Palin, Palin, Palin

As much as I've tried, the onslaught of Palin cannot be ignored today. With the lack of information about her from the rest of the U.S., to the "down the political rabbit hole" soap opera-ness that continues about her candidacy, I've been getting e-mail after e-mail about Palin, Palin and Palin. I was able to debrief with my family about Obama, and the amazing experience of being able to participate in the Democratic National Convention - of which more posts will be devoted to over the week - but for the most part, people want more info about Palin.

Celtic Diva had shared the news of Bristol's pregancy a few weeks ago - before we'd left for the Democratic Convention in any case. At the time, I was feeling bad for her because it would mean a few days of attention in the Alaskan news. One of my reaction's when Palin was chosen as the VP pick, just four very long days ago, was, "Holy crap, she's really going to put her daughter through that?"

The issues about the effectiveness of "abstinence only," the hypocrisy of the McCain campaign now shouting "families are none of your business," the lack of real vetting (or judgement) by the McCain in vetting Palin - I'm sure all of this will be done ad nauseum.

But the concern for me as an American and an Alaskan - and an Alaska Native woman - is Palin's extreme lack of credentials to be a VP or President, her lack of attention on anything to do with Alaska Native/American Indian issues, and the absence of any kind of plan or attention to Rural Alaska, not to mention the hostility she tends to show to Southeast Alaska - an entire region.

I was grateful to Grassroots Science for sending me a link to a site with Palin's take on issues. The Palin Web site is not available - it shoots directly to the McCain Web site (a little funny when you consider Biden's site is still up.) I have found that most Alaska politicians have a section on Alaska Native issues, or, like Mark Begich's site, instead mention the specific Alaska Native issues within others. Even Ted Stevens and Don Youn, whom I don't support, have sections on Alaska Native issues.

With nearly 20% of the population in Alaska being Alaska Native - and more than a few communities being almost entirely Alaska Native - this attention to the issues is more than just a small section of people you should look at - it's a large and neccessary section of people that are your constituents.

THERE IS NOT ONE MENTION OF THE PHRASE "ALASKA NATIVE" IN PALIN'S OFFICIAL ISSUE STATEMENTS. Not one.

Despite the fact that we are here in great numbers, despite the fact that these issues are important, despite the fact that Palin's own children and husband are Alaska Native people themselves, Palin has completely ignored these issues. In all the research I've been doing, the only things I can find are convenient photo-ops and superficial appearances.

It is not just her stated issues that show her lack of interest in Alaska Native and American Indian issues - her brief governorship has been a practice in ignoring Alaska Native issues. As mayor of Wasilla, the Alaska Native issues were a much smaller voice, and easier to ignore. But as governor of some 100,000 Alaska Native people - roughly 1/6 to 1/5 of her constituents - she cannot continue to ignore the population.

I have seen so many interviews now with McCain spokesman who are asked very simple but direct questions about Palin and cannot answer them. "Is Sarah Palin the most qualified person McCain could have chosen?" "What foreign policy experience does Sarah Palin have?"

I am convinced that a talking point they are given by the McCain campaign is that if they are asked these kind of questions by newspeople who won't accept their dodge (which they are) is to then cry "I'm offended!" by their "attack on women?" Seriously, I've watched this happen four times now. It's insulting to women that to question Palin's qualifications is to demean women. I was glad, at least, that on Larry King a woman was there to put a stop to the McCain woman's "are you saying women can't be qualified" defense when she couldn't answer the question, "Is Palin the most qualified candidate?"

If you want to see what I'm talking about, check out one of these YouTube CNN clips - the question about her foreign policy experience starts about 3:15 in, and the McCain man just cannot, no matter what, answer the question, and after a failed attempt to put forward her "head of the Alaska National Gaurd" as a qualification, resorts to saying Campbell Brown shouldn't "belittle" Palin's decisions - unfortunately he was asked point blank to name one decision she made, and couldn't.

"Auntie Raven" sent me this column, a good look into what some Alaskan reactions have been to the Palin pick.

Real Native Myths and Legends #4 - Indians and Eskimos

Indian. Eskimo. Native American. Tribe. Clan. People group. First
Nations. First Peoples. American Indian. Indigenous.

It's dang confusing sometimes, I know, and I've grown up with all
these terms. I have some sympathy for every (non-Native) friend I've
ever had who has worked up to (usually unsure of how to approach it)
asking me, "So… what do you call yourself?"

There are actually many different forms of this question, but it boils
down to, "How on earth do I say what you are?" I know there are those
who will argue we should be "color-blind" and not look at a person's
culture. I disagree. I think we should honor and celebrate a person's
culture, we would be robbing them of a huge part of who they are not
to – we just don't have to judge a person by their culture. It's also
just a reality – having to define someone's background is not going
anywhere.

Kind of reminds me of a discussion I had about this topic in high
school, and my "African-American" friend was asked how to address his
race. He said, "We're 'Black' now. But I'll let you know if it
changes."

If you ask the government, they would consider me from the "Indian"
people group (as opposed to "Eskimo" or "Aleut". On a federal document
I am "American Indian or Alaska Native." On my Certificate of Indian
Blood, I am from the Tlingit "tribe."

