#indigenous awareness

[sorrowsofsilence]

I don’t usually post anything outside of bomens, but it’s important I use my voice to honour my missing sisters, ancestors, cousins, and ndn people alike

It’s red dress day in Canada, a day to bring forward and acknowledge our missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and 2sp+.

Today is important to me, and it’s important to bring awareness <3

[moonliightings]

indigenous rep in modern media sucks and we really need to talk about it.

trigger warnings include: rape, violence, abuse, slurs, and general bigotry against native people

let’s start with the most (in)famous example of indigenous rep in modern film: pocahontas.

pocahontas is the most prominent modern native character and she is terrible, terrible representation. if you’re a part of the native community, i’m sure you’ve already heard of this. but in case you’re not aware, pocahontas is based on a real girl named montauke who was only 11-12 when she was taken from her home, raped. abused, and later forced into marriage with john rofle who she even had a child with. pocahontas was not even her real name, it was a nickname. disney took this story and turned it into a love story between a native girl and her colonizer. even if it wasn’t based on a true story, it’s still incredibly disrespectful and set many terrible stereotypes for native peoples and characters that are still present in modern media.

here is an article on the historical inaccuracies of pocahontas - https://www.theindigenousfoundation.org/articles/the-true-story-behind-disneys-pocahontas

now let’s move onto the general problems pocahontas created for not only native characters, but native people in real life.

pocahontas sends a bad message to not only young native girls, but all people of color by romanticizing a relationship between a woman of color and her oppressor. i’m aware this trope was around before pocahontas, but it was popularized by this movie, and the effects of it are still around to this day. popular examples of this trope are —

the second big problem with this movie is it’s portrayal of natives. the character of pocahontas is basically a walking “magical native” stereotype who talks to animals and communicates with spirits. it’s also important to note how the designs were clearly designed by a bunch of white men who probably did little to no research on natives. sadly i’m not surprised because this isn’t the first time disney has done natives wrong. i’ll save that for another post though.

now let’s get to the sexualization of pocahontas. as i said in my last point, pocahontas was clearly drawn by white men. pocahontas is hardly 18 in this movie yet she’s drawn as a typical white mans fantasy. she has big lips, curves, and long flowing hair. she has next to no native features of the time. of course natives features can vary, but her design makes absolutely no sense considering the conditions and living state of natives in the 1600’s. this is already bad enough on it’s own, but it’s especially bad considering the true story of montauke. a girl who was raped was romanticized and turned into a sex symbol centuries later…

one of the other effects of pocahontas i don’t see many people talk about is how it popularized halloween costumes of native culture (where the sexualization continues). do i even have to explain why this is terrible? OUR CULTURE IS NOT HALLOWEEN COSTUMES AND WE ARE NOT ITEMS FOR YOU TO JERK OFF TO.

last but not least, let’s talk about how it affects natives in general. as a native person, i have been compared to pocahontas my whole life. it’s easy to write it off as harmless jokes or remarks, but i believe we should call this behavior out. these “jokes” are not only in horrible taste, but they’re deeply harmful to the indigenous community. the name “pocahontas” is one of the most common insults for native people.

all this stems from one film, a glamorized & romanticized adaptation of a real girl’s story. to even call it an “adaptation” is a stretch. this film is an insult to the indigenous community and everything our ancestors went through.

[dnpanimationstudioclone]

Got a nice shirt for Orange Shirt Day/National Truth and Reconciliation Day!!!!!🧡🖤♥️💛🤍

Every Child Matters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🧡🖤♥️💛🤍

[hellhoundzzz]

!!

Folks, friends, y’all…. esk*mo is a slur. I understand a lot of people don’t know that, I don’t want to be a dick about it, but I’ve been seeing it in fics. Wanna write “esk*mo kisses”? Just say “nuzzled noses” or something.

I’m not here to call anybody out, it’s been in multiple fics, I’m not vague posting. This is just a psa. 👍🏻

[shadow-bender]

Please pray and raise awareness for Cole Brings Plenty, a Lakota actor and student. He was found on april 5th. This is such an awful and cruel act of violence, im having a hard time finding the words.

