Reference no: EM133458469
1. In chapter 1 from his book Custer Died for Your Sins, Vine Deloria describes how White Americans treated Native Americans differently than African-Americans. Compare and contrast how these two groups were treated. How were they treated differently? Why, according to Deloria were they treated differently? What are the consequences of this differential treatment?
2. The 1995 documentary White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men explores the popularization and commercialization of Native American spiritual traditions by Non-Indians. Use the information presented in the past two weeks readings, videos, and audio clips to answer the following questions.
1. What are the motivations for many non-Indians to appropriate Indian religious practices?
2. Do you think any of them are aware that some Indians may take issue with this? Are there any dangers in doing this? Are there any problems caused?
3. Which of the non-Indian people interviewed in the film might be the most aware of the fact that they are exploiting Indian religion and people? What makes you think so?
4. When non-Indians adopt elements of Indian religions, what does it say about their view of the complexity of Indian cultural practices?
5. Why do they think it is okay to assume Indian religious practices? What do you think?
Short Essay
Using this week's chapter reading, and the appropriate video, and audio clips, discuss slavery as it relates to the Cherokee in both a historic and modern perspective. Begin the discussion with how slavery affected the Cherokee themselves and how that experience informed the adoption of hereditary slavery into Cherokee society. How did agriculture, economics, and politics influence the acceptance of slavery as a cultural norm? How did the American Revolution help solidify slavery as a norm? Discuss the Trail of Tears and how this affected the Cherokee plantation economy. How does the Dawes Roll affect modern claims of Cherokee ancestry? How does this relate to slavery? What "kinds' of modern Cherokee are there? What is a "five-dollar Indian"?
What exactly is a Cherokee? Are the Cherokee a race or a nation?