i stumbled across this guy on youtube, and i totally thought it was impossible he could have a good argument as to why a white dude wearing (what i mistakenly thought) was a skewed version of a Plain Indian War Bonnet could possibly be ok. but if you actually watch the entire video, i admit, by the end, he won me over, and i am generally pretty hardcore about white folks not assimilating aspects of other cultures. but here, while it’s not something i would do, i don’t he is in the wrong, and i admit i was initially mistaken. (if it is of importance to the reader, i am 34, female, and caucasian.) note: not looking for a flame-war, i’m just curious. opinions?
That beadwork looks like its a Lakota design. The other brown peoples in asia and south america tend to knife natives in the back by copying anything we do here to make a quick buck while gently reassuring white ppl.
Here’s a photo that native children in residential school (forced re-education camps) had to put up with. They were stripped of their culture and then forced to wear a mockery of their former image. Everytime ppl like him do shit like that it opens those old wounds.
If it’s not native american then why is it that everytime I fly my regalia in front of white people who don’t normally hang around natives I get sarcastic remarks and racist jokes told towards me. Its because of assholes like him going around reinforcing that stereotype above.
When awarding feathers to a non-natives often other birds are used because eagle and other predatory birds are off limits to them. All birds are sacred because they are seen as flying close to creator, The eagle is the at the top because it carries the prayers.
Basically saying who’s native isn’t relevant sounds like the whole I don’t see color argument. Along with “I don’t care, Our rules our way”
When you wear a headdress like that, It says to other natives that you are the person to go to for help. Like if I wore one other other men would come to me for guidance, Women and children for assistance/protection. Not really allowed to say no. Like if a woman had a problem with an abusive boyfriend and saw me walking down the street she could ask for help. Individuals like him it makes her question if she can really turn to others because there are white passing native americans. I once got pulled into a 2 day horang by a Elder (old woman) because I wore my feather home on the bus. She stated I’m because I’m traditional (to her) and she’s an elder that needs help.
The swastika was once apart of Navajo and Ojibwe (my tribe) culture, Look what white ppl did to that.