Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask: Revised and Expanded

by Anton Treuer

Overview

A revised and updated edition of a modern classic offers answers to nearly 200 essential and thought-provoking questions about the Native people of North America.

What have you always wanted to know about Indians? Do you feel like you should already know the answers—or are concerned that your questions may be offensive? For more than a decade, Anton Treuer's clear, candid, and informative book has answered questions for tens of thousands of readers. This revised edition both revisits old questions from a new perspective and expands on topics that have become increasingly relevant over the past decade, including activism and tribal enrollment; truth and reconciliation efforts; gender roles and identities in Indigenous communities; the status of Alaskan Natives and Canadian First Nations; and much more.

Treuer, an Ojibwe scholar and cultural preservationist, addresses nearly 200 questions on a range of topics—questions that are thoughtful and outrageous, modern and historical, and always interesting.

—What are we supposed to call North America's first people?
—Can white people dance at powwows?
—What's the point of land acknowledgments?
—Does tribal sovereignty mean that tribes can offer abortion services in states where it is now otherwise illegal?

With frank, funny, and sometimes personal prose, this book cuts through myths, guilt, and anger and builds a foundation for true understanding and positive action.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681342467
Publisher:	Minnesota Historical Society Press
Publication date:	04/18/2023
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	247,396
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Dr. Anton Treuer, professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, is the author of numerous books on Indigenous history and language. He has sat on several organizational boards and received more than 40 prestigious awards and fellowships, including from the American Philosophical Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Bush Foundation, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Among his many book publications are The Cultural Toolbox: Traditional Ojibwe Living in the Modern World, The Language Warrior's Manifesto: How to Keep Our Languages Alive No Matter the Odds, Warrior Nation: A History of the Red Lake Ojibwe, The Assassination of Hole in the Day, Atlas of Indian Nations, and a young reader's edition of Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask.

Read an Excerpt

What’s the point of land acknowledgments?

There has been a movement, supported by the findings of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission and many Indigenous activists in many countries, to have governments and organizations acknowledge the original and current Indigenous peoples of the land. Land acknowledgments vary because they focus on the local Indigenous people. Here is an example of a land acknowledgment that I helped develop for the National Summit for Courageous Conversation About Race when it was held in Louisiana:

Welcome to the current and ancestral homeland of the Caddo, Natchez, Atakapa, Houma, Tunica, Chitimacha, and Choctaw peoples. These tribes have called Louisiana home for tens of thousands of years. Nobody asked their permission to come here, settle here, or build a new civilization on top of theirs. Their entire population endured generations of genocide and enslavement in the French, British, Spanish, and American colonies built here. And still, they endure.

A good land acknowledgment will be local and specific, mentioning by name the tribes who have called the land in that area home. It will also acknowledge historical injustice. And it will make a call to action for the institution or group. I support land acknowledgments because they address the invisibility and marginalization of Indigenous people. The real trick is to make sure we don’t stop there. A statement is just performative if it isn’t followed up with real action. Acknowledgment is a first step, not the end of the journey. We need to work towards equity, inclusion, and empowerment of Native people in everything we do.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Ambassador

Terminology
What terms are most appropriate for talking about North America’s first people?
What terms are not appropriate for talking about North America’s first people?
What terms are most appropriate for talking about each tribe?
How do I know how to spell all these complicated terms?
What term is most appropriate—nation, band, tribe, or reservation?
What does the word powwow mean?
How can I find out the meaning of the place names around me that come from Indigenous languages?

History
How many Indians were in North and South America before contact?
When did Indians really get to North America?
Why does it matter when Indians got to North America?
What do Indians say about their origins?
Who else made it here before Columbus?
Did Native Americans scalp?
Why did Native Americans scalp?
Were Natives more violent than Whites?
Did Indians practice polygamy? Do they now?
What are Native views about homosexuality?
How was gender configured in Native communities?
Do Indigenous people in Canada get treated more fairly by their government than those in the United States?
What is the real story of Columbus?
Why does getting the Columbus story right matter?
Why are some people trying to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day?
What is the real story of Thanksgiving
What is the real story of Pocahontas?
Who was Ely Parker?
What did Pontiac do?
Why was Tecumseh such a famous Native?
Who was Geronimo?
Who was Sitting Bull?
When did the U.S. government stop making treaties with Indians and why?
Why do some people use the word genocide in discussing the treatment of Indians?
What was the Doctrine of Discovery?
What was the historical relationship between Christian missionaries and Native people?
Were Indians ever slaves?
Did Indians ever keep slaves?
Was the swastika an Indigenous symbol before the Nazis used it?
How was killing off the buffalo related to the Indian wars?

