand that the reasons for such acts of suicide include mental trauma, racial conflicts, and alienation (Problems Facing Native American Indians in the Modern World). Such reasons for suicide, no matter how trivial they may seem, may be addressed through the help of a psychiatrist and through the joint cooperation of the federal and local government. Moreover, there should also be the re-education of the non-Indian youth and adults so that they would learn how to respect not only the American Indians but also other minority groups in the country with whom they live, coexist and interact. American Indians are also suffering from severe unemployment, just like the Indians of the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota, where a horrifying 80% of the population is unemployed. Despite the promise of President Obama to all Modern American Indians, “You will not be forgotten as long as I’m in this White House,” the Indians still seem to be suffering from so many social and personal problems (Huff). The solution to this is certainly a move from the federal government itself. Iron Cloud, the previous president of the Indian Reservation, has trust in Obama but he knows where the problem lies. According to Iron Cloud, “Obama understands, but then there’s Congress…We were the first Americans – and I know it’d have an impact” (McGreal). Congress is always against the institution of laws for the benefit of the American Indian. This should hopefully be solved through re-education of the non-Indian youth and adults in order to revive one’s respect for the American Indian. Nevertheless, native American artists and fashion designers have created a wide array of clothes and accessories that feature American Indian-inspired clothing. The launching of the blog named “Beyond Buckskin” in 2009 somehow inspires and motivates young American Indian artists and designers to express their views and sentiments through the blog as well as gain support for their masterpieces (Grinsberg). The Modern American Indian is not totally divorced from his philosophy. He has actually shared this philosophy with the rest of the modern world. Some of the teachings of the Native American Indians, include “Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect,” “Show great respect for your fellow beings,” “Remain close to the Great Spirit,” “Work together for the benefit of all,” and “Be truthful and honest at all times” (Jacobs). Based on the aforementioned statements, one can see the greatness, simplicity and usefulness of the Native American Indian’s practical philosophy. This is indeed one aspect of their culture that somehow makes them not just another minority group but a Great One as well. If these things are taught in schools, not only would the Indians but especially also the non-Indians would be able to learn how to appreciate the philosophy of one of the most ancient and revered societies of the world. The greatness of the Modern American Indian is evident through their culture, history and philosophy. However, without knowledge of these things, the Indian himself would tend to believe that they are an oppressed people. Moreover, until non-Indians and Indians themselves would learn how to live harmoniously among each other and unless they learn how to appreciate American Indian history, culture and philosophy, then the discrimination will persist and the depression will worsen. What is then needed is an appreciation of the culture of the American Indian, and cooperation between the federal and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations. If these things are achieved, then the poverty, unemployment, gambling, suicide and alcoholism among American Indians are hopefully dealt with or at least alleviated . Top of Form Bottom of Form Works Cited Dorris, Michael A. “The Grass Still Grows, the Rivers Still Flow: Contemporary Native Americans.” 2013. Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 29 Apr 2013. Grinberg, Emmanuella. “Taking Native American fashion ‘Beyond Buckskin’ and headdresses.” 2013. CNN. 29 Apr 2013. Huff, Megan. “Majority Supports Failed Senate Gun Control Bill.” 2013. US News. 28 Apr 2013. Jacobs, Don Trent. “Back to Teaching Virtues.” 2001. Teaching Virtues. 29 Apr 2013. McGreal, C. “Obama’s Indian Problem.” 2010. The Guardian. 29 Apr 2013. “Problems Facing Native American Indians in the Modern World.” 2013. 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