November was Native American Awareness Month and the highlight here at UMB was eagerly watched by organizer Cindy Wilson, member of the Chukchansi Tribe and president of the newly formed Native American Student Association.
The lounge on the fourth floor of Wheatley was transformed by the Wampanoag Dancers on Wednesday, November 12. Forced indoors due to inclement weather, five dancers in traditional dress circled the blue carpet in measured steps as a large group of faculty and students looked on. The chanting voice of one dancer in a multi-colored headdress kept the rhythm. Onlookers were invited to participate and soon students and teachers alike were circling the rug.
“We wanted to create a heightened awareness. Get people thinking and talking of issues important to Native Americans,” shouted Amy Den Ouden above the noise. Professor Den Ouden of the Anthropology Department is the advisor to the Native American Student Association. “We hope to provide a forum for Native American students to voice their issues and also provide positive and [interactive] events to the student community,” she said of what they hope to accomplish.
There are approximately fifty Native American students at UMass Boston. Their student association officially started on October first of this year, and with help from other groups, including the Anthropology Department, Hispanic Studies and the Undergraduate Anthropology Club, were able to put on this event.
Maurice Foxx, Chairman of the Commission on Indian Affairs for the Commonwealth, was the guest speaker focusing on the issue of what sovereignty means to Native people. “How many people know the number of Native Americans in Massachusetts?” Foxx asked. Forced to answer his own question in the silence that followed he responded, “35,000. People forgot we were here.”
Sovereignty for Native Americans is “something they hold amongst themselves. Their right to rule themselves,” said Foxx as he explored the dictionary definitions of sovereignty and the idea that telling others how to live takes away from the concept of freedom for everyone.
The Native American people are a sovereign nation torn between two worlds: the world of the reservation where self rule is the agreement (but sometimes not the reality) between Native people and the federal and state governments, and the world outside of or off the reservation where the rights of a Native American are often not recognized.
“Trees were cut down and we mourned and we grieved and no one heard us. So now we fight a legal battle [for our rights] and sometimes we win. We are a nation in a nation,” said Foxx, his voice often broken with emotion.
Foxx also hoped that the United States government would take responsibility for the “pain and turmoil” that is caused when the U.S. military engages a sovereign nation like Iraq. “When are we going to learn?” he asked.
Despite the fact that the Native American people were turned down for a seat on the United Nations, Foxx insists that sovereignty “is not something that can be taken or given. We have the pride and dignity of what we once were and we claim the ability to take care of ourselves. I don’t have to go to the federal government for them to tell me I’m an Indian. I just want to make life better for the Native Americans.”
“We are a conquered people in the view of Western Civilization and are treated that way.” explained Foxx. “The creator did not put us here to die under the thumb of someone else. Our commitment is to the earth,” he said. Gesturing at those gathered around him he urged everyone to fight for what is right, for the health of the earth and the rights of sovereign people. “The Buddhists say the change of the world begins with one person. Set your goal on being a human being first.”