BOOKS: “An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States.” My Interview with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

[Tace]

Photo credit: Mickey Z.

Mickey Z. -- World News Trust

Oct. 11, 2014

“The whole country is a crime scene and should be marked with yellow tape.”

- Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

As I type these words, we are two days away from “honoring” Columbus and exactly a month has passed since the cries of “never forget” echoed on the 9/11 anniversary.

When it comes to honoring and remembering, however, it’s clearly slipped our minds how -- upon encountering the Arawak people in 1492 -- the venerated Mr. Columbus noted that they “would make fine servants,” adding, “with 50 men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.”

Fortunately, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz is making certain we “never forget” the realities of Manifest Destiny. Born in rural Oklahoma to a tenant farmer and part-Indian mother, Dunbar-Ortiz has committed her life’s work to education and activism. Her path will inspire you and her latest book, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States (Beacon Press) will enlighten you. And anger you. And, best of all, educate and motivate you.

I recently had a conversation with Roxanne and it went a little something like this:

more

http://worldnewstrust.com/books-an-indigenous-peoples-history-of-the-united-states-my-interview-with-roxanne-dunbar-ortiz-mickey-z

[arcane1]

2. Huh?

Adjective

indigenous (not comparable)

(chiefly of living things) Born or engendered in, native to a land or region, especially before an intrusion. [from 17th c.]  [quotations ▼]
Innate, inborn. [from 19th c.]

[arcane1]

4. Ah, I see, you're using a made-up definition.

[arcane1]

7. Nope, that's not what the word means.

Nice try though. That wasn't obvious at all

[uppityperson]

9. A description of Indigenous Peoples given by the World Bank (operational directive 4.20, 1991)

A description of Indigenous Peoples given by the World Bank (operational directive 4.20, 1991) reads as follows:
Indigenous Peoples can be identified in particular geographical areas by the presence in varying degrees of the following characteristics:
a) close attachment to ancestral territories and to the natural resources in these areas;
b) self-identification and identification by others as members of a distinct cultural group;
c) an indigenous language, often different from the national language;
d) presence of customary social and political institutions;
and e) primarily subsistence-oriented production.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/PROJECTS/EXTPOLICIES/EXTOPMANUAL/0,,contentMDK:20553653~menuPK:4564185~pagePK:64709096~piPK:64709108~theSitePK:502184,00.html

3. Identification. Because of the varied and changing contexts in which Indigenous Peoples live and because there is no universally accepted definition of “Indigenous Peoples,” this policy does not define the term. Indigenous Peoples may be referred to in different countries by such terms as "indigenous ethnic minorities," "aboriginals," "hill tribes," "minority nationalities," "scheduled tribes," or "tribal groups."

4. For purposes of this policy, the term “Indigenous Peoples” is used in a generic sense to refer to a distinct, vulnerable, social and cultural group6 possessing the following characteristics in varying degrees:

(a) self-identification as members of a distinct indigenous cultural group and recognition of this identity by others;

(b) collective attachment to geographically distinct habitats or ancestral territories in the project area and to the natural resources in these habitats and territories7

(c) customary cultural, economic, social, or political institutions that are separate from those of the dominant society and culture; and

(d) an indigenous language, often different from the official language of the country or region.

A group that has lost "collective attachment to geographically distinct habitats or ancestral territories in the project area"; (paragraph 4 (b)) because of forced severance remains eligible for coverage under this policy.8 Ascertaining whether a particular group is considered as “Indigenous Peoples” for the purpose of this policy may require a technical judgment (see paragraph 8).

[noiretextatique]

6. they are the people who were here when america was "discovered"

but of course, you know that. whatever you call them, they were already here when europeans "found" america.

[noiretextatique]

10. is the "discovery" of a place that people were already inhabiting correct?

NO...the rest is semantics.

[noiretextatique]

13. the point is: columbus did not "discover" america

another myth of white supremacy and ingenuity bites the dust.

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. And Columbus' "discovery", of course, was not the first.

There was St. Brendan in the 6th century and Leif Ericson in the 10th.

[noiretextatique]

19. yep...but why the lies, aka, history as taught to too many children

is that about?

[noiretextatique]

21. it has everything to do with white supremacy

are you fucking kidding me?

[uppityperson]

22. If I walk down a road, not knowing a house is along it, I can claim I discovered that house?

Huh. Maybe I can impose an uppityperson's Day with celebrations, flaggies, drinks, fireworks.

[uppityperson]

14. Are you saying there are no indigenous people since everyone came from somewhere else at some time?

Are there any indigenous people in the world?

[noiretextatique]

17. no...except the europeans who "discovered" places where other people already lived

what a colossal mind fuck that BIG LIE is, aka, history as a vehicle for white supremacist indoctrination.

[arcane1]

29. Here it comes...

[uppityperson]

32. Crop rotations, briquettes, instant coffee, peanut butter? The DEVIL!!!!!111

Oh yeah, crop rotations, evil thing. Works of the debil I say!!!11

wiki:
George Washington Carver reputedly discovered three hundred uses for peanuts and hundreds more for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. Among the listed items that he suggested to southern farmers to help them economically were adhesives, axle grease, bleach, buttermilk, chili sauce, fuel briquettes (a biofuel), ink, instant coffee, linoleum, mayonnaise, meat tenderizer, metal polish, paper, plastic, pavement, shaving cream, shoe polish, synthetic rubber, talcum powder and wood stain

[arcane1]

33. And they teach this?? To our precious white children??? Are you series??

The horror!!1

[arcane1]

23. Well, we're all indigenous to Planet Earth at least.

Or are we..?

[arcane1]

11. Walked there 10,000 years ago vs boated there 500 years ago. That's not arbitrary.

But thanks for playing!

[arcane1]

20. There was a land bridge, and then there wasn't. Geology defined the cut-off point. It's definitive.

But of course you knew that

[arcane1]

25. This is rapidly descending into parody at this point.

Are you from The Onion?

[greatauntoftriplets]

27. The Onion is at least funny!

[arcane1]

30. Indeed!

[edgineered]

31. Reading the link, some additional humor for you - being how you view it:

In Chapter 2, “The Culture of Conquest,” I trace the rise of white supremacy to the Christian Crusades, and particularly the centuries long Castillian crusade against the Moorish Caliphate in the Iberian peninsula. In this process, Christian canon law introduced the concept of limpieza de sangre, cleanliness of blood, and established the Inquisition to investigate the purity of Christians, that they had no trace of Muslim or Jewish religious practices. Then in 1492, began mass deportations of Muslims and Jews. The Doctrine of Discovery itself was inherently white supremacist in that it mandated that Christian monarchies (all European/white) had the right to occupy and dominate any non-Christian/non-white society.

[Euphoria]

34. Looking forward to reading the book.

Heard her on "First Voices" program on WBAI radio out of NYC last Thursday. She's so articulate, intelligent and, of course, discerning.

[littlemissmartypants]

35. Excellent.

Manifest destiny is an evil none of us should allow any other to forget.
Excellent read. Thanks for your post, Tace.
~ Lmsp 🙌

[Tace]

37. littlemissmartypants, I was surprised at the troll above.

Thanks for your encouragement. --Tace

[cntrygrl]

36. I'm very interested in reading this. Thank you. n/t