arnaldo

Thank you for expressing your thoughts in such an elloquent way! The New Grolier Webster International Dictionary; Aborigine: one of the first inhabitants of a country especially as opposed to foreign invaders or colonist; the original animals and flowers of a region. This definition does not say anything about Australian Aborigines. No, you are not an aborigine. You are of aboriginal descent. So, I didn't mean to insult your intelligence by this, if I did I appollagize. Do you think the "people" would get mad if they were to be called Aborigine? The word, I think, gives power to the user, and a sense of ownership. This will takes us away from Columbus idea of this land be consider India. Yes, each of the tribes want to be call by their tribal name, just like Hispanics feeling proud of their own country( Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Nicaraguans, Cubans,etc) of origen. This does not mean they don't like to be called Hispanics, referering to all as one. There is no such thing as white or black. The skin is made out of brown pigmentation. It comes in shades of light brown, we prefer to call it white, to brown, to dark chocolate brown, we prefer to call it "black". Unless, you lack pigmentation then, you are white like paper, or albino. So, we are all brown but, in different shades. We are all animals, and belong to the human beings. But since, we all are unique, and territorial, we prefer to be called by the names that our closest relatives, or territorial people call themselves, and that is your clan or tribal name. Yes, we are humans! Native American we all are, if you were born in any of the Americas. If you were born in the USA, you are an american citizen from North America. If you ask a native american from Mexico about the United States, he/she is going to ask you which United States. Are you talking about the United States of Mexico? You see, everybody belongs somewhere. Yes, you are original. No other person is like you. But, when another group of people, like the Euros, calls you by a name, or relates to you by another group of people you are not, that is wrong! They are not going to change it until you decide to change it. They do not care, until you care. Be proud of comming from aboriginal people. The name gives you power and ownership. Be proud to be distinguished by the name of your tribe because, they are unique. But be willing to be part of them, all the "People". This will give you strenght, and more power! Aslong we stay devided, we are not going to be recognize, just a picture on the wall from a time past. I am not talking about getting the land back. But it will start giving us credit for all the contributions given to this great nation by not only our ancestors but, the "people" of today. Who knows, we might even see buffalos running in our rez, run by aborigines, or a special day during the year where we can take a herd of buffalo and steer them along "the trail of tears, a 'buffalo drive". I guess I am a dreamer!

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BrownWolf