Nymeria said:
It bothers me more that my native heritage was wiped away so I don't have the connection to it. I wish it was taught more in school and society, that people were more aware that culture did exist here before colonization. That the tribes are still here today and have value. It honestly bothers me more when a European said to me how our (meaning American) history is "so young" acting like 1492 was day 1 of history in the "new world". People being stupid and drunk dressing up on Halloween as caricatures pales compared to the legacy of poverty on reservations or the loss of culture of my own ancestors who were taken and forced to lose their "savage" nature. I don't think we get much of anywhere picking on these superficial issues, the deeper roots of division are what interest me and working to a more knowledgeable and equitable society. Bold: A good general sentiment in life. |
Yes, I agree with all of that. I think unfortunately school education tends to focus more on the horrors that were comitted, than the living breathing cultures that were harmed. That is, if they aknowledge it at all, and not just happly toot on about the countries great achievements, instead of facing some uncomfortable truths.
Speaking from my own perspective, we did second Word War every year in some form all throughout secondary school. Be it in actual history lessons, reading Anne Franks diary for german lessons, doing a play about Auschwitz in theater class (and meeting the real life holocaust survivor the play was about, wich was amazing), looking at the econimic and geographical consequences of the third reich and examining the cultural and sociological impact in geography and social sciences. All of wich is important. What we didn't do is visit a single Synagogue. Or learn anything about jewish tradition and religion.
We looked at the piles of shoes, all that is left from the people the Nazis killed, but we didn't look at living breathing jewish culture in germany.
Cultures oral history especially tends to get dismissed and skipped over. Native american history and culture as well as current conditions should definetly be tought and examined in school. As should african american history and cultural movements imho. But the US school system is an underfunded clusterfuck, that allows for blatantly false 'science' to be taught based on an evangelical christian bias, atm so there is a LOT of fixing required.
I also agree that we don't get far picking on superficial issues, but I also came to realize that clothing carries meaning, a lot of the time more than we give it credit for at a casual glance. For many black slaves a fine suit was the diffrence between making it to the North or spending the rest of their life in servitude and a war bonnet was and is a sacred item that deserves to be treated with respect. So if someone is hurt by stupid drunk people appropiating their culture and legacy, all the while ignoring all the very real problems that exist due to was done to that culture, I think they have the right to speak about it. Ideally in such a way as to educate and alert people to the actual, way bigger problems that are going on.
