t Readers' Forum 1
Reader Asks What does Being Native
American Mean?
Dear Editor.
It seems that every time I tit down
to write you this letter, something
talks me out of it and 1 return to my
normal routine Maybe it's because I
am chicken, or that I am afraid to
cause anyone trouble. Whatever the
?, reason. 1 can't put it off any longer
I am a Coharie now living in
, Pembroke and attending Pembroke
l Male University. Like many Indians,
it took leaving borne and experiencing
different environment to make me see
how lucky 1 am to be Native American.
For the first 17 years of my life. 1
walked around claiming to be Native
American without ever realizing what
it meant What does being Native
American mean? Five bunched years
of assimilation makes this a tough
question to handle. In myown opinion.
. it means you have a strong tie to
family and community with a
responsibility to learn about your
heritage and pass it on. Not only to
pass it on to your peers but also to the
youth because this is where the future
of our people lies. If we don't teach
pur heritage to the youth, we will be
lost as a culture and have no purpose
. I once heard a prominent business
man say. "My father nor my
grandfather lived in a tepee so why
should I teach my children about that
stuff?" He has a point, but his
ignorance shows in that if he looks
back for enough into his family. I'm
sure that someone in his family lived
in a tepee, if be claims to be an Indian
person We are all entitled to have
- different opinions on what it means to
be an Indian After all. we are all
different and think differently..
i No two ofus are the same, and that
is probably a good thing "The Main
thing", as grandma Haiti would say.
is that we all have ooe thing in common
It doesn t matter what degree of Indian
blood you have, it doesn't matter if
you are light or dark skinned, state or
federally recognized, rich or poor we
are all Native Americans
We are all connected in that way.
? even though we don't always act like
it. By this tine I have probably lost a <
lot of people's interest The people
who would rather do anything else
than listen to an Indian person discuss
Indian issues. Bui. if Andy Rooney
would say something ignorant again. <
they would be lined up at the doors. I
personalis feel that it is time we
stopped competing with the ignorance
If we ignore it long enough and live
our lives the way we are supposed to.
it will go away Isn't that right, soon
to be ex-sheriff. Hubert Stone'
1 started this letter for a reason and
seemed to getaway from it but I can't
stop now because "I'm done got fired
up". It is my belief that to be a good
Indian you must be doing good things
forthe Indian people It doesn't matter
what community, county. or state you
are in. in my travels to Oklahoma.
Texas. New Mexico and up and down
the east coast. 1 have noticed that
some Businesses in Indian
communities, some of them Indian
owned, are not douig good for Indian
people Instead they are trying to rip
them off. I was charged SI20 00 to
have someone tighten my steering
wheel to the steering column I am
sure that I could have had this done
somewhere else much cheaper but
because this man knew he had me by
the toenails, he stuck it to me
I realize that this is a business and
that they have to make money, but
why did they have to make all of mine
This next situation is one that really
disturbs me Every week I see Indian
people swarming to the mecca of
seafood and loading these peoples
pockets with monev Better luduement
is telling me not to call this
establishments name, but they know
who they are Ifyour nose starts itching
when you leave there, it's nothing in
the food, it'sthe chit-chatter of people
talking about you behind your back
Heaven forbid your child makes any
wrong moves while you are dining
there Iftheydo.thev w ill be the topic
of conversation for the rest of the
evening They will be called
everything ffom brats to juvenile
delinquents and you'll be known at a
bad parent For soodnass sake, please
don t mention a pow wow while
visiting there l*cause you will be
labeled a trash Didn't you know that
only trashy Indians go to Pow wows?
In that case. I am proud to be called
trash. If being proud of your heritage
makes you trash, then viva la fank
When I pay my money to an
establishment w ith Indian employees.
I want to know thai these employees
are being treated fare Iy (all of them).
This is definitely not the case at this
establishment. If you don't believe
me, just ask the last waitress who gave
a two weeks not ice out of the kindness
of her heart and was not allowed to
work during these two weeks even
though the owners knew she needed
10 earn the money.
This leavei me in an awkward
position Do 1 continue to patronize
Indian businesses that treat Indian
people bad. or do I go to people of
other races for the services I need
Well. I'm sure I'll get my truck worked
on in Pembroke again but for seafood,
I think I'll cook it myself or go to
Calabash West. Tbey have some
Indian em ploy ess there that I am sure
are being treated as they should. And
they won't call me trash as long as I
can pay my bill
Let me closs with a little story. I
was talking to some Indian people
from a reservation oik day and they
were telling me how lucky we were to
liave the numt?r of Indian owned
businesses thalxve do. I replied, vou're
probably right but I bet youdon'thave
as many people that will stab you in
the back for a dollar THEY are the
lucky oiks
Confused and troubled, Vaughn
Cowan
P.S. LRDa Elite, it is better to
keep your mouth shut and let
people think yon don't know than
to open it ami remove all doubt.
