Hallå (Hello) ^^

[basilm_PREV (deleted)]

Hi there

My name is Lars, living here in Sweden in a lil harbour city where Im born and raised in.
Enough with my swedish childhood...Ive always been interested in Native Americans as long as I can remember, dont really know WHY, its just the picture Ive gotten from them from what Ive seen (mainly tv, books). Ive only met two "real" native americans in my life, at a friends house, about ten, twelve years ago or so, it fueled my ... obsession to see/know more about the ways of Native Americans.
As I actually know very little about native americans sadly, except what the mainstream student in Sweden/Scandinavia would learn: Settlers from all over Europe came to the US, grew larger and larger, killed the native americans, and finally isolating em into reservations, thats about the whole view you learn in school here (ofc this is a very very short summary :p)

My twin sister is at the moment in the states visiting some relatives of ours (not native americans), while I continue with my university degree..hopefully. I was though thinking of going to the US in the upcoming summer/fall of 2009. Therefore Im here searching for people that could help me in any way, advice/links/videos/chat everything between heaven n earth, that could give me more insight into Native Americans TODAY in USA.
Heritage/History is indeed interesting, but when I go to the US, I would like to meet some "real" native americans, doesnt matter if one of their ancestors are white or asian, couldnt care less, but I would like to see the "must-to-see" native "stuff" when I go there. Like the best/richest reservation, the smallest/poorest reservation, maybe museum about native americans, visit the black hills and some general places that could be of interest, burial ground for Sitting Bull and many more "known" native americans would also be superb.

To make a long try-to-explanation to a short sentence: I would like that if there was someone that could help me find these things, or in general give me more information about WHO the Native American was, some general information.

I cant give you anything in return except my gratitude, and maybe if you want to know something about Swedeurora Borealis (Northern Lights)/Elks or some random thing you might not have over there /Scandinavian history, or how we as a people live here, I could tell you about that in "return" ^^

Thanks for reading this wall of text, Lars

[johnmarlon (deleted)]

basilm wrote:
As I actually know very little about native americans sadly

that could give me more insight into Native Americans TODAY in USA.

I would like to meet some "real" native americans,

but I would like to see the "must-to-see" native "stuff" when I go there.

Like the best/richest reservation,



you are approaching a very complicated subject. I'm kind of wondering what you mean by "Native Americans TODAY in USA."

I also think you push people away by mentioning the word "best" next to "rich" when reffering to a reserervation. Although I understand that is a euro way of thinking it can easily offend someone who has a different way of thinking.

Looks like you've got everything planned already though. I'm sure a pow wow is in your thoughts already, and you seem to already have museums and sight seeing stuff in mind.

The best words of advice I can give you is: Don't expect or look forward to anything. Don't pay for anything someone might call a "ceremony" or a traditon.

Most people have this fantasy about visiting Indians based on books or movies. They forget that this is the 20th century and we live in the richest country on earth where things are never very far away. Even the poorest Reservations have access to electricity and water. Whether each household has them is another story though.

You'll find out anyways, but I'll spare you some time. Pine Ridge is the poorest Rez. Maybe you might choose to personally do some good there on your visit. Although you might not like what you find either and be quick to leave.

[basilm_PREV (deleted)]

johnmarlon wrote:
you are approaching a very complicated subject. I'm kind of wondering what you mean by "Native Americans TODAY in USA."


I mean, to see how native americans live today in the US, of course it aint as in the books or movies, but I still want to see it with my own eyes.
All Ive seen about it is in documentaries, and I dont know how accurate that is either, the little documentaries Ive seen about Native Americans showed more or less a trailer park, with wasteland around it and people who had problems with sickness/diseases. Once again, of course thats not a 100% accurate picture, and must differ a lot from reservation/place to reservation/place. As said, I want to see it with my own eyes.

johnmarlon wrote:
Looks like you've got everything planned already though. I'm sure a pow wow is in your thoughts already, and you seem to already have museums and sight seeing stuff in mind.


Yes I want to attend to a Pow wow as well, small or big. What I would like to know more would be "known" burial grind / sightseeing places that people outside the US wouldnt know about, aka me.


johnmarlon wrote:
The best words of advice I can give you is: Don't expect or look forward to anything. Don't pay for anything someone might call a "ceremony" or a traditon.


Ive never been to the states, even less traveled to reservations, though Ive lived in Shanghai in a bad neighbourhood for quite some time, and before going I so looked forward for a nice time there, turned out to be one of the worst experiences Ive had living at the place (comparing to swedish standard). So I tend not to do the same mistakes when I go abroad to see something nowadays. ^^

About the "ceremony"/tradtion, what do you actually mean? people would try to rip me off, to show me some sort of maybe...dance/song/event, which either doesnt exist, or is free?

johnmarlon wrote:
Most people have this fantasy about visiting Indians based on books or movies. They forget that this is the 20th century and we live in the richest country on earth where things are never very far away. Even the poorest Reservations have access to electricity and water. Whether each household has them is another story though.


Indeed I am aware of that, just not to its fullest content.


johnmarlon wrote:
You'll find out anyways, but I'll spare you some time. Pine Ridge is the poorest Rez. Maybe you might choose to personally do some good there on your visit. Although you might not like what you find either and be quick to leave.



I see, thanks. I have got my hands of a map of the USA, where there are at least some reservations on it, a little here in there, reservations in ALOT of the states, which ones would you think were a "must see" reservation, for a non-US person, that might only stay in the US for 2-4 weeks, who wish to see at least two or more reservations before going back to northern europe.
What would be "doing some good" while visiting a reservation? I dont have much expertise in anything, but if they need help with physical labor, its no worries ^^

[zoupi]

Quote: you are approaching a very complicated subject. I'm kind of wondering what you mean by "Native Americans TODAY in USA."

Well, sure it's a little complicated

I could say almost the same even if my motivations are totally different and I would probably mostly write "Native Americans of today".
It's not necessary a bad curiosity, just that it would be totally crazy to think about peoples living like me in 2008 by the way movies and books like to show them refering to how was their way to live 2 hundred years before !

In Europe we receive countless informations about USA speaking of all the different races, colors and Ethnies but curiously never anything about the Natives. I mean nothing actual, nothing natural. Either the reportings refer to the fabulous Indian's warriors full of spirituality, either they focus on the problems peoples meet in the kind of reservations like Pine Ridge. Both are a bad way to resume the whole Native peoples but between this two extremities : nothing !

I think internet can begin to change this and allow to peoples to just communicate from human being to human being out of the stereotypes or the weight of the History. We are here just peoples speaking together and that's great !

Personaly, if I feel me comfortable to be here it's because I already have two Native's true friends as different the one from the other it's possible to be and when I learn something particular from their culture that comes naturally inside our conversations and I make them discover things about the Frenchs too The day we will visite each other this kind of considerations will be deffinitly far away from us, hurray

To resume everybody is welcome, Native or not and I hope to be welcome too Native or not !

Peace on everybody and at soon for a more light subject !