Native Quilts and Baskets

 

 The trip to the museum was extremely interesting. It was divided into two different parts: Baskets and Quilts. There were so many different types of baskets that came from all over the United States. I believe that my favorite basket was the giant strawberry one. It looked like it was made out of  window blinds. The basket was incredibly large and actually looked like a strawberry. It was red and had a green lid. It was rather amazing to know that someone could make something so large and have it look like what it was suppose to, even through it was made out of such a weird material. The fact that the museum had basket from different moments in time was even more interesting to witness. There were baskets that were newer and ones that came from a long time ago. The baskets that were newer weren't as beautiful as the older baskets where. I understand that they were made the same way and the tradition is there, but they didn't have the usage factor. I think when something is made and actually used it has a stronger sense of pride and well roundedness. There is something about it that takes a new shape and connects you to the past. It is almost like being there. There were a several newer baskets that were beautiful...don't get me wrong, but the feeling just isn't the same. The materials used to make the baskets was amazing that they still had the sweet grass smell. I love the smell of sweet grass. It is so fresh and light. I couldn't believe that the smell lasted for so long without fading away.
After the baskets we went to see some quilts. They were pretty extraordinary. The colors and pattern shapes were breathe taking. There is so much detail work that goes into making a quilt. I had no idea that it took so many hours and so much effort to learn. Even the patterns that were made in the stitching where extremely detailed. I have always wanted to learn how to make a quilt. I feel like it would be a beautiful thing to be able to do. I would love to give them away to family members and friends. It seems like it would be such an amazing gift idea. The only blankets that I know how to do are the knot blankets. They aren't that hard, but they are time intensive. It means a lot of the individual that receives them as well. You have to put kindness, care and happy thoughts into it while you make the blanket so that they can always be comfy and protected. That is an amazing thing to be able to do from someone else that you love and care for. The most interesting quilt was the one that they received from the 1950s or 40s...I believe. It was beautiful and there was a back story to it. It was about the girl that made it. Her father served in the arm as a sharp shooter. The two women talking about the quilt believed that it was originally made to be a gift for another family and by the way it looked they used it well. The stitch work on it was beautiful as well. The detail is really something to be admired. I would love to go back and look are more quilts that are currently there.

Lumbee Beauty Queen Suing Former Employer for Wrongful Discharge, Suppressing her Claims of Sexual Harassment, Battery

 

By ICTMN Staff: October 10, 2012

Ashley Haywood was crowned as the 2008 "Miss Lumbee" of  Robeson County (North Carolina), but this is not the story that I am here to talk about. She is filing a lawsuit against her former boss at the Lumbee Tribe’s housing office. She was sexually harassed several times by her boss and feared of being raped. When she spoke out about what was happening to her the tribal leaders wanted her to stay quiet about the issues that she was facing every day. They threatened her several times that she needs to just let is go or else she would lose her job and other various things. 
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"Ashley Haywood claims her former boss, Rev. Jimmy Hunt, committed verbal abuse, inappropriately touched her, forcibly groped and kissed her, and downloaded a pornographic video on her computer, over the course of her employment at the tribe’s housing office in 2009."
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She was so scared for her safety that she carried scissors around in order to protect herself from the threats posed by her boss. I find this completely unbelievable! No one should have to carry around a weapon at work in order to protect themselves. The fact that tribal leaders wanted to cover up this issue is even worse. This is why most women never report anything that happens to them because of the fact that is just gets pushed under the rug. No one should tell someone to bush off a sexual assault. This would never happen in "white" culture. It is considered extremely serious offense that is taken seriously, but there is still the stigma that it is the woman's fault. "She shouldn't have dressed that way....she shouldn't have flirted with him...." Women hear this all the time in public and private spheres, which doesn't help with the issues of reporting these horrible acts. I understand that some people can think that it is their fault because they might have put themselves into a situation, but that is never the case. No one deserves to feel unsafe or guard themselves because no one will believe them or even listen to their story, or maybe even act. I hope that he gets what is coming to him and the lawsuit doesn't go away. I think he deserves to get into massive trouble with the law and the tribal leaders that are covering it up. They should also get seriously looked into by the community that they are governing. How many other times has this happened and they did nothing about it or told the victim to ignore it?

