The WEIRDEST one I ever experienced (and this actually does tie into cultural imperialism) was when I walked into a hardware store (after I'd just gotten married) to get some nails to hang up stuff--Flower Power Hippie at the checkout counter asks "Are you Native American?"
"Well, I have some Cherokee ancestry but I'm not like a Federal NDN or anything..."
"Can you do a rain dance?" she asks.
"Ma'am...my family has not lived on the reservation since the 'rez' was technically an independent *country* some 150 years ago. My folks aren't what you'd term traditionals. I don't know any rain dances, and from what I've been able to research, the Cherokee never had rain dances..."
This did not deter the Hippie.
"Make one up. The trees need it."
I stood there for a good five minutes, my brain having gone into a BSOD going...DOT DOT WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK NO SHE DID *NOT* JUST ASK THIS HOLY SHIT...my husband eventually had to walk me out, my face *still* frozen in shock.
No, seriously, "do a rain dance, the trees need it". WHAT THE HELL. Mind, I'm probably the first person in about 150+ years in my family to explore traditional Cherokee spiritual practices and all (and I make no claims to being a shaman or even terribly "traditional" because I'm not a part of a traditional religious society like the Nighthawk Keetoowah or Snowbirds and I tend to be pretty darn eclectic spiritually, and am reluctant to describe myself as tribal--yeah, I do have pride in my Cherokee ancestry, but still...) but a) my ancestors never had rain dances, b) I'm eclectic but not that damn eclectic. O_o
Hippie dear, just because I have some Cherokee ancestry does *not* give me Special Spirit Shaman Mojo (tm) to talk to the Sky People and make it rain. You're just as capable as I am, dear. :3
And more fun with misconceptions
Date: 19 Jan 2009 08:24 pm (UTC)"Well, I have some Cherokee ancestry but I'm not like a Federal NDN or anything..."
"Can you do a rain dance?" she asks.
"Ma'am...my family has not lived on the reservation since the 'rez' was technically an independent *country* some 150 years ago. My folks aren't what you'd term traditionals. I don't know any rain dances, and from what I've been able to research, the Cherokee never had rain dances..."
This did not deter the Hippie.
"Make one up. The trees need it."
I stood there for a good five minutes, my brain having gone into a BSOD going...DOT DOT WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK NO SHE DID *NOT* JUST ASK THIS HOLY SHIT...my husband eventually had to walk me out, my face *still* frozen in shock.
No, seriously, "do a rain dance, the trees need it". WHAT THE HELL. Mind, I'm probably the first person in about 150+ years in my family to explore traditional Cherokee spiritual practices and all (and I make no claims to being a shaman or even terribly "traditional" because I'm not a part of a traditional religious society like the Nighthawk Keetoowah or Snowbirds and I tend to be pretty darn eclectic spiritually, and am reluctant to describe myself as tribal--yeah, I do have pride in my Cherokee ancestry, but still...) but a) my ancestors never had rain dances, b) I'm eclectic but not that damn eclectic. O_o
Hippie dear, just because I have some Cherokee ancestry does *not* give me Special Spirit Shaman Mojo (tm) to talk to the Sky People and make it rain. You're just as capable as I am, dear. :3