Dealing with this icky, racist song my kid learned in school

[dancingsinging]

The other day, Munchkin came home from school singing a song about a little Indian boy sitting playing a drum. There's a line that goes, "I wish I lived as Indians do, wearing feathers of red and blue." The tune is monotonously simplisic and thudding, like some 1950's Western movie's idea of an "Indian song."

The song is totally bothering me, and I plan to talk to Amanda's teachers about it at my upcoming parent/teacher conference. But I'm having trouble articulating exactly why it's bothering me. This is what I have so far:

- It's reinforcing stereotypes without providing context. (No, they aren't doing a curriculum segment on First Peoples, or inviting tribal elders to school to speak about their culture. Nothing about the struggles of minority group to preserve their identity inside a dominant culture.)

- I personally feel weird and conflicted about the word "Indian" when it's not referring to folks from India or things relating to India. I mean, I know people who identify as Indian, and I don't think it's exactly a racial slur like the n-word. But it seems problematic to me, what with the whole Columbus mistake and the colonialism. I wish, firstly, that I felt clear about the issue, and secondly, that the teachers were making some effort to clue the kids in that it might be hurtful or harmful to use it.

- It seems dehumanizing/othering to reduce "living as Indians do" to wearing colorful feathers. (And is it historically accurate anyway? Red and blue feathers? It sounds like some fucked-up amalgamation of Native American stereotype and the American flag.)

So, here's the problem. I only have those vague, hazy ideas about why the song shouldn't be taught to kindergarteners. I'm guessing that to raise either of the second two ideas, I'll need to go into a lot of racism 101 background. I'm not so great at articulating that stuff, and I'll have maybe half an hour to talk to the teachers (during which, I also might want to, you know, talk about my kid's development and experiences at school). And I have this strong feeling that there's more that's wrong with that song than I can even articulate.

Do you all have any ideas? About what to say, or how to say it, or anything? I'd love some help here.

Comments

[inlovewithnight]

Saw this on friendsfriends, hope you don't mind a stranger dropping in. Some of the language/posts/links at Native Appropriations and My Culture Is Not A Trend might be helpful. Best of luck to you in talking to them.

[dancingsinging]

Friendly strangers are always welcome around here. Thanks for the links; I'll check 'em out!

[wild_irises]

One place to start (other than those useful-looking recommendations above) is to say "I bet there are kids in this class with Native American ancestry; I'd like the classroom to be welcoming to them and embrace the richness of their heritage." We could also talk about this.

[dancingsinging]

The downside of most Waldorf schools is there's very little diversity. I'd be really surprised if any of the students had more than Munchkin's distant Native American ancestry. The upside to the Waldorf school is that it's a complete given that the teachers will care about not being racist and won't be assholes when confronted about it. Ignorant, yes, but I imagine they'll be open to hearing what I have to say, if I can just figure out an articulate, simple way to explain. I'd love to talk to you about it when you have time!

[wild_irises]

*nods* It's that distant Native American ancestry that I was alluding to; so many "white" people have it. pokershaman's grandfather was apparently part Native American, and he's otherwise as WASP as a person can be.

Would the simple "oversimplification" argument work in the context you describe? Just "I don't want my kid and her classmates to think that all Native Americans wore feather headdresses when there were so many tribes with so many different rich cultures and clothing styles?" It's damned incomplete, but it could be a way in.