The Native American Point of View

TO THE EDITOR:

A little over a year has passed since the Native Americans at Dartmouth issued a policy statement concerning Dartmouth College's use of the Indian as a symbol and recommendations as to ways to better Native American affairs here at Dartmouth. The expected burst of outrage by the College, administration, students, faculty, alumni, local merchants, and others has come and for the most part gone by except for some who couldn't comprehend what we're about, no matter how long or how well we explained "our" side of the story to them.

The College has responded positively to many of the things that were mentioned in the Policy Statement: i.e., more Native American personnel; Native American female students, Native American Studies and a Native American Center. The College by doing these things is working with us to try to fulfill a commitment that has been rather sketchy over the last two centuries. It would be very easy to respond negatively to the letters printed in this magazine by those illustrious sons of Dartmouth who have a warped sense of propriety, but I will not lower myself to do that. I would rather respond to the positive things that are happening for Native Americans at Dartmouth. The College has employed three Native American people in addition to myself to aid in understanding, developing, and expanding the Native American experience on campus. The College has over the last couple of years become sensitive to the particular needs of minority groups on campus and is developing ways to try to meet the needs that are unique to these people. We do not want to become a separate, entity (Native American Programs), but to work into the existing structure of the College. This is the development process, but the need right now exists to have an office that functions on behalf of the Native American populace at Dartmouth.

Needless to say, the advent of coeducation has affected the student life at Dartmouth and it is only natural that Native American women be a part of the whole process of coeducation. For those who oppose coeducation at Dartmouth also, nothing is sacred, is it?

When the faculty passed the proposal allowing a Native American Studies program to be developed at Dartmouth, they were in fact stating what we Native Americans have been saving for quite a while; namely, that the Native American cultures have a legitimate place in a liberal arts education. How the Native American Studies Program develops will be an indication of the extent of the commitment made by the haculty. The undergraduate acceptance of the initial courses has been positive.

The Native American Center, formerly 30 College Street, is a College facility that the Native Americans use as a social/cultural center. It serves as a retreat for the Native American student, a place to which he/she can go to be himself without any pressures to the contrary. A place to study and to type papers; a place to relax, a place to be, this is the Native American Center. The four things mentioned previously are the substantive things the College has done and could do.

I have purposefully left the Indian symbol issue until last. I believe that Dartmouth College has over the years tried to promote a positive image of the Indian and revered these people in positive ways. Over the years as more and more people become (in their thinking) familiar with Dartmouth College and its mythical association with the "Indian," they started deviating from the original intent of the College. Euphemism began to become a major source of reference to Dartmouth's symbol, i.e.. Redskins, Scalpers, Redmen, Squawman, Squaws, Papoose, Savages, etc. These as described by previous letters to the editor were all done in fun, no harm intended, a big joke. These colloquialisms may be funny to those people using them but not to Native Americans. These statements and remarks are demeaning, derogatory, and not at all funny. In what way do these statements reflect the positive image that Dartmouth would like to project of the Indians? In what way do they reflect the pride, self-confidence, strength of character, love for the out-of-doors, honor, respect for their fellow man that ideally are the traits Dartmouth would like her men to have like the Indian? No way. These statements are figments of the whiteman's interpretation of what an Indian should be. What right does one race of people have to use another race of people as a symbol? What right does one human being have to use another human being as a subject of ridicule? None whatsoever.

The arguments are endless both pro and con the Indian symbol and could go on forever. The only consolation I have after all is said and done is that the Indian symbol is wrong and we are right to eliminate the symbol. If Dartmouth needs an Indian symbol let him be a living symbol in the form of Native American students here on campus. What better way to fulfill the dream of the founder of the College than by now educating the Native Americans of this land and others. There is a Cherokee prayer that relates a message to all men:

"Great Spirit—

Grant that I may not criticize my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins." Peace,

Director, Native American Programs