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Cree Dueker

Professor Cornel Pewewardy


NAS 399
6 November, 2014
Tribal Critical Race Theory Midterm Prompt #4
The Bering Strait theory states that the people known now as Native Americans
originated in Asia and came into the Western hemisphere using a land bridge that once joined the
eastern reaches of Siberia to western Alaska. In Vine Deloria Jr.s statement regarding the Bering
Strait theory he describes its formation and continual regurgitation within education systems and
scientific communities as I dont know, but it sounds good and no one will check. The Bering
Strait theory is widely accepted as fact and within schools youth are taught this as absolute truth,
in my case I was never taught alternatives to this theory or even presented with the idea that the
truth was unknown and just this theory is one of the possibilities. Vine Deloria Jr. is
understandably skeptical of the validity of this theory as well as how it is being perpetuated as
fact within dominant society, his quote expresses the cynicism many Indigenous people feel
when they are trying to interact or change the way in which the scientific community operates.
This quote also points to the acceptance of the dominant society and scientists of theories which
fit within their viewpoints and assumed knowledge. Science, much like history, is often defined
by the victors or conquerors, and through science and what is regarded as fact is also
influenced by the dominant cultures viewpoints and prejudices.
Science can be largely guided by the society of the time. This comes into play with the
Bering Strait theory because in the days of Columbus the study of science was largely guided by
the religious beliefs of the society. The scientists of the time contextualized their findings
through the Bible and Friar Joseph de Acosta stated, The reason why we are forced to admit that
the men of the Indies came from Europe or Asia is so as not to contradict the sacred Scriptures,
which clearly teaches that all men descend from Adam; and thus we cannot assign any other
origin for the men of the Indies. This quote demonstrates how scientists fight against
contradicting their own beliefs and by doing so ignore any evidence that goes against it. Acosta
also reveals how Indigenous peoples were seen as less than human and impossible that they were
created from the same stuff as Adam to be equals, this can also feed into the laws and findings
used against them such as the Doctrine of Discovery or the ways in which our land was taken
away.
Due to these contextualized and highly political motivations behind science both past and
present the Bering Strait theory is highly questionable when looked at from an objective view.
For many scientists of the past the idea that Indigenous people could be more ancient than their
European counterparts was impossible. This goes back to the views of Indigenous people that the
European scientists held and how they were inferior beings not deserving of the land they

inhabited, science can and was used to affirm these ideas as well as work them in to the
education system and general publics knowledge. Although recent science has found remains
too old to affirm the Bering Strait theory as well as proposed new theories for the Indigenous
people although very few suggest that Native people were on their land since the very beginning.
Countless Native cultures speak of creation and origin stories that speak of times in the very
ancient past but these are overlooked by the scientific community and written off as myths or
folklore. The Bering Strait theories as well as other theories or pseudo-scientific practices such as
eugenics were not based solely on scientific evidence but instead, on a presumption born in
religion that then migrated to science -- the antiquity and preeminence of Western culture over all
others.
Works Cited
Churchill, Ward. "ABC-CLIO SCHOOLS." ABC-CLIO SCHOOLS. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov.
2014.
Ewen, Alex. "Bering Strait Theory, Pt. 1: How Dogma Trumped Science." Indian Country Today
Media Network. N.p., 13 June 2013. Web. 5 Nov. 2014.
Ewen, Alex. "Bering Strait Theory, Pt. 2: Racism, Eugenics and When Natives Came to
America." Indian Country Today Media Network. N.p., 20 June 2013. Web. 5 Nov. 2014.

