Ethnographic Fieldwork An Anthropological Reader Edited by Antonius C. G. M. Robben and Jeffrey A. Sluka « Blackwell PublishingIo each if, ie ssa, some rain must fall Some people have bad horoscopes others take ‘ps the stork market, MeNamaca created the TPX and the Fdsl. American polis has ‘George Wallace. Bot Indians have bee cursed hove all other people in history. Indians have - anhvopologsts Every somamer when schoo is out, a stream ‘of immigrants heads ingo Indian counery. The ‘Oregon Trail was never as heavily populated 1s Roe 66 and Highway 18 in she summer tine, From every eock and cranny in the East, they merge, asl esponding to some primeval = iratry longing, and flock to the reserva tions. They ace che anthropoogiss the most ‘prominent members ofthe schol comm Sy that infest the land ofthe free and the "tomes ofthe braves. Their origin isa mystery hidden in the historical miss. Indians are certain that all ancient societies of the Near ast had anthropologists atone timey because all those soieties are now defonct. They see ‘svlly certain hot Columb brought anthro logs on his ships when he came to the ‘New World, How ele could he have made so rnany wrong dedvetons about where e was? While thir origin ae wncertia, anthropolo sts can realy be identied on the eeserv tions Go ito any crowd of people. Pick out 2a, gaunt white man weaving Bermuda Shorts, # World Wae Two Army” Air Corps 11 Custer Died for Your Sins Vine Deloria, Jr. ying jacker an Avstaian bash hat and tennis shoes and packing lange lnapssck incorrectly "trapped on his back, He wil invariably bave 8 thin, sexy wife wich stingy hats, aa 1Q of 191 and a vocabulary in which even the prepo- sitions have 11 sylables. And he usually has a camera, tape recordes telescope, and life jacket ‘ll hanging fom his elongated frame. “This edd creature comes to Indian reserva- tions to make obseroations. Daring she winter, these observations will become books by ‘which future anthropology wil be esined, otha they can come out to reservations Yeas from now and verify the observations in more books, surnmares of which then appear in the scholarly journals and serve as a catalyst 0 inspire yet other anthropologists 10 make the reat pilgrimage the following summer. And "The summaries, meanwhile, are condensed. Sone condensations ace sent 10 Government agencies as eeports justifying. the previous ‘immor soseaich. Osher ae sont t found ‘ions, in an elfore co finance the following summer's expedition West. The reports are spread trough the Govenment agencies and foundations all winger ‘The only problem is that no one as me to read them. 0 $5,000- a-yar secretaries are asigned to decode them, Since these secretaries eannot comprehend complex theories, they reduce the eepores 10 ie lai Jn “Custer Die! for Your Sing” pp. 130-7 fom Thomas Weaver (ed), To Ste Ours: || Amropology ond Moder Sac Iu (Geniens ts Scot, Foreman 8 Co, 1973) Copyriht © Seat, Foresman and Company184 VINE DELORIA, 1, the best slogans possible. The slogans become ‘conference themes in the early spring, when the anthropological expeditions are_ being Planned. They then rusn ino battle eves of ‘opposing. groups of anthropologists who chance to meet onthe reservations te fll ing suramer Each summer there is a new bate cry which inspires new insights int the narure of the “Indian problen.” One summer Indians ‘will be rere wih the joyl cry "ndlans are Diligualt™ The following summer this great ‘ruth will be expanded to “Indians ate not wual, they ate biculwalt™ Bical tural creates great problems forthe opps: ing anthropological camp. For two summers they have been bested in sloganeering andthe funds are running low. So the opposing school of thought breaks into the clear fester than Gale Sayers. "Indians, the losing anthros ery, “are a folk people!” ‘The vide of battle eurns and a balance, 50 dearly sought by Mother Nature, is finally achieved, Thus go the smthropological wars testing whether this fchool or that school can long endure. The ba Hlefelds unfortnately, are the lives of Indian people “The antheo is usually devored 10 pure research, 4.1969 thesis restating a proposition '9f 1773, complete with footnotes to all mate Fal published between 1773 and 1968, is pure research, Theee are, hoveves, anthropologists who are not clever at cllecting footote. “They depend