Crazy Brave: Joy Harjo Found That the Hardest Story to Tell Was Her Own

 

 By Konnie LeMay: September 30, 2012

 This is my heart. It is a good heart.

Weaves a membrane of mist and fire.

When we speak of love in the flower world

My heart is close enough to sing to you

In a language too clumsy

For human words.

—from “This Is My Heart” by Joy Harjo

The memoir that Harjo wrote is one based off struggles and hardships, but she has shined through all of theses. Joy Harjo is an extremely famous woman in the Native community, she is a renown author, song writing, and play write. The book appears to be something that would be rather interesting to read. The struggles that Native women have faced over the past centuries have been increased because of the political and structural violence. The way a woman raises her children are impacted by the way she was raised or the values that were placed on them. Harjo spoke about fear of violence, fear of alcoholism, and fear of the adults around her while she was growing up. The impact of violence on younger individuals is an extreme issue in all communities, not just Native. I don't believe there is every a reason to use violence against a young child or against anyone in general. Not only is physical violence something that needs to be changed, but also verbal violence is incredibly important to stop. This book/memoir shows empowerment and real  issues that are facing Native women and Harjo. Her book will help all kinds of people realize the realities and issues that are happening everyday. The empowerment to even speak about these issues personality is extremely brave. Most people don't even want to address the issues or problems of their past. It is hard to bring up terrible things that have happened in your past. But how can an individual overcome the issues without talking about them? Without thinking back on them? Our past makes our present. It is a important to have a past and to learn from what we have been through in order to make a future that is better than what we had. I think that it would be a rather interesting read and as heart-breaking or depressing as it appears it is a good thing to learn about and understand. Not everyone comes from a place of strength and she appears to have over come her struggles and better herself from the stereotypes that she was locked into.

University of California Student Brings Young Women’s Flower Dances Into the Spotlight

 

Cutcha Risling Baldy, a doctoral student at the University of California Davis, is collecting oral narratives from women who have participated in flower dances. She hopes the project will shed light on how the important roles women played in traditional culture were suppressed and even erased by anthropologists, government officials and missionaries.

By Marc Dadigan: October 1, 2012

 

 Flower dances are beautiful dances that appear to celebrate a woman in all the forms she may take in her developing life. It is generally used to celebrate the coming of womanhood or menstruation. In general, not just for Native people this is seen as something that is dirty and should be hidden from society. That there might be something wrong with women in general. Why doesn't something that happen naturally have such a bad impact on women and on society. This dance brought about empowerment and helped young girls discover not to be ashamed of their bodies. There is something important about younger girls knowing that there is nothing wrong with their natural bodily functions. To teach women about themselves is rather important. To not be ashamed of yourself and to build up the self-worth that everyone should have about themselves.

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 “Many years ago I was in a bad relationship and I didn’t have the feelings of self-worth to get out of it,” Risling Baldy said. “When I was telling my mom about it, she said ‘Oh, Cutcha, we should have danced for you.’”

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 The dance itself has been out of practice, but is making a comeback. The women being interviewed and actively researching the Flower Dance has found out that at the being it was a first a private affair that has grown over the years into a large place of celebration or parties. The dance is slowly being a larger part of the Native people, as they move back towards their traditions. There is a project or movement going around that the dance would shed light on a woman's empowerment and their roles in their communities. It is to help explain what Native women want to be doing, what they should be doing and that there shouldn't be an harm or shame in being what they want. It will teach society of what they have done and will somewhat shame society itself for the way of thinking that has become so powerful or dominate.

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"...hopes the project will shed light on how the important roles women played in traditional culture were suppressed and even erased by anthropologists, government officials and missionaries."

 

 

“It’s important for people to see the women singing our songs together, to see that we did sing and to understand why it’s important we continue to sing.”