Dismantling the white man's Indian: Dr. Dawn Martin-Hill at TEDxMcMasterU

Dawn Martin-Hill (Mohawk, Wolf Clan) holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and is one of the original founders of the Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster University, where she recently accepted a position as the Paul R McPherson Chair in Indigenous Studies Research. Her research includes: Indigenous knowledge & health prevention, Indigenous women, traditional medicine & well-being, and Indigenous methodologies & community research. Dr. Martin-Hill has her own book, The Lubicon Lake Nation: Indigenous Knowledge and Power (UofT 2007), which outlines the human and environmental impact of oil in Alberta on the cultural survival of the Lubicon Cree. She is also principal investigator of a SSHRC grant for the Digitization of Ceremonies in the Hewitt Collection and co-investigator of the Indigenous Health Research Development Program, a CIHR-IAPH grant for the Network Environments in Aboriginal Health Research.
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[@soapnorm]

Very powerful. Thank you. It's interesting to see the defensive ignorance of some of the comments here. This scholar is presenting a 25 minute lecture on her academic research. Insecure, jealous, uneducated fools hop on in comments and attack her for not being a "real" Mohawk (as if they would have the tiniest notion of what real is). Furthermore, any serious student knows that there is no single definitive voice or ideology that explains all of history. Dr. Martin-Hill is presenting a valuable, grounded educational lesson that contributes to understanding how dehumanization was perpetrated against indigenous people. For those who are threatened by that lesson, it's probably a good time to stop pointing fingers at her and take a look in the mirror.

[@BronzeSista]

Excellent presentation Dr. Martin-Hill! It was heart felt and true to form. We need this taught more in schools in Canada and the United States. Many years ago I read about the experiences of Indigenous children/ and now adults who were forced to attend one of the brain-washing schools in Canada; that shared information was an eye opener for me. It very sad, needless to say.

[@shempullen6574]

Technically it’s called the ununited states because there are lines drawn between sections of land which makes it even worse to think about Indians didn’t do that process we all shared the land I’m sorry I’m not trying to be mean or anything this is just an opinion statement

[@user-hy1og2mk3w]

@@shempullen6574 лллллооь

[@utekrause8334]

Dear Dr. Dawn thank you for your wonderful presentation. I learned a lot. What is sad and shocking, are some of the comments people make about how a native person should look. Obviously tthey have not understood anything from what you told us. But I did. I live in Europe and have met people from all over the world; but never an Native American. I think that says enough. All the best for you.

[@skydonsgamingtv4898]

Canada, U.S. central America, South America, Polynesian, Micronesia, melonesia, Indonesia and Australia the same story i have heard and seen this story in all of these places heart braking

[@rudybutler4587]

New Zealand, Hawaii, the continent of Africa, and on and on and on...

[@DavidfromMichigan]

Imagine being beat and thrown in prison just because you spoke your native tongue. Australia, 1877.

[@skydonsgamingtv4898]

My parents got the kane for seeking Māori at school in the 1960's in new Zealand that made them think Māori would get you nowhere and didn't teach me te reo now I'm 45 living in Australia trying to learn and teach te reo Māori to my kids so they know who they are

[@user-ck2hr5vn8e]

@@DavidfromMichigan It is good that those times are passed

[@unkiesacredspirit4938]

Very interesting..great perspective on Native America..applause.

[@simpleravenraven6358]

This Professor speaks the truth. In less then an hour she reveals a whole history. A great injustice was done to a very good grope of people and we are just beginning to realize it. Most of us prefer not to hear it to this day. When the political "right" will meet it's demise the truth will spread. When selfishness will no longer rule dressed up as Christianity and pretend to be the word of God.

[@shempullen6574]

I can’t thank you enough for putting this truth out there this is the truth that everyone needs to hear and know

[@anapatelesio3516]

Thank you, heart felt!

[@antonevelone1439]

Thank you, thank you, and thank you...

[@melaniemcnalley8891]

Thank you very much Dr.

[@markavery7324]

I am imbarrassed for what my ancestors did and continue to do to your people 😥

[@tboned70]

Don't Be,..........and Thank You,...!