on their fld observaons and vwete Tong, advencurous narratives in which their personal observations are used to verily their suspicions. Ther reports, books andar cles are called applied researc. The itference, then, Between pure and applied exearch i pr Inanly eof ties Ps ay ay Eo notes, applied hs few foomore, Relevancy 10 rubjoce matter is not dicosed ia polite company. ‘Anthropolasts came r0 Tadizn country only ater the res had agreed ive oa reser ‘ations and had given op thee svarlke ways. Head the tribes been given a choice of fighting the cavalry or the anchropologss, there is lite doube aso who they would have chosen In etisis situation, men always atack the biggest threat to their existence. A warior klein bate could always go tothe happy Ihonting grounds. Bor sehere does an Indian Ini low by an anthro go? To the library? sist sth people are objects for observation. Te then follows shat people ate considered objects for experimentation, for manipulation, © tnd for eventual extinction, The anthropol {it thos furnishes ce juseifcation fr rating Indian people like so many chessmen,avalable for anyone to pay with. The mass production fof useless knowledge by anthropologiss atcempng o capture cel Indians ina network of eheories has contributed substantially to the invisibility of Indian people today. After all, ‘who can beliewe in the actual exstence of 2 Foorl-antheringy, berrypicking, seminomadi, fre-worshiping, _high-plains-and-mountain: dwelling, horse-riding, ‘canoetoring, ead: ‘xing, pouery-making, —-nbboacoveting, wickiop-sheltered people who began flourish: ing when Aled Frump meationed thei 1803 in Our Feathered Frionds? "Not even Indians can see themselves a6 this type of creature ~ who, to anthropologists is the “rea” Indian. Indian people begin to feel thac they are merely shadows of a mythical superadian, Many Indian, in fat have come to pareot che ideas of anthropologists, becetse it appears that they know everything about Indian communities, Thos, many ideas that pass for Indian thinking are in reality cheories ‘originally advanced by anthropologists ond echoed by Indian peopl in a attempt com: Ionicte the real station. Many snthecs reinforce his sense of inadeqaaey in order 1 farther influence the Indian people 3 Since 1955, thee have been a mumber of workshops conducted in Indian county 38 a device for taining “young Tndian leaders.” Churches, white Indawintseae groupe, col lege, and, finaly, poverty programs have each ‘gone the workshop route te the most feasible means for inteoducing new ideas to younger Indians, so a6 to create leaders. The tragic nature ofthe workshops is apparent when one examines their history. One core group of Anthropologists has instutionliedthe work Shop and the courses caught init. Teudging valiantly from workshop to workshop, from. State to state, college o college, tibe to eibe,_ these noble spirits have served the catalyst for the creation of workshops that are ident CUSTER DIED FOR YOUR sins 125 {al in parpose and content and often in the Studentbody isl "The anthcopological message co young Jadians has not varied a jot ora ile in ten fs, It the same message these antheos [imed as fozaychecked graduate staders in the pose Wr years~ Indian area fall people, ives aan uthan people, and never the vain shall meet. Derived from this basic | premise are all the other sterling insights {dans ace berween two cultures, Indians ace Ficoll, Indians have lst hei identity, and Indians are Wartors. These theories, pro: pounded every yae with deadening regularity thd an overtone of Sinate authority, have iecome star mental block inthe develop nent of young Indian people. Fr thes slogans fave come ro be exces for Indian flres. “They aze crutches by which young Indians ave avoided the arduous task of thinking out the implications of the status of Indian people inthe modern world. I there i one single cause that as impor tance today for Indian people ti tribal, ‘Agtine al odd, Indians have vecained cicero some $3,000,000 acres of land, worth about ‘three and a half ilion dllars. Approximately half ofthe country’s 1,000,000 Indians relate rmeaningfaly co this and, ether by living ane ‘working on ie oe by fequenty visting ie IF Indians fly recapeured the idea that they are ‘ces coasmunally in possession of this land, they would realize that they