# Questions That Run Through My Mind (what there is of it)



## Addie (Feb 6, 2013)

Often as I am washing dishes or just sitting here at the computer, my mind wanders and starts to think of things I don't know such as the following question to Kylie.

Kylie, *is the term "Aussie" considered derogatory to Austrailians*? I know to call me an Indian is just fine with me. But some person(s) decided that it wasn't PC. So overnght I became a Native American. I have always been an American. And I think like one, more than I do Indian. But I do take offense at being called a redskin. I have yet to see an Indian with redskin. My father and grandfather certainly didn't have redskin. 

I am also curious about religions and the reasons behind their practices. (Thank you Charlie) I grew up in an Italian Catholic neighborhood. I think my family was the only Protestant one. 

Another question. *Do you believe in spanking*? Having raised five children, I can understand very easily a parent losing their own temper. Kids ceertainly try us. But I always tried to remember that kids do exactly what they are supposed to be doing at their particular age. Two years old and they love the word "No!" Four years old and temper tantrums come into play. Any age is open to "I hate you! I wish you weren't my mother." But sometimes a swat on the bottom just seems fit at the moment. What I can't get my head wrapped around is how can you neglect or abuse a child.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 6, 2013)

I didn't know you are half Indian Addie. You don't look it. You just look English. Do you take after your mom? That's pretty cool. I've always wanted to learn about American Indian History. Do you know any traditional recipes?
I'm a pavement special lol! Irish, Dutch and English all rolled into one. I never take offense when people make remarks about being "white"  I am white  "well pinkish beige"
I'm proud of who I am. 
It do find it funny when English or American folks ask if I'm black. A lot of people assume all African people are. I need shoe polish to look tanned lol!
Why are people so obsessed with colour?


In response to your quetion about spanking: I spank my children if they hit others or use bad language. Caitlin has had 4 hidings in almost 11 years (or was it 3?), Daniel more but he laughs about it. I can't smack a small bum hard lol! They get grounded or go for time out most of the time. When they throw a tantrum, so do I (my kids no longer throw tantrums!)


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## Zhizara (Feb 6, 2013)

Re spanking, a wooden spoon stings!  Once used, all you need to do is threaten them with it.

They'll cover their hineys and run away!


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## Addie (Feb 6, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> I didn't know you are half Indian Addie. You don't look it. You just look English. Do you take after your mom? That's pretty cool. I've always wanted to learn about American Indian History. Do you know any traditional recipes?
> I'm a pavement special lol! Irish, Dutch and English all rolled into one. I never take offense when people make remarks about being "white" I am white "well pinkish beige"
> I'm proud of who I am.
> It do find it funny when English or American folks ask if I'm black. A lot of people assume all African people are. I need shoe polish to look tanned lol!
> ...


 
My father and grandfather came from the age when Indians were on the lowest end of the totem pole. My grandfather was born in the 1800's and my father 1909. So our heritage was never discussed. The only food I know that is Indian is a can of corn. I actually look more like my father than my mother. My son's paternal side of the family is Cherokee. If he had been willing to do the research, he could have attended college for free. But he feels as I do. We have never contributed anything to further the interests of the tribe, therefore we don't feel entitled to the benefits. 

My father's tribe in Maine sued Maine and Massachusetts (Maine used to be be part of Massachusetts) for their lost land and won. Every member of the tribe is entitled to a check each month now including me and my youngest son. But neither one of us has put in a claim. And never will.


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## Addie (Feb 6, 2013)

Some additional info about the tribe. My grandfather and father are from the Tarentine branch of the tribe. They were cannibals and one of the most feared tribes on the East coast.


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## tinlizzie (Feb 6, 2013)

Hmmm.  Would that help explain Quentin "movie-maker" Tarentino?  Just kidding, Addie.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> Some additional info about the tribe. My grandfather and father are from the Tarentine branch of the tribe. They were cannibals and one of the most feared tribes on the East coast.


 
Wow! Now that's a cool family story. Wish I knew more about my family history. Most of my relatives have passed away so I have  no one old enough to ask. 
Thank you for that


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> The only food I know that is Indian is a can of corn. :





Addie said:


> They were cannibals and one of the most feared tribes on the East coast.




who apparently invented canning to preserve their victims through the cold northeastern winters. lol.