If you ask me, I will tell you I am Tlingit or Alaska Native,
depending on where I am and who you are. I will not say the Tlingit
tribe – no such thing. There's also no "Tlingit Nation". I won't tell
you I am Indian – as far as I'm concerned, Indians are from India. I
won't tell you I'm Native American, and I won't tell you what tribe
I'm from – as far as I know, I have no tribe.

Much of the problem stems from trying to group an entire continent's
worth of culture into one identifiable group. Even here in Alaska, the
cultures are incredibly diverse. I have a Yup'ik friend that I share
values and experiences with as an Alaska Native woman, but when it
comes to so many other cultural values, she seems to be speaking
another language (though, often times, she quite literally IS speaking
another language.)

There is also the problem of Native people only just being able to
define how they were called by the general public in the last
generation or two, and so it seems quite changeable, and no two people
agree on the perfect way yet.

Last year at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics (WEIO,) one of the
assistants came to get our dance group, "We need the Indian groups!" A
dozen sets of furrowed brows and he quickly answered, "Hey, if I have
to be Eskimo, you have to be Indian!" Fair enough. Point is, even our
own institutions are outdated in the terms we use.

But all the background and why and how aside, there still remains the
issue of, "What do I call you?"

The simplest answer I can say is, "Just ask."

I have often wondered if this is not a very "polite" thing to do
outside of Alaska Native cultures. Maybe the sensitivities of being PC
or a Western etiquette – but generally when I am asked it is with an
embarrassed tone, usually an apology. A "I'm sorry if this is rude,
but…" Recently, a friend of mine described a non-Native woman who was
offended when a Native woman asked her race.

Although I am generally loathe to group such diverse cultures into one
"group think," my own experiences in my culture and other Native
cultures in the state is that the first thing you want to do is get to
know someone's background. As an example, a dialogue of me meeting
another Native person:

"Nice to meet you – so where are you from?"

"Akiachak."

"That by Fairbanks?"

"Bethel area."

"Cool – you know John James?"

"Yeah, he's my cousin."

"Sweet."

And we switch. I threw in my own lack of geographical awareness in
there for realism. But basically, I now know where he's from (and can
deduce his 'people group' from that,) and who his general family is.
Actually, if it were really real, we would find out all the different
people we know and/or are related to in common. Many times we will ask
and talk directly about what racial background we are from.

In short, the "polite" or friendly thing to do in the culture I know
is to introduce and let your own background be known. Many Native
people who are born in urban areas will identify themselves as being
"from" whatever village or rural area their family is from. I was
delighted to meet a man "from Klawock" last Summer, very near where I
was born, but then he said, "Oh – but I've never been there." I have a
feeling as more and more Native people are born in Anchorage, this
will become even more common.

I believe the Tlingit people have elevated introductions to an art. My
Yup'ik friend is fond of telling me that "Tlingits complicate
everything!" Maybe true, but there are some pretty solid reasons
behind it.

Do you know that scene in "Lord of the Rings," where the trees are
talking amongst themselves all day, and when they finally talk to the
Hobbits, you find they've only just introduced themselves? I believe
that this must have been based off of a traditional Tlingit
celebration. You introduce pretty much your whole background and
genealogy. Basically, when I begin my speech, you should know my name
(or names,) my parents, my teachers, my grandparents and
great-grandparents, my moiety, clan and sub-clans, where I am from –
or my family is from, and where I live now. And that's the short
version.

Although I cannot tell you what all Native people would like to be
referred to as – even between my siblings and I this would vary – I
can tell you it doesn't hurt to ask. Of course, basic politeness
applies here too. I don't suggest a "So what's your racial make-up?"
or questions at times that would be ethically inappropriate - job
interview anyone?

A few tips:

-Start with asking where they are from. It wouldn't hurt if you knew
(in general) where people groups were from.

- Don't ask anyone if they are "Eskimo." Really. I mean it. The few
people who are okay with being identified by others as such will let
you know in good time, but this will lose you more respect than it
will gain. And don't assume because one person of that background
prefers to be called "Eskimo" the next is. A friend and I will joke
around, calling each other "Eskimo" and "Indian," but I made a mistake
thinking I could joke like that with another coworker - she did NOT
appreciate being called Eskimo, although from the same background as
my friend.

- As an Alaska Native person, the above also applies to the word
"Indian." From what I understand, in the Lower 48 this can be a pretty
common identifier, but not so popular up here.

- Don't attach a "tribe," "clan," "nation" or other grouping word when
asking. I get asked a lot if I am from the Tlingit tribe, or what
tribe I am from. Federally, this is correct. There are people groups
in the U.S. which embrace the word. But no Tlingit person I know
identifies themselves this way. Likewise, there is no Tlingit clan. I
DO belong to a clan, as well as a house and a moiety, but the same
will not be true of every Alaska Native culture.

Basically, just see how the person identifies themselves, and treat
them with respect. You do not have to do things "traditionally" - most
Native people do not address or introduce traditionally, unless in a
formal setting, and do not expect that of you. But to "gain friends
and influence Native people," showing a respect for their
individuality as a person, and within a culture, will go far.