Navajo times., 1963-01-10
Of fact and fauacy

- ~ JUCI UNU JUGIUCJ
During the month of December, this editor had oc-
casion to do travelingto the Miami Beach sec
tor, the Bahamas, and north to the Wyoming border
with several stops along the way and in the southwest
At Miami Beach, checked into the Americana
Hotel, where the annual highway officials convention
in session. This included ghway commission
officers police representatives construction officers
and many others from every state in the union.
Throughout this trip, of the most striking as
poets the response when pie discovered the
Navajo Times Onn C tion -NavajOs and Indians in
general Immediately became central topic of con-
versation. This provided surprise, pleasure, and
some dismay. We were both surprised and pl eased
with the high degree of interest and sympathy evoked
with Indian programs and problems. We we're equally
dismayed by the great number of people who seemed
to hold distorted beliefs generated by we'll meaning
(?) but tarfetched stories from media schools
and some self-appOlnted experts.
These misconceptions seem to fall basically into
two classes There are those who enviSOn the Indian
lollng in the shade of tree with his hand eernay
5u for the white mans tax money, refusing to work.
Then the sympathizers exist, who that all
the Indians live in dire poverty and state of near
starvation. There were also the adequately in
formed individuals who had had occasion to work with
the Indians and were generous in their praise OF the
progress achieved. There were innumerable shades
of opinion everywhere in between. Needless to say
we had the opportunity of entering into some city
lively discussions the matter and trust, left the
other side with food for thought
Nevertheless, we have also observed some of this
attitude lot closer to home-among people who
supposedly working for the betterment of the Ma
stated in last weeks editorial, "The greatest handi
cap Indian growth is the idea that Indians
cannot think for themselves" Observation incnes
to believe that learned attitudes have conditioned some
non-Indians who should know better) to this precon
ceived idea
Consequently such people (including well meaning
governmental and mission empoyees) feel called upon
to think and act for their charges This attitude is
great dsservce to the Indians, who have proven their
ability to function most equ ately when given the
opportunity and the tools This is apparent to anyone
who will consider past history and current progress
with any degree of logic and objectivity.
To this particular non-Navajo, it appears that many
people overlook the fact that environment and educa
tion shape culture. They do not consider the gulf
which exists between the white mans culture of today
and the early days of lleracy, the present areas
of the white culture where the lliteracy rate is
tremely high. There is just vast difference in the
early Indian culture and the present Indian culture in
thinking and actions.
The biggest problem stems from the "a G that the
white did not fulfill the promises of education to
the Indians until the Long Range Act of 1850 And yet
the point should be made that the strides made by the
Indians in the period since little more than decade
are n nothing short of phenomenal equal to any
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