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## Addie (Feb 7, 2013)

buckytom said:


> who apparently invented canning to preserve their victims through the cold northeastern winters. lol.


 
 Good one bt. The family tree has been traced way back on both sides and the kids have a written history of the family. It is a project that me and my sister started many years ago. Even the grandkids are part of it. As they grow older, they will add their part to it. They think it is neat that they can look up their ancestors. The family tree is so long and can be confusing.


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2013)

many _*moons*_ ago << moving hand in the air in an arc>>

c'monn addie, get with the program. you gotta sell it if you want us to believe that you're sacagaweeaddie.


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## bakechef (Feb 7, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> I didn't know you are half Indian Addie. You don't look it. You just look English. Do you take after your mom? That's pretty cool. I've always wanted to learn about American Indian History. Do you know any traditional recipes?
> I'm a pavement special lol! Irish, Dutch and English all rolled into one. I never take offense when people make remarks about being "white"  I am white  "well pinkish beige"
> I'm proud of who I am.
> It do find it funny when English or American folks ask if I'm black. A lot of people assume all African people are. I need shoe polish to look tanned lol!
> ...



Northeast American Indians don't have as dark skin as western Indians.  The black hair is still common, but they don't quite have the same look as what is often portrayed in movies and TV.  There is still a distinct look though.


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## bakechef (Feb 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> Kylie, *is the term "Aussie" considered derogatory to Austrailians*? I know to call me an Indian is just fine with me. But some person(s) decided that it wasn't PC. So overnght I became a Native American. I have always been an American. And I think like one, more than I do Indian. But I do take offense at being called a redskin. I have yet to see an Indian with redskin. My father and grandfather certainly didn't have redskin.



Where I'm from In Maine, the term Indian wasn't considered offensive to the Native Americans at all.  They still call their reservation, Indian Island.


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2013)

and they spanked their children with wooden tomahawks...


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## Snip 13 (Feb 7, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Northeast American Indians don't have as dark skin as western Indians. The black hair is still common, but they don't quite have the same look as what is often portrayed in movies and TV. There is still a distinct look though.


 
Thanks for clearing that up  I've never been in America. I only know what I've read and seen on movies!
Funny how wrong TV can be.


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## Claire (Feb 7, 2013)

I have to laugh at this.  My parents are of French-Canadian stock from Quebec.  Definitely some Indian in there.  Doesn't show up in us very much, except for one cousin who should be on the reservation!  A throw-back.  Many Cherokees I've met actually look like India Indians, which makes you realize why the first explorers of the Americas called them that.  I have said, "Oh, you look part Cherokee" and the person is always pleased.  

Anyone truly interested should read a book called something like "Journey into the interior".  It is the memoirs of one of the first European explorers to the "new world".  If anyone is interested I'll go on line and find the real name of the book and its author.


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2013)

claire, i'm sure you didn't mean it, but saying a troubled person of native descent deserves to stay on the reservation is exceedingly offensive. it's like saying poor black people deserve to live in the projects, or trashy white people deserve to live in broken down trailer parks.

and the early explorers were looking for a shorter route to get to the spice and silk trades of india and asia, not that they thought the native americans looked southern asian. as was just mentioned, the first natives the explorers met weren't necessarily the darker skinned type.

 no biggie, though. just pointing it out for reference. since this is addie's thread, i'm sure she'd appreciate the attempt at historical accuracy and wider base of knowledge.


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## Addie (Feb 7, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Northeast American Indians don't have as dark skin as western Indians. The black hair is still common, but they don't quite have the same look as what is often portrayed in movies and TV. There is still a distinct look though.


 
It is in the eyes. And they do tend to have very prominent cheekbones. When you looked at my grandfather, you didn't even have to ask. You knew he was Indian. Also Eastern Indians are much shorter than those of the plains or the western part of the country. We do have a lot of Mohawk Indians here from NY. We have a tribe of Wampanoag Indians down near Cape Cod. They are the ones that helped the Pilgrims when they first landed. Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard at the very beginning of this country being settled, was all Indian land. There are still just a handful that live on both islands. The BIA protects them to the point where they are almost intrusive. But with the real estate on those islands going for millions of dollars, they need protection.


