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You're coming at this from a white man's perspective. "I can't possibly see what they have against knowing their history!" Try coming at it from the Native Ame

You're coming at this from a white man's perspective. "I can't possibly see what they have against knowing their history!" Try coming at it from the Native American perspective. Almost every thing the white man has ever told them has been a lie. From trade deals to war treaties. The white man took their lands by force and trickery and soon had them living in reservations or participating in death marches. Of course natives are going to be skeptical when white scientists tell them their history...history which they have their own cultural representation of. As modern western folk, we like to view the world with our scientific lens, and view what we see through it as the truth. But our science is no more truth than light bouncing off an object is the object itself. Natives have their own account of their history. It's no more or less important than our account of their history, but our version is certainly going to be met with some (rightful) skepticism.

stephengillie 11y ago
I'm trying to come from the perspective of someone who values data over no data. But you're right, I can't just shed my privileged perspective. It seems like the point being indirectly communicated (somewhat by you, but also by other posters on this page), is that the concepts of "Aborigines Native American" and "Scientist" are incompatible. Like, it's a role that exists in our society, but not in theirs. Or something like that, their culture doesn't value that kind of information. I don't wish to offend out of my own ignorance of others' cultures.
- orthecreedence 11y ago
  I see where you're coming from, and have a few responses > someone who values data over no data I'm saying natives are most likely viewing passed down cultural history as data just as much as historic DNA, but in the case of DNA, the data comes from a historically untrustworthy source. I think it's sad that the suspicion exists between the "white man" and the native people. I have roots in both so I see the issue from your side as well: there's perfectly good data that could help natives tell their story, should they choose to use it. > their culture doesn't value that kind of information This is an interesting point. I'm actually not aware of how advanced science is in native cultures, or how much of a drive there is to have advanced science. I know in general there is a resistance to losing their culture. But maybe there are people in various tribes who would jump at the chance to access DNA information from a long lost ancestor. > I don't wish to offend I don't think you offended anyone at all as much sparked interesting conversation. A lot of what makes this issue interesting is that there are several different cultural perspectives looking at one thing from many different angles. I think in this case nobody is right or wrong, we all have access to the same information and are drawing separate conclusions.
- clsec 11y ago
  There's a long running (century old) joke among First Nations people about everyone having their own personal anthropologist. It's a way to ease the pain of having scientists poke and prod into every little aspect of Natives personal lives and culture. When everything is taken from you, your women are sterilized (or just plain go missing), and every aspect of your life is examined & analyzed.. you tend to not trust white men, the government, or scientists. And you are generally correct, science is incompatable with First Nations culture & society. Though that is changing somewhat with all the people who were forceably (& coerced) into moving away from the reservations to the city. There are also more young Natives going to college now. Though those young educated Natives are not going to go back home and teach their 90 y/o matriarch to trust the white man..

stephengillie 11y ago

I'm trying to come from the perspective of someone who values data over no data. But you're right, I can't just shed my privileged perspective. It seems like the point being indirectly communicated (somewhat by you, but also by other posters on this page), is that the concepts of "Aborigines Native American" and "Scientist" are incompatible. Like, it's a role that exists in our society, but not in theirs. Or something like that, their culture doesn't value that kind of information. I don't wish to offend out of my own ignorance of others' cultures.

orthecreedence 11y ago
I see where you're coming from, and have a few responses > someone who values data over no data I'm saying natives are most likely viewing passed down cultural history as data just as much as historic DNA, but in the case of DNA, the data comes from a historically untrustworthy source. I think it's sad that the suspicion exists between the "white man" and the native people. I have roots in both so I see the issue from your side as well: there's perfectly good data that could help natives tell their story, should they choose to use it. > their culture doesn't value that kind of information This is an interesting point. I'm actually not aware of how advanced science is in native cultures, or how much of a drive there is to have advanced science. I know in general there is a resistance to losing their culture. But maybe there are people in various tribes who would jump at the chance to access DNA information from a long lost ancestor. > I don't wish to offend I don't think you offended anyone at all as much sparked interesting conversation. A lot of what makes this issue interesting is that there are several different cultural perspectives looking at one thing from many different angles. I think in this case nobody is right or wrong, we all have access to the same information and are drawing separate conclusions.
clsec 11y ago
There's a long running (century old) joke among First Nations people about everyone having their own personal anthropologist. It's a way to ease the pain of having scientists poke and prod into every little aspect of Natives personal lives and culture. When everything is taken from you, your women are sterilized (or just plain go missing), and every aspect of your life is examined & analyzed.. you tend to not trust white men, the government, or scientists. And you are generally correct, science is incompatable with First Nations culture & society. Though that is changing somewhat with all the people who were forceably (& coerced) into moving away from the reservations to the city. There are also more young Natives going to college now. Though those young educated Natives are not going to go back home and teach their 90 y/o matriarch to trust the white man..