Native Identity: A story of genetic discourse by David Thorn

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

An excellent article which takes the reader by the hand, from past to present, to come to understand the Indian plight and offers his solution out.

His conclusion reads:

The consequences of contact with “The white man,” totally disrupted the life and

culture of the Native people. From that point on the Native Americans began to

form a new self-identity that was based on the hegemonic view of who they

were. Over the years this Native identity has formed, and been reinforced by

modern society to the point that many Native Americans accept the view from

the outside, and fully accept all of the disadvantages that it implies. The last

couple of hundred years are not enough time for genetic adaptation to take

place, as exemplified by the high rate of disease that is now being attributed to

genetic conditions. The Native American currently accepts these genetic

conditions as part of their identity. Diabetes, obesity, and early death rates are

all accepted parts of the Native American identity, and with acceptance comes

a diminished desire to correct the problem. Diets and medications are not

enough to save the Native people from their current destiny, what it will take is a

change in who they think that they are. They must create a new identity based

on whom their people were before contact with “the white man”, and disregard

the hegemonic imposed identity that currently exists for most of them. The

Native American Identity that exists today is of a dying Indian.

The entire article can be viewed here:

http://www.littlewolf.us/nativeidentity.html