Thanks Mr. Spurlock!

dee2dawson — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 20:47:36 -0700

By: DeWayne Dawson (Navajo), San Francisco, CA

An enormous applause goes out to Fox Channel, "30-Days," and Morgan Spurlock for touching down on the real Native American Culture and showing 'America's Dirty Little Secret." Digging into one of the most secretive Worlds in American Culture was one I was waiting for, for a very long time. Sorry to say, but “Turquoise Rose” was NOTHING compared to what Mr. Spurlock delivered in his very detailed documentary which was aired last Tuesday night on the "Fox Network."
After reading the hyped about the new released of a Navajo Documentary by a "White Person" living with a Navajo Reservation for 30-days, my stomach flipped more then enough times. Worst, I heard he was going to live with a Navajo who earned a PHD. and was well educated. I thought this was another “set up” to roll out the red carpets for the next "White Person" who rolled into town with the dried out tumble weeds. I thought the family whom was selected was going to give this Worldwide VIP, (Very Important Person) the celebrity treatment but all went "South" very quickly.
To my shock, Spurlock was set up to live in a 'modern' Navajo Hogan without electricity and running water. He bought a sheep from a nearby 'border town" where I frequented as a young Navajo Child to bring to his new Navajo family only to butcher the sheep he named “Lunch.” His message to the World has very much touched closed to home as a "Modern" Native American who has lived the "old ways" growing up on the Navajo Indian Reservation, but currently resides 16 hours from the great Navajo Nation. Highlights of Grandma Dennison and her family has grown close to my heart telling stories of Navajo Children growing up on the Indian Nation not knowing their own language well enough to communicate with their very own grandmother. Tears rolled as Grandmother Dennison explained the reason she was never close or ever will be to her grandchildren because of a language differences. Everyone wants to turn to the "White World" these days as one said, but it's tremendously important to know/learn your true upbringing according to my late Navajo elders. One can never stress it's teachings enough but there are many Navajos out there who will object to my statement as jobs are scares on the reservation, living is at it’s limit and there are no opportunities on the Great Navajo Nation. One must think why we live here, but we are the "True Americans" and why are we being treated as ‘America’s Dirty Little Secret?”
Thanks for representing my Tribe in "it's true color" Mr. Spurlock! Maybe the US Government/Navajo Government will think twice as to how they feel/treat the Navajo Tribe in general and it’s “real” Indigenous People one day. Cheers – D.Dawson