Central High School Library Home Page: Omar: We Are Still Here

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‘And what’s more, our white dentist believed that Indians only felt half as much pain as white people did, so he only gave us half the Novocain.’ (p. 2)

‘But we reservation Indians don’t get to realize our dreams. We don’t get those chances. Or choices. We’re just poor. That’s all we are.’ (p. 13)

Mr. P  says, ‘That’s how we were taught to teach you. We were supposed to kill the Indian to save the child.’ (p. 35) We were supposed to make you give up being Indians. Your songs and stories and language and dancing. Everything. We weren’t trying to kill Indian people. We were trying to kill Indian culture.’ (p. 35) "See American Boarding Schools Haunt Many"

 ‘You kept your hope. And now, you have to take your hope and go somewhere where other people have hope . . . You’re going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad, sad reservation.’ (p. 43)

‘During one week when I was little, Dad got stopped three times for DWI: Driving While Indian.’ (p. 46)

‘ . . some Indians think you have to act white to make your life better. Some Indians think you become white if you try to make your life better, if you become successful.’ (p. 131) While Junior is often flippant in his description of the discrimination he encounters, it is clear that this plays a role in his life. The stereotypes about Native Americans have become so ingrained in their society that he almost believes in them himself. Junior must battle prejudice from both sides as he attempts to be part of both worlds.

What is ASSIMILATION? 

from the book:

Most US leaders did not respect our ways and thought it would be better for us to adopt their beliefs and practices.

From the century’s earliest days, white men sought to

• Weaken our power to govern
• Destroy native families by taking our children away and sending them to boarding schools.
• Outlaw our sacred practices
• Punish us for speaking our own languages.

Junior leaves Wellpinit for Rearden because of the quality of education he can receive at a white school versus a reservation school. Read about Henry Thomas Cowley’s experience as a school teacher for the Spokane Indians and listen to the news bulletin about improving education for Native American students. Do you think Junior should have left? Would you have left? Are we, as a society, doing enough for Native American students? Think about the quality of your education. After having read about Junior’s experience at Wellpinit’s school, identify some things about your education that you have taken for granted.

What is ALLOTMENT? 

from the book: 

White people wanted to control and sell even more of our tribal lands.  Native Nations had already given up larger pieces of land for smaller ones in treaties.

       In fact, the United States passed laws that

•   divided up remaining allotted lands of many tribes
•   gave a certain amount of land to each tribal citizen
•   sold the “leftover” land to white settlers and railroad companies.

What is SELF-DETERMINATION?

from the book: 

Self Determination

Native Nations needed more control of our own lives, so we pushed back on federal rules that oversaw nearly every part of live on our lands.

To support tribal sovereignty, the United States passed laws that

• recognized that our governments could handle our own affairs.
• helped Native Nations offer programs and services directly to our citizens.
• restored many terminated tribes to federally recognized status.
• allowed some tribes to recover lands lost during allotment and termination.

https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-by-sherman-alexie#tabs