are not tay Jinpoverished. Bu the creation of modern id= lism has been sie by a ready acceptance of the Indanearea-folk-people premise of the anthropologists. This premise implies a deat split berween fll and urban culties, in which the fll peoples have two prime characters- tis They dance and they are deaperataly poe Creative thought in Indian affairs has" not, therefore, come fom the younger Indians who have grown up reading and aking to anthro pologists, Rather, it has come fom the older ‘eneration that believes ia ebalism ~and that the youngsters mistakenly insist as been brainwashed by Government shoots Because other groups have been sporsed on by their younger generations, Indians have cme to bebewe that, through education, a new generation of leaders will ase to. solve the presing contemporary problems. Tribal leaders have been taught to accepe dhis chess bythe sebolarly community ints annual inva sion of the reservations. Bateau of Indian Afaes educators harp consinwowsly on this theme. Whecever authority rises its head in Indian country, this thesis i its message. The facts prove the opposite, however. Relatively tuntouched by anthropologists, educators, and scholars ae the Apache tees of the South- west. The Mescalero, San Carlos, White Mountain, and Jcarils Apaches have vey few young people in college, compared with other tribes, They have even fewer people in the Gnnual workshop orgy during the simmers, Tf ever there was a distinction between folk and wba, this group of Indians characterizes “The Apaches see themselves, howeres, as nthe foe nor urban but eb. Ther is ie sense ofa lost identity. Apaches could not caze less about the anthropological dilemmas that worry other enibes, Instead they continue to ‘work on massive plans for development that ‘they themselves have created. Tribal dons is assumed, not defined, by these reservation People. Freedom to choose fom a wide variry ff paths of progress isa characteristic of the Apaches they don't worry about what eype of Indiaism is teal, Above all, they cannoe be cored by abstace theories and, hence, unit realy manipalated ‘With many young people fom ater tribes, the scuation i quite different. Some young Indians attend workshops over and over again, Folk theories pronounced. by auchorative anthropologists become opporsnities (0 ape responsibil. If, by definition, che Indian is hopelessly caughe beeween wo cul ‘ues, why struggle? Why not Blame all one’ Ick’ of tuccere on thie tromendoue gulf Ibenween fo opposing cultures? Workshops hhave become, therefore, summer retreats for ronthought rather thon strategy sesions for Ieadecship. Therein is ee Indians sia against the anthropologist. Only those aathvopolo: sts who appear eo boost Indian ego and fxpound theories dea to the hearts of work hop Indians ae invited to teach at work shops. They become human recordings of facial confosion and are played and replayed cach summer, the delight of a people who refuse co move mint the rel world186 ‘VINE DELORLA, JR. CUSTER DIED FOR YOUR sins 187 “The workshop anthro is thusa unique cre- Abstract theories create abstract acti ture, parally selPcreted and partially sp- Lamping togecer the variery of wibal probe ported by the refusal of Indian young people lems and seeking the demonic principle a fo consider their problems in their own work thats destroying Indian people may be context. The normal process of maturing has intellectually satisfying but dose not change been confused with cultural difernce.Somar- the situation. By concenttating, on. ret tration is cast aside in favor of cul recitation abstactions, anthropologists have “uniten— fof great truths that appear £ explain the tionally removed many young. Indians from immaturity of young people. the world of real problems to the Tends of ‘While the anthro is thus, in a sense, the make-believe victim of te Indians, he should, nevertheless, As an example of a real_problem, the recognize the role he has been asked to play Pyramid Lake Paiute and the Gila River Pins nd refuse to play it. Instead, the temptation and Maricopa are poor because they have to appear relevant to a generation of young been systematically cheated out of thei water Indians has clouded his sense of proportion, rights and on desert reservations, water ithe ‘Workshop anthros often ask Indians of ender single most