Native Americans – Current Situation

COMPREHENSION:

1.       About what percentage of the Native Indian population lives on reservations? Where are the majority of these reservations located?

Half of the native population lives on reservations. The majority of these reservations are situated west of the Mississippi River, and the Indians continue to live there to maintain their traditions.

2.       What are some of the social challenges faced by Native Americans? List what you believe can be the possible causes of these challenges.

Unemployment, poverty, alcoholism and drug abuse are some of the social challenges faced by Native Americans. High rates of diabetes and heart disease are also a concern.

3.       Over which matters do tribal governments have power?

The tribal governments possess the right to form their own government, to enforce laws (both civil and criminal), to tax, to establish requirements for membership, to license and regulate activities, to zone and to exclude persons for, tribal territories. Limitations on tribal powers of self-government include the same limitations applicable to states; for example, either tribes or states have the power to make war, engage in foreign relations, or coin money (this includes paper currency).   

4.       How does the sovereignties of Native Americans fall short?

The sovereignties of Native Americans fall short because of the treatment of the US- government. They still wishes to govern Native American peoples and treat them as subject to U-law. They would have to deal with them as with any other sovereign nation.

5.       What does the BIA claim to be its responsibility when it comes to Indian lands?

BIA states that its responsibility is the “administration and management of 55,700,000 acres (225,000 km²) of land held trust by the Unites States for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaskan Natives”.

Comprehension

Formulate questions to fit the following answers:

6.       It happened one summer.

When did it happen?

7.       I understood it when I saw the wine bottle.

When did you understand what was happening?

8.       He held it tight like a white man.

How was his handshake like?

9.       It was because he was wearing dark glasses.

Why didn’t you se the Cop’s eyes?

10.   He hit Leon in the face.

What did the Cop do?

11.   He was brought to hospital.

What happened after?

12.   The cop was pointing a long bone at me.

Did you dream about the Cop the night after the episode?

13.   They discussed it at the pueblo meeting.

What did they do with the hitting?

14.   They were followed by the state cop.

What happened at the Grants?

15.   “Tony! You killed him, you killed the cop!”

What did Tony do?

Research and discover

1)      Find out about the Maoris in New Zealand. Who are they and how is their situation in New Zealand today?

The Maoris are the native people of New Zealand. They came from eastern Polynesia around 950, 1150 and 1350. They are now equal with the rest of the population in New Zealand.

2)      Compare the history of Australian Aborigines and New Zealand Maoris.

The meeting with the colonists were more peacefully and non-violent than in Australia. They had right similar to the whit population and they were allowed to vote.

3)      These two groups have had quite different experiences. Can you think of possible reasons for this?

They were not invaded in the same way that the Aborigines were and the whole conflict happened more peacefully and non-violent.  It happened much later in time, when the British did not have the same opportunities as when they invaded Australia.

Checkpoints

1)      The Aborigines were the first settlers on the Australian continent. Where did they come from?

The Aboriginals came from the Asian mainland, more than 40 000 to 50 000 years ago.

2)      The Aboriginal population was halved quite soon after the European arrival. What was the reason for this?

The first settlers brought unknown diseases to the new country, like smallpox, and this was the reason to why the population halved in few years.

3)      Aboriginal children were taken away from their homes for more than 100 years. How many children are believed to have experienced this?

There were approximately 100 000 children taken away from their homes and families between 1869 and 1970.

Viewpoint

4)      Why do you think Mr. Howard and Mr. Keating refused to make an official apology?

They refused to make an official apology because they did not want to acknowledge the mistakes and the suppressing they had committed.

5)      Can you think of any other group of people who have experienced something similar? Who are they and what did they experience?

The Sámi-people experienced suppressing behavior, and had very few rights. They were not allowed to use their own language, and many of their children were sent away to boarding schools.

The Indians were suppressed by the settlers, and were also sent to boarding schools.  

Capital Letters
I am going to tell you about Mr. Anderson. He lived an ordinary life as an unknown Swedish man in the 20^th century. However, he worked as a Democrat in the White House in his early years. He was a good and understanding man, and the President always confided his thoughts of ruling with him. Until this one day when he uttered his opinions around religion, and that he hated the Buddhism. 
He did not believe in karma and reincarnation. The President got tired of this, and shot him on a Monday. 

