Nativeculture.com; the s-word (fwd)

[David Robertson]

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Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2000 07:05:18 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: SSILA Bulletin #110
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110.3  THE STRAIGHT DOPE ON "SQUAW"

Cecil Adams' syndicated column "The Straight Dope", which appears in
many North American newspapers (most of them weekly "alternative"
publications), provides well-researched answers to (often arcane)
questions of fact sent in by readers.  In the column that was published
on the weekend of March 17-19 (we read it in the Berkeley-based
"Express") Cecil took on the "squaw" controversy.  Asked by a reader
in Maine -- where the state legislature recently voted to ban the
use of the word in placenames -- if it is indeed true that the word
is a vulgarity that originally meant 'prostitute' or 'vagina', as some
Native American activists claim, Cecil (or his research staff) compiled
a surprisingly well-informed response.  The correct Algonquian etymology
is given, but also the fact that "squaw" is taken as an insult by many
Native American women is made abundantly clear.  Among the scholars
who were consulted are Ives Goddard and Bill Bright.

The full text of the article is available on the internet at:

           http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000317.html


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Nativeculture.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>From V Giglio (virginia.giglio at nativeculture.com) 28 Mar 2000:

NATIVECULTURE.COM, a comprehensive portal site for Native American
resources on the Internet, was officially launched earlier this month,
the first high-visibility, multi-faceted resource for native culture
information on the World Wide Web.  The URL is:

                     http://www.nativeculture.com

NATIVECULTURE.COM was created by a multi-cultural design team including
myself (an ethnomusicologist); e-commerce specialist Neal T.Dunnigan;
Cherokee graphic designer and code developer Ken Brink, Jr.; and Cheyenne
artist Frank Sheridan (Pipe Woman).  It draws assistance from a team of
advisors including Dr. Cornel Pewewardy, Comanche/Kiowa musician and
educator; Lisa Mitten, Mohawk web bibliographer; and Tonia Robinson,
Cherokee information technology professional.  Other advisors include
Diane and Burton Hawk, who bring years of experience in Cheyenne tribal
leadership and traditional ceremonial activity; noted educational writer
Dr. Bryan Burton; and Dr. Victoria Levine, Director of Southwest Studies,
The Colorado College. The Sales and Promotion Team is spearheaded by
Clara Bushyhead, noted Native American journalist.

The site areas include UPDATE, LEARN, SEARCH, VISIT, RELAX, and SHOP.
The UPDATE section contains current information, news, and an exhaustive
database driven powwow and events calendar.  Resources for learning and
finding accurate information appear in the LEARN section.  A custom-
designed SEARCH indexing the best Native American web information allows
users to find information more accurately and quickly than on any other
search site.  The user community can find lots to do in the VISIT and
RELAX sections of the site, including specially developed games and free
e-mail.  In the SHOP area, a Business Directory lists a wide assortment
of products and services geared to native culture interests.

We believe that the network of distinguished advisors and talented
developers we have woven together has produced a synergy of creativity
and tradition, and that the beneficiaries of our loving labor will be
teachers, students, researchers -- anyone who wants immediate access to
the best Native Culture information.  As President of NATIVECULTURE.COM,
I would like to invite my academic colleagues in Native American studies
programs and Native American colleges throughout the US and Canada to
collaborate with us to bring the best information to the Internet user
audience.

                                 --Virginia Giglio, Global Thinking, Inc.
                                                     Boca Raton, Florida
                                             (vgiglio at nativeculture.com)