important factor in ie. No mates ageto givetheirauthoriatve answers to prob. how many worlds Indians steadale, the Plains lems that an entire generation of Indians is just Indians have an inadequate land hase chat con: now beginning to solve. Where the answer to inaes to shrink because of land sles, Sade reservation health problems may be adequate ling words is ielevant to straddling small housing in areas where there has never been pieces of land and ering o ear a living. adequate housing, young Indians are shaped im Along the Missouri River, the Si wed thei thinking processes to consider vague doc- to ive in comparative peace and hatmoay, ‘wines on che nature of man and his society. Although land alloemenes wore small familie Ii prepsros thar «teenaged Indian were ae to ahi ar standard of ig should become an instane authority, equal in through a combinaion of gardening and i= seatus to the PRD interrogating him. Yer the stock raising and supplemental work, Lite very human desie is to play thst game every cash income was required, been the Basic summer, forthe status acquired inthe game is necesites of food, shelter end community ie beady. And since answers can be given only in wete provided. Alter World War Two, theo: the vocabolacyereated by the PAD, the entice polos came to call They were horrid that leadershiptraining process imerelizes itself the Indians didn't carey om ther oll eusoms, and has no outlet beyond the immediate such ae dancing, fest, and giveaways. ln fac, ‘roup. Real problems, superimposed on the the people did keep up a substantial number ‘ordinary problems of maturing, thus become of customs, bu they had been tansposed into” insoluble burdens that cash people of great charch gaerings, participation inthe county leadership potential fais, and eribal celebrations, particulay aes les us take some specific examples. One and rodeos. The people did ladan dances. But workshop discussed the thesis that Indians they didn't do them al he time. sere n'a tribe erin. They were, im the Seddenfy the Stour were presented with an ‘words of frendlyanthvo guides, “beeween two authority figure who bemoaned the ft that worlds." People Berween two woeds, che ste Whenever he visited the reservations, che Sit dents were cold, “drank.” For the anchopol- were not out dancing in the manner oftheir gist, twas valid explanation of drinking oa ancestors. Today che summers are taken up ‘the ceservation. For the young Indians, it was with one great orgy of dancing and celebrat= fn authontative definition of thei role as ing, beach small community of Indians spon- Indias. Real Indians, they began to think, sors a weekend powwow for the people inthe drank; and their task was t0 become real surrounding communities. Gone are the litle Indias for only in thae way could they recre- gardens chat used to prove fresh vegetables ate the lores ofthe past. So they dram. se inthe summer and canned goods inthe winter lost some good fiends wito drank too much. Gone are the chickens chat provided egge and Sanday dinners, Tn the winte, the situation the reservation - was overlooked completely. {uke erica for families who spent the stead, cvery conceivable inangible cultural Junmer dancing. While the poverty programs distinction was used to explain the lack of eco- ive done moch co counteract the situation, nomic, socal and educational progres of @ Jn indians recognize thatthe condition war people who were, to all intents and purposes, cal from stare to finish. The people were absente landlords because ofthe Government ‘ocenty led astsy, and even che anthropol> policy of leasing thet lands co whites. gists did realize what had happened ‘One study advanced the string proposi- “One example: The Oglala Stowe ate perhaps ton dar Indians wich many cate were, on the sus snom well known of the Sioux bands, average, beer off chan Indians without ate “Among thei past leaders were Red Cloud, the Cate Indians, i seems, had more capital and -faly Indian who ever defeated the United income than did noncatcle Indians, Suprise! Stes ina war and Crazy Horse, most evered The study had innumerable charts and graph ihe Sioux war chil. The Ogiala were, and that demonstrated tis great truth beyond the ecape sil ae the meanest group of Indians doubr ofa reasonably prudent man. Seuies of Rrerlsssembled, They would take after