Forwarded for Members of the Museum-L mailing list ****************************************************************** An Open Letter To: Parents Of Young Children Regarding: The Disney Film Pocahontas From: Members of the NatChat Internet-based Mailing List (An electronic community of Native and non-Native people interested in issues pertaining to the world's aboriginal peoples.) Many people, including some members of this electronic community, are deeply offended by Disney's new movie, "Pocahontas". Children who view this movie may obtain a distorted image of a living people and their culture. The film contains historical inaccuracies and prejudicial lyrics. The historical truth is that Pocahontas was no more than ten years old and John Smith was at least 22 when they met. (Some accounts state he was 42, others that he was in his sixties.) An entry in Smith's later memoirs suggests he may have forced himself upon her. If there was any "romance" between John Smith and Pocahontas, he would be considered a child molester today. Also, the movie doesn't mention the fact that Pocahontas was later taken prisoner by the English and held for ransom. The movie contains scenes and lyrics that promote racist and sexist stereotypes. The most disturbing of these are the following lyrics, from the song, "Savages": "What can you expect from filthy little heathens? Their whole disgusting race is like a curse. Their skin's a hellish red. They're only good when they are dead!" Regardless of the context of these lyrics, they are just as offensive to members of this community as "nigger" is to African-Americans and Nazi propaganda is to the Jewish community. Worst of all, no child and few adults can easily "undo" a catchy, Disney song once it's in their head. If your child was of Native descent, imagine how you would feel if your son came home in tears to tell you that his schoolmates sang "Savages" to him? Or if your daughter told you she wanted to be like the Disney Pocahontas, a non-Indian featured Barbie doll wearing barely any clothes, instead of a member of the culture that you, your parents and grandparents, worked so hard to preserve? Although some of us were excited when we first heard that Disney was going to tell the story of Pocahontas, we now feel betrayed. Unfortunately, Disney has let us down in a cruel, irresponsible manner. Like the real Pocahontas, there have been many people in the past 100 years, both white and Native, who have worked hard to form a bridge of communication and understanding between the cultures. Please don't threaten their work by supporting Disney's version of this story. Please read the following suggestions instead, choose an alternative and discuss with your child your reasons for doing so. (If your child has already viewed the film, please take the time to discuss his/her reaction to it and consider these alternatives as a followup activity.) WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP: 1. Do NOT purchase any Disney Pocahontas tickets or merchandise. 2. Voice your opinion to Disney at http://www.disney.com/BVPM/PressRoom/Pocahontas/Survey.html 3. Encourage your child to learn about other cultures, not as cartoon figures, but as real, living people. 4. Inform your child that more than half of Native Americans live off of reservations. There is a Native population in every state. 5. Encourage your child to recognize not all Native peoples are alike. Their cultures, languages and beliefs vary more than European countries. 6. Encourage your child's school to invite Native speakers from the local community. 7. Send copies of this letter to other parents that you know. Feel free to distribute it at your child's softball games, at church, at the beach club, playground, play groups, etc. 8. Consider donating to a non-profit organization that assists Native children. ALTERNATIVES TO PURCHASING DISNEY POCAHONTAS PRODUCTS: INSTEAD OF PURCHASING DISNEY POCAHONTAS COLORING BOOKS - CONSIDER: 1. Dover Publications Coloring Books, including "Pocahontas Coloring Book", "Indian Tribes of North America" and other titles. 