Cree Dueker
Professor Cornel Pewewardy

NAS 399
6 November, 2014
Tribal Critical Race Theory Midterm Prompt #5
Many of the microaggressions directed at Natives as well as some of the stereotypes
come from people who are ignorant to the past or current state of Native lives and historical
trauma. Misinformation can arise in different ways; some from ignorance due to a lack of solid
education, some from a place of prejudice, and some from envy of perceived benefits that come
with being Native. Stereotypical imagery has also been the result of the dominant Eurocentric
viewpoint looking at Native communities and defining or explaining them using a Western
perspectives which can reinforce their idea of Natives being less than. I think that an effective
way of changing and countering these images is to be aware of them and knowing effective ways
to speak out when they arise. Natives must also establish allies within the dominant society so
that their voices can be amplified and recognized.
It is important to be a change agent not only within our own communities but also to
reach out to allies outside of our community who want to be involved and interrupt oppression
alongside of us. Countering stereotypical imagery of Natives must happen on many levels. On
the largest level of this would be the media and through it increasing awareness of Natives not as
stereotypical savages of the past but of people living in the present. This can be done through
documentaries that reach out to large groups and assist Natives in finding their allies such as
Reel Injun, a film created by my fellow Cree Neil Diamond which has gained a large viewing
through things like its availability on Netflix and looks to confront the image of Natives created
by Hollywood. Another wonderful documentary maker is Alanis Obomsawin an Abenaki First
Nations filmmaker most known for her film Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance which focuses
on the Oka crisis as well as showing Native resistance and resilience through an Indigenous lens.
The way that Obomsawin released her documentaries were very inclusive and large reaching as
she made them available online and through sites like youtube.
It is important to find ways of controlling our own images within the media and using it
as a tool of representation, activism, and education. This is done not only on an interpersonal
level in our everyday lives but also by acknowledging the ways in which media informs both
ourselves and others of who Natives are and how we are able to control or manipulate these
images. Media and our influence can also be used to spread awareness on issues that people
might not know are offensive or are miseducated about. An example of this is the Were a
vulture not a costume campaign done with a diverse group of allies reflecting the racism and
ignorance associated with dressing up as someones culture for Halloween. Although changing
popular cultures depiction of Natives can be hard we must fight to make these changes. By
allowing the portrayal of Natives to be stereotypical we are submitting to their ideas on what
being Native means as well as the negative connotations. We must fight and align ourselves with

those who can give us more positive representation as well as being able to interrupt oppression
on an individual level when it does arise.

Works Cited
"Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance." N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2014.
<https://www.nfb.ca/film/kanehsatake_270_years_of_resistance/>.
"Poster Campaign." Were a Culture Not a Costume Campaign 2013. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov.
2014. <http://www.ohio.edu/orgs/stars/Poster_Campaign.html>.
"Reel Injun." Reel Injun. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.

Cree Dueker
Professor Cornel Pewewardy
NAS 399
6 November, 2014
Tribal Critical Race Theory Midterm Prompt #6
The quote from Vine Deloria Jr.s Native Voices passage strikes me as both sad and
inevitable. For me it is a cry to think of not only our current generation and our loved ones but of
the seventh generation as well. Reflecting on what we are doing today and how this will come to
pass as well as the implications of what it will do in the future. In my perspective it brings

attention to many different environmental issues of today. We have become reliant upon
resources which are unsustainable and yet we seem complacent to live off of them until they are
drained dry and then leave the problem for the next generations. Not only are these resources
unsustainable but the way in which we attain them is highly damaging to the local environment
and ecosystems as well as the people living in the region. His passage also makes me reflect on if
what we strive for within a dominantly capitalist society is worth all of the work and time and
resources we use up hoping to attain it.
Years from now will all of our beautiful mansions that many people dream about be
nothing more than ruins? Will these mansions truly make us happy within our present time or
will it just lead to more self-destructive tendencies? Vine talks about the infinite sadness of the
plains now being suited perfectly for buffalo and other wildlife when this was how it was
originally until colonization when the Earth became overused and mistreated. These doomed
scenarios can be linked to our greed and seemingly never ending need for more. Settlers were
not happy with their land and rules so they took ours. They were then not pleased with the way
we were using the land and deemed us unworthy. This leads into present day and land still being
taken or bought by people who are deemed to not be utilizing it correctly.
For me Vines passage is not only a wake up call but also instructs people to look not
towards a capitalist, dominant, Eurocentric society but to instead look back and follow traditions.
We have assimilated into this culture that is destroying not only our traditional views but our
lands, cultures, and ceremonies as well. Instead of assimilating we must work to decolonize
within ourselves and our communities so that we may make meaningful ways of life that will not
fall into those doomed scenarios. We have to be present and engaged within this society but
not follow alongside it blindly. Today we have many educated people but unfortunately we are
not putting that education into use and thinking critically about what is going on around us.We
must create a sustainable future not only for ourselves but looking into the next generations and
teach them ways of living that will not lead them into ruin.

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