Mistakes, Lies & Misconceptions about American Indian people

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

taken in its entirety at request of web site: http://www.nativecircle.com/mlmeverydaymyths.html

some everyday myths about indians

"indians are hot tempered" - myth

"indian men can't grow facial hair" - myth

"indians get drunk or become alcoholics easier than non-indians" - myth

"indians all get money from a casino or the u.s. government" - myth

"indians can't cry" - myth

"indians all had brown eyes and straight, black hair" - myth

"indians are lazy" - myth

common misconceptions dispelled (tongue-in-cheek on some topics)

all indians did not live in tipis, wear headdresses, and hunt buffalo.

modern indians do not live in tipis, wear headdresses & hunt buffalo.

the only thing ever smoked in a traditional pipe was sacred tobacco.

there was no such thing as a 'smoke-signal'.

"how" (with hand raised), is not the real way indians say hello.

real indians cannot jump into a fire and not get scorched.

some indians can actually grow a full beard.

some indians do not have 'high cheekbones'.

"woo woo woo" (with hand over mouth) is hollywood fantasy.

real indians can't dive off a 500 ft cliff and live, like 'poca-haunt-us'.

"me biggum chief" is not a real indian dialect.

most indians are not 'chiefs'.

not all chiefs were/are men.

real indian spirituality is not 'magic'.

there was no such thing as an "indian princess"

not all indians had/have long hair. traditional indian people do/did not worship animals, trees or rocks.

written by john two-hawks

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]