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Over the past few months
since Outkast humiliated themselves on the stage at the 2004 Grammy
Awards, I being the resident native in my circle of friends have been
asked numerous times what I think about “Kast’s performance.” At first I
was outraged, rightly so. As a descendant of the original people of
these lands I have been offended and on the defensive since the day I
entered the world. There is a special kind of disregard reserved for
native people in this United States of Apartheid. As we constitute one
of the smallest ethnic groups in the country (the last census showed
that our population is growing, however we are just 1.5% of the U.S.
population) we are especially subject to ignorance. Not the same kind of
racism the black community has faced since the Civil Rights Movement,
the kind that went underground after it became politically incorrect for
whites to openly declare their hatred for blacks. Not even close. As
Indigenous people we are subjected to the kind of in-your-face
degradation that has become unacceptable when directed at the nation’s
largest “minority” group.
Now before I evoke anger for comparing oppression, let me say that is
not my intent. In fact I am extremely uncomfortable making any kinds of
comparisons between our peoples. Our histories are tragic and in many
ways intertwined and should not be subjected to disrespectful
conversations about who’s been fucked over more. Having said that I must
point out some things that should be obvious to any conscious, thinking
person. Have you ever turned on ESPN to watch the Atlanta Black Bucks
playing against the Cleveland Darkies? Hell no. I am however constantly
barraged with images of my people used for the commercial profit of
non-native groups. Many of those sporting those fancy NFL and MLB
uniforms are black men. Sure, the mascot issue is old and tired and
someone out there is saying that Indian people should just get over it.
Would any of you like to be categorized as a pet, something less than
human? Would you like for your people to be so marginalized that you are
reduced to the status of a logo on a football helmet? It is this utter
disregard for a group of Human Beings, along with numerous other
disrespectful images of us (Crazy Horse Malt Liquor, anyone?) that
creates a climate in this country which encourages even our black
brothers and sisters to disrespect us on national television.
Several weeks before the Grammys when Janet’s flash occurred at the
SuperBowl, the media was going crazy about the supposed indecency of
this. C’mon now, all of us have seen titties before, half of us have
them. Besides if you turn on primetime TV, you know that there is so
much sexual innuendo and upfront sexuality in television programming
that it makes this one event seem miniscule. Yet CBS instituted for the
first time in television history the five-minute delay in order to stop
anything “offensive” from being aired on live television broadcasts.
Anything offensive? Let’s just examine this here, anything offensive to
whom? Anything offensive to uptight white Americans who are ashamed of
the human body? Because I’m telling you that Outkast’s performance was
far more offensive to me and to all of my people than Janet’s breast
could ever be.
If you didn’t see it, it went something like this: The lights were low.
A prayer from the Dine (Navajo) Nation was recited as a song sacred to
the Dine people played in the background. Jack Black introduced Outkast
by saying “The natives are getting restless!” As the lights came up a
stereotypical tipi became visible and Andre and a couple of dancers came
busting out dressed in green leather fringed outfits. The girls were
dressed in typical video-ho fashion with little short skirts and cropped
tops, they wore go-go “moccasins” and Big Boi was in the back with a war
bonnet on. Somehow the censors did not deem this offensive and the
performance was aired, ending with a standing ovation by the audience.
My first reaction was, “Oh hell no, you mean I gotta sell all my ‘kast
CDs, cause they that stupid?” My second reaction was deep sadness as I
was once again reminded that for the black community racism is seen in
black and white terms. I could care less about how white people see us,
but it is particularly disrespectful for other people of color to
perpetuate these stereotypes. For Indigenous people it is still 1944 not
2004.
People, all people must realize what some of these images mean in real
terms. By making fun of native people and using what are essentially
cartoon images of us, it makes it okay to ignore us. It makes it easier
to forget that we are the only rightful occupants of this land. It helps
whites more fully realize their previous goal of terminating the
American Indian. It makes Manifest Destiny manifest itself. It ignores
that there are over 500 different native nations and that we all didn’t
live in tipis. Big Boi’s use of a feathered war bonnet was, for lack of
a better word, sacrilegious. By doing what they did, Outkast willingly
participated in the centuries-old plan to marginalize Indigenous people.
It was downright disrespectful and glaringly ignorant.
Please go to redvinyl.com to sign the petition that native emcee,
LiteFoot has started asking that Outkast present themselves at The
Gathering of Nations Celebration in Albuquerque, NM later this month to
publicly apologize to Indian Country for this ridiculous performance.
One thing I can say about my people is that we are loving and forgiving.
At the Native American Music Awards (NAMMYS) next year you won’t see any
native Hip Hop group pull out their Porch Monkey act, but what if that
did happen? |
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