From: floyd@hayes.ims.alaska.edu (Floyd Davidson)
Subject: Re: Five Defendants Sentenced in Alaska
Organization: University of Alaska Computer Network
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 05:03:05 GMT

>> In fact the particular case at hand was investigated by the Feds at
>> the request of Native elders.
>
>That natives should appeal to the United States shows that the
>following is in some contradiction:

What contradiction?  You failed to point one out.  

I don't think "appeal" is quite the right term either.  It was more
like they demanded enforcement...  

>> I know something
>> about saving the culture of the Eskimo villages of Alaska though.
>> And those environmental laws, and the relative amount of respect
>> which both white and Eskimo culture have for them, are an absolutely
>> essential part of maintaining the culture of Yup'ik and Inupiat
>> peoples in Alaska.
>
>I think it is somewhat self-serving that Europeans are being cast as the
>last best hope of "saving" the Eskimo villages, when they have been
>the primary cause of the destruction of native self determination.

It is more than somewhat self-serving that anyone should claim
that their culture or cultural needs should be imposed on another
culture.  That is what you are doing, Peshe.  Your view of what
Eskimo hunters and Eskimo leaders should be doing, either in
relation to the Federal Government, or to some environmental
movement, seems to be based only on the fact that you are Indian.
You have stated no other basis for your beliefs.  You have never
claimed any knowledge of Eskimo culture or needs.

Europeans are responsible only to the extent that they must stop
their destructive interference.  But so must other, non-Europeans.
You claim that as a non-European derived American your prejudices
are somehow more "correct"?  Gimme a break.

I reject all of your comments about the subject at hand because
you have no knowledge and no experience on which to base your
comments.  Or at least in the many posts of yours that I have
read, I've never seen any claim to such, and there certainly
was none in the article I responded to.

I believe the European derived culture of the USA is capable of
accidently (not to mention purposely) smothering the Native
cultures in Alaska.  I'm also aware that one method of preventing
that from happening is the passage of laws such as the Marine
Mammals Act.  The respect that each culture chooses to give to
that law is what will make it work or fail.  My opinion is that to
date it has been a great success, and that the success can be
attributed to that particular law being respected by all cultures
concerned.  Please note that we are also talking about
co-operation by other countries, such as the former USSR, which
influence the circumpolar region.

As I stated before, I can't rattle off lots of detailed facts or
the relevant dates about what the Act, or the environmental
movement in general, has done to affect Alaska Native cultures.  I
commented on my personal observations, which don't really "prove"
anything.  I will state that I am aware that most, if not all,
scholarly studies and all scientific data that I have heard about,
agree with and are backed up by my own observations.  But I don't
know where I could find the facts to post here if you insist on
documentation.  (Note that despite my posting to news from a
computer at the UAF Institute of Marine Science, I am not
connected with IMS in any way other than this very useful computer
login id...)

>I think the general points I made are valid, as Floyd acknowledged.

I thought my point was that they were not valid.  And that they
appeared, from your statements and your previously posted
philosophical pronouncements, to be based on invalid premises,
IMHO.

>I detected an argument, though, which implies that since I am able
>make my case through a computer network, that disqualifies me from
>being able to make a legitimate case.

You are putting your words into my sentences.  That is your
statement, not mine.  You are implying that is something I said
or believe.  I have my own foolish ideas and do not require yours.

I think your discussion of Alaska Native culture from the point of
view that as a non-European originated American you are somehow
entitled to claim your personal prejudices are identical to or
even related to those of an Alaskan Eskimo is a crock.  Your view
of environmental issues is very much, in my humble opinion,
European-culture derived.  And I don't agree with you at all.

> That argument has actually
>been used to keep Indians from speaking up before. They are powerless
>because they are not able to negotiate the European milieu, and if they
>try, they must remain powerless to speak for their people because they
>are now supposedly no longer representative of them.

Please don't whine so.  The fact that you are Indian does not
innately provide you an understanding of Eskimo culture, with or
without a computer network or European influence of any kind.

Since I don't know of any Eskimo people commonly posting to
usenet, I doubt we will see an article from someone who can give
you a closer view of the subject than the second had view I can
provide.  That is the reason I posted on this subject in the first
place, because your attitude offends me and no one closer to home
is available to rebut your article.  Also be assured that if an
Eskimo person does post an article about their culture, I will be
here asking questions, not debating them like this.

If it pleases you any, do note that before posting on this subject
I had an in depth discussion with a teacher (who is Yup'ik), who
currently teaches Native Studies, and whose qualifications as an
expert in Yup'ik culture merely begin at that...  I do have an
interest in being as accurate as possible.

Floyd




-- 
floyd@ims.alaska.edu    A computer guest of the Institute of Marine Science
Salcha, Alaska          at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Newsgroups: alt.native