a thie type were common but unexciting. They {sley troop inst to se i their Bowserings lacked that certain Mair of insight so beloved Store aur enough. When they had seed on by anthropologists. Then one day a famous the reservation, the Oglala’ made a frirly andiopologist advanced the theory, probably Smooth transition to the new le, They had valid st the time and in the manne in which food herds of eatl, they settled along the he advanced i, that che Oplala wee "watriors merous creeks that cross the reservation, withost weapons.” td they ctested avery strong community The chase was on. Before the ink had dried ‘pis The Episcopalians and the Roman on the scholarly journals, anthropologists Catholics had the missionary franchise onthe from every library stack in the nation eon- reecration and the tribe was pretty evenly verged on che Oglala Sioux to test this new Split becween che ovo. Inthe Episcopal theory. Outficting anthopoogicel expeditions Ghose, at leas, che congregations were firly came the number-one industry of the small seltgoverning and sable ‘offreaervation Nebresk towns south of Pine Bur over the yearn the Oplala Sioux have Ridge. Susey, supplying the Third Crusade to fad # numberof problems. Their population the Holy Land was a minor feat compared has grown faster than eher means of support. with the tak of Keeping the anthropologists at ‘The Government allowed white farmers to Pine Ridge. ome into the eastern pat of the servation Every conceivable difference between she St create # county, with che best farmlands Ogale Sioux ad the folks at Bar Harbor was ‘owned or opeated by whites, The reservation attributed to the quaint warsior cadition of ‘yasalloted taken out of the collective ands the Oglala Sroux- From lack of roads 10 ‘ofthe tribe and parceled out to individuals - unshined shore, Sioux problems were geoce- nd when ownership became roo complicated, ated, s the anthros discovered, by the eefsal Cont uf de land fussed out of lndion hands, of the white man to secopnie the goat derive ‘The’ Government “displaced a number of of the plas to go to was. Why expect an families ducing World War Two by taking a Olale fo become a small businessman, wen ptt of the reservation for ws as a bombing he was oaly waiting for that wagon tain 0 ‘ange wo ain eres for combat. Only last year come around the bend? The very real and ‘rae this land returned torial and individual human problems of the reservation were con we sidered fo be merely by-products ofthe fife “The tribe became a favorite subject for of a warior people ro become domesticated sthropologcal study quite early beenuse of The fasy respectable chess of past exploits in itsromante past. Theories arose arempting waz, pushaps romanticized for morale pur tplain the apparent lack of progress of the pote, bacame a spiritual force all its own. Oglala Siu The re ise white control of Some Indians, in a tongue-in-cheek manner for{CUSTER DIED FOR YOUR sis 189 198 LINE DELORIA, JR. ‘which Indians are justly famous, suggested Adolphus? Would they be expected 10 si {hata subsidized wagon tain be ran through “Ein fete Burg” and charge out ofthe the reservation cach moming at nine o'lock at che Roman Catholics to save the Reform and the reservation people paid a minimum tion every moming as school began? Or t_ wage for attacking Ish - would they submit co group of Indi, ‘By outning this problem, Lam no dering coming to Boston and weling them vo dress the Sioux. I fved on that teservation fr 18 geen sod bon epachauns? Years and know many ofthe problems from Consider the implications of theories pu which i suffers. Hove, I ask, can the Ozlla.— forwaedzo solve he peoblem of poverty aming Sioux make any headway in eduction when the lack, Several ears ag, the word We thei lack of edvation is aseribed to» desire forth that black porery was due 20 the to go 10 war? Would not, perhaps an incred~ disintegration of the lack family thatthe lbp low peesapita income, viwllyaonexs- Mack father na longer had» prominene pa fist came forward to support the tribes thus become productive members of Indian tenthousing extremely inadequate roads, and in the home, How incredibly shortsighted that ‘int te detrimental policy. Why did’ the sity, instead of ideologies! valtores. domination by white farmers and canchers thesis was. How epiealy Angle Saxon! Hon | __ academe community march to te sie ofthe ‘This propos was dscusted atone time in make some diference? Ifthe lite Sioux boy in che world could there have been a back | bes? Cetsniy the past few years have Indian cities. Ie blew ao small number of tri had no bese, had to wale nules © family people were old tik cate for 200, Shown how much influence scadere can exert anthro minds. Irtinal shrieks of "academic 4 smal schoo, and had no decent clothes nor years if there were lage plantations. that ‘when i fees compelled to els ins eatse 1s freedom” rose like rocket fom launching place to study in @ one-room lg cabin should Served merely a farms to breed more slaves Viena anymore cri othe meal ance pads The very idea of puting tx on useless thelevel of education be compatable with that white owners systematically ravaged. black — cof America than the grea debt owed f0 the information was intolerable eo the antheopol- of Scarsdale High? omen? When dd he black fry ait eee Indian ribs? ogists we talked with, But che question is very What use would roads, houses, schools, become integrated? Herein fies # trap ino, Pethaps we should suspect the mosis of simple. Are the anehros. concerned. about businesses, and income beeo.2 people who, which many Americans have fallen: Once members of the academe community: They freedom ~ or license? Academic freedom cer everyone expected, ould soon depar om the problem x defined and understood by a gu ve the Indian field well defined and ander sinly doesnt mp hat oe ero of people warpath? would submit ata great des of cant numberof people who have soe fl contol. Thee coneern is not the ultimate has to become chessmen for another group of thelac of progress a Pine Ridges oceasoned__ son othe fallacy ge, he prabler cee policy that wil fet the Indian people, but people. Why should Indian commtes be by people who believe they are helping the tant Theres of America had beer beware trecely the creation of ew slogan and dee- Suber o prying non tndians any more hen Oplala when they ist om sexing, inthe life of having quaine mores tht atactantheopol tenes by which they cam clinb the universty other commie? Should any group hve 3 ofthe people ofthat reservation, only those ogity or wll soon become a victio o totem pole. Reduction of people to statisics Tranchise to sick its nose ito someone ele's things they want ee. Real problems and real the concept prion into which blacks td for purpose of observation appears to be busines? People come invisible belore the great Indians among others have been thrown, Ont ‘inconsequential to the anthropologist when T don't think my proposal ever will be romantic and_nonsensicl notion thatthe day you may ind youre ataloged - pshags Sompared with the immediste Benes he can sceepted. Ik contradict the anthropologists Sioux year forthe days of Crazy Horse and asacrediveardcorying tarnike-commating, dkesive~the acquisition of farther prestige and seltimage mach too strongly. What is more Red Cloud and will do nothing unl those condoniniun-dweling, fratemiy-jining,- the chance to appear as the high prise of likly is thar Indian will continue 10 allow days eer, hureh-going, pors-wntching, me-parchse= | Aericn soci oneaing and manipulating her communities to be red inside on unt "The question ofthe Osa Sioux is one har buying, tleision-watching, magazine= tohis heart’ dese. they come to realize the damage tac i being, plagues every Indian tribe inthe nation if fe subscibing polly. inert” transmigatd Roget Jourdain, chairman ofthe Red Lake done vo them. Then they will seal up the reste will closely examine isl, Tibes have been urbante who, through the phenomenon of he Chippewa wibe of Minnesota, cauallyhad the vations and no further knowledge ~ useless or defined, the definition has been compleely second car and. the shopping, ceates, ba anthropologists escorted from his reservation otherwise ~ wll be created. Ths may be the explored tt scores have eon advaneed pro- become 1 golfplaying, wicomapp a S couple of yeas ago, This wae the ip ofthe beat coun, Once, a a Congretsionl hearing, toting and deiding the thesis nd, finaly he ct et, suburbanites Or have yoo already iceberg If only more Indians had the insight someone asked Alex Chasing Hav, coun Conclusion has ben reached Indians mom be been charsceied and caicatred ~in wah Of