Religion, Culture & Identity
Why do Indians have long hair?
Do Indians live in teepees?
What is fasting and why do Indians do it?
What are clans and do all Indians have them?
Where are the real Indians?
What does traditional mean?
Aren’t all Indians traditional?
Why is it called a “traditional Indian fry bread taco”?
What is Indian time?
What are Indian cars?
I thought that Indians have a strong sense of ecological stewardship, so why do I also see a lot of trash in some yards?
Are Natives at the front of environmental activism or is that a stereotype?
If Indians respect the environment, how come the Makah hunt endangered whales?
Do Indians have a stronger sense of community than non-Indians?
How are different gender identities and roles viewed in Native communities today?
What is life like for gay, lesbian, and transgender Natives today?
What’s your perspective on Christian missionaries today?
Are a lot of Natives Christian today?
Is it true that the Pueblos and some other tribes combine Christian and traditional Native practices?
What is Indian religion?
Why do Indians use tobacco for ceremonies?
What are kachinas?
It seems like Indians have a deeper spiritual connection than in many religious traditions. Is that true?
What is meant by Native “ways of knowing?”
What are some of the customs around dating and marriage?
What happens when a Native and Nonnative person date?
What are some of the customs around pregnancy and childbirth?
What are naming ceremonies?
Can a Nonnative person get an Indian name?
What are coming-of-age ceremonies?
How come everyone’s laughing at a traditional Indian funeral?
Do they charge for participation in Native ceremonies?
What is a sweat lodge?
What are dream catchers?
Do Indians still get persecuted for their religious beliefs?
What sports are most popular for Natives today?
What music is most popular for Native kids today?

Powwow
What is a powwow?
What do the different styles of dance mean?
Why are “49” songs sung in English?
How come they have a prize purse at powwows?
Can White people dance at powwows?
Do women sing at powwows?
What is the protocol for gifts at powwows?

Tribal Languages
How many tribal languages are spoken in North America?
Which ones have a chance to be here a hundred years from now?
Why are fluency rates higher in Canada?
It seems like tribal languages won’t give Native people a leg up in the modern world. Why are tribal languages important to Indians?
Why should tribal languages be important to everyone else?
What are the challenges to successfully revitalizing tribal languages?
When were tribal languages first written down?
Many tribal languages were never written. Why do they write them now?
Why is it funnier in Indian?
How do tribal languages encapsulate a different world view?
Why don’t tribes do more to support language and culture?

Politics
What is sovereignty?
Why do Indians have reservations?
Why isn’t being American enough?
Why do Indians need reservations today?
If Natives in the U.S. have their own nations, how did they become American citizens?
What is a non-federally-recognized tribe?
What’s it like for Natives who aren’t part of a recognized tribe?
What is the status of Alaska Natives?
Why do Indians have treaty rights?
What other rights do they have that differ from most people?
What is allotment?
What is clouded title?
Is something being done about clouded title?
If tribes had hereditary chiefs, how come there is a democratic process in place for selecting tribal leaders in most places today?
What’s the Indian Reorganization Act?
Do Indians ever work together politically and economically?
Why do so many Indians live in urban areas today?
What is relocation?
What is life like for urban Indians today?
What is termination?
Why do Indians have their own police and courts in some places?
Why does the FBI investigate murders on some reservations?
Why do state law enforcement agencies investigate murders on some other reservations?
What is Public Law 280?
Don’t tribes ever investigate murders on Indian land themselves?
Should Leonard Peltier be freed?
Why is AIM controversial?
What is the Indian Child Welfare Act?
How many Native Americans are there today?
What is blood quantum, what is tribal enrollment, and how are they related?
How has tribal enrollment affected you personally?
What’s it like for Natives who don’t look Native?
How come some tribes ban the use and sale of alcohol?
Is there a solution to substance abuse in Indian country?
Do all Indians have drinking problems?
Why did coronavirus kill so many people at Navajo Nation and other reservations?
Why are Indian politics often such a viper’s pit?
Why do Indians have so many kids?
I heard that a lot of Indians serve in the U.S. military. How do they reconcile their service with the fact that the U.S. Army killed so many of their people?
What’s it like for Natives who serve in the U.S. military today?
How do Indians feel about the use of Geronimo as the code name for Osama Bin Laden?
Why are some tribes trying to legalize marijuana?
Do Indians vote Democrat or Republican?
Why is Debra Haaland’s appointment significant?
Does tribal sovereignty make it possible for tribes to offer abortion services in states where it is now otherwise illegal?
Are tribes getting better?

