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Acknowledging differences creates accepting society

Speaker explains misconceptions about Alaska Natives

Mary Lochner

Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Features

Sealaska Heritage Institute president Rosita Worl gave a talk about the history and reconstruction of Alaska Native identity Feb. 13 in the Student Union. She spoke of the need for Natives and non-Natives to understand cultural differences in order to promote understanding and harmony, rather than ignoring differences and allowing misunderstandings to fester.

Worl spoke with The Northern Light on common misperceptions about what it means to be an Alaska Native, and common issues in Alaska Native identity.



In your talk, you spoke about the perception that Native identity should mean living exactly as Alaska Natives lived prior to colonial contact. What are some ways you've heard that view expressed?

Under the law, Alaska Natives are given a (subsistence) priority under something called rural priority. A common perception is that because Native people use modern technological innovations like rifles, they shouldn't be given this priority. So they say if you change, then you're not really Native.



What are the problems with that perception?

It's a negative perception. The farmers got rid of the hoe and went along with the tractor but were still viewed as farmers. But if you use a rifle you're no longer a Native, you're a sports hunter. You're chastised for that.



What is the difference between subsistence and sports hunting?

In subsistence you have a whole cultural dimension that requires sharing with communities. When a sports hunter goes out they're hunting for self or family; when a Native goes out to hunt or fish they're hunting for clan, community and village.

The other part is a spiritual dimension. Many Native groups believe that animals and fish give themselves to Native people if they're worthy. And so they take a fish, there's that spiritual relationship. But non-Native people don't have this value where they believe that animals have spirits. They will do things like catch-and-release. That, for a Native person, is a violation of our values and belief system.



What are some of the historical trends shaping Alaska Native identity today?

People are beginning to identify themselves as Alaska Native people and feel unified, primarily at the political level. Part of this came from Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. We started to see ourselves as a single group of people.

The historical policies of the government also changed Native people. You had government educational policy and also Christians, who were looking down on Native people. As a consequence of that, you see Native people begin to feel ashamed of who they were, to deny who they were and want to get away from this Nativeness.

As Native people began to achieve economic and political strength they began to look at themselves and say, "Our culture is really good." So now you see efforts for language restoration. We're going through this period of cultural pride. But we had to come out of a period of oppression, where we were made to feel ashamed of ourselves.



What do you see as the more significant current trends shaping Alaska Native identity today?

It's Native people themselves setting the value of a positive Native identity. I think it leads to a healthier society when they feel pride in who they are. They do better in school; and with academic achievement comes economic success, people can be self-sustaining - and I'm making it sound too simplistic, but that's what we see with Native people becoming healthier and stronger.



You also said that ignorance about the differences between Natives and non-Natives doesn't make those things go away, but that real understanding of differences might lead to greater harmony between Natives and non-Natives. What might that kind of perspective sharing look like?

I don't know where we have to start, but if you go back to the schools and look at what's being taught, our contributions to society are overlooked, and then you're caught up in the stereotypes. It doesn't promote good harmonious relationships. We're trying to promote systemic change, where schools are teaching about the values of cultural pluralism, teaching about the value of different ethnic groups and Alaska Natives.



How do differences in cultural history, heritage and identity matter when it comes to education in the public school system?

We have to teach our children how to feel good about themselves. You have an educational system that, if it acknowledges them at all, it's usually in a negative way.

It's what I call defensive vegetation; you have to reinforce to kids it's okay to be Native, to help them deal when they go in the classroom and they don't see anyone who looks like them in the administration or as teachers. They begin to wonder, why aren't Native people teachers? Then you look at the textbooks; they're ignored completely. If they're not ignored they're usually cast in a negative way.

I want the schools to integrate Native culture and history. I think there are a lot of good things in Native culture the larger society can benefit from. We had a social security system where we took are of our elders. We never used to have senior citizen homes or homeless people, because we were taught how to care for our family and group. That's good cultural values, that's good for the society, and those are the kinds of things we have to offer.

I would like to see the university system adopt a strong language component. And I know that they say, "Well, we need to have the enrollment." But I think the university has a moral and ethical obligation to teach Native culture and Native language. It was, after all, the educational system that saw to the suppression of Native language and culture. I think they should take a responsibility in teaching Native language and culture.

There's no legal requirements for the university to say, you have to teach Native language and culture. But I think they have a responsibility, and I'd like to see them fulfill that mission.