Indigenous In Plain Sight | Gregg Deal | TEDxBoulder

The indigenous existence in Western and American culture is narrowly viewed and accepted with little to no input from actual Indigenous people. Gregg Deal talks about the use of history as a tool while he navigates the restrictions thrusts upon his work as a contemporary artist while challenging those who hear his words to take responsibility for their knowledge, and create room for this nation’s First Peoples.

[stacyk.]

When he said that he is his grandparents greatest dreams that were never supposed to come true, that hit me hard as an indigenous women.

[FabLoki]

The more I know about indigenous history, the more I am shocked how come half of the country is not restituted to them, how come the biggest genocide in human history is still unpunished today, how come they are second class citizen when there is no such thing as greed or disrespect or egotism in their traditional social structure... these people should be guides for humankind as a whole... I am so angry... may justice come, I wish this from the bottom of my heart, from France and Guadeloupe, stay strong indigenous peoples, you have much much much more value than what you think or those inferring that you do not have any...

[KweKanata]

My mum told me about when she was taken away the woman who was in charge of her always beat her every morning for not making her bed the right way ( hospital corners) One day she seen her coming and knew she already beat another girl so she hid under her bed. When she couldn’t find her she left. Next day mum tried the same thing but not fast enough and the woman saw her so she took the broom and beat her trapped under the bed. Next day she broke the broom over her back. She had many brooms broke on her. Last year my mum had a stroke and had a cat scan on her head. The doctor told us about what was going on with her but asked me if I would know about abuse that had happened when she was younger because she had brain damage from along time ago. I just looked at him with tears in my eyes and said “ Yeah... she was in residential school.” He just looked at me in shock. She can’t tell her story so it’s my responsibility to tell it for her.

[eveblessyourheart]

Thank you! I was born in the USA but I’m a native from Mexico 🇲🇽 ! We are here and we are everywhere!! Let’s unite and take a stand together!

[selacialafleur]

Boozhoo Aaniin,
I am Anishnabek, from Nipissing First Nation, and I am the first in my direct line to graduate highschool and go to University (My Father got his GED and went to trade school and it is on his and my communities back that I have been able to do this) I never thought I would be able to go to school for art, but I am. I have felt many expectations from white peers and teachers in art school to make art that conforms to what they imagine a Native painter would paint. Hearing your experiences makes me feel less alone, Chi Miigwech for taking a career risk and telling our stories visually through painting as well as verbally in this talk. "We are our grandparents greatest dreams, that were never supposed to come true" will stay with me for a long time, and keep me going!
Baamaapii!

[lmruqco]

I am a “half breed” I’m white and native but consistently told I’m not native enough, I didn’t grow up on a Rez and was raised by white people. When you said what you did about the government and blood quantum’s I fist pumped because I have never heard something so messed up and true in our lives. I may not have grown up on a Rez but I carry the love and heart of someone who may have.

[lizardchild]

I hope people are still watching this two years later. In Canada "boarding schools" were called residential schools, and the full extent of their atrocities is still coming to light. RIP 215 children at Kamloops Residential School. We need to look history in the face

[amylemley]

These stories matter to me--as a human being. Please keep telling them.

[micgu]

Dear Gregg, your people are the carrier of the true religiousness. The more I learn about the red road and the more I apreciate your ancient wise culture, and more is painful and shameful to see how you have been and still are hurt. Whatever I learn from your culture I tell my young son, (we live in Italy ) he has to know the truth about Cristoforo Colombo (who was born not far from here). To know the history of colonialization is the to know why we are so messed up as humanity. I hope you 'll make more videos and tell us more of your story and show your art that is a healing, like opening a wound so it can heal. Love Michela

[DizzyIzzyArt]

I lost my dad in August, the day after he turned 41. I'm Native on his side, and I remember being a kid, Dad taking me fishing and hunting on visitation days (he didn't have custody of me because of drinking.)
But he always taught me old native traditions, like foraging. He taught me how to make arrowheads, and even took me to our tribe chief's grave to leave an offering.
Even though I went through all that, I still used to call myself white because I don't "look Native." Unlike my dad, I'm very light-skinned, and I really thought I had to identify as such.
The last conversation we ever had was about our heritage. Sadly, we didn't get the privilege of growing up in our tribe, so I decided to start searching and studying my heritage as much as possible.
I once found an article, written by a Native person, that said, "You should check with your tribe to see if they even want more members, because I can promise that most of us don't want you."
That made my jaw drop, because everything else I've read, that was written by someone Native, says, "Screw blood-quantum, if your ancestors were Native, then YOU are Native and it's not your fault that you were assimilated and didn't get to grow up in your tribe."

I like to think that my ancestors are smiling down on me right now, and that they're happy that I'm able to reclaim my heritage and not have to deal with the persecution that they suffered. My story deserves to be heard, I'm not going to be wiped out by people telling me I don't look Native enough to call myself Native American.

[n.newport]

Heart breaking- thank you so much for sharing these difficult stories, dear Mr. Deal. They need to be heard...

[rosielily]

As an indigenous person I wish I had saw this video sooner.. It was assigned for my Indegenous 100 class.

[davekrieger]

Funny, serious, plain-spoken, wonderful talk, executed artistically.

[eleonorbeall]

Very educational presentation, thank you for educating the rest of the world. I came from Asia married a Native man in CA, the biggest tribe in CA. I honor his people and work with his people everyday, I live here for almost 30 years now and been married to him for almost 28 years. I witnessed racism towards his people and the ugliness of most that do not understand his culture. I work with this awesome Native Judge from his tribe and I know that there's still a lot to learn about his people, culture, traditions, and the language that they almost lost. My heart goes out to those that are lost and left up that Native people that are still fighting for the land, the culture, the traditions, and the language our creator has a plan for you and your people. Thank you.

[justasimplecadjockey]

Had the privilege of hearing Gregg speak at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. Awesome experience and an eye opener.

[dareason]

"Now you are responsible for this information..." Power!

[jasonchenoweth]

Wow... what powerful words. As a native man this hits home. Im not done watching, but When he said "when you omit something from history, you IMMEDIATELY give value to those things!" Truly Amazing. All people in this country should watch this video!! Don't just take the history that's hand fed to you, do some research. Don't just know your history know ALL HISTORY! there's always two sides to a story, just Like there are 2 sides to history. The reason why we don't know about these facts like Abraham Lincoln.. are because we are being told WHAT to listen to. Not both sides. The people that win the war write history. This is why most people of this country don't know the true history of native peoples. I can say the same thing about myself. I thought I knew some history, until I took a native American history class (it was required at the native college I attended). I now know that the history that I knew was the narrative that the government WANTS people to learn. Not the TRUE history, Or the whole story.

[johnsned]

Thanks for this outstanding presentation, and thanks for sharing your talent and passion. Well done my friend.

[ester]

We should all listen carefully and not only listen ; we should HEAR and act upon what we have heard . Thank you sir, and please keep witnessing .. It's essential !

[ChattieCathy]

I was studying Title VI for aging NDNs. Grants, funding & other services. I dozed off and when I woke up I heard him. Made me almost cry. I know all this to be true. I grew up in NDN boarding schools. I’m very thankful to hear you speak. My pleasure is to know you. Sac and Fox member of the Bear clan. Ma qua ka- NDN name meaning Bear woman.