Economics
Do Indians get a break on taxes, and if so, why?
Do Indians get a break on license plates?
Why should Indians be eligible for welfare if they are not taxed the same way as everyone else?
Are all Indians living in extreme poverty?
Are all Indians rich from casinos?
How has casino gambling affected Indian communities?
What is the financial impact of tribal business in America?
How have per capita payments affected Indian communities?
What is the future of Indian gaming?
Are tribes impacted by many states legalizing gaming in Nonnative spaces?
What should tribes be doing to improve the economic condition of their citizens?

Education
What were federal residential boarding schools?
How come 50 percent of Indians are flunking their state-mandated tests in English and math?
How does education policy affect Indian country?
How does education policy affect Indian country?
Do all Indians have a free ride to college?
What are some myths and stereotypes about Natives?
Is anyone getting it right in Indian education?

Social Activism
Why was the Dakota Access Pipeline protest such a big deal?
Do Indians face racial profiling from law enforcement?
What do Natives think about the Black Lives Matter movement?
How are Natives building bridges with other groups to fight racism?
What do Natives think about social activism in Latinx and other non-White communities?
Do Natives in Canada, South America, and the USA ever work together or communicate about shared struggles?
What is Orange Shirt Day?
What happened at the confrontation at the Lincoln Memorial in 2019 and why does it matter?
Why is there so much concern about mascots?
Why is there such a fuss about Nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween?
How come commercials using Native imagery make so many Native so mad?
Why is there such a fuss about public art, statues, and place names now?
What is the Land Back Movement?
Why is Bears Ears National Monument significant?
Why is there so much advocacy about missing and murdered Indigenous women?
Does being Native make you worry about your safety or the safety of your family?

Perspectives: Coming to Terms and Future Directions
Why are Indians so often imagined rather than understood?
As a White person, I don’t feel privileged. What do Indians mean by that term?
What do you think about fear of “White erasure?”
Why don’t tribes solve their own problems?
All these problems are not my fault. Why should I be asked to atone for the sins of my ancestors?
Is there anything wrong with saying that some of my best friends are Indians?
Is there something wrong with saying that my great-grandmother was a Cherokee princess?
I might have some Indian ancestry. How do I find out?
Are DNA tests changing how people connect to tribes?
How do Native people react when people who have identified as White all their lives suddenly claim Native ancestry?
What is meant by the term “Pretendians?”
Why is that picture End of the Trail so popular in Indian country?
How do Canadian First Nations people feel about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission findings?
What’s the point of land acknowledgments?
Regarding casinos and treaty rights, I’m not racist, but it doesn’t seem fair to me. What’s wrong with that line of thinking?
I’m not racist, but it all happened in the past. Why can’t Indians just move on?
Why do Indian people often seem angry?
How are social media and smart phones impacting life in Indian country?
Do Native Americans celebrate the Fourth of July?
What are some good books to read about Indians?
Are there any good Indian movies?
What do Natives think about books by Nonnatives that have Native content?
Have you ever been the object of direct racial discrimination?
You’re a testament to your race. How did you turn out so good?
How can I learn more?

Conclusion: Finding Ways to Make a Difference
As a Native person, what can I do to help my tribe?
How do I do that if I’m not connected to my tribe and don’t know my culture?
As a Nonnative person, how can I help?
What gives you hope?

Acknowledgments
Recommended Reading
Notes
Index

Editorial Reviews

Nothing quite like this book has been available previously. Summing up: Essential.” 
CHOICE

“Straightforward, fascinating, funny, and often wise, Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians But Were Afraid to Ask is a wonderful resource for non-Indians and Indians too. (There are plenty of things we want to know about each other.) It is that rare thing—an informational and entertaining read.”
Louise Erdrich

From the Publisher