Comments on: Things NEVER to Say to American Indian Coworkers

By: Mirtha

Mirtha — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:46:08 +0000

Totally agree. Just try respecting one another.

By: Mirtha

Mirtha — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:42:41 +0000

How about not worrying about where people are from and just being “human”. Respect everyone and you should be fine.

By: Lola SkyWater

Lola SkyWater — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:22:27 +0000

I’m 1/3 Muscogee Creek Indian & find the above article to be entirely TOO patronizing.
Don’t tiptoe around us like we’re little glass dolls. Outright ignorance is rude, but SO IS OVERT ‘Political Correctness’ ..

At the end of the day, I’m *human*, please treat me as such.

Lola SkyWater

By: sadie

sadie — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 03:15:39 +0000

also, just an fyi… the land tribal nations do have where settlements from the indian wars, we didn’t get the land, we fought for it. and only 5% of tribal members actually receive dividends directly, and that money comes from their nation not the us government. there are a very few, very wealthy, tribes out there that give the rest of the population the impression that indians are rich, ha! i’m blessed to be from a tribe with a thriving economy and i receive about $300 every financial quarter FROM my tribal nation. i’m not saying that the flip side of this is what you’re implying, this is just one broke indian who always throws her two cents in on the issue :) love peace and frybread grease! (another fyi, frybread is NOT a traditional food-hahaha! it was brought by the missionaries)

By: Maryjane Cloud

Maryjane Cloud — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 19:14:11 +0000

Pu’u Wai Lani, not only do I agree with your sentiments, I wish more people would educate themselves as to exactly how the U.S. Government fouled you, your people, and your Queen.

Lenape nan, Mj

By: Valannin

Valannin — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:26:19 +0000

Aside from the fact that the term has been in use for close to a thousand years, and is a well-known British idiomatic phrase, (albeit as “Hold the Fort”) one of the first documentations of American usage use of the phrase “hold the fort” was a military order wired by Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in 1864 to Gen. John M. Corse at Allatoona during the Civil War. Records show that the actual words had been ‘Hold out, relief is coming,’ but ‘fort’ is what caught on and was further popularized when it was made the refrain of a gospel song by Philip Paul Bliss.

Has nothing to do with American Indians. Do your research next time.

By: K.L. Michael

K.L. Michael — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 01:48:58 +0000

I found this article interesting, but also amusing. I am Unagam, Aleut Native Alaskan. I don’t think it has ever occurred to me to be upset by the phrase ‘hold down the fort’ or ‘low man on the totem pole’. And as Pu’u Wai states, how much “blood” you have is a topic we talk about often. I am a ‘half-blood’. My mother is full-blood. I guess I could be offended by the question ‘how Indian’ I am, if done rudely. However, when asked that question before, the people were asking out of genuine curiosity, which I was happy to answer and talk about. I have also been asked if I lived in a teepee, or igloo, and it did not bother me (though I thought the people asking were either crazy or stupid).

I guess my point is that often times it is not the comment or question that is offensive, but how it is done.

Though I must agree with the “squaw”; that gets old really quickly.

By: Pu'u Wai Lani

Pu'u Wai Lani — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 19:07:29 +0000

First Nation or the Tribe reference is correct. I’m “part” Hawai’ian.
Hawai’ian’s are ALWAYS talking about how much “Hawai’ian Blood” they have. It’s a pride issue. The more original blood, the ‘more’ of that culture runs through you. It IS hierarchical. Another tidbit – Hawai’ians don’t get anywhere NEAR the money or land First Nation Tribes in Northern America get. Just an FYI.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Sat, 19 May 2012 07:14:33 +0000

And yes – I did use the term ‘American Indian’ initially since that seems to be the author’s preference.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Sat, 19 May 2012 07:13:15 +0000

Very interesting article and made me think about how these common phrases may offend or give an American Indian some pause.
Being an Indian from India – I am always offended by the use of the word ‘Indian’ for any Native American description. A good example of how ignorance can become institutionalized.