39 Comments
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Sue Ferrera's avatar

This sounds like a wonderful experience, CK. Thanks for sharing this.

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Chris Stanton's avatar

I've really enjoyed both parts of this, CK. I'm glad both of you felt so comfortable chatting about these things.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

It was quite enlightening.

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

I love that all this happened during a massage! Quite a revelatory therapy.:) (I think I’m going to feel guilty next time I get a massage, remembering your curious openness, and choosing a no-talk massage instead. I don’t know how you did it!)

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

I usually prefer a no-talk massage too. But this was too tempting.

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michael mclaughlin's avatar

I might incur wrath, but native Americans had slaves, tortured prisoners, and mutilated bodies after battles. Their warriors lost most battles with the US military because of the way they fought was outdated by 1870. Frontal attacks against rifles only works if you have overwhelming superior numbers. This worked great at the battle of the Little Big Horn. Not much place else. No mention about their revenge on the white people---it is called casino gambling.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

No wrath here. Facts are facts. They were tribal and had the equivalent tools from the Stone Age.

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michael mclaughlin's avatar

You are right. Bows and arrows were no match for a rifle. The Indians did have the horse, and were brave. Now they are killing the white man with keno, slot machines and tobacco.

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Janice Walton's avatar

I smiled when I read this—it brought back so many memories. I know of those Native American tribes and nations. After living in Olympia for six years, I have much greater respect and understanding than I did.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Oh!! You lived here. 🥰👏👏

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Janice Walton's avatar

Yes, closest to Lacey and the Nisqually tribe.

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David Perlmutter's avatar

"The guilty white man who thinks everyone else should share his guilt.” EXACTLY! And because the white man has too much social, economic and political power, those of his kind and otherwise continually are caught in the crossfire of his self-flagellation in ways we don't want to be.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

I would hate white people too. Hehe.

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Dave White's avatar

So, you are not a white person?

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

I’m white but there are way too many useful white idiots.

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Dave White's avatar

Useful to whom?

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Victoria Fann's avatar

An eye-opening post. It's so easy to make assumptions based on what we think we know. How helpful to hear a firsthand account! Thanks for sharing.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Thx for reading and commenting. 🙏

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Kim Smyth's avatar

We stayed in southwest Colorado for the summer last year and will do it again this year. This area is rich in Indian culture and lore and we learned so much about the Ute Indians of this land. There is even a mountain range that shows a “sleeping Ute”. Mesa Verde National Park is near and we went to tour part of it to see the ancient cliff dwellings. So much more, worth a visit! Go to Mancos, Cortez, Echo Baisn, or Delores to learn more.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Wow. Sounds fab. What are ancient cliff dwellings?

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Kim Smyth's avatar

Did the picture I sent not go through?

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Jeannine's avatar

Wow, Dottie rocks! I've never traveled to ND nor had a massage, but I have been to a Pow Wow - it's an experience that I'd highly recommend. This web site lists scheduled Pow Wows: https://calendar.powwows.com//

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Oh thanks! There is one in June in Attleboro.

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Jeannine's avatar

You are very welcome. Have fun!

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Henny Hiemenz's avatar

It’s almost as though all peoples are the same 🤔 😉.

Those in power do a great job of dividing us…as long as we fight amongst ourselves we’re blind to their corruption.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Yeah. Sigh.

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Beth Lisogorsky's avatar

I’ve not had a two hour massage but it sound delightful and educational!

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Haha. A class and a massage. Great combo.

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Lee Bacon's avatar

1. No. No.

2. Also no. I’ve never had a professional massage of any kind. Two hours sounds like a lot. But it clearly made for good conversation.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

My neck felt better plus I learned something new.

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Dbn123's avatar

I learned more about native Americans in this short essay than I did in year of public school. It’s a crime how little we teach our young about the first Americans and it’s even more shameful how we treat the first Americans. I’m a first generation American so my family was too busy running from pogroms and holocausts to really understand our kinship to Native Americans.

But this article has inspired me to find a way to help these mistreated people.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Spot on. I hope modern day school books incorporate more of this rich history. All my grandparents escaped pogroms too.

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Dave White's avatar

Why on earth would Dottie get angry if a white woman put her hair in braids? European women have been braiding their hair for millennia.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Far left progressive (regressive) white people in the US reprimand any other white person in braids as “culturally appropriating” Native Americans.

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Dave White's avatar

"Far left progressive (regressive) white people in the US" But..................I thought that's what YOU were......?

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Nope. Not me.

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Dave White's avatar

What are you, then? And who/what do you think it is that makes white people feel guilty?

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Ofifoto's avatar

What a wonderful conversation. Thank you for sharing it, Dottie and Carissa! There's so much we can all learn from each other, if we'd only take the time to listen.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Yes! 🥰🙏👏

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