Say You Read It In
Carolina indian Voice
Attorneys & Counselors At Law
ARNOLD LOCKLEAR
ARLIE JACOBS
RONNIE SUTTON
Initial Consultation GRADY HUNT
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God Gives Us Victory
Exodus 14:21-31 (Background
.wipiiire Ex 13 17.14:31
Outline
I Unci's Paid Through the Sea
(Exodus 14 21-22)
II The Egyptians Defeat (23-25)
III The Destruction of the
Egyptians (26-28)
IV The Hebrew Dedication of
Themselves (24-31)
I Israel's Path Ihanigh the Sea
ie\ 14.21-221
Godfinafiy got Pharaoh'sanenMon
and got him lo acknowledge thai he
was no match for the God of Israel
Now Israel is on the way K> the
Promised Land, but as it is on our
Christian journey, there comes
difficulties along the way Meantime.
God harden s Pharaoh's heart again,
he nodoubt realized thai the Egyptians
I ted lost a great asset when they let the
Israelites go Pharaoh had not had
enough of the judgment of God. just
I at the devil never gives u. he just
changes avenues of approach So
Pharaoh takes off after the Israelites
to bring them back. Whenthe Israelites
I realized that Pharaoh's army had
overtook them by the sea They had
done like most Baptists, they began to
bellyache and say thai we would have
been better off in Egypt God's worse
I is better than the best that the world
has to offer Sometimes we forget
what God has done for us Israel had
witnessed first hand the protective
hand of God. yet their human nature
caused litem lo become doubtful thai
God could deliver them further (Aid
deals in impossibilities. Wlien we are
I surrounded by obstacles with no way
out. and no one to look lo but God.
then He can lake control of the
amiiwn God always protects Hie
owa. Moses 10W the Israelites whew
? .Hiip!.(iniaeWaMd?tttt
and see the salvaiiunofthe Lord. God
was aboM toe perform a miracle and
divide the sea so His people could
walk across on *y ground God sent
a strong east wind ilui Mew all night
and parted the waters so Israel could
walk across oadry ygroond The waters
were tolled t.. k lo provide a wall of
protection forthem when we exercise
taiih God will act on that tanh
Hebrews I l b says. Without laith
it as impossible to please God for he
had cometh to God must believe thai
he is and thai he u a rewarder of them
that diligently seek hun "
U. The Egyptian Defeat |v.2}-25i
The Egyptians followed alter Israel
info the midst of the sea God saw
what Pharaoh s army was doing He
drove iheir wheels in the mud They
realized then that God was fighting
the battle for Israel "Ihey decided
they couldn't win the battle against
God so they wanted to flee When we
as Christians surrender to the will of
God and allow Christ 10 reicn supreme
in our lives, then God will ftgnt our
battles for us When God is with you.
the world may be against you. but
with god you have the in^onty
III The Destruction of the
Egyptians (25-28)
God will only allow the enemy lo
provoke his children to apoim When
God has had enough He w ill put astop
to the provocation God instructed
Moses to stretch forth his hand over
the sea and the waters c losed in on the
Egyptians and destroved them all thai
day Israel walled on across the sea on
dry ground with the water on either
side as a protective wall If we allow
foobeaon
. amino* He is about to deliver
us from out enemies, those within and
without I j!?v* God die glory and
praise.
IV TV- Hebrew Dedication of
themselves (2C31)
Godspeoph were sale on dry bwd
while the Egyptians ?ere being
swallowed up by the water The
Israelites saw the work of god thai
dev. haw he had delivered than, aa
well as destroyed their enemy. They
helioedt .nl.u ,1 bcbescdhte???*
Mo?a To?td?God h?to deliver
I ? from dangers problems thai we
lace to rekindle our ftuth dad help ue
draw closer to lata
A? you thong a situation which
seems hopeless' Well, look to Jeeus
Christ, the author and finisher of our
faith If you are saved and need help,
do as 1st at i duloown in I ^ vpt, cry out
to God He will come to the rescue. If
I you me hut. stand still. I then to the
call of God He went* to show you his
I salvation now., urge you lost people
I to heed the call to it pent?le while
von can. Ie? you provoke God and he
allow you to be destroyed God loves
I you and wants to save you. You ate
not saved because you re hi* to cosne
10 Jesus Don't wait loo late Eternity
I Is forever Do you know thai you
know that you Ijvow you are saved '
f ?
I
Cod biess yoj. Pray for us at Salem
I Miiiioiury Baffist Church We love
I you and invite you to come worship
Iwtthttsjf you <k> not have a church
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Carolina indian Voice
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