traditions of assimilation...

[phil cash cash]

It is nice to see a thread take on a life of its own here and in other
discussions.  I just want to add a continuing comment. 
First, as it has been noted, it seems that the reasoning in support of the
Oklahoma English-only legislation is a bit historically shallow.  That is--it
is historically shallow to claim that a "tradition of assimilation" exists
without a proper understanding of history and how such overt assimilative
ideologies have been directly linked to colonization. 
This history, particular to North America, is one that is linked to US
government reservation policies designed to assimilate indigenous populations
into the US mainstream.  Early reservation schools and later boarding schools
instituted bilingual education as an assimilative, de-ethnicization program. 
Too, many of these early schools were run by religious 
organizations/groups (or
former military personel who were once "Indian fighters") as authorized by US
legislation.  Canadian indigenous peoples may have had it worse as this type
of assimilative agenda extended well into modern times.   
It is certainly an understatement to say that indigenous peoples experienced
increased human abuses as a result of these this assimilative agendas (based
upon education, religion, race).  In the same vein, there are some on this
list who would like to see us inventory such abuses.  As an indigenous 
person,
however, I find it particularly curious on the call or constant need to
inventory such past injustices ("because that is what they did to 
you").  This
tokenizing effect seems too non-random to me. Sometimes I feel that the 
constant
inventoring of injustices tends to relegate the people or persons with a
colonized history to an unchanging state of suffering with no healing in
sight.  The reason why I say this is because I have personally 
participated in
and witnessed REAL healing in my community.  Yes, healing is and can be
transformative.  But all of you know this already. 
What has yet to be addressed here is the notion of indigenization whereby
cultures 'indigenize' culture elements as a form of revitalization.  Create
something new or familiar from something alien.  (This happened in 
much of our
religious history as the former.)    
Be that as it may, speakers of indigenous langauges are constantly confronted
by the narrow views of others and the "tradition of assimilation" notion is
just one example.  As an advocate of language, this must be addressed (hence
this email/discussions...thank you).
As a forum, we want and need more multi-vocal dialogues on "what is" and "what
can be" concerning indigenous languages/technology.  Too, discussions
unmasking injustices can be done in ways that facilitate critical, intelligent
thought as well as healing. 
Life always,
Phil Cash Cash
UofA & ILATmg
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