2. "A Coloring Book of American Indians" and other titles, Bellerophon Books, 36 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara CA 93101 INSTEAD OF PURCHASING DISNEY POCAHONTAS PICTURE/STORY BOOKS - CONSIDER: 1. "Eagle Drum" by Robert Crum. Four Winds Press. 2. "Powwow" by George Ancona. Harcourt Brace &Co. 3. "North American Native Author's Distribution Project", a catalog of children's literature. 1-518-584-1728. Greenfield, N.Y. 4. "Finding One's Own Way". 1-518-584-1728. Greenfield, N.Y. 5. "Morning Girl" by Michael Dorris. Univ. of Oklahoma Press. 6. "Dancing Teepees" Selected by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneeve.Holiday House. 7. "Raven" by Gerald McDermott. Harcourt Brace. 8. "Dream Catcher" by Audrey Osopby. Orchard Books. 9. "Mama Do You Love Me", by Barbara M. Joosse, Illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. 10. "King Island Christmas", "Runaway Mittens", by Jean Rogers. 11. "A Coyote Columbus Story" by Thomas King. 12. "Spirit of the White Bison" by Beatrice Culleton, illustrated by Robert Kakaygeesick, Jr. 13. "The Princess and the Sea-Bear and Other Tsimishian Stories" by Joan Skogan, illustrated by Claudia Stewart. 14. "Crow and Weasel" by Bary Lopez. 15. "Seya's Song" by Ron Hirschi, illustrated by Constance R. Bergum. Sasquatch Books. 16. "Ten Little Rabbits" by Virginia Grossman & Sylvia Long. Chronicle Books. 17. "Did you Hear Wind Sing Your Name? (An Oneida Song of Spring)" by Sandra De Coreau Orie; illustrations by Christopher Canyon. Walker and Co. INSTEAD OF PURCHASING DISNEY POCAHONTAS MOVIE TICKETS - CONSIDER: 1. Attending a local POW-WOW. Most states have several Pow-Wows during the summer months. Share with your child the beat of the drum, the taste of fry bread and honey and the sight of dancers and friendly faces. 2. Donating the purchase price of Pocahontas tickets to one of the following non-profit organizations. a) Wounded Knee District School, Box 350, Manderson, South Dakota 57756 b) American Indian College Fund, 21 W. 68th St., Suite 1F, NY,NY 10023 c) Lost Bird Society, Stockmen's National Bank, Rushville, Nebraska d) The Dine Bi Mission, c/o Claudell Potter, PO Box 1330, Shiprock, NM 87416 For More Information on the NatChat Community, send email to [log in to unmask] with "get nn-intro intro native-l" in the body. For More Information on Native organizations in your area, contact Kwenitewk Native Resource, Network of Ndakinna, P.O. Box 382, Meriden, NH 037700. For More Information on Pocahontas, see the video "Biography of Pocahontas", A&E Biography Series, 1-800-423-1212. For More Information on the true history of America, start with "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown. Thank You For Showing Your Support To Pocahontas and All Her Relations, By Not Purchasing Disney Pocahontas Merchandise! ********* Please note that, for all of the persons listed below, professional and other affiliations are included only to provide information about those people. This information is for identification purposes only, and does not imply any support from the organizations mentioned. However, such information also will give readers an idea of the wide range of experiences that we bring to this issue, as well as illustrating that people from all walks of life are concerned about it. ********* Eric Anderson <[log in to unmask]>, Visiting Lecturer, Native American History and Literature, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ Jordan Bacon <[log in to unmask]>, Division of Continuing Studies, University of Victoria, British Columbia Martin Baxter <[log in to unmask]>, AISES member, Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu Colette Becker (U st awi agi na) <[log in to unmask]>, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Health Sciences Library, UMAB Danny Bell <[log in to unmask]>, Lumbee-Cheraw of Carolina; Student Aid Office, Univ. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill M. Jean Black <[log in to unmask]>, Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Benay Blend <[log in to unmask]>, Instructor, Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, Natchitoches, LA; teaches Native American Studies and Minority Literature Thomas Bohuski <[log in to unmask]>, Systems programmer, Western Kentucky Univ., Bowling Green; research astronomer, and teaches astronomy Elizabeth Bonnett <[log in to unmask]>, Winnipeg, Manitoba P. Bonvillain <[log in to unmask]>, Paralegal Jeane Breinig <[log in to unmask]>, Haida, Univ. of Washington Paul W. Bristol <[log in to unmask]> Social activist, bilingual advocate, consultant, writer, teacher, actor, musician, entertainer, father Jackie Brown <[log in to unmask]>, Lenape (Eastern Oklahoma Delaware) registered through Cherokee tribe of Oklahoma; Cataloguer, University of Florida Libraries; mother of two daughters, and married for 28 years Jay Brummett / Cecala Ptehincalaska - Calf <[log in to unmask]>, Moderation Staff, NativeNet Neilly A. Buckalew <[log in to unmask]>, Kwanitewk NATIVE Resource/Network, a coalition of Native Peoples/Groups and an intertribal network in New England for outreach, education, activism, and rights advocacy Elizabeth Burns <[log in to unmask]>, Secretary, Arizona State Univ. Lin Collette <[log in to unmask]>, Grad student, Race and Religious Studies, Union Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio Elaine Cubbins <[log in to unmask]>, Doctoral student and instruc tor, Library Science, Univ. of Arizona; regular volunteer at the Venito Garcia Library, Sells, AZ, on the Tohono O'odham reservation Thaddeus Cunejo <[log in to unmask]>, Dine/Ashiwi; Media specialist, Literacy Programs, El Paso, Texas Alx V. Dark <[log in to unmask]>, Dept. of Anthropology, New York Univer sity James Derringer <[log in to unmask]>, Potawatomi/Cherokee, Prairie Band/Thunder Clan; Circulation Supervisor, Math/Science Library, Purdue Univ., with graduate work in political science and anthropology Lucy E. Doyle <[log in to unmask]>, Senior statistician, Child and Family Studies, Florida Mental Health Institute, Univ. of South Flo rida, Tampa Mark Fettes <[log in to unmask]>, Writer-researcher in the field of language policy, particularly Aboriginal languages and Esperanto; has worked with the Assembly of First Nations, the Canadian Centre for Linguistic Rights, and the Universal Esperanto Association; Ottawa, Ontario, originally from New Zealand Richard Fisher <[log in to unmask]>, American Cultural Studies, Lund University, Lund, Sweden David Friesenhahn <[log in to unmask]>, Student and humanist, Texas AM Univ., College Station, Texas Andrea L. Gadberry <[log in to unmask]>, Student in Anthropology, University of Illinois, studying Native American folklore Brian K. Gill <[log in to unmask]>, Cherokee ancestry; Student, Humboldt State University, Humboldt, California Judith M. Gobert <[log in to unmask]>, Blackfeet, Nakota, and Salish, with Shoshone, Nez Perce, German and Scottish ancestors; Mother of three, daughter, sister, and granddaughter to many; Graduate student, Microbiology/Biochemistry; AIDS researcher; Division of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Montana, Missoula Joanna Claire Grey <[log in to unmask]>, Metis (Cherokee, Kiowa, Irish, with affiliations to Hupa/Yuork as well); teaches Sociology and Native American Classes, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque Thomas D. Hall <[log in to unmask]>, Professor, Dept. of Sociology, DePauw Univ., Greencastle, IN Lisa Harrison <[log in to unmask]>, Administrative specialist, Procter and Gamble; history and marketing major, Univ. of Cincinnati Steve Hinton <[log in to unmask]>, Biologist and owner of RS Hinton & Associates, Portland, Oregon. All of his projects include consulting and working with native nations of the northwest; the company is dedi cated to conservation and preservation of biodiversity, as well as respect, understanding, and honor for the diversity of cultures in the region Dee Horne <[log in to unmask]>, English Dept., Univ. of Northern British Columbia, teaching Postcolonial Theory and First Nations Literatures in English Ken E.Kala Hunt <[log in to unmask]>, Laguna Pueblo; graduate student, School of Public Health, Univ. of Hawai'i-Manoa, residing in Waimanalo, Hawai'i Emily Hutton <[log in to unmask]>, Head of Collection Development, Colgate Univ. Library, Hamilton, NY Barbara Inyan <[log in to unmask]>, Geography Department, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder Walter T. Kawamoto <[log in to unmask]>, Student/New