AIM Support Group of Ohio & N. KentuckyUpdates and Announcements
Sunday, March 10, 2002**Some good news** http://www.freep.com/news/childrenfirst/indian8_20020308.htm Y's Indian programs likely to end Guides and Princesses considered insensitive March 8, 2002 BY BILL DOW FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER Big Glen stands in a circle around a fire at Camp Copneconic near Grand Blanc, sporting a colorful Indian headdress. The chief of the Three Fires Federation welcomes father and son braves, who throw corn into the flames and promise to be "pals forever." Although Big Glen -- Bill Peirce of Birmingham -- and the other participants are not Native Americans, they are part of a 75-year-old YMCA-sanctioned activity that uses an Indian theme to foster bonds between parents and kids. For generations, the YMCA Indian Guides (father-son) and Indian Princesses (father-daughter) programs have formed neighborhood tribes that participate in activities ranging from camp-outs and community service to bike trips and learning about Indian culture. But the days of wearing Indian headbands, borrowing the names of genuine tribes, and taking on Indian-sounding names like Big Bear and Little Wolf are likely numbered. More than 180,000 participants nationwide -- including 1,200 in metro Detroit -- could lose the program after the Chicago-based YMCA of the USA's recent decision to phase out the Indian theme that was first adopted by a YMCA director and his Indian friend in 1926. Responding to charges of racial stereotyping by Indian activists while acknowledging that the change will not be popular, the organization is faced with informing YMCA professionals, volunteer parents and their children. "The Indian Guides program has been widely praised these past 75 years for building character and family relationships," says Arnold Collins, a YMCA of the USA spokesman. "Our intent was always to honor Native Americans and their traditions while urging our participants to exercise the greatest sensitivity. Nevertheless, as we continued to embark on our cultural sensitivity initiative, it became increasingly more difficult to ignore members of a race telling us the program is offensive," he says. Bobby Scruggs of Harrison Township, known as Yellow Wolf, is not happy about the decision. "The Indian program does more good than any harm it might do," says Scruggs, whose daughters Breeana (Singing Waterfall) and Brittany (Yellow Fox) are members of the YMCA Indian Princess Ojibwa tribe. "It is a beautiful medium, a wonderful culture that we respect and emulate that helps us facilitate a bonding with our kids." "It just wouldn't be the same," Breeana, 11, said. "We have learned a lot about Indians. My friends and I have fun exploring on camp-outs and pretending we are Indians." Two Native American leaders see it differently. Bill Memberto, an Ojibwa, is the director of Michigan's Urban Indian Affairs Office. "The denigration of native people is so interwoven into the fabric of our society that folks can't grasp that the YMCA's program has its roots in racism, irregardless of what they talk about honoring. "Most people only relate to a monolithic movie mythology which is stereotypical and degrading. Folks need to start teaching their children about their own cultures instead of trying to live by and imitate somebody else's culture, which is a real falsehood." Vernon Bellecourt is the spokesman for the American Indian Movement, a group based in Minneapolis that has been battling sports teams' use of Indian mascots. "I am sure that in many cases these YMCA people are well-meaning and they like the Indian culture, but they are ignorant on how it offends native people," he says. "We simply don't like the superficial behavior of children and their parents playing Indians because it renders them incapable of understanding that the original people are still struggling and that it is compounded by racial stereotyping." Is dropping the program the only solution? "I would rather see adjustments than dropping the program entirely," says Reg Pettibone of Livonia, a full-blooded Ho-Chunk (formerly Winnebago) who lived on a Wisconsin reservation until he was 18. He says education is the key. He travels to schools and organizations, including the Birmingham Guides and Princesses program, and demonstrates traditional dancing. "The YMCA program has triggered an interest in children to learn more about the indigenous people. It would be helpful if there were more contacts with Native Americans." Although the national organization can't force the more than 540 national YMCA branches with Indian Guides programs to drop them, the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit will likely require the seven of 17 tri-county branches with the theme to do so. "I have not received a staff recommendation yet to eliminate the Indian theme, but if I were to predict, I believe we would follow the lead of the national YMCA," says Reid Thebault, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit and a former Indian Guide participant. "Perhaps a Pioneer program would allow us to move to a more cultural sensitive theme. The real strength of the parent-child programs are in the relationships that are formed, not the theme itself." ============================= Please note the change in e-mail address to aimsupport@earthlink.net Please update your address book. Our apologies for the inconvenience. ----------------------------- Support the American Indian Movement Support Group of Ohio and Northern Kentucky Go to http://aim_support.tripod.com/ and find out how to order AIM Supporter stickers! ----------------------------- posted by Webmaster@ AIM Support 10:55 AM Last updated:
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