stop mocking Carl! Oleinyk -Plastic totem poles hurt indigenous cultures “Stop mocking me!”, he bellowed as his weathered fist slammed against the gleam- ing metal pole. Everyone in the bus jumped. His boom- ing voice echoed against the thin rattling windows. A young lady, the object of his wrath, clutched her tiny purse and cast her shadowed eyes on the floor concentrat- ing on its blank surface. The enraged man had the kind of face you could never fix your eye on, like the opposite pole on a magnet. It screamed in ’ agony of years of hard alcohol. Deep red from days spent sleeping on sidewalks, his bulbous nose was a mass of knotted veins bursting below the surface. Long matted black hair hung limply across his forehead meshing with the hollow wrinkles of his face. Another drunken Indian. But his dark eyes glimpsed fiercely. A dim light from within pierced the void separating him from his persecutor. She wiped a sweaty palm across her leather handbag. “Stop fucking mocking me”, he said more subdued but still maintaining the force of a strong gale. The bus driver shouted back from his sheltered station. “Excuse me, sir. We don’t want any swearing back there, please.” Again the fist crashed against the pole pounding out his frustrated reply. The driver found his way to the rear of the bus and, froma safe distance, he chas- tised his patron. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave if you are going to con- tinue to use profanity.” Unsteadily, the man rose to his feet, his eyes resolutely fixed on the girl. “Fine”, he said, “but if you don’t like natives, you should stay out of this coun- try.” He’s right, you know. We should have stayed out of this country. On this 500th anniversary year of the discovery of the land we live in, we have long forgotten there was already a land here. And noone seems to want to remem- ber. In 1492 famine, epidemic diseases, so- cial turmoil, warand corruption of author- ity were rampant in Europe. The discov- ery of America prompted the beginning of anew Europe. Unfortunately, the powers that be raped the land and enslaved and stole from the natives who lived there. planet of the arts volume 7 issue 7 them It’s been estimated that there were 57.3 million natives living in America when Columbus discovered its fertile soils at the end of the 15th century. There are pres- ently 33.5 million natives here now. 4.4 million natives in Canada plummeted to 2.5 million today. Alcoholism is rampant amongst first Nations people. Suicide rates on Canadian reserves are up to 20 times higher than the national average. Life expectancy in Guatemala is 61 years for non-natives, 45 years for Indians. Eight million Indians have died as slave labour- ers in Bolivian silver mines run by Span- ish, Why? We appropriate everything we can from the American Indian. Wename our streets and cities with Indian names. We don their apparel; fashionable clothing from Central American natives cruises past us everyday. Their crops have saved the world. Cotton, chilli peppers, tomatoes and cocoa all originated in America. As did the potato. Easy tocultivate and store, the potato’s introduction to Europe halted a wicked famine so decisively that Ireland’s population tripled in the century after it was introduced. And without maize-corn, another American native, the “situation” in Africa would have come to a deadly resolution long ago. Today 60 per cent of all crops worldwide were first cultivated and eaten by American natives. Why? But nowhere does the theft seems so insidious than with regard to native art. Haida jewellery and prints bespeckle our necks and walls. Those trendy Central American fashions are an art form as well (and you can bet that if you didn’t buy them directly from the craftsperson, some- one else is reaping huge profits). We applauded the work of native artists, nod- ding sagely at the creative hand and the mystic mind. We include totem poles as part of our city’s decor, buy handmade rugs and applaude ritual ceremonies brought to our freshly scoured, blackened streets. Why? Understanding little of their ways and not attempting to do so, we glorify their craftsmanship, applaud those that have made it in our world, weep in the dark when the pale faces of Hollywood orches- trate our emotions for.the good of the beloved box office, and turn an uncompassionate eye from the sights of our fellow beings consumed by the anxie- ties of a modern world. Why? We colonized the new world, destroying native cultures. The American Natives have long since abandoned their sense of time and being under the pressures and agony ofan intruding force bent on homog- enizing their environment. Then we as artists appropriate the newly discovered “high creativeness”. We expound on our autonomy placing ourselves entirely free from political interest. But by manipulat- ing native techniques and