Talkin' Indian

“We are all Indians, sitting in a circle, talkin' Indian.”
I believe that all Natives speak Indian regardless if they know their language or not. And that language is laughter.
I believe the “talking Indian” is laughter. We are a happy, social people and now I feel we are losing it more and more each year. From my own experience, we, as a people are feeling more comfortable staying home rather than surrounded by our people. Children are now happier on the internet and playing video games instead of being outside with friends. I know that this is an issue that society as a whole is dealing struggling with also but I believe it is more harmful to Native children than other cultures. Native culture is very social and children are raised within the community. And with our elders, they are getting addicted to television and casinos and why is that our oldest tradition of our elders taking care of our children is disappearing? There is constant talk of a revolution for our people and I think there needs to be a cultural revolution within ourselves. If we could start the smallest connection between our elders and our children, I believe that there will laughter to overtake the alcohol and poverty.
I don’t speak either of my languages and I have been judged by many. I hate having to defend myself especially to other Natives. People say that I think like an urban Indian when I say that we are all one regardless if we speak our language or not. But, I believe that it is true. We are a people that can connect because we all speak the same language of laughter.

A few years ago at D--- College, there was a dispute between the light skinned Natives and the dark skinned Natives. They were both against each other stating that the other was not really Native. The light skinned Natives stated that because they knew the language that they were Native and the dark skinned Natives stated that because they had the blood that they were Native. I have been in the situation were Navajos tell me that I am not Navajo because I cannot speak the language. (and each time, they were educated Navajos on college campuses) I never argued but said that I believe I am and that is all that matters.
I believe this argument is seriously silly and a waste of our Native energy. It is giving the white man even more power in this generation. The white man wanted us to fight amongst ourselves and we are giving into their desire. We need Natives, proud to be Natives and regardless if they speak the language or not. The ones that are able to speak the language should be teaching the others instead of judging them for not being able to! It is sad that this is happening at our college levels; where the most intellectual Natives reside. We should be smarter than that, to have our resources wasted on each other.
My mother speaks of when she was first in college and because she was Southwest Native in a Woodland Native dominated college, they completely ignored her. Only when she got to her Master’s program on a different campus, there was equality. I know that we all have our differences between tribes and different characteristics but we have to be accepting and smarter than our enemy. The white man’s objective of killing the injuns off will continue in this day if we dispute amongst ourselves. Be proud, accept and laugh. Laughter is the language we all speak.