Prof. Rep to the Ethnic Minorities Section of the National Council on Family Relations; PhD student in Family Studies at Oregon State University Larry Kibby <[log in to unmask]>, and the Western Shoshone Historic Preservation Society Steven J. Kirk <[log in to unmask]>, Free-lance editor; graduate student, Creative Writing, Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Victor Lares <[log in to unmask]>, Chicano; Counseling Consultation Service, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison; work emphasizes Chicano/a politics (social, educational, etc.), as well as those of other ethnic minori ties; interested in Chicano/a recruitment and retention in higher edu cation; great grandparents assassinated by whites Joy Lintelman <[log in to unmask]>, History Dept., Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota; teaches Native American and U.S. History Allan Liska <[log in to unmask]>, Department of Sociology, University of Maryland, College Park Colette Little Fawn Becker <[log in to unmask]>, Cherokee, Baltimore, MD; Administrative aide, University of Maryland, Baltimore; works with Piscataway Nation, Maryland Carol F. L. Liu <[log in to unmask]>, Librarian, library administrator, New York City; President, Library Administration and Management Association, of the American Library Association; volunteer, American Indian Community House, New York City Scott Lyons <[log in to unmask]>, Anishinabe/Dakota; Dept. of English, Concordia College, Moorhead, MN Mary N. MacDonald <[log in to unmask]>, History of Religions, Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY Tamara Manners <[log in to unmask]>, Metis from British Columbia, now living in England David Grant Mccrady <[log in to unmask]> Mary Healy Mihalyi <[log in to unmask]>, grandmother and mother Mary Jane Miller <[log in to unmask]>, Dept. of Film Studies, Dramatic and Visual Arts, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario Gabrielle Mittelbach <[log in to unmask]> David L. Moore <[log in to unmask]>, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, New York Patricia L. Morse <[log in to unmask]>, Department of American Thought and Language, Michigan State University, East Lansing Julia Murphy <[log in to unmask]>, Toronto Kathy Partridge <[log in to unmask]>, Saami/Lapplander and American; Program officer of a private foundation, Longmont, Colorado Michael Patterson <[log in to unmask]>, Metis (Irish and Iroquois); Writer and musician, working on M.A. thesis on Native music in Canada; host of Spirit Voice Radio; Music Editor, "Aboriginal Voices" magazine (formerly "The Runner"); Ottawa, Ontario Vince Petronio <[log in to unmask]>, Communication Studies/Computer Support, College of Continuing Education, Univ. of Rhode Island Andrew J. Petto <[log in to unmask]>, Associate Director, Center for Biology Education, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison Frederic Plewniak <[log in to unmask]>, Strasbourg, France Caroline Pomeroy <[log in to unmask]>, Fisheries social scientist, Indiana Univ., Bloomington James Postema <[log in to unmask]>, English Dept., Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota; teaches Native American and United States liter atures Gary W. Priester and Mary E. Carter <[log in to unmask]>, "white, mid dle-aged, middle-class supporters of Native American rights" Mary Carol Randall <[log in to unmask]>, Poet; Publications Coordinator, School of Education, UC Berkeley Sarah Read <[log in to unmask]>, Librarian, Univ. of Oregon H. Henning Riebe <[log in to unmask]>, Canadian, Deutsche, Gitksan; Systems Programmer, Hagen, Germany Mary Ritchie <[log in to unmask]>, Bode'Wad Mi, grandmother, feminist, beadworker, visual anthropologist, co-founder of the Kenosha-Racine Native American Council Ruth Ritchie <[log in to unmask]>, Honours student in History and Native Studies, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario James J. Roper <[log in to unmask]>, Ecologist, Dept. of Biology, Leidy Labs, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Maria-Helena von Rosen <[log in to unmask]>, Graduate student, Sweden Sylvia Rowe <[log in to unmask]>, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, English, Irish, French, Welsh, and