Boston Public Library Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians Digitized by the Internet Archive 2014 in https://archive.org/details/everythingyouwanOOtreu_0 Everything You Wanted Know about to INDIANS But Were Afraid to Ask Anton Treuer BOREALIS BOOKS BorealisBooksisanimprintoftheMinnesotaHistoricalSocietyPress. www.mhspress.org ©2012bytheMinnesotaHistoricalSociety.Allrightsreserved.Nopart ofthisbookmaybeusedorreproducedinanymannerwhatsoeverwith- outwrittenpermission,exceptinthecaseofbriefquotationsembodied incriticalarticlesandreviews.Forinformation,writetoBorealisBooks, MN 345KelloggBlvd.W.,St.Paul, 55102-1906. TheMinnesotaHistoricalSocietyPressisamemberoftheAssociation ofAmericanUniversityPresses. ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica 10987654321 ©Thepaperusedinthispublicationmeetstheminimumrequirements oftheAmericanNationalStandardforInformationSciences—Perma- nenceforPrintedLibraryMaterials,ANSIZ39.48-1984. InternationalStandardBookNumber ISBN:978-0-87351-861-1(paper) ISBN:978-0-87351-862-8(e-book) LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Treuer,Anton. EverythingyouwantedtoknowaboutIndiansbutwereafraidtoask /AntonTreuer. p.cm. Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. — ISBN978-0-87351-861-1 (pbk. :alk.paper) ISBN978-0-87351-862-8 (ebook) 1. Indians—History. 2. Indians—Social life andcustoms. 3. Indians inpopularculture.I.Title. E77T7952012 909'.049i4ii—dc23 2011053026 ForIsaac, withhighhopesthattheworld inwhichyouraiseyourchildrenwillhe kinderandmoreunderstanding thanthisone Contents 1 Introduction: Ambassador 7 Terminology What terms are most appropriate for talkingabout North America's firstpeople? What terms are notappropriate for talkingabout North America's firstpeople? What terms are most appropriate for talkingabout each tribe? Howdo I knowhowto spell all these complicated terms? What term is most appropriate—nation, band, tribe, or reservation? What does thewordpowwow mean? Howcan I find outthe meaningofthe place names around me that come from indigenous languages? 15 History Howmany Indians were in North and South America before contact? When did Indians reallygetto North America? Whydoes it matterwhen Indians got here? What do Indians sayabouttheir origins? Who else made it here before Columbus? Did Native Americans scalp? Did Indians practice polygamy? Do theynow? What are nativeviews about homosexuality? Howwas gender configured in native communities? Do indigenous people in Canadagettreated more fairlybytheir governmentthanthose inthe United States? What is the real storyofColumbus? Why does gettingthe Columbus storyright matter? What is the real story ofThanksgiving? What is the real storyofPocahontas? When did the U.S. government stop makingtreaties with Indians andwhy? Whydo some people use thewordgenocide in discussingthe treatment ofIndians? Religion, Culture & Identity Whydo Indians have longhair? Do Indians live in teepees? What is fasting andwhydo Indians do it? What are clans and do all Indians have them? Where are the real Indians? What does traditional mean? Aren't all Indians traditional? Whyis it called a "traditional Indian frybread taco"? What is Indian time? What are Indian cars? I thoughtthat Indians have a strong sense of ecological stewardship, sowhy do I also see alot oftrash in some yards? Do Indians have a stronger sense ofcommunity than non-Indians? What is Indian religion? Whydo Indians use tobacco for ceremonies? It seems like Indians have a deeper spiritual connection than in manyreligious traditions. Is that true? What are some ofthe customs around pregnancy and childbirth? What are naming ceremonies? Can a nonnative person get an Indian name? What are coming-of-age ceremonies? Howcome everyone's laughingat atraditional Indian funeral?