[@DavidfromMichigan]

Not just those people, but the whole damn world. Worst race in history.

[@joannemercader813]

Hawai'i native 100 percent pure blood but even that didn't matter. WAIMAI FALLS was stolen by US government in the 1990S thats so illegal and immoral. I'm angry

[@benniecrawford6876]

Yes cousin Hawaii was stolen too.

[@user-ht4gb2fw4e]

Why so much hate on her for skin shade?..Look at Asia, there are really light skinned & really dark skinned Asians. Same deal in Native world, and White world too!....Go visit Finland, you will see people white as snow, & dark like a southern Italian! Same deal all over Europe!

[@evaneichenberger845]

She is an indian. Not all indians look alike and have different skin shades .The guanches, chachapoyas, mandans and even crazy horse were paler natives and spaniards and settlers mistook them all for whites. Ojibway have wavier hair like this lady. Now its about blood quantum and coloring but it wasnt before europeans came.

[@musol246]

The skin color/blood quantum BS is how the Europeans stole the land from the copper colored aboriginals.

[@Daiseehead]

Personally, I think that's a misconception among people who claim to have Native American blood. I looked up Crazy Horse's images. Pretty dark. Only DNA tests can reveal a person's racial background, regardless of tribal affiliation.

[@genewalker4153]

Evan Eichenberger: But there skin was darker

[@danielgsachez2288]

Evan Eichenberger nope Indians are brown if they have pale skin is because they are mixed with european nice try

[@colleennewholy9026]

@@danielgsachez2288 you've obviously never been around Lakota's. Lol We're pretty pale skinned when not working our asses off in the sun.

[@dalesmith8403]

can't watch corp media anymore, standing rock sayz ; time to learn.

[@jermaineedwards8384]

Interestingly my aunt's dad was part native he was very very dark skinned but had like long straight hair and was from Dutch speaking Caribbean his mum or dad was an indegnois person of America in America that's common for Black's to have that connection but in the UK where I'm from that's not so common.

[@afespi7283]

Thank you for doing this research and creating a wonderful compilation of information. I found one error, it is the Taos Peoples that still reside in the multi-storied buildings. ♡

[@alin81-82]

Great talk w so much truth. ✌

[@kevinkelly1586]

I'm from Maine but have much French-Canadian ancestry; many people knowledgeable about French-Canadian history & culture have told me that nearly all French pioneer men in Quebec intermarried with Native Canadian women & that nearly all French Canadians are part-Indian. Any thoughts on that?

[@MarlysAppleton]

They usually took common-law wives and many times abandoned them and their children to take yet another common-law wife. French, Scots and some Irish accompanied by Jesuits, came here to ply the fur trade in modern Northern US and Canada. There is much history if you look it up.

[@Revolt1680]

Some commented on this video on facebook "When Dr. Martin-Hill spoke about the media dehumanizing Native people I could only think about the coverage of baby Veronica. I don't remember them ever humanizing Dustin Browne or giving any history for the reasons for ICWA. With the white family it was just the opposite. Thinking back, the contrast was huge. Good post. Dr Martin-Hill is a brilliant woman." And I have to agree. aby Veronica's father hadn't practiced any tradition, so he was no different than any other American and they knew it. Restoring her to his care wouldn't ensure she learned ceremony, that was such bull. But with that said, I do want to mention that whenever possible, indigenous spiritual knowledge was gathered and volumes of it has been kept safe because there were people who were not ignorant. You have to remember that the settlers were primarily simple folk, victims themselves of propaganda and brainwashed into accepting one brand of religion. In their own European history, they have endured an ongoing war against heresy where those who wanted a choice in their beliefs were tortured and murdered in droves. The plan for America, beneath all the facade, is that two distinct sort of people will stand regardless of cultural origin or available resources. We're living in an experiment and even now it's obvious there are those who follow a provided norm and those who stand out. So when we get lost in anger and forget to go forward on our own path, we're actually keeping ourselves confined in the controlled group. If we buy into their plan of chaos, use their brand of politics when our own is more equitable, then we're agreeing to be lead. We have to trust in ourselves, take back our power, shrug off the bull and stand up and out as true sovereigns.