Scottish, with children of Cherokee, Italian and German ancestry as well Elizabeth J. Sacca' <[log in to unmask]>, Concordia University, Montreal, PQ Canada B Frederique Samuel <[log in to unmask]>, Health, Kinesiology & Leisure Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana; British citizen, associated with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Jennifer Sergi <[log in to unmask]>, English Department, Rhode Island College Waya Gola--J.T. Shupe <[log in to unmask]> Associate Program mer, IBM, Rochester, Minnesota; professional AISES member Gary Smith (Night Owl) <[log in to unmask]>, Mixed-blood Blackfeet; Distribu tor of Wotanging Ikche (Native American News) Steve Smith <[log in to unmask]>, Oneida and Menominee; statistician at the Smithsonian Institution, and president of their American Indian Council Pat Talley <[log in to unmask]>, of Cherokee ancestry; special librarian for a financial institution Iva Wolf Trottier <[log in to unmask]>, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Chip pewa; Psychology Dept., Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota Anneliese Truame <[log in to unmask]>, Anglo, Pima, Mexican; Graduate student, English literature, Univ. of Washington Renn Tumlison <[log in to unmask]>, Dept. of Biology, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR Joseph F. Uher, <[log in to unmask]>, member of an intertribal community (Lakota, Apache, Chumash, Nanticoke and Lenilenape, Abenaki and Cherokee) in Eastern Shore, Maryland Shelley Urbizagastegui <[log in to unmask]>, Governent Documents Librarian, Whittier College, Whittier, California; son Waira is Quechua Denis Viri, <[log in to unmask]>, Director of Tribal Relations and Outreach, Pima County Community College District, Tucson, Arizona Andy Wainwright <[log in to unmask]>, Poet and professor of Canadian literature, including Native fiction, poetry, and film, Dalhousie Univ., Halifax, Nova Scotia Glenn Welker <[log in to unmask]>, Computer Consultant/Music Specialist Janet Lee Wright <[log in to unmask]>, Citizens' Band Potawatomi of Oklahoma, living in Oxon Hill, Maryland Kari Ylitalo <[log in to unmask]>, BM, Faculty of Medicine, Univ. of Oulu, Finland Lora Czarnowsky, <[log in to unmask]>, Reisterstown, Maryland Anneliese Truame. <[log in to unmask]>, Seattle, WA. Mixed race (Anglo, Mexican Indian, Native Pima). English Ph.D. student. Carl Wingo Martin, <[log in to unmask]>, Tennessee, Scots-Irish/German-American, Librarian Sondra Flynn, <[log in to unmask]>, Bloomington, Indiana, Shawnee descent, Administrative Secretary, Indiana University Audrey Bell, <[log in to unmask]>, Arlington Texas, Library Assistant Tracie Mitton, <[log in to unmask]>, Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario, Canada. Cayuga/Mohawk Nation from Six Nations of the Grand River. Social worker and student. Laura Jane Turney, <[log in to unmask]>, Manchester University, UK, graduate student R.M. Czwarno, <[log in to unmask]>, London, UK, CMus, BA, MA, PhD, FRAI, FCPS Becky Lundberg, <[log in to unmask]>, Gaithersburg, MD, Grapic Artist Mary Lu Wason, <[log in to unmask]>, Belle Mead, NJ, Lenape heritage/ Irish /Danish, software engineer Janet F. Smith, <[log in to unmask]>, Marietta, GA - Cherokee-Creek Alan D. Czarnowsky,<[log in to unmask]>, Reisterstown, Maryland Cynthia K Rosi, <[log in to unmask]>, Kirkland, Washington; mixed Euro; writer Tina Holder, <[log in to unmask]>, Mesa, Az. Cherokee/Choctaw/white, law student Wanbli Sapa, < [log in to unmask]>, Burnsville, MN, Lakota, Geologist, Psychospiritual healer David G. Silsby, <[log in to unmask]>, Brookwood, Surrey, England, Engineering Consultant Loriette Nellie Morris, <[log in to unmask]>, Lincoln, Canterbury, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Maori (Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti), Phd. Student. Rick Raymond, <[log in to unmask]>, New York, NY. Environmental professional. Anastasia Cruz, <[log in to unmask]>, Cleveland, Ohio. tsa la gi (Cherokee), profession - raising my three-year old. David Rayson, <[log in to unmask]>, Minneapolis, Minnesota, European American, Instructor Native American History, University of Minnesota.