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## Addie (Feb 7, 2013)

buckytom said:


> many _*moons*_ ago << moving hand in the air in an arc>>
> 
> c'monn addie, get with the program. you gotta sell it if you want us to believe that you're sacagaweeaddie.


 
Beleive me, when I was much younger, I blazed many a trail to the nearest mall or shopping center. I knew all the shortcuts through the aisles and racks.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 7, 2013)

Addie, I'm just grateful you are not blue, Smurfs freak me out ;p


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2013)

addie, the thing about the orbital structure of the eyes makes sense. since it's presumed north america was first settled by northern asians, the one trait that is the most different/distinct between western europeans and asians that might survive several millenia would be the eyes. 

same goes for dominant traits like hair colour.

skin colour would be much more affected by climate since it's an organ that is the most rapidly replaced.


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## Addie (Feb 7, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> Addie, I'm just grateful you are not blue, Smurfs freak me out ;p


 
  Good one Snip. I am small enough to be one though.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> Good one Snip. I am small enough to be one though.



I have a really tall family. At 5.9 I'm the short one! I would have loved being short, the boys in school were always smaller than me 

Buying pants is really hard too. I can only wear extra lenght with my spaghetti legs!


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## bakechef (Feb 7, 2013)

buckytom said:


> claire, i'm sure you didn't mean it, but saying a troubled person of native descent deserves to stay on the reservation is exceedingly offensive. it's like saying poor black people deserve to live in the projects, or trashy white people deserve to live in broken down trailer parks.
> 
> and the early explorers were looking for a shorter route to get to the spice and silk trades of india and asia, not that they thought the native americans looked southern asian. as was just mentioned, the first natives the explorers met weren't necessarily the darker skinned type.
> 
> no biggie, though. just pointing it out for reference. since this is addie's thread, i'm sure she'd appreciate the attempt at historical accuracy and wider base of knowledge.



The way that I read that was this person looked nearly full blood native American, like someone that lived on a reservation.  I don't know where the "troubled" part comes from, I've reread the post and don't see mention of the person being troubled, maybe I'm missing something?


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2013)

yup, you're right. i may have read that wrong. but still, saying anyone belongs on a reservation for any reason if they have native blood is offensive.


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## bakechef (Feb 7, 2013)

OK, I understand where you are coming from, I didn't read it that way.  I read it that this person could live on a reservation and fit right in.  

Tone isn't always expressed accurately in the written word unfortunately.  I've heard people use similar terminology, but the way it was said, wouldn't be mistaken by most as offensive.


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## pacanis (Feb 7, 2013)

Anyone up for a little Paul Revere and the Raiders? 

BTW, didn't Major Charles Winchester III live on Penobscot St?


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2013)

agreed, bakechef. that's why i said that i was pretty sure that claire dodn't mean it that way.

just a thought that ran through my head, as is this thread.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> Kylie, *is the term "Aussie" considered derogatory to Austrailians*? I know to call me an Indian is just fine with me. But some person(s) decided that it wasn't PC. So overnght I became a Native American.



This is a complex topic so I'll have to address it piecewise.

I have often heard Australians refer to themselves as "Aussies" so I'll guess it is not a pejorative to them.

I've always hated the designation "Indian" because it perpetuates the ignorance of Chris Colombus in thinking he had discovered the continent of India (sailing west) when in reality he had rediscovered the continent of North America (after countless visits from Scandinavians for many centuries).

I prefer the term Native Americans. I often visit the 4 Corners area of UT, AZ, NM & CO, and have often met many Native Americans, and I've found them to be a very friendly people. I'll admit I haven't asked them what they want to be called.

Aside: I'm just totally fascinated by ancient ruins particularly from the Anasazi who inhabited the 4 Corners region from about 800-1200 CE. I've visited dozens of the ruins, and visited many of them multiple times. This ancient American culture just totally fascinates me.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 8, 2013)

The last Native American I talked to told me when I asked her what she preferred to be called, "Mary."  We are excellent friends.


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## Addie (Feb 8, 2013)

pacanis said:


> Anyone up for a little Paul Revere and the Raiders?
> 
> BTW, didn't Major Charles Winchester III live on Penobscot St?


