Domination of the American Indian

Since the abuse of the African Americans from around 1619 until the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and beyond, no other race but the Native Americans has suffered more at the hands of the U.S. government. From reading chapter 8 of the Contemporary Native American Cultural Issues textbook and the article, Intro to American Indian Politics, it has quickly become apparent that the United States has not exactly treated the Native Americans justly. In chapter 16, it refers to the uranium mining jobs commissioned to the Navajo during the 1940s and 50s. Although some research had been done at the time concerning the danger of radon daughters, “forty-eight Navajo people who had worked in uranium mines for an average of thirteen years reported that at no time were they informed of the dangers of radation” (Spieldoch 308). It seems very wrong that an oversight like this by the U.S. government could occur unless of course the blame falls primarily on the Kerr McGee Corporation (It was responsible for hiring the Navajos who worked in the mines and also controlled the horrible working conditions). But then one has to wonder why the U.S. government hadn’t done much of anything to correct the situation. They’ve offered compensation for miners in the form of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act but like other health insurance companies, have made it very hard to collect. For example, if the miners smoked even one pack of cigarettes a day, they were required to have a much higher radon exposure in order to be eligible to receive aid. However, just like the money from the U.S.’s buying up of Indian land, who knows when the Native Americans will ever see the money even if they have gone through all or almost all of the motions to get it? As chapter 16 of the book states; “the three areas of greatest conflict in interpreting and implementing the act are records, medical supplies, and regulation” (312). If even one of these areas is lacking, a Native American in need of assistance may remain in need of assistance with possibly dire consequences. 

Not only have Native Americans been treated unfairly in that area but they have also been the victims of cultural imperialism! Cultural imperialism refers to the “imposition of a foreign viewpoint or civilization on a people” by the more powerful civilization (Cultural Imperialism). Cultural imperialism “serves to extend the political power , secure the social control, and further the economic profit of the dominant culture” (Champagne 170). In this case, the United States is the much more powerful civilization and the Native Americans represent the civilization that is getting taken advantage of. Two examples of cultural imperialism from the Contemporary Native American Cultural Issues book include white shamanism practiced by New Agers and the patenting of DNA from indigenous peoples. The problem with white shamanism by New Agers is that it works to undermine a indigenous culture’s “integrity and distinctiveness, assimilating them to the dominant culture by seizing and processing vital cultural resources, then remaking them in the image and marketplaces of the dominant culture” (Champagne 171). It’s like stealing from the less fortunate and then trying to make them look foolish in the process. It destroys the honor of the Native Americans. Patenting the DNA from indigenous peoples on the other hand is harmful only because the DNA of the deceased is taken without consent and a patent is put on it, claiming ownership to the genetic material. This is unlawful and unjust because it does nothing for the indigenous people who’ve had their ancestors dug up and branded property. In essence, it would be like someone disturbing your great grandparents' plots simply because they wanted to add them to their collection. All I can conclude from this is that all forms of cultural imperialism are harmful in some way or another as they dishonor and take away the rights of the group involved.

Works Cited:

"Cultural Imperialism." Dictionary.com. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cultural+imperialism>.

 Champagne, Duane. Contemporary Native American Cultural Issues. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira, 1999. Print.

 
To read more about the problems for the Navajo Nation stemming from the uranium mining, click here: http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/nativelands/navajo/

To read about an example of cultural imperialism, click here: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/opinion/article_103bc67e-be8f-11de-b1a6-001cc4c002e0.html

To purchase Contemporary Native American Cultural Issues: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Native-American-Cultural-Communities/dp/0761990593/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327897213&sr=1-1