images to seek refuge from the dogmatic advance of mo- dernity and the alienation it inflicts upon us, we directly support the interests and attitudes of the old world powers who continue to brutally destroy native peo- ples or convert them into submissive, cul- tureless slaves. Why? Why do we continue to legitimize the use of native art? Why is it still socially ac- ceptable, nay, chic, to clothe ourselves in the colourful prints andjewellery ofnative Americans? Why isit okay to hanganative print on the wall but not to bring a down- and-out native into our midst to under- stand their ways, their thoughts? Why can we not look them straight in the eye? And why in my years on this campus page ll have I witnessed but a single piece that directly deals with the “Native Problem”? We are the artists. That is why we are here. Thatis what we are being trained for. When the German Expressionists experi- enced World WarI, Franz Marc gave us the “Fate of the Animals”. Kathie Kollwitz produced pictures of people destitute and dying, products of a deranged authority. Picasso gave us “Guernica”. Damn the “sensitivity of the issue”! These people are in great need. The abuse they suffer is imminent. The world is becoming very aware of the native blood spilling on Canadian soil and our attempt to sweep it under a carpet of democracy. They are in need ofa return to spirituality in this age of fast food and TV wars. In need of re-estab- lishing their sense of people and direction in a world long foreign to their ancestors. In need of understanding and acceptance. In need of love. It is time to go beyond our predecessors, recognize our mistakes, and transcend the blatant use of Native Art solely for our artistic benefit. It is time to bring an awareness to everyone’s attention. An awareness of the centuries of persecution, displacement, and genocide that has taken place. As artists we should be cramming our walls with hard images that shout back at us showing what we have done and are doing. We must expose to ourselves and others the “other face”, the face that turns away and yet does not look inward. The face that won’t admit what it sees and has done. We must strive to use compassion and understanding to deal with what is really happening. We must look into those eyes. Let’s help our fellow people who have helped us so much. Let’s deal not with the “Native Problem” but with the “Canadian Problem”. And please, let’s stop mocking them in every way. Ss) A Anthony McNab stop Carll Oleinyk -Plastic totem poles hurt indigenous cultures “Stop mocking met”, he bellowed as his ‘weathered fist slammed againstthe gleam: ing metal pole. Everyone in the bus jumped. His boom- ing voice echoed against the thin rattling windows. A young lady, the object of his wrath, clutched her tiny purse and cast hershadowed eyes onthefloor concentrat- ing on ts blank surface. ‘The enraged man had the kind of face you could never fix your eye on, like the ‘opposite pole on a magnet. It sereamed in agony of years of hard alcohol. Deep red from days spent sleeping on sidewalks, his bulbous nose was a mass of knotted veins bursting below the surface. Long matted black hairhunglimply acrosshis forehead meshing with the hollow wrinkles of his face, Another drunken Indian. But his dark eyes glimpsed fiercely. A dim light from within pierced the void separating him from his persecutor. She wiped a sweaty palm across her leather handbag. “Stop fucking mocking me”, he said more subdued but still maintaining the force of a strong gale ‘The bus driver shouted back from his sheltered station. “Excuse me, sir. We don’t want any swearing back there, please.” Again thetisterashedagainstthe pole pounding out his frustrated reply. ‘The driver found his way to the rear of the busand, froma safe distance, he chas- tised his patron. “Sir, 'm going to have to ask you to leave if you are going to con- tinue to use profanity.” Unsteadily, the man rose tohis feet, his ‘eyes resolutely fixed on the girl “Fine”, he said, “but if you don't like natives, you should stay out ofthis coun- ys “Hi ight jou know: Wosbee have stayed out ofthis country. On this 500th anniversary year of the discovery ofthe land we live in, we have Jong forgotten there was already a land here. Andnoone seems to want toremem- ber. In 1492 famine, epidemic diseases, so- cal turmoil, warand corruption of author ity were rampant in Europe. The discov- ery of America prompted the beginning of ‘anew Europe. Unfortunately, the powers that be raped the land and enslaved and stole from the natives who lived there. planet of the arts volume 7 mocking|them It’s been estimated that there were 57.3, million natives living in America when Columbus discoveredits fertilesoilsat the end of the 16th century. There are pres- ently 33.5 million natives here now. 4.4 nillion natives in Canada plummeted to 25 million