Jourdain Why should we contiaue to member ofthe Cheyenne Sioux for 30 year, fede ia verms hat white men wll accepe, that struck youas absurd fs, you wil wade eovide privat 2008 for anthropologists? Why "Jost what do you, Indians want?” Ales ‘ven f thar meats reladianising them acore: sand what has bee happening to Indians foe Should tes have vo compete with scholaes replied, “A lave-tralone lw” ing to the whie man idea of wha they were long, ong tne. for funds, when thir scholarly productions The primary goal and nec of Indians today like inthe past and shold logically besome in In defense of the anthropologists, ie must be {ves ules and irclevant toi? is noe for someone to soy el sory for the feu. recognized that those who do. not publish Several years ago, an anthropologist sated sy ideniy with us or lain’ descent rom ‘What I ask, would a school hoard in perish. Those who do not Big in a stb that over 2 period of some 20 years be had Pocahontas to make vs fel beter Nor do we ‘Moline Iiois or Skokie, een ~do ifthe fal rum of rxazch money soon slide dow Spent from ll sources cose t0 $10,000,000 need to be cand ay semivhte and have scholarly community tried 0 eeoren is edix the sale of university approval, What univ studying a wide of fewer than 1000 people. programs made 10 bleach us further. Nor Easional spsem ro conform wth ourmeved sty ena egal balanced Beween the acti Imagine what that amount of money would do we need farther stoies to see if we are ideas of Sweden inthe glory days of Gustavus edwcation of ts stadents and a malitude of have meant otar group of peopled it ben “feasible.” We need, instead, a new policy pall bureaus, projects, institutes, and pro- invested in ildngs and businesses. There rams that ae designed co harvest grants for would have been ao problems to sud. the oniversio? T somesimes thiak that Indian tabes could “The effect of anthropologists on Indians improve relations between themselves and the should be clear Compilation of wscless know. anthropologists by adopting. the following ‘ge for knowledge’ sake should be utterly policy: Each antheo desving to study a tbe [eased by the Indian people. We shovld not show be made to apply to the tbal coune Fe objicts of observation for those who do for permission to do his study. He would be sothing t help ws. During the erieal days of given sich permission ony if he said as 1354, when the Senate was pushing for termi contribution ea the rial idgct an amount of ration of all Indian rights, aot one schol, money equal to the amount he proposed to ~ fitheopologs, sociologist, historian, oreson- spend. on his study. Anthropologists would190 VINE DELORIA, 18 fom Congeess that acknowledges our itll sence, and our dignity Tn is simplest form, such ¢ policy would sive a tribe the amount of money now being Spent in the area on Federal schools and other secvices, With this Hoek gran, the tbe itself would communally establish end ran its own schools and hospitals and police and fire departments ~ and in time, is own income- producing endeavors, whether in indasry oF Agrcalute. The tribe would not be taxed ua ‘enough capital had accumulated 50 that indi- ‘ideal Indians were geting ft dividends, ‘Many tabes ace beginaig to acquize che skills necessary fortis sort of independence, but the odds are long: An Indian district at Pine Ridge was exited ecently abot the pos sibily of running its own schools, and a bond Issue was put before them that would have made it possible for them to do so. In the meantime, howeves, anthropologists ising the community coninced ic people that they ‘were culturally unprepared ro assume this sore of responsibilty; 50 the tebe vored down the bond ese. The universities have sent tesans to the area to discover why the issue vas Sefeated. The teams are planing 10 spend ‘more an heir sties than the bond ‘sue ‘would have cos. : T would expect an insta eebucal by the antheos. They will say that my sentiments do fot represent the views of all Indians ~ and they ae eight they have brainwashed many of nny brothers. Buta new day is coming. Until ‘then, i would be wise for anthropologist to climb down from their thrones of authority land pure research and begin helping Indisn tribes instead of preying on them. For the ‘wheel of karma grinds slowly, but ie des grind Fine. And it males a complete cite. 4 laa