 
And there is no Penobscot Street in the Back Bay of Boston. Litererary License again


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## Addie (Feb 8, 2013)

bakechef said:


> OK, I understand where you are coming from, I didn't read it that way. I read it that this person could live on a reservation and fit right in.
> 
> Tone isn't always expressed accurately in the written word unfortunately. I've heard people use similar terminology, but the way it was said, wouldn't be mistaken by most as offensive.


 
There are some things I do take offense to. Asking me if I do war dances. Do I/we still scalp people. Do we still live in tee pees. Do we need permission to leave the reservation. Get the idea? Maybe offense is the wrong word. Amazement at some of the stupidity. North Americans should know better. And if they don't, I blame their school systems. They are still teaching that when the white man wins, it is a victory. When the 'redskin' wins it is a tragedy or a massacre. Not all schools systems. I have found that the closer to an area where Indians are living, the more educated the populace is. I wonder what the kids in Palm Beach or Beverly Hills are being taught. 

When my youngest was in scouting, he went up to Maine to visit the tribe and try to find out what he could about them. We had a friend whose family came from Russia in 1918 and was fascinated with my son's family history. He wanted to learn also. So he took him up there for a school vacation week. One of the tribe members gave my son a full headress and breast plate of animal bones. When he came back he showed them to his troop. As bt will tell you, scouting is founded on the practices of the living practices of Indians. The Troop learned a lot and the leaders were forced to do some reading so they could answer questions intelligently. The Troop now owns the headress and breastplate. And a lot of kids have been learning about early America. 

Our schools need to teach more honest history of our country.


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## Addie (Feb 8, 2013)

buckytom said:


> addie, the thing about the orbital structure of the eyes makes sense. since it's presumed north America was first settled by northern Asians, the one trait that is the most different/distinct between western Europeans and Asians that might survive several millennia would be the eyes.
> 
> same goes for dominant traits like hair colour.
> 
> *skin colour would be much more affected by climate *since it's an organ that is the most rapidly replaced.


 
We don't have the strong sun that is found in the west and south. And we 'had' more forest that you will find in the Southwest and the Plains. We don't have the desert that they have in the Southwest. We also don't have the red clay that was often used for ceremonial paint. It does stain the skin. Our hunting is done in the woods, out west, they hunt out in the open under the sun.  The further south you go, you will find that the Indians skin was darker than those along the Northeastern seaboard. But the eye and cheekbone structure remains the same. And we still do all our hunting is the woods.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 8, 2013)

Addie said:


> Some additional info about the tribe. My grandfather and father are from the Tarentine branch of the tribe. They were cannibals and one of the most feared tribes on the East coast.


'

Any relationship to Quentin Tarantino?


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## Snip 13 (Feb 9, 2013)

The whole what to call people of various races thing baffles me. Do people actually go around saying things like "that white, black or Indian friend of mine?!"

My friends have names, I don't refer to them by colour.


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## buckytom (Feb 9, 2013)

how do you refer to a large group of people that share a certain trait such as ethnicity, snip?

do you name each one?


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## buckytom (Feb 9, 2013)

lol, reminds me of an old comedians'joke.

a comedian gets up on stage and says, "i'd like to thank you all for being here tonight... thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, ..."


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## Snip 13 (Feb 9, 2013)

buckytom said:


> how do you refer to a large group of people that share a certain trait such as ethnicity, snip?
> 
> do you name each one?


 
It depends on the situation. If they are ladies I would refer to them as the group of ladies, if they are South African I would say South Africans etc.
I'm not often is situations where people group according to skin colour or ethnicity.


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## buckytom (Feb 9, 2013)

snip, my earlier point to claire would be like saying that someone looks or acts like they belong in orlando.


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## CWS4322 (Feb 9, 2013)

People with lighter skin tones can absorb more vit D than those with darker skin tones. In northern climates, lighter skin tone was an evolutionary adaptation because of the shorter days. Darker skin tones protect people from the burning effects of the sun. The closer to the equator, the darker the skin tone. It is fairly simple. I have very pale skin--my ancestors all came from Northern Europe.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 9, 2013)

buckytom said:


> snip, my earlier point to claire would be like saying that someone looks or acts like they belong in orlando.