today. Alcoholism is rampant amongst first Nations people. Suicide rates on Canadian reserves are up to 20 times higher than the national average. Life expectancy in Guatemala is 61 years fornon-natives, 45yearsforIndians. Bight rillion Indians have died as slave abour- ers in Bolivian silver mines run by Span ish. Why? ‘We appropriate everything we can from the American Indian. Wenameourstreets and cities with Indian names. We don their apparel; fashionable clothing from Central American natives cruises past us everyday. Their crops have saved the world. Cotton, chilli peppers, tomatoes and cocoa ll originated in America. Asdid the potato. Easy tocultivateand tore the potato’s introduction to Europe halted a wicked famine so decisively that Ireland’s population tripled in the century after it was introduced. And without maize-corn, another American native, the “situation” in Africa would have come to a deadly resolution long ago. Today 60 per cent of all crops worldwide were first cultivated ‘and eaten by American natives. Why? But nowhere does the theft seems so insidious than with regard to native art. Haida jewellery and prints bespeckle our necks and walls. ‘Those trendy Central ‘American fashions are an artform as well (and you can bet that if you didn't buy them directly from thecraftsperson, some. one else is reaping huge profits). We ‘applauded the work ofnative artists, nod- ding sagely at the creative hand and the issue 7 page mystic mind. We include totem poles as part of our city’s decor, buy handmade rugs and applaude ritual ceremonies brought to our freshly scoured, blackened streets. Why? Understanding litte oftheir ways and not attempting to do so, we glorify their craftsmanship, apptaud those that have made it in our world, weep in the dark ‘when the pale faces of Hollywood orches trate our emotions for.the good of the beloved box office, and turn an ‘uncompassionate eye from the sights of cou fellow beings consumed by the anxie- ties of a modern world. Why? We colonized the new world, destroying native cultures. The American Natives have long since abandoned their sense of time and being under the pressures and agony ofan intruding force bent on homog. enizing their environment, Then we as artists appropriate the newly discovered “high creativeness”. We expound on our autonomy placing ourselves entirely free from political interest. Butby manipulat- {ng native techniques and images to seek refuge from the dogmatic advance of mo- dernity and the alienation it inflicts upon us, we directly support the interests and attitudes of the old world powers who continue to brutally destroy native peo ples or convert them into submissive, cul tureless slaves. Why? ‘Why do we continue to legitimize the use of native art?, Why isit still socially ac- ceptable, nay, chic, to clothe ourselves in thecolourful prints and jewellery ofnative ‘Americans? Why sit okay tohanganative print on the wall but not to bring a down- and-out native into our midst to under stand their ways, theirthoughts? Why ean ‘we not ook them straight in the eye? ‘And why in my years on this campus 11 have I witnessed but a single piece that directly deals with the “Native Problem”? Weare the artists. That is why we are here. Thatis what we are being trained fr. When the German Expressionists experi- enced World Warl, Franz Maregaveusthe “Fate of the Animals’, Kathie Kollwitz produced pictures of people destitute and ying, products of a deranged authority Picasso gave us “Guernica”, Damn the sensitivity ofthe issue"! These people are in great need. The abuse they suffer is imminent. The world is becoming very aware of the native blood spilling on Canadian soil and our attempt to sweep it under a carpet of democracy. They are in need ofa return tospirituality in thisageof fastfood and TV wars, In need of re-estab- lishing their sense of people and direction in a world long foreign to their ancestors. In need of understanding and acceptance. In need of ove. Itis time to go beyond our predecessors, recognize our mistakes, and transcend the blatant use of Native Art solely for our artistic benefit. It is time to bring an awareness to everyone's attention, An awareness of the centuries of persecution, displacement, and genocidetthat has taken place. As artists we should be cramming ‘our walls with hard images that shout back at us showing what we have done and are doing. We must expose to ourselves and others the “other face”, the face that turns away and yet does not look inward, The face that won't admit what it sees and has done, We must strive to use compassion and understanding to deal with what is really happening. We must lok into those eyes. Lets help our fellow people who have helped us so much. Let’s deal not with the “Native Problem” but with the “Canadian Problem’. ‘And please, let's stop mocking them in every way.