Indigenous Ideas

Luther Standing Bear, the chief of the Oglala, Lakota made a powerful speech about how the native Americans viewed the world different than the white people. To them nothing was 'wild' it just just part of their life. They were never rushed for an answer or rushed to speak out, everything happened with time and thought. The animals had the same rights as the natives and they had more respect for life than any white man ever hoped to. The main point in his statement was that the natives adapted to the world rather forcing the world to adapt to them. [Indigenous People]

H. A. Smith's version of Chief Seattle's speech talks about how he is thankful that the white men want to help his tribe be protected from the other tribe they often go to war with. Chief Seattle thinks it is thoughtful for the white men to be willing to give them a reserved land and does not think the white men coming over to America is a problem. He apologizes for his young men getting angry and wanting to fight  the white men because they see revenge as gain. However, he also brings up the issue of their Great Spirit verses the white man's God and how they can never be the same God. The white man's God does not like his "Red Children" because he does not protect them. He says they will probably accept the proposition but should be able to visit their ancestors' graves when they wish and ask that all of the land not be destroyed because the natives love their land more that with white men ever will. [Chief Seattle]

There is controversy over whether the translations of Chief Seattle's speech is what he actually said. There are many different translations and some have almost the same meaning while other's are extremely different. Some translations are so wrong that the animals and trees he talks about would not even be in the region Chief Seattle is from. Smith's is questionable because he probably would not apologize for his people fighting for what he believed in. Smith's version also sounds close to his own poetry and the ideas mentioned in it were popular among European Americans at the time it was published. [Controversy]

The Northeast Indian says that H.A. Smith's version is the most accurate and has the most citations and reviews. This article states that Smith was actually at the Point Elliot hearings. People that review and agree with the translation say that what Chief Seattle says is not metaphorical the land was truly sacred to them and they respected the world and life a great deal more than any white man ever has. This idea is supported by surrounding tribes and in his speech. [Support]

Chief Seattle or a Rando?

Today I read what is or was supposed to be Chief Seattle's Speech in response to when his tribe was being asked to sell their land and move to a reservation. However, there is major controversy over whether he actually said these words after translation. It is thought to be fake because the translation shows no realistic relations to the part of the nation that he is from. Some translations state that he used horses to get around, has seen many buffalo, and seen or smelled pine trees and whippoorwills. None of these would be relevant to his lifestyle. H. A. Smith's has more relevance than others. He talks mostly about how he's sorry for the fighting they have done and thanks the white for wanting to protect them, but it shows almost nothing in common with other translations. Pretty much all of them seem wrong so maybe we will never know what he actually said. The only notes taken at the meeting were that Governor Stevens and Chief Seattle met and traveled along the Puget Sound. So the question we end with is what is the harm? So what if we portray one thing when something else was meant? Well we lose a grip with reality. Thoughts are more biased than they normally would have been to begin with. The natives of North America have already been hurt enough and there is no need to go and put words in their mouth.
[Speech]
[More about Authorship]

Madison Broadway

The Dilemma

     My first blog was about how the prices of clothing are going up in order for items to be sustainable. Otherwise we would have to continue to buy clothes from places that use sweatshop labor. However, in a way sweatshop labor is good, because it is the only chance for the young women, who have left their traditional villages to strive for freedom, to get out of poverty.

     Then there is issue of buying fair trade items. Items that we knowingly buy at a more expensive price out of the goodness of our hearts. So we can feel good about helping developing countries get away from horrible working conditions that we cannot even imagine. However, if we only did that then eventually the sweatshops would "ideally" be shut down, so the women striving for liberty would have no hope to getting out of the poverty rut. 

     Another option is to buy clothes from thrift shops and places like Goodwill at ridiculously cheap prices. But if we only bought clothes from there, then the textile industry would disappear and that would be a tragedy unfathomable. No Chanel? Ha. No more clothes never worn by anyone else? I guess the lingerie department would still be okay.  

     It is all so overwhelming. 

     Today my mom and aunt picked me up from NCSU and we took a little shopping trip Crabtree. Tonight I think about the socks I bought at H&M and how they were probably made in a sweatshop and part of me feels a little guilty. Then part of me feels good, because I would love helping a young woman like myself, strive for independence.
     When I am cold, I pull out the el pacca pancho I purchased from an old man in a tiny shop in Ecuador. He was so happy every time he sold a poncho or blanket or hat. A huge grin would come across his face and show both of his teeth. You can't help but to love to make people feel that way. When you purchase fair trade items online, you may not get the full feeling of how you are making those people feel, but imagine what I just described and you may come close.
     Next, I remember the thrifting spree my mom and I took last weekend. All the sweaters have already lasted one lifetime, now it is ready for another. So the question is which is right and which is wrong? What if only one shopping strategy existed?

Happy shopping!

Madison Broadway

What we Owe, to Help others Grow

     Today's article is about the IOU Project that makes sustainable clothing. The clothes are handmade by people in India, from locally grown cotton. The best part is that the weavers use almost no energy. You purchase the clothes online and each piece of clothing has it's own story. It allows the buyer to form a connection with the maker. Many buyers are more likely to purchase items when they know that it is helping a person, so putting a face to a shirt ups the chances even more. Each piece of clothing is unique, so just like thrifting, the chances of ending up in the same top as someone else are slim. This project's main villan is the machine. Machines can make the same piece of clothing over and over with few people. If more and more people support weaved clothing then the makers can get a better profit and climb up the ladder out of poverty. In a way this project allows us to give back to people that would normally be making our clothes for unfair wages in sweatshops, and to the earth that would normally be taking a beating from the emissions and energy used in the factories. So, if you are not into wearing clothes from 20 years ago, then this is definitely another sustainable option.

Happy Shopping!
Madison Broadway

Cheap Chic Crisis?

     I have recently been focusing on outsourcing, fair trade, and how they effect sustainability. Today's article is about how selling a multitude of clothing at ultra cheap prices is no longer sustainable. As a consequence, prices are beginning to rise.
     Many people in my community shop at retail stores such as Forever 21 or H&M because the prices are so cheap. However, these shops also use outsourced labor. We feel we can buy much more for our money because the prices are so cheap. Though, as more people and companies strive to be more sustainable, a new objective may be less items for more outfits, think transitional! What can you wear every season? What only need tights, a cardigan, and a scarf to be winter appropriate?
     The article talks about the company Primark, notorious for their cheap clothing. This company is going to try and keep their prices down even if everyone else's go up. When I researched this company I noticed they have a Ethical Trading section. This is similar to fair trade. The products in this area are made from people around the world in developing countries and areas. Normally this would mean in 'sweatshops' but as ethical trading products they have a label that means the workers get fair wages and have good working conditions. The items are not actually owned by the larger companies, like Primark, they just help them sell. Most of the products are handmade, thus less emissions are released in the making and they are much better quality.
     This article will definitely come into mind the next time I go shopping. I realize the most sustainable way to go is reuse and recycle just like trends come and go. There is no embarrassment in thrifting, it's the only place to get absolute authentic, will soon be the only place to get more for less, and you are much less likely to end up in the same top as someone else at the same party... tragedy! I say this is not a crisis, just a time for our creativity to come out of the closet.

Happy Shopping!
Madison Broadway