Posted for Sophia Cleland.
If you would like to contact her through me it's ok.
LET US STOP THE BRUTAL LEGACY
November 23, 1992
TO: ALL INTERESTED IN ELIMINATING THE PROPAGATION OF NEGATIVE MYTHS
AND STEREOTYPES ABOUT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CONCERN: TAKING A STAND FOR A MORE SENSTITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL
INDIGENOUS AMERICAN CHILDREN
FROM: THE HEARTS OF THE CLELAND FAMILY--MARY, LAWRENCE, SOPHIA AND
OTHER SISTERS AND BROTHERS (Hunkpapa/Oglala Lakota)
In high school(1990), my Honors American History class viewed the
movie, A Man Called Horse, with a lecture about how my people, the La-
kota, used to leave their elders behind when moving due to their weak-
nesses and being too bothersome for caring. I confronted the teacher
about the movie and the myths he was teaching. He told me his "infor-
mation was from books and was supposed to be historically correct."
The movie showed rituals inaccurately, i.e. the keeping of the soul,
mourning, marriage, and the SUN DANCE. All of these rituals shown in
this movie leave the student with repulsed attitudes toward our beau-
tiful ceremonies. The movie credits state the Sun Dance is a vow to
the sun. For those who are not familiar with the Sun Dance, this is
sacriligious. My people do not make a vow to the sun, they pay homage
to the Creator of all (Wakan Tanka, God, Allah, Yahweh, etc.). A vow
must be made for humanity, and it must be upheld for one year. In the
movie, the only concern for the Sun Dance is a prayer "for courage"
and the abiltiy to live while enduring the Sun Dance. The English a-
ristocrat who endures is forced to dance in order to marry the chief's
sister proving his manhood. (incident happened to Sophia Cleland--
currently a University of Arizona freshman)
Already the school has voted to keep the movie on its education-
al curriculum. We appealed the decision to the governing board, and
on October 22, 1992, the board voted (3 to 1) in favor to keep the
movie on the educational curriculum. Right now we are appealing to
a higher position; i.e. asking local, state, and national legislators
and all peoples and organizations to adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION
IN DEFENSE OF THE DIGNITY OF ALL TRADITIONALLY
ORIENTED AMERICAN INDIANS:
WE CALL FOR A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION PUBLIC SCHOOLS
OF LEARNING WHICH PRESENT OFFENSIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE,
NEGATIVE STEREOTYPICAL ROLE MODELS OF AMERICAN INDIANS:
1. WHERE AS, Public Law 102-279, signed by President
Bush on May 9, 1992, designates 1992 as the "Year
of Reconciliation Between American Indians and non-
Indians" S. J. RES. 222.
2. WHERE AS, cultural understanding is called for in
Public Law 102-279.
3. WHERE AS, American Indians continue to carry on
traditional values and identity.
4. WHERE AS, the contributions of American Indians
should be a relevant and sound basis for respect
in regard to multi-cultural sensitivity.
5. WHERE AS, we support and encourage the practice
of American Indian youth who carry on the
the traditional values of their heritage.
6. WHERE AS, we accede to the universal concept of
justice for Spiritual and Traditional values for
American Indians guaranteed by the Indian
Religious Freedom Act of 1978.
7. WHERE AS, it is a fact that American Indians have
been portrayed in negative stereotypical roles by
film makers, and some of these types of films are
being used in public schools as factual learning
tools.
8. WHERE AS, many public schools have neither
implemented, developed, nor enforced
guidelines to qualify the necessity or
relevancy of considering the presentation
of offensive, negative stereotypes of
ethnic people of all cultures.
9. WHERE AS, a federally recognized Lakota-Sioux,
Enrollment #2206U11529, named SOphia Cleland,
has filed a formal complaint due to a film
used as a learning tool which portrays her
religion, culture, and ancestry in a manner
which is offensive to her, i.e. propagating
negative sterotypes of American Indians.
10. WHERE AS, the propagation of negative
stereotypes of American Indians contributes
to the destruction of Indigenous American
pride and culture.
THEREFORE: WE CALL UPON THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR
RECONCILIATION.
FROM OUR SPIRITUAL UPBRINGING, WE ARE TO BE THANKFUL FOR THE AB-
ILITES TO MOVE, BREATH, SPEAK, SEE, AND LISTEN. THESE ARE GIFTS FROM
THE CREATOR WHICH WE SHOULD UTILIZE TO THE FULLEST CAPABILITY. DO NOT
ALLOW OUR CHILDREN TO BE CONTINUALLY STRIPPED OF OUR DIGNITY ANY LONG-
ER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE MUST RISE SPIRITUALLY AND UNITE IN ORDER THAT
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANY TRIBE AND ANY PEOPLE. STOP THE TRIBALISTIC
ATTITUDE, THE GOVERNMENT DIVIDED US LONG AGO SO THEY COULD CONQUER US.
REMEMBER, WE ARE ALL RELATED! LET US RISE FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR
OUR CHILDREN!
Please SUPPORT this resolution for a Congressional investigation
on the propagation of negative myths and stereotypes in public schools.
WRITE to your local Senator or Representative in a formal letter or
SEND a copy of this resolution with your signature, your address, and
your social security number(optional) to:
Senator Inoye (Committee Head) and Senator McCain at the
United States Senate same address.
Select Committee on Indian Affairs
Washington, D.C. 20510-6450
THIS IS A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT. IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY and being that
under Public Law 102-188 1992 is the "Year of the American Indian",
PLEASE STAND BEHIND THIS RESOLUTION. For more information, please con-
tact Mary Cleland (Hunkpapa Lakota) at (602) 437-2649--6819 S. 41 St./
Phoenix, AZ 85040 or Sophia Cleland at (602) 695-0311--1009 E. North
Campus Drive, #321/ Tucson, AZ 85719. If you are an organization,
please adopt this resolution. WE WILL SEND THE RESOLUTIONS FOR YOU IF
YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME. PLEASE PASS THIS FLYER ONTO YOUR TRIBAL HEADS
AND TO ANYBODY WILLING TO ACT FOR OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU.
LET US HAVE OUR DIGNITY!