2024-10-14

National Native American Day 2024

Happy Raine    
I have interacted with very few native Americans in my lifetime. Among those few times I recall being told that native American was preferred over "indians" and that females of the species are not referred to as "squaws" because that was a name the white men of the movie industry imparted and it was considered derrogatory.

I used to watch a program on ETV in Charleston called 'Happy Raine' where a local woman portrayed an native American. It was a regional favorite and hers was a child oriented show with a lot of laughter and various antics and informational spots. It was just something which was always there for me ... and I indulged the program frequently.

National Native American Day. It is celebrated on the second Monday of October and is said to honor the traditions and accomplishments of various native American tribes. I understand it is not observed in all 50 states and in some states it is observed on a different day.

People have this false notion that the native Americans should not be allowed to conduct enterprises not permitted to everyone in a given area, such as casino gambling. My personal belief is this is the least we can do for a group of people so badly walked upon by invaders to their lands.

Somehow the white person thinks that they own any land they encounter in their travels. Instead of staking this interlopers out and teaching them the lesson they deserved, the native Americans relented and went to those reservations the white man ordered them to and even that wasn't good enough all the time.

I agree with the native Americans that their people have suffered genocide at the hands of the United States government who went around 'acquiring' their lands for it's use.

1990 is said to be a year of reconciliation between native Americans and caucasian people resulting in Columbus Day becoming Native American Day but in the end will this ever be enough. You think I have an attitude.

There are native Americans around with far worse feelings of being down trodden than I.

Happy Native American Day.