Ask and American Indian the meaning of this phrase.
Posted by Ed Stansell on October 22, 2002
In Reply to: Ask and American Indian the meaning of this phrase. posted by Silver Surfer on October 20, 2002
: : : It meant someone who gave something then wanted it back.
: : : Just guessing, but with this meaning, p'raps it stems from the fact that certain Amerind cultures have a vastly different notion of property ownership than EuroAm culture.
:
: : "I want to grow wheat on this field."
: : : "Sure go ahead."
: : : Next
year the tribe is encamped there.
: : : "You said I could grow wheat here."
:
: : "Yes and you did. Now I am spending the summer here."
: : If you want to
know what the American Indians, whom you all acknowledge are the source of this
phrase,consider its meaning to be. Ask one. Who should know better than they,
the true meaning of Indian giver?. You will find, as I have, that it stems from
the white man giving to the Indian, only to take back the gift when it suited
him to do so. This happened countless times, in land (which ironically the Indian
already owned), in material gifts, and in promises.
: : ES
: It really does depend on which American Indian you ask, most have never heard of the phrase.
Dear
Silver,
How did you determine that most American Indians never heard of the
term? Did you ask even one? I doubt you did!
Incidently, not all American Indians prefer "Native American". afterall, "native" simply means having been born in a certain place. Therefore everyone born in American is a native American. My Cherokee wife prefers either American Indian or Cherokee. I defer to her preference.