April 8th Rising Hearts has organized Braids for Cole, so please wear your hair in braids and bring awareness so that Cole and his family can get justice.

*edited to correct information*

[wittyworm]

Going to be making stickers and posters and spreading this around my town hopefully soon. the green square is going to have a QR code that will have a bunch of resources and ways to help. Iv gathered some of my own but if anyone has resources they think would be helpful or have suggestions on ways to best do this (its just me and my sister) id really appreciate the help.

[anonymusbosch]

the Americas really popped off with potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, maize, and winter squashes, and most beans, and cocoa. if I had to choose only crops native to the old world vs crops native to the new world I would pick new world in a heartbeat. there are native onions and grains and rices that are not endemic. the loss of wheat would be a tragedy but the world without tomatoes would be so so so dark

[mandiemegatron]

A reminder with Canada day coming up tomorrow.

Also, your daily click for Palestine.

NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE!

Reminder to not wear red and white for Canada day today - instead, wear orange to show support for all the slaughtered indigenous children found at residential schools. Wear orange for the MMIW, for all the indigenous family members that never made it home.

No pride in genocide.

Fuck Canada Day, fuck your celebrations.

[alwaysbewoke]

being anti-genocide is not allowed on meta

like i said before, i don't mess with shaun king like that, but that being said, many things about one thing can be true at the same time. it is very clear that there is a wave of censorship happening across social media against pro-palestinian content in favor of israeli propaganda. so whether or not you like shaun or not, it is very clear what is happening and why. there is clearly a genocide happening in gaza that is being perpetuated by colonizing power. a genocide against an indigenous population for land, resources, and power. basically the same thing america did to the natives here. had it not been for people like shaun king (flawed as he may be), many people would not be aware of the heinous acts of israel against the palestinian people right now. so even as someone who is not a shaun king fan, i am not so myopic in my view of things to not realize that he served a positive purpose when it comes to the israeli genocide of palestinians.

on a much larger scale, whenever a platform or a power attacks someone popular, one of the goals is to send a message to everyone else that they are not safe and that they should back off. it's like a football coach picking on and cursing out their hall of fame quarterback. when everyone else who isn't as popular or powerful sees that on the team, they immediately realize that they must fall in line or worse can happen to them. that's the goal of banning shaun king from ig. however as a black man who understands how connected all oppressive systems are, we cannot slow down. may i remind all my brothers and sisters that israel is where police forces like the nypd go and train in abusive violent tactics, which they then come back to america and overwhelmingly exercise on black and brown bodies. so if you think this does not affect you, you are sadly and deeply mistaken. additionally, this kind of censorship is going to spread. if we don't fight back, it won't be long before you will be arrested for speaking out against israel. this is what israel wants, and they have the money and political power to make it happen. you can either sit back and let it happen or you can fight back. however, make no mistake, it's coming, and this is the first major blow that the enemy has struck in their offensive against our free speech.

[ciderjacks]

Also ok I need to sleep but deadloch is such a good satire also. Like I’ve watched some cop shows, and holy shit it flips every aspect over. The obvious one is that it’s women leading and men getting murdered instead of the other way around, but the one I find the most interesting and most important, is that it takes the “few bad apples”, as well as the “ends justify the means” shit, and completely flips it. Like. Ok. B99 is a cop show. It’s a “progressive” cop show, that sort of tries? To have some messaging about bad policing, but it still falls into the issue of the messages being: “most cops are fine it’s just that some cops are racist! But we can just get them fired so it’s ok” and “it’s necessary for cops to break the law and do morally questionable things to solve a case, and they risk getting fired for it so it’s brave”

Meanwhile even with a progressive show like b99, it still fits into the box of what deadloch is parodying. Like the core messages of deadloch are the opposite of what I listed above. Like we have: “the system is rotten, corrupt, and the few good cops are getting pushed out because cops are actively discouraged from being good” and “the bravest thing an officer can do is follow the law and treat people with human decency”

Like idk what else to say it’s just really good. It’s a really good satire. I went in with low expectations (bc I didn’t realize it was going to be a satire) but like. Yeah It’s really really well done.

