Final Thoughts, Opinions, and Goodbyes!

Ok, for my final post I just want to say that I enjoyed this class so much! I loved reading all the great Native American writers and learning about all the current issues and perspectives surrounding the topic of contemporary Native American life. And I learned so much. When I started this class, like most people, I knew next to nothing, but probably thought I knew more than most "average" Americans. Also, probably like most people, I quickly learned that everything I thought I knew about Native Americans was pretty much wrong. But that's the beauty of it! Now I can say that I actually do know a little bit about current Native American issues, theories, perspectives, writers, and literature, which is great!

As for specifics, I guess I would say that what I learned about half way through the class was just how complicated the Native American experience is, as evidenced by the varying perspectives, sometimes conflicting, that are held and set for by the Native writers themselves. But also that there are a lot of similarities between all the writers we read. I really enjoyed how the readings were laid out, and I'm not sure but there seemed to be some kind of underlying progression. Or perhaps not. But anyway, my favorite writers and readings were Thomas King's The Truth About Stories, Paul Chaat Smith's Everything You Know About Indians Is Wrong, and Scott Richard Lyons's X-Marks.

My only suggestion for next time would be to maybe utilize some more Native American music. Or other kinds of art. Like paintings, sculptural, or jewelry, or something like that, and try to tie it in somehow, haha. Ok, I'm so close to being done that I can't even focus... (Done with school that is) Plus, I still need to finish a final paper!!! So i'm going to cut this short. Why does it always seem like there is far too much to do and never enough time to do it all?

But, before I go, I just want to share a picture a Native American friend of mine posted on Facebook a little while ago. I thought it was interesting, considering the content about photography that we covered earlier in the semester and the fact that Native children were taken from there homes to be educated at boarding school that also came up here and there. Anyway, this picture is of a group of Native children at a boarding school. It's pretty crazy.

But, so i don't leave on a sad note like that, I guess I'd also like to share a few Native American paintings I came across during my research for my final project. The interesting part about them though is that they are collaboration pieces between a Native American painter named Lomawywesa and a Celtic painter named Jack Dauben. 

Thanks for the awesome!!! : )