 
I got it. Pretty sure someone's been drinking their bath water again


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 9, 2013)

Addie said:


> My father and grandfather came from the age when Indians were on the lowest end of the totem pole.



You have made an assumption that lower on the totem pole indicates lower status.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 9, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Where I'm from In Maine, the term Indian wasn't considered offensive to the Native Americans at all.  They still call their reservation, Indian Island.



The majority of Native Americans I've met on the Four Corners region of UT-AZ-NM-CO were on the lower scale of being educated. They may not have been aware that there is a continent called India.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 9, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> Thanks for clearing that up  I've never been in America. I only know what I've read and seen on movies!
> Funny how wrong TV can be.



Telling Native American "races" is much like telling "Asian" races by appearance. I suspect most people think there is some look that be correlated to some tribe or some Asian country/ethnicity.

It's not that easy, and movies don't even have a clue. Particularly in earlier times the movie producers hired white people and dressed them up in wigs and "Indian" costumes. I suspect fewer than 5% of the Hollywood movies got it right, probably even less.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 9, 2013)

Addie said:


> There are some things I do take offense to. Asking me if I do war dances. Do I/we still scalp people. Do we still live in tee pees. Do we need permission to leave the reservation.



Actually it is often the case that non-Native Americans need permission to visit "Indian" lands. For example, Monument Valley on the Navajo Reservation, limited areas are permissible for non-natives to visit during the day (there is an officially designated area), they cannot remain after sunset until sunrise, and there are other on-reservation lands that are not permitted to visit even in the daytime without a Navajo guide.


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## Addie (Feb 9, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> You have made an assumption that lower on the totem pole indicates lower status.


 
Totem poles are items of the Northwest tribes. The top of the pole was usually a Thundrbird. The pole told a story of a family or incident. A successful hunting foray. The addition of a long awaited child. The least member of the hunting party was depicted on the bottom of the totem pole. Usually a youngster allowed to go on his first hunting trip. He carried their food or equipment. 

As far as my grandfather and father, they were of lower status according the the powers of society that be. When you live it, you know it.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 10, 2013)

Addie said:


> Totem poles are items of the Northwest tribes. The top of the pole was usually a Thundrbird. The pole told a story of a family or incident. A successful hunting foray. The addition of a long awaited child. The least member of the hunting party was depicted on the bottom of the totem pole.



You sure about that? I recall you said your heritage was from the Northeast.


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## Addie (Feb 10, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> You sure about that? I recall you said your heritage was from the Northeast.


 
And we are. Old Town and Paris, Maine.


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## buckytom (Feb 10, 2013)

agreed, addie. they were of the pacific northwestern natives.


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## Addie (Feb 10, 2013)

Totem Poles tell a story of a great event in the life of the tribe or a family.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 10, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Telling Native American "races" is much like telling "Asian" races by appearance. I suspect most people think there is some look that be correlated to some tribe or some Asian country/ethnicity.
> 
> It's not that easy, and movies don't even have a clue. Particularly in earlier times the movie producers hired white people and dressed them up in wigs and "Indian" costumes. I suspect fewer than 5% of the Hollywood movies got it right, probably even less.


 
Figured as much. It's the same with South Africans. People either think we are all black or white with Khaki clothes and lions as pets and they assume we can't speak English properly 
I've never owned any Khaki clothes ( those are to make tourist look stupid ), we have game reserves so wild animals don't roam freely and SA has 11 official languages and people from all cultures. Guess that's why we're called the rainbow nation!
I never believe movies.


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## Addie (Feb 10, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> Figured as much. It's the same with South Africans. People either think we are all black or white with Khaki clothes and lions as pets and they assume we can't speak English properly
> I've never owned any Khaki clothes ( those are to make tourist look stupid ), we have game reserves so wild animals don't roam freely and SA has 11 official languages and people from all cultures. Guess that's why we're called the rainbow nation!
> I never believe movies.


 
As a child I thought everyone in Africa ate any and all wild animals for their meals. I thought you had to go out and hunt for every meal. Fortunately in the fourth grade we started with social studies and we learned about the geography of the world and people of different nations. I also thought ALL of Africa was just jungle and there were animals hiding ready to jump out at any person nearby and eat them. I had a very scary mental picture of Africa.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 10, 2013)

Addie said:


> As a child I thought everyone in Africa ate any and all wild animals for their meals. I thought you had to go out and hunt for every meal. Fortunately in the fourth grade we started with social studies and we learned about the geography of the world and people of different nations. I also thought ALL of Africa was just jungle and there were animals hiding ready to jump out at any person nearby and eat them. I had a very scary mental picture of Africa.