[@uchfed9499]

Mythology of each native nation of the world is the history of the indigenous peoples of the world.

[@khoisun]

Thank you sister, your story is our story. There was an incredible amount of effort put into exterminating the people of the soil. In my country people could hunt "bushmen" until we gained independence in 1990.

[@cw5657]

critical information

[@carolclark5776]

This is sad cant hear anymore

[@sonjastaes772]

so true and sad

[@spiral-m]

This century is the time of indigenous wisdom, the feminine psyche and holism - the only way humanity will survive the madness.

[@lewiselliott8971]

The madness is caused by these things!

[@wanking9040]

innerrevolution1 don't ever come off your meds

[@jimmiesavage4483]

+Wan King shut up white boy

[@priscillawagner8520]

🌼❤️

[@tulsapowwow9199]

while we always give thanks such outreach for empathy is provided, for us, we have preferred a more contemporary approach, that is, beginning from WW2 and moving into today. Also educating ourselves as to the persepctives of exo-European supremecy and it's current affect, as a handful black American leaders have suggsted, eg., Troy Duster. Being successful in this economic environment has yet to prove wholly fruitful for us. Modern powwow has provided another model many humans find attractive as a means of gathering. Peace

[@prophecyseeker5599]

Always listen to the animals especially the Fox Yakovich...Ute Wisdom, Language and Creation Story

[@carolclark5776]

I saw on a news show today where they spoke about the two genocides of america indians and slavery. I was impressed that it was in your face on a major tv show. Ithought that these people are getting it. Thinking that the oppressors are dinsaurs that are falling

[@jermaineedwards8384]

African countries have done well have they and the one's that are doing better it's because of that treaty I don't know about that but I enjoyed everything else.

[@shempullen6574]

The beginning thing to always remember is we didn’t sail over to their land ,,native Indian means we were on that land before anybody else And we have Mesa Verde New Mexico that has Indian dwellings over 10,000 years old in the area and another Indian dwelling place where people vanished and that goes back farther than 10,000 years ago Native American term needs to go away because native land native Indians we’re not Americans we were forced into being name designed which is not fair if you imagine going Over to somebody else’s property and taking over it would be a bad process they would fight back

[@anthonysmith9576]

Aho

[@lisasternenkind6467]

I always questioned why and how Obama got to be president of the US, but to this day there has not been a single native American who has been president of the US. Also I must say, that it's always the victor, who writes down and teaches history, never the defeated. No matter where you look in this world, it's this way, also with the wars in the last century and until this day. This is a fact and we have to keep this in mind when we learn about "history". The defeated is always dehumanized and even demonized. Think about this the next time you make a historical "fact" an argument in a discussion.

[@kristallmenschkristallwolf1969]

ich sag es mal in German - Zitat - nur wenn sie Christianisiert werden dann sind sie Menschen ansonsten wilde Bestien WOW also ich hörte sowas einige male in Filmen wie Little Big Man und einige male das gelesen Historical aber thats Still that Way?!

[@zefflar]

Ya sure the story is not told proper but as a native this does really effect me any. I really don't care what ppl think of me as a native just as a person. I do not label myself as a native but a member of the human race. We the people must stop waiting for hand outs and get stuffs rolling on our own. and ya I knew about those policies in the 80's but I carried on wayward. So lets stop harping on the past and move on to the future cause if we the people don't start taking care of ourselves we will fade away .

[@janewiery1414]

👏👏👏👌👍✊🤞💪💓

[@antonevelone1439]

❤🤍💛🖤

[@cw5657]

[@merleharvey4783]

Beautiful porcelain Dutch complexion and thank you for sharing🍁

[@tania0070]

Why? Because it's white??

[@merleharvey4783]

@@tania0070 Depends of which Grandfather signed the Treaty of yours🍁

[@truedonblue3949]

WHOOO WEEE .. after reading all the comments below.. I want to stay out of this mess..although I would like to comment on how proud we are as white people in the southwest MN sioux land and the Lakota land just how proud we are... WTF am I saying..I sound like a politician..its a great honor to welcome..WTF.. I'm sorry but I cant do this any longer.. I love my native friends.. you are the best.. thank you..

