Was Columbus a terrorist or an illegal alien?

In Albuquerque, the Pueblo nations have built a beautiful Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.  A large, two-story circular building, with a large interior courtyard, made out of adobe, of course.   The first exhibit was on 100 Years of State and Federal Policy: The Impact on Pueblo Nations.  Large displays of the legislation enacted that moved them out of their homes onto reservations, that criminalized their spiritual traditions, including their dances and that took their children and forbade them from speaking their language.  It showed the progress on reversal of those laws and how the Pueblo have revived their traditions. 

But it brought back to me all of the injustices that Native Americans suffered from the invaders on their land.  Not only stealing the land, but systematically killing them off with smallpox infected blankets and forcing them to relocate.  It was only about a decade ago that I learned about the Trail of Tears.  I always thought the Cherokee were from the Dakotas or Oklahoma.  I was shocked when I learned that the Carolinas were their home.   This filled me with guilt for just being of the white race. 

I have always felt uncomfortable with what I felt was an intrusion on Native culture.  I never played cowboys and Indians.  I never wanted to adopt Native symbols or totems.  When I received all those Macaw feathers, I did not make a headdress, since it might co-opt some Native meaning.

I felt as if I were trespassing in this country, especially in the Southwest.  I wanted to leave.  I felt unholy.

Ananda pointed to a room down the hall.  “They’re going to be dancing.”

I was reluctant, since I didn’t want to intrude anymore that I already have.  I didn’t want to feel as though I was gawking at them.  But she disappeared into the room and so I went after her.  The leader of the program was wonderful.  He spoke about the meanings of the dances we were about to see and explained that it was not just their cultural tradition.  Their culture and their spirit are inseparable.  I sat there, listening, but still feeling out of place. The costumes and dances were nice, but even though he explained what the dances were for, I knew that I could never understand all the symbolism underlying meaning.  I was not Pueblo. 

But the best thing he talked about was what he termed “Indian industries”.  Mostly the casinos.  This has become the basis for the re-emergence of their culture.  They are gaining economic and political power.  They are a large voice in stopping the uranium mine at Mount Taylor.  They have become a major employer, with 90% of their employees non-Native.  But the thing that made me sit up and go ‘Wow’, was when he said that they were proud to share their traditions with us and that these dances were a blessing from them to us.  As he spoke, I felt truly welcomed and a wave of relief washed over me.  I felt absolution.  And now, I feel much more free to explore and participate in Native culture.  I may not get it right, but it will be with a respectful heart.

Aho!  Mitakuye oyasin!  All my relations.