How White Is Your Native World #2

[Cherie]

What are your suggestions on how to get rid of the Fakers/Frauds. How do we take our culture back from those who are trying to steal it?

There are laws out there already on the books regulating what's been happening. What steps should one take to make sure these laws are enforced?

Anyone have any ideas?

[Kiwehnzii]

There is power in numbers. An association by "real" native vendors and artists would add more clout to demands that only " true Native American " arts and crafts be sold at public functions. An association could boycott all violators that are not a part of a Native American arts & craft association. A powwow cannot function on most areas without quality vendors. I've seen some powwows ban non-native vendors. Chicago/Ann Arbor are a couple. Thanks to the efforts of a group of "real" native vendors. It can be done. But.......... it takes the work of the vendors themselves.

[Hwii Siziinii]

Enforced? That's a hard one. How do you draw a line between someone who just admires the art form, is good at it, and wants to present it and someone who is trying to pass themselves off as 'authentic'? As I mentioned in part one (at least I think I did anyway...), I only buy native art from native artists. But that's because I want my money to go 100% to the artist, not someone marking it up for profit. But where does that leave someone who's non-native who's talented at a certain style of native craft? Some who's respectful to the form but not trying to pass themselves off as native? Granted, I've never met anyone who fell in that criteria but I have a tendacy to fall into a reverse racism type of thing, trying to be protective of natives but basing my judgement on appearance. That, in itself, is disrespectful to those who are light skinned. That gets back to 'how do you know who's who'? I guess that didn't offer an answer to the question but it's a dilemma that crosses over many lines.

[kiowakat]

keep your local Congressmen and Attorney General busy, turn in the fakes and frauds, make a phone call to 1-888-ART-FAKE (real number) they'll tell you what you need to do next:
you might ask why am I calling the Attorney General, well its against the consummers affairs, meaning its against the law to sell to the public misrepresented items. And kiwe is right, power in numbers, using every resourse we have available (pw.com is certainly one good resource) to keep everyone up to date on the fakes, frauds, and lets not forget every damn issue that concerns ndn's such as urban health care cuts. boycotting when necessary, protests, show the U.S. were not about to lie down and be swept aside.

[badmaninc]

There is power in numbers. An association by "real" native vendors and artists would add more clout to demands that only " true Native American " arts and crafts be sold at public functions. An association could boycott all violators that are not a part of a Native American arts & craft association. A powwow cannot function on most areas without quality vendors. I've seen some powwows ban non-native vendors. Chicago/Ann Arbor are a couple. Thanks to the efforts of a group of "real" native vendors. It can be done. But.......... it takes the work of the vendors themselves.

I think that in theory this may be appropriate. The problem is that some of our own people are married to non-ndns. I our city we have an inner harbour that many of our people sell their arts and crafts. One guy is allowed to be there because his wife is from our community. I am not an artist or anything but my uncle who is said that he believes it is alright for the guy to be there. I explained that he does his own crafts and said his wife does it. I said if his wife is from there then she should be there. Problem of policing who should and should not be there falls to certain Chiefs and Councils. They are of the opinion that there are far more important matters which require their time. So non-ndns say they have spoken to the Chief and Council and were told it was alright. One suggestion I have offered to my uncle is to have somebody from the community be hired with the mandate of "ridding the non-ndn artisans". Problem is nobody wants to be seen as a bad guy. I was suggesting that they hire me. I have no problems being bad. I think you guys in here can attest to that.

[WhoMe]

I'm for just TELLING THE TRUTH!

Many nonIndians sell Indian related articles,

But........


If you aren't Indian don't say you are.

If you're married to an Indian and you're not, just be honest.

If you were told your great, great (x a zillion) grandma was Indian but you have no idea what kind, just might as well not brag about it. *L

If you're a nonCultural Indian and are only Indian for the money.... "You might as well be white." *LOL (I just made that one up. Clever huh?) *L

[Kiwehnzii]

Yes, policing would be difficult, but the vendors know each other. They know if someone is not Indian. For sure they know.

If they would collectively " spill the beans' to each committee, that would make each committees job of rejecting or accepting a vendor application much more easier for future events. They have to work together. Presenting a list of frauds to any/all event coordinators where they take part wouldn't hurt.

[Blackbear]

Beat em up, break their stuff and give them directions to unemployment so they can find another way of making money ... LOL

sometimes the simplest solutions are the best :D

[hywalker]

some kick *** thoughts coming out here. i think bad has hit on the hardest point of the frauds with non natives using native spouses to sell their items, that will be the hardest of all to solve. other than that , maybe paul could set up an area just devoted to tracking the fakes & frauds in areas. pw.com could become the hub of native info on fakes frauds and issues needing to be rallied behind. just a suggestion tho

[Cherie]

Beat em up, break their stuff and give them directions to unemployment so they can find another way of making money ... LOL

sometimes the simplest solutions are the best :D

I like your way of thinking.

[badmaninc]

Beat em up, break their stuff and give them directions to unemployment so they can find another way of making money ... LOL

sometimes the simplest solutions are the best :D

Dude, you sound like the mob. Or Sean Connery in the Untouchables, "If they put one of ours in the hospital; we put one of theirs in the morgue."

[Blackbear]

Oh geez!! LOL you are right!! That does sound mobbish don't it? ROFLMAO!

[Hwii Siziinii]

would that make you the 'fake mob' then?

[wannabeUrNo1Snag]

when i buy from vendors, its only from ndn vendors...if they look suspect i keep on walking...even when it comes to the food stands...i'm jus stuck up like that lol

[Hwii Siziinii]

I gotta agree on the food thing too. Me and my used-to-be went to the state fair one time and saw this white guy making frybread and he looked like he was making a pizza! I don't think he liked us standing there laughing at him...