Iron Horse
David C. Behrens
BEING INDIAN IS....
Being Indian Is-feeding anyone and everyone who comes to your door hungry, with whatever you have.
Being Indian Is-having every third person you meet tell you about his great grandmother who was a real Cherokee princess.
Being Indian Is-being broke all summer long because you try to make every pow wow.
Being Indian Is-loving frybread and dry meat.
Being Indian Is-masking your emotions in times of stress.
Being Indian Is-respecting your elders who have earned it.
Being Indian Is-never giving up the struggle for survival.
Being Indian Is-trading your surplus commodities for something you are in more need of.
Being Indian Is-being known for your great sense of humour and having the ability to make jokes and laughter out of the worse situation.
Being Indian Is-not rioting in the streets but occupying godforsaken places like Alcatraz, Mount ushmore, the New York-Canadian bridge, etc.and Whiteclay, Nebraska!!! (And Gallatin/Owen Counties in KY & being *content* with it)
Being Indian Is-owning land and not being able to rent, lease, sell or even farm it yourself without BIA pproval.
Being Indian Is-feeling Red Eagle, Medicine Cloud, and Pretty Bear are more beautiful names than Smith, Johnson, or Jones.
Being Indian Is-watching your daughter give away her only pair of overshoes to somebody who needs them more than her.
Being Indian Is-having your all-Indian school team playing against 7 men on the basketball court.
Being Indian Is-playing basketball at the outdoor courts on the rez til 3:00 am.
Being Indian Is-either borrowing or lending money to your skin brothers and sisters at least once a week.
Being Indian Is-having people ask if they can touch your hair or take your picture.
Being Indian Is-worrying about diabetes.
Being Indian Is-knowing why the rez car in "Smoke Signals" was funny! Why of course its funny...I drive one of those..hehe (I had one ~ it went up in flames)
Being Indian Is-having more cousins than trees have leaves.
Being Indian Is-cutting the mold off the commodity cheese so you can eat it anyway.
Being Indian Is-having to explain *again* why you dont like the mascot. (So don't explain more than once, more than likely, they will abuse your words anyway)
Being Indian Is-cursing F.A.S.
Being Indian Is-fighting the likes of Slade Gordon
Being Indian Is-knowing the Reservation of Education.
Being Indian Is-eating salmon for the 6th meal in a row.
Being Indian Is-knowing too many people that have died of cirrhosis, exposure, or "accident"
Being Indian Is-knowing history started before 1492.
Being Indian Is-laughing with your friends so much your facial muscles hurt.
Being Indian Is-singing 49 songs using a garbage can for a drum.
Being Indian Is-road trips cross country . . . just because . . .
Being Indian is having the strength to move your family at any given moment, for any given reason of another...and making it . .
Being Indian Is-reading about your ancestors and relations in an anthropologist paper.
Being Indian Is-knowing someone in Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, San Fran, Minneapolis or any other relocation center.
Being Indian Is-losing your job after the grant ends.
Being Indian is losing your job because you're different.
Being Indian Is-having a song come to you at the oddest times. Aho!
Being Indian Is-counting the number of brown people photographed in magazine advertisements.
Being Indian Is-celebrating the whale hunt.
Being Indian Is-full of acronyms that affect your world (BIA, IHS, CSBG, ANA, FEMA, CCDBG, JTPA, WIA, SYEP, JOM, NIEA, UNITY.......
Being Indian is grieving for your ancestors
Being Indian Is - PRIDE.
Being Indian Is - BEAUTIFUL
Being Indian Is - FOREVER......
~Author unknown~
Found this on the site called "THE DRUM"
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