American Holocaust of Native American Indians (FULL Documentary)
The powerful and hard-hitting documentary, American Holocaust, is quite possibly the only film that reveals the link between the Nazi holocaust, which claimed at least 6 million Jews, and the American Holocaust which claimed, according to conservative estimates, 19 million Indigenous People.
It is seldom noted anywhere in fact, be it in textbooks or on the internet, that Hitler studied Americas Indian policy, and used it as a model for what he termed the final solution.
He wasnt the only one either. Its not explicitly mentioned in the film, but its well known that members of the National Party government in South Africa studied the American approach before they introduced the system of racial apartheid, which lasted from 1948 to 1994. Other fascist regimes, for instance, in South and Central America, studied the same policy.
Noted even less frequently, Canadas Aboriginal policy was also closely examined for its psychological properties. America always took the more wide-open approach, for example, by decimating the Buffalo to get rid of a primary food source, by introducing pox blankets, and by giving $1 rewards to settlers in return for scalps of Indigenous Men, women, and children, among many, many other horrendous acts. Canada, on the other hand, was more bureaucratic about it. They used what I like to call the gentlemans touch, because instead of extinguishment, Canada sought to remove the Indian from the Man and the Women and the Child, through a long-term, and very specific program of internal breakdown and replacement call it assimilation. America had its own assimilation program, but Canada was far more technical about it.
Perhaps these points would have been more closely examined in American Holocaust if the film had been completed. The films director, Joanelle Romero, says shes been turned down from all sources of funding since she began putting it together in 1995.
Perhaps its just not good business to invest in something that tells so much truth? In any event, Romero produced a shortened, 29-minute version of the film in 2001, with the hope of encouraging new funders so she could complete American Holocaust. Eight years on, Romero is still looking for funds.
American Holocaust may never become the 90-minute documentary Romero hoped to create, to help expose the most substantial act of genocide that the world has ever seen one that continues even as you read these words.
What people don’t realize is that the boarding schools (perhaps the biggest factor in killing off Natives and our identity) were just dismantled in the 1970’s. The cultural genocide didn’t end hundreds of years ago, but only about 40.
And despite the schools running heavily during the 1930’s we still experience its effects. Many of us are victims of domestic violence; violence that was taught to our elders during their time in the schools. Many of our elders are emotionally absent and excruciatingly apathetic. Some were molested, most were beaten, and almost everyone went in a Native and left a broken, white person belonging to no country and no tribe, and was still considered a second-rate citizen by the U.S. We were forced through the schools to “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” and yet there was no saving, only killing.
This is a portion of our history that is being hidden by the government. You get the Trail of Tears and a quick 5 minute discussion about how the poor Natives were almost eliminated, but we went through so much more than a Trail of Tears and Wounded Knee, and U.S. citizens need to know.
It’s time that the U.S. (and Canada) stop deliberately ignoring us, pushing our history away from its citizens. You have a right to know so that as they always say, if we learn about the atrocities in history “we won’t repeat it”.
U.S. citizens needs to know that we are still here. We’ve survived biological warfare, assimilation, genocide, protests, and constant ignoring by the government, and we’re still here.
 | Anonymous: does the opinionated ann druyan not have anything to say about racist native american wil wheaton post? |
I don’t know, do people have anything better to do besides try to make me upset with rude messages?
All the stuff that occurred yesterday isn’t worth my time because the post was reblogged a long ass time ago, and because the people crying about the post are being extremely rude, self-entitled, and racist themselves (which I can’t help but laugh at that bullshit, especially since most of the commentators aren’t Native).
So, here’s my extremely opinionated…opinion. If it’s one at all.
First, let me remind everyone on tumblr that I have gone on tangents about stereotypical portrayals of Natives, mainly white males and females dressing in warbonnets. Yet when I did that I received messages and replies telling me to stop complaining about such trivial things; to focus my rants on another aspect of my culture. So that’s one of the reasons why you haven’t seen me reply to that post 5 MONTHS AGO or even yesterday. You tell me not to try and fix the portrayal of my own culture, but you have the freedom to do just that. I’ll just keep quiet while everyone else gets insanely angry, and then I’ll just laugh at them.
Another reason why I haven’t taken up arms against the stupid comic is because the only thing “racist” about the entire thing is the drawing. Not the white and black wolf, not the fact that it’s credited to Natives, not because Wil Wheaton is white and reblogged it. I wouldn’t even really call the artists racist for drawing the characters in such a way. I’d call them ignorant. I’d also call Wil Wheaton ignorant, (but that’s not really his fault) and I’ll call everyone who has commented on the stupid thing ignorant because I’d like to see how much each one of those commentators really know about Natives, our “proverbs”, and how we actually look.
The only racist thing here is your country and government. Guess who started the really lame stereotypical portrayal of Natives? Hollywood. Guess who isn’t doing anything (in the sense of educating) to dispel the racist stereotypes each and every one of you (have held) hold against us? Your government, and you.
Baseball teams still portray us as red-faced, with a feather in our braided hair, slapping our hands against our lips, and performing a war chant. But I don’t see many of you helping us in getting the RedSox mascot changed. Actually most of you tell us to stop complaining about it, which just brings me back to my original reminder…
It’s an ignorant comic that is continuing an incorrect stereotype, but to smite someone for being ignorant while not trying to correct the root of the problem is idiotic. How about instead of bitching at an old comic reblogged by a Native-ignorant white guy, email the artist and educate them without shaming them for being white and/or racist.