You may think this is a strange story, but believe me it happened. Read about it in the book; “The President’s Life and the People Around Him”.

(Here I have used the eight-caitalised word groups). 

Definitions of words often misspelled and used wrong;

-          Then and than

“Back then, I had more than twenty friends home for dinner”

-          Which and witch

“Which house is yours?” Are you a witch?

-          Through and threw

“I threw the ball through the open window”.

-          There, their and they’re

“There are two cats outside”. “Their house is blue”. “They’re all girls”.

-          To, too and two

“I am going to the zoo, are you going too?” “There were two monkeys in the cage”.

-          Lose and loose

“A lose is a pilot”. A tiger is loose in Paris.

A passage to India

Viewpoints page 265

1)      Look up the words “rural” and “urban” in a dictionary and find out what they mean.

Urban: Of, relating to, or located in a city, characteristic of the city or city life.

Rural: Of, relating to, or characteristic of the country, relating to people who live in the country: rural households or relating to farming: agricultural.

2)      What are the differences between rural and urban areas in Norway? In India?

The rural areas in Norway are characteristic of the country, like harvests (hunting, fishing, collecting etc.) and cultivating the ground. It is sparsely populated, often with agriculture and rural household.

The urban areas in Norway are characteristic of the city and the city life, where you can find population, production, byes and sales.

In India, to comparison, the rural areas are for the poor people and the urban areas are for the new middle- and upper class. 70 % of the India’s population live in rural areas.

3)      “If everyone in the world consumed as much as people in industrialized countries do, we would need eight (!) planets as big as the Earth to meet their demands”. Comment in this statement.

This statement is frightening, and it makes us think. Our consumption in industrialized are too high, and we have to do something about it. It is sad to see the differences and contrasts in this world, but if we all had been wealthy and consuming, this Earth would have been too small for our needs. We have to have clear differences between rich and poor if we continue this lifestyle.

If we start consuming less, reusing more and think about the future in a new way, we may give others the opportunity to a better life as well.

4)      Some people in Europe and America have changed their way of life to “simple living” in eco-villages or small farms in rural areas. The basic idea is to go back to nature, produce your own food, share and live in closely-knit communities. Can you think of reasons why people choose this way of life?

I can think of many reasons people would go back to nature, and the lifestyle that follows. In todays society we are under constant pressure from work, Medias, friends, family and society in general. Living up to the expectations is hard, and it may leads to health threats as well. By giving up this lifestyle, to live of the land and starting over with basic ideas, you can let go of many problems, worries and stress.

5)      Make a list of rules for “simple living”.

-          Give up the things you do not need

-          Live without electronically equipment not necessary

-          Cultivate your own vegetables

-          Live simple, give up worries

-          Appreciate life for what is worth

-          Recycle and reuse

6)      What are your three top priorities in life?

-          Help people through work and life in general.

-          Live a happy life, with a family I love and care for.

-          Feel satisfied with the things I have achieved, and myself. 

The Imitation Game

1. Give a description of Alan Turing. What were his weaknesses and what was his strength

Alan Turing, a man in his late twenties, was one of the best mathematics-students in Britain. He was hired to a secret mission for military purpose; his task was to solve the Germans’ enigma-code. The enigma-code itself was key to the end of the Second World War, and all the attacks in Britain. They could then prevent new attacks and save many lives.

Even tough Alan had many strengths, he had his weaknesses as well.

Throughout his school years, he was bullied. He was different from the others. An over-smart kid with a different way of thinking, understanding and perceiving, with other sexual attractions. He had one friend, Christopher. They had a close friendly relationship, that later developed into a love affair.

This was one of his weaknesses. He never got over Christopher, or the fact that he was gay. Homosexuality was not allowed on that time, and it was cause to prison or medical castration.

Another weakness of him was his autism. Autists have a different way of thinking, understanding and perceiving information, and life in general. He had trouble working with other people that had a different meaning than him. This gave him many difficulties.

If you see this with other eyes, his autism was one of his strengths as well. He was a fresh breath into the process, with new ideas and way of thinking.