[thenuclearmallard]

There's been an idea to create a t-shirt design to bring awareness to the Indigenous people of Siberia/Russia. The symbol used will be a pattern that is commonly used and individualized by different tribes as an honor of spiritualism. I'll post a picture below.

The t-shirt will be in blood red color and will have the words "Decolonize and Deescalate" on it. A couple of Indigenous people came up with the idea and the design and it's in the works.

It's time for the Indigenous people to finally be seen and heard.

[arthistoryanimalia]

#InternationalOwlAwarenessDay 🦉:

Kenojuak Ashevak (Inuit [Cape Dorset/Kinngait], 1927-2013) Hidden Owls, 2006 & Flamboyant Owl, 2006 Serigraphs, each 58 x 56 cm Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian 26/7038,40

[rookflower]

grit my teeth and hold myself back from fighting someone every time i see the sentiment of "wow can you believe people actually think nightheart is sexist? and that liking nightheart makes you a misogynist? how crazy is that lol" out in the wild. nooooo that's not what the discourse actually was. you have fallen for the dismissive surface level takeaway people had from a genuine discussion about wider trends of misogyny in the writing, that makes said criticisms out as irrational and hysterical as possible. you will now associate any criticisms of misogyny in the series with this hyperbolic strawman

[sinners-if]

There are very few (read: none) minorities not under attack in the US by both state and federal law who all deserve to be seen and remembered. But today is May 5th, National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

While their connection and relationships to others are important, they are not just parents, siblings, or children, these are human beings. Human beings who deserve the rights and attention of any other.

Please give your voice and privileges today and tomorrow. There are too many who have been silenced, but those above can not keep us all quiet.

Implement Savanna’s Act

Defend ICWA

Indigenous Representation in Hollywood

& more

[harmonyhealinghub]

Red Dress Day: Honouring Memories and Raising Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People

May 6, 2024

Shaina Tranquilino

In Canada, Red Dress Day serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing crisis surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S). This solemn occasion, marked by the hanging of red dresses in public spaces, symbolizes the lives lost and the urgent need for justice and systemic change. As we commemorate Red Dress Day, it's crucial to reflect on the profound impact of this crisis and renew our commitment to advocating for the rights and safety of Indigenous communities across the country.

The Significance of the Red Dress:

The red dress has become a powerful symbol in the movement to raise awareness about MMIWG2S. It represents the women, girls, and two-spirit individuals who have gone missing or been murdered, their spirits, and the bloodshed that continues to stain the fabric of Indigenous communities. Each red dress hung serves as a silent tribute, a visual reminder of lives cut short and families torn apart by violence and injustice.

Honouring the Memories:

Red Dress Day is a time for reflection and remembrance. It's an opportunity for communities to come together to honour the memories of those who are no longer with us. Through ceremonies, gatherings, and art installations, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike pay tribute to the lives lost and reaffirm their commitment to seeking justice and accountability. It's a solemn occasion but also a chance to celebrate the resilience and strength of Indigenous communities in the face of adversity.

Raising Awareness and Demanding Action:

Beyond remembrance, Red Dress Day serves as a call to action. It's a reminder that the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people is not a thing of the past but a present-day reality. Indigenous women are disproportionately affected by violence and are more likely to experience homicide or disappearance compared to non-Indigenous women. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for systemic change to address the root causes of this crisis, including colonialism, systemic racism, poverty, and inadequate access to resources and support services.

Advocates and activists use Red Dress Day as an opportunity to raise awareness about MMIWG2S and to demand action from governments, law enforcement agencies, and society at large. They call for improved support services for victims and their families, culturally sensitive policing practices, and meaningful efforts to address the underlying factors that contribute to violence against Indigenous women and girls. By amplifying their voices and advocating for change, they strive to ensure that the lives lost are not forgotten and that future generations can live free from fear and harm.

Red Dress Day is a solemn yet empowering occasion that reminds us of the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people in Canada. As we honour the memories of those who are no longer with us, we must also recommit ourselves to the fight for justice, equality, and respect for Indigenous rights. By standing in solidarity with Indigenous communities and demanding action from our leaders, we can work towards a future where every woman, girl, and two-spirit person is safe, valued, and able to live their lives free from violence and discrimination.