RIP
Vine Deloria Jr.
1933 - 2005
Many of you may not know who this person is. But his writings seriously influenced my decision to study American Indian culture. He was an Advocate of American Indian rights, A professor at the University of Colorado, one of the most outspoken proponents of American Indian Culture and political identity, and a Sioux Indian.
I own and have read every book he ever wrote. He wrote Custer Died for Your Sins, An Indian Manifesto in 1969. It was his best known and most influencial book.
The first thing I ever read by him infuriated me. I wrote a scathing review of it. He wrote very one-sidedly about American Indians and anthropology and Indian rights. He hated anthropologists, I was studying anthropology, he hated me.
But it was very compelling for me to read, to be able to understand his mindset and much of what he wrote gave me a greater respect for his culture. Most of the time, I didn't agree with him, but now I understood him and where he was coming from. He worked very hard to overcome the stereotype of the American Indian.
His writings reinforced my desire to work with Indian tribes to help preserve that culture, and to help destroy a centuries old stereotype.
He really did make a difference in the way many people view American Indian culture. It's a great loss.
1933 - 2005
Many of you may not know who this person is. But his writings seriously influenced my decision to study American Indian culture. He was an Advocate of American Indian rights, A professor at the University of Colorado, one of the most outspoken proponents of American Indian Culture and political identity, and a Sioux Indian.
I own and have read every book he ever wrote. He wrote Custer Died for Your Sins, An Indian Manifesto in 1969. It was his best known and most influencial book.
The first thing I ever read by him infuriated me. I wrote a scathing review of it. He wrote very one-sidedly about American Indians and anthropology and Indian rights. He hated anthropologists, I was studying anthropology, he hated me.
But it was very compelling for me to read, to be able to understand his mindset and much of what he wrote gave me a greater respect for his culture. Most of the time, I didn't agree with him, but now I understood him and where he was coming from. He worked very hard to overcome the stereotype of the American Indian.
His writings reinforced my desire to work with Indian tribes to help preserve that culture, and to help destroy a centuries old stereotype.
He really did make a difference in the way many people view American Indian culture. It's a great loss.