This past weekend I went to DC, VA and Maryland. I stayed with second cousins, and we took an unofficial tour of Howard University, visited the
National Museum of Native Americans , and went to the Redskins-Raiders game. Quick weekend trips are always dope.
It’s ironic that I went to the National Museum of Native Americans and that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I celebrate Thanksgiving not for historical reasons, because over 500 years of indigenous resistance is nothing to celebrate.
I really want a shirt that says this. It's a shame that I don't know more about my indigenous heritage. I know that my mother's side definitely has Mayan ancestry, but all I really know about my father’s side is that a great-great grandmother was Narragansett…I'm definitely gunna investigate this. My father’s side of the family traced our lineage back to the first slave bought out of the West Indies; a great-aunt of mine even uncovered records and paperwork from way back when. They even got her name. Surely we can find out who was Indian.
From a 1992 Interview with Rigoberta Menchú Tum (about Columbus Day)
Q: What do you think the indigenous should do to commemorate the twelfth of October?
A: Why only the indigenous? It is a date that represents the cultural plurality in America. It is an issue of indigenous, blacks, mestizos,all the races of the continent. Our struggle should not be one of races. If it were, we would continue to be racist. These are very backward ideas of humanity.
Now, the twelfth of October is a special date, but I don't be- lieve that it will change the situation very much. The struggle of the indigenous didn't begin in 1992, and it will not end in 1992; it is simply an occasion to take advantage of the international attention.
Her book is very interesting, you all should read it.