[@christinacody5845]

To talk about one of the points you made: I found it interesting that Chomsky chose not to address the issues that resulted for your (North American indigenous populations). I do wonder, though if the choice not to address it here had more to do with trying to avoid a biased ethnocentricism to take place, giving him a little bit of distance from the subject matter. As a Euro american there would be a clear ethnic bias that could have resulted. I look forward to finding something that addresses your position in the US.

[@shempullen6574]

If I was super rich and wealthy I would give every bit of it to you for putting yourself in the position of explaining this to people because all of our families that were here that went through the worst torture since the Romans and the murder of Jesus Christ and their Tairney that has stayed hidden behind a false God person Sorry if this offends anybody that’s not my intention but the truth always shows what’s really going on it may take a lot of time to have happened but the truth will always be shown to everyone because truth is what truly matters and caring about one another even if they don’t care about you or me

[@lewiselliott8971]

John Wayne is a great actor and westerns are quality films. Discuss.

[@PubliusAfricanus]

Lewis Elliott Agreed. Not sure why everyone has a bee in their bonnet about the Duke.

[@PubliusAfricanus]

***** As opposed to the great non-white actors and their amazing cultures?

[@lewiselliott8971]

John Wayne, a real man and real American...

[@jimmiesavage4483]

plus he was deep in the closet

[@Galimah]

I guess her "blood quantum" is very weak but it´s always cool to be special.

[@allmightlionthunder5515]

It was done by so called white people for white people lol that's why go do your own maybe then we lesson lol

[@CestuiQueTrusts]

Funny thing!!! She looks white to me (if not mixed race)..... Moreover, all the aboriginals of Americans were copper coloured from all accounts.

[@wanking9040]

"I'm a Mohawk" Funny, you don't look like one

[@jimmiesavage4483]

who the fuck are you to judge what a native looks like? you been to the rez lately?

[@nickbloom6861]

Glad people don't have to pass your special look test to be considered indigenous...

[@colleennewholy9026]

Excuse you, you don't look "American"

[@colleennewholy9026]

But yeah. You don't get to decide who is a part of The People. Im Lakota, but I've been told "I don't look it". But alas, my grandfather on my fathers side is Sitting Bull, and on my mothers side, is Chief Big Elk.

[@florencewagoner7807]

How is a Mohawk Indian suppose to look?

[@ToneB]

The African American is the indigenous Indian to America.

[@kingphoenix9485]

@siksika Research says different

[@girl123boy456]

Sorry but the Indigenous natives found in North, South and Central America was and is not this woman color. She could iron her hair and pass for your Caucus Asian. You are not the real Indians

[@yvwic50]

Sorry, but NOT your call to make.

[@emilygiguere1991]

wow thats judgy! What exactly do you know about her that makes you pass this judgment? I agree, lets be respectful and it is not your call to make.

[@girl123boy456]

I'm not making the call. There are 1000 of accounts and records describing the original native Americans and indigenous on all continents and none of them (back then) where seen are confused as euro Caucasoid looking. WHITE is a made up NAME and racial class.

[@yvwic50]

Again, your perspective is shaded by your dependence on the colonial narrative. She is an enrolled member of the Canadian Mohawk nation, and THEY, not YOU, are the ones that get to decide if she is to speak in their behalf. Sorry she is not "dark enough" for your preconceptions.

[@girl123boy456]

You ppl do the same thing over and over again thru out history which is the usurping of more ancient cultures and ppls history. It was done with the ancient blk nubian egyptian, then it was done with the brown shemitic Hebrew Israylites aka Judaians now transformed into Ashkenazi Zionist Jewish, it was done with the Black Greeks &Romans and again with all the 100"s of Native American tribes and also the Australian Aboriginies, the Africans who who got usurped by the Afrakneers/Boers ect... You're nothing but a invasive alien species of usurpers, liars and IMPOSTERS!!!!