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So i know we wanna focus on the comeback and by all means do so but just wanna bring some attention to why i was upset and I’m sure other Native American armys were frustrated at the countdown live today.. just so you’re aware! please make sure you read the whole thread, okay?
Disclaimer: this isn’t at all any reason to hate on bts, I don’t want it to be like that. what I need this thread to be is EDUCATION, AWARENESS, and a hope for everyone to understand more about native culture and why it continuously gets overlooked
additionally, this is coming from my perspective, I am half Blackfoot and have lived close to my native family all my life. so while im not entirely educated on all tribes, i still find the need to educate those around me who might be unaware!
the main concern is the tipi/teepee! for those who are unaware.. a tipi was traditionally a lodge that the Plains Indians of the United States and Canada (tribes such as the Blackfoot, Plains Cree, Iowa, Pawnee, etc) lived in. this was their homes
side note: do not assume tipi = native Americans.. there are so many tribes in the world with their own unique culture, yet due to pop culture and lack of education a lot of unique and different tribal cultures gets clumped together into a single pile of “native things”
these tipis, before colonization by the Europeans, were mainly used as homes for the tribes. the way they were designed was meant to be easy to transport, so they can follow one of the most important animals to tribes: the buffalo, as that for the plains Indian is survival
nowadays, native people do not live in tipis anymore, but to continue the tradition and the history of the people they are used in ceremonies such as pow-wows.. the Blackfoot hold yearly ceremonies where we uphold sacred traditions
for the Blackfoot (my tribe), the symbols and illustrations on the tipis hold a lot of meaning, each family has their own tipi that gets passed down through the generations, which connects us to our family and our past.. for me my family tipi is even the reason I was given the
native name ‘butterfly woman’, because of my grandma’s symbol on the tipi. what I am saying is that this is very important part of the native peoples’ lives and identity! now, onto the main issue of today now you’re more aware of what tipis are and what they mean:
you may have seen nowadays a trend of decorating your place with an indoor tipi, and while to some it’s stylish, this is another symbol important to native people that is being decontextualized, similar to dreamcatchers, moccasins, and countless other things
to some, these might be harmless tents, but to some native people, it’s another thing being stolen from them. it’s meaning is being decontextualized, and it becomes a trendy little thing to put in your kid’s bedroom.
now, if you ask a native person what they think, they might say they don’t mind it. others might say they think it’s concerning. that’s how a lot of social issues work.. You can’t just ask one person as if they represent the entire nation of people
on the flip side, it’s not bad to have ANYTHING native-related. what you need to be wary of is where the product was made.. if you want to buy an indoor tipi, you need to find a native person that will handmake it for you.. same with dreamcatchers, any native crafts
but there’s doubt that people who aren’t aware will try to find someone and, if you see a tipi or dreamcatcher in some random store that you know isn’t owned by a native person that it’s likely made in China with little regard to meaning
this is about all I have to say.. again... this thread is meant to EDUCATE you so you know why people are currently raising issue, and why what may not be a big deal to you could be a bigger deal to others. this thread is NOT meant to blame or cancel bts at all
this article does a good job in explaining the general native ca issue at hand! https://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/why-are-parents-so-defensive-about-play-teepees/
lastly, there is a mass email going on. if you wish to help, by all means please participate!: https://twitter.com/vietaeh/status/1296670912834543617?s=21
here’s another article more so on the history of what natives have had to deal with due to colonization https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/10/indigenous-peoples-day-cultural-appropriation/
i hope this has educated you somewhat!! I actually really love talking about my culture, and I feel the need to speak up when i know there’s misinformation or lack of education because it’s my family! my identity! and it’s been years of silent suffering and acceptance of this