 


Luckily the only chance you have of being eaten by wild animals here is if you jump over fences that have BIG WARNING signs on them. Believe it or not, many rural people get killed when they jump over electric fences into the bush. Lots of poachers in Africa. And one too many people that can't read.

I've learned most of what I know about Americans from you guys on DC and my nephew. He's been to America more than once.

We never did American history in school, only British, French, German, South African and Egyptian history as far as I can remember.


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## Addie (Feb 10, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> Luckily the only chance you have of being eaten by wild animals here is if you jump over fences that have BIG WARNING signs on them. Believe it or not, many rural people get killed when they jump over electric fences into the bush. Lots of poachers in Africa. And one too many people that can't read.
> 
> I've learned most of what I know about Americans from you guys on DC and my nephew. He's been to America more than once.
> 
> We never did American history in school, only British, French, German, South African and Egyptian history as far as I can remember.


 
When I went to school we had world geography and world history. I also took Ancient History in High School. It started in the fourth grade and continued through the 11th grade. The 12th grade was mostly electives for extra grade points.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 10, 2013)

Addie said:


> When I went to school we had world geography and world history. I also took Ancient History in High School. It started in the fourth grade and continued through the 11th grade. The 12th grade was mostly electives for extra grade points.


 
I didn't really care for history in school but now that I'm older I've started enjoying it. Go figure 

I did well in school but I've forgotten most of what I've learned


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## Addie (Feb 10, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> Luckily the only chance you have of being eaten by wild animals here is if you jump over fences that have BIG WARNING signs on them. Believe it or not, many rural people get killed when they jump over electric fences into the bush. Lots of poachers in Africa. And one too many people that can't read.
> 
> I've learned most of what I know about Americans from you guys on DC and my nephew. He's been to America more than once.
> 
> We never did American history in school, only British, French, German, South African and Egyptian history as far as I can remember.


 
About 20 minutes from where I live, every year the Indians from all over New England hold a big Pow Wow at the Topsfield Fair Grounds.  The public is invited to attend. We do have cowboys that still ride horses and herd the cattle to different pastures. Then they are shipped off to the slaughter house. Some ranches move their herds with a helicopter or plane. We do have rodeos where they ride bucking horses and mean bulls. Most folks think of cowboys being rough and tough. They are to a degree. But they also hold a contest every year for just cowboys* that write love poetry. *

I love the beauty of a horse, but they are such stupid animals. Because their eyes are on the side of their heads, they don't see forward and spook very easily.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 10, 2013)

Addie said:


> About 20 minutes from where I live, every year the Indians from all over New England hold a big Pow Wow at the Topsfield Fair Grounds. The public is invited to attend. We do have cowboys that still ride horses and herd the cattle to different pastures. Then they are shipped off to the slaughter house. Some ranches move their herds with a helicopter or plane. We do have rodeos where they ride bucking horses and mean bulls. Most folks think of cowboys being rough and tough. They are to a degree. But they also hold a contest every year for just cowboys* that write love poetry. *
> 
> I love the beauty of a horse, but they are such stupid animals. Because their eyes are on the side of their heads, they don't see forward and spook very easily.


 
That sounds like loads of fun! Wish we had more traditional gatherings in SA but people have lost interest.


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## Claire (Feb 10, 2013)

Oh, please, have a sense of humor here.  I should have said that ma cousine would not look out of place on a reservation, and yes, I have visited several.  She simply  inherited all of the facial features that we identify with native Americans.  She knows it and is proud of it.  In our family it would be Iroquois probably.  When I was in 8,9,10 grades (three different schools)(military life) I went to school with quite a few and one of my teachers were Navaho.  They were just like the rest of us, simply had a distinctive look.  As I mentioned, the Cherokee I've known do not look like the Navaho or Hopi, and not like the northeastern.  Seminole aren't really a tribe, they are a mix.  I certainly didn't mean to insult anyone, certainly not ma cousine.


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