The Number One Place for Fun?

A friend of mine made a trip to Tulalip Casino and Resort this weekend for a friend's birthday. I have never been inside a casino. From what my friend reported, you have to go sometime just to experience it. I think it was the nonsensical gluttony of it all that hit her (particularly the $20 all-you-can-eat buffet). When contrasted with the socio-economic situation of many Native American reservations, the tacky excess of a casino is a ridiculous showing of human behavior and entertainment. More sad, not fun.

Another book in my summer series will be "Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown. This is a historical account of the violent displacement of Native American tribes during the 19th century by the US federal government. With this novel as a launching platform, I hope to learn more about Native American politics, their sovereignty from the US judicial system and gain a historical perspective of social issues facing Native Americans.

I read about slavery, Japanese internment, The Mexican-American Wars in grade school. However, Native American politics are largely ignored in public education and US politics at large. Despite its prominence during our country's fight for independence and land sovereignty, I feel largely ignorant about Native American history.

We built models of missions in California. In Washington, schoolchildren made models of log cabins and tepees where Native Americans smoked salmon. In my endeavor, I'll learn more than totem poles and salmon runs.