Besides, how many of you knew that story wasn’t Native before someone knowledgeable jumped on it? How many Natives do you think know that story isn’t really Native? I’ve heard it circulated in the nativesphere…and it’s kinda funny because within my own tribe we have a very similar story. It doesn’t involve wolves (despite popular media telling you so, not many of our stories involve wolves), but the concept is the exact same thing.
So to the 3 other messages asking me the same thing, there you go. My poorly written opinion. I’d really rather not beat a dead horse any longer than I have to.
Tattoo (at 20x Magnification)
Before the development of modern tattooing methods, a wide variety of techniques were utilized. Many Native American tribes, for instance, rubbed pigments into prick marks or scratches to produce tattoos, and in other parts of the world a number of different implements, from thorns and knives to small rake-like instruments and needles followed by pigment-coated thread have been utilized to make permanent markings on the skin. Indeed, there are almost as many ways to create a tattoo as there have been cultures that practiced tattooing. The unusual art form has been known to humans for at least several thousand years, a mummy dating from about 3,300 BC exhibiting what is believed to be the most primitive evidence of tattoos. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Germans, Britons, and other early societies are also known to have utilized tattoos for various purposes, though the rise of Christianity led to their disappearance in Europe for many centuries.
In the Southern California/Northern Mexico tribes tattooing is/was mostly done during the coming of age ceremonies, they are markers for clans and tribes, and also later act as a preserving of the soul after death. For example because I went through ata’nukh but did not get tattooed it is believed I will not be able to pass on after I die, even if I’m sung off. My body will go, but my soul will remain as an insect.
Tattoos in my tribe are/were done using a cactus needle quickly pricked along the skin, and rubbed with yucca ash or nectar from agave. Despite it sounding quite savage, it takes practice and a steady hand to tattoo correctly or scarring and uneven lines will appear.
 | sincerelyzeppo-deactivated20130: Do you ever blend languages? I find I mix Portuguese, French, and Spanish A LOT, but also mix in a few words from my native language. It gets very confusing. Do you have this problem? Also, what language do you (mostly) dream in? Also, what's your favorite phrase in Tipai? Sorry, I have a million questions for you... haha. |
I always blend only because there’s words in my language that don’t have perfect translations in English, but I can’t think of an English word to fit what I want to say.
I don’t really have dreams where I speak or people speak to me.
I don’t have a favorite phrase. My favorite word is ha’mpa’choh’ka which means hummingbird.
| Anonymous: what is tipia?? ive never heard of that language |
It’s Tipai, and it’s the southern dialect of the Kumeyaay.
I’m one of only few in California who can speak actual Tipai. Most people can only speak the conjoined, modern language Kumeyaay. The rest are in Baja and Northern Mexico.
Not many people know the language (and the people) exist.
| Anonymous: Thanks for your response. Just also wondering, from what you know about the disputes within Canada, which side of Canada do you think handles issues/treats First Nations People better? English Canada or French Canada? |
Well I don’t know anything about disputes within Canada, just what is happened right now from the popularization of Idle No More. My knowledge of First Nations is only of U.S. issues.
To be honest I don’t really know the difference between English Canada and French Canada except whatever boundary exists between the two is a language boundary?
All I know is your current PM is a poop head.
| Anonymous: Do you know much about the First Nations in Canada? Particularly the Inuit and Métis as those are the two most recognised groups in that country. How do you think Canada has handled conflicts (if any) recently between its indigenous peoples and the rest of English-French Canada? |
I don’t know much about the First Nations in Canada, but I do know about the Inuit and Metis, not on their recognition though.
I took a class on the Inuit so I like to think I know some stuff about them even though I only know mostly their culture, and Metis is becoming a popular slang term down here in the U.S to denote someone half white and not particularly First Nation Canadian, so I just know the term through people calling my sister Metis.
As of now my only knowledge of the First Nations and Canada’s relationship is through what the Prime Minister is doing, and how hush hush the past seems to be. I don’t know anything else besides that, I have to ashamedly admit. I doubt it’s really any much different than the general cultural genocide and ignorance from the government you see here.
You’d think I’d be on the up and up with these things, but I really only know about my history and the U.S. Native’s history.
| Anonymous: Could you recommend some good reading on the influence of the Iroquis Confederacy on the US Constitution? |
The only books I can think of off the top of my head are Iroquois Diplomacy on the Early American Frontier, Forgotten Founders, and The U.S. Constitution and the Great Law of Peace.
The last two are going to be your best bets, but are controversial because of the “weakness” to their claims.
Here’s also a website you can check out. It has more links and book recommendations for you to sift through.
dorkstranger replied to your post: Do Native Americans find the term “Indian” offensive?
What about Aboriginal or Indigenous?
Also subjective, but you won’t find many North American Natives using the term aboriginal. That’s more of a term you’d find in Australia. Indigenous has been used, but I’m sure someone would find it offensive.
First Nations is becoming popular in the U.S. too. It’s still a predominately Canadian term, but since it doesn’t have the word Indian in it, people tend to like it more.
You can’t please everyone, though.
| Anonymous: Do Native Americans find the term "Indian" offensive? |
Some are offended by the term, some aren’t. It’s subjective, just as some of us find Native American offensive and some find American Indian (the now politically correct term for us) offensive.
It all depends who you talk to.
