How Pride for Belonging to a Certain Nation Helps to Overcome Prejudice - Term Paper Example

Pride versus Prejudice Native people's deep sense of pride in their heritage and culture counters and triumphs against the prejudices and priorities that undermine the very same heritage and culture. 1. Their heritage and culture runs in conflict with the whites. 1. Their family culture runs against whites' concept of progress. 2. Their idea of social roles runs against white's concept of education. 3. Their identity as a people runs against white's concept of citizenship 2. Their deep sense of pride in their own helps them find their way out of the conflict. 3. Their taking a stand for their heritage and culture holds the key to their eventual triumph. 1. They triumph in overcoming the handicaps that prejudice brought upon them. 2. They triumph in making a dint in the consciousness of those who are prejudiced against them. 3. They triumph in being able to give to the world a way of life that contributes to the well being of others. Acting in accordance with this sense of pride in their heritage will eventually earn for them a more permanent and meaningful place in the modern world. Pride versus Prejudice One of the most heart-wrenching dramas in the history of mankind is the struggle that took place between people in their effort to gain dominance over one another, particularly for land. It is a struggle that can go on and on even long after the actual physical struggle has been ended. The conflict continues to dominate the people most affected and they take place in a new arena, the arena of their hearts and memories. Native Canadians are among those who are undergoing this struggle - the struggle to be who they really are and the struggle to find their place in the modern world dominated by white culture. In this kind of struggle we will see that a deep sense of pride in their heritage and culture is the power that enable them to counter the prejudices and priorities of the white dominant culture and help them preserve what they value most, regain what they were deprived of and find their place in the modern world. Carol Geddes (2007) recounted such a struggle. She reminisced her growing years as a native in their home in the Yukon Bush and the experiences of living in a culture where family, the extended kind, was of paramount importance. She recalled the most heart warming memory as the "feeling of acceptance" and "security in every pair of arms" that carried her, as children were wont to be carried and passed upon during those times (Geddes 86). And this experience was something magnified and replicated in their whole village (Geddes 87). The advent of the Alaska Highway presaged the end of their way of life; and the "tremendous upheaval for Yukon native people" (Geddes 88) was beyond the intelligence or concern of the whites. While the family culture did not vanish the socio-physical dislocation introduced elements - alcoholism, absentee parent, epidemics, broken family - that began to threaten it (Geddes 88). The concept of education along with religion - meant to bring about the best in people - were the very ones that seek to crucify to death the native's sense of personal worth. Geddes recalled one incident in school where the teacher, either ignorant or unmindful of the Indian boy- girl social role, asked her to answer a question her cousin was not able to answer, something unthinkable in Indian society, and which devastated both her and her cousin. She recalled how subject assignment without giving the native students prerogative to choose cast them as "stupid" and she remembered how the experience was "terribly undermining" (Geddes 90). Another aspect that ran conflict with white's dominance and touched the very core of their being was their sense of identity as a people. Another native Canadian, Thomas King (2007) recalled how as a young boy of twelve her mother could not be intimidated to declare herself as Canadian but insisted on identifying her citizenship as Blackfoot before Border Immigration Officers, both from the Canadian and American side. No amount of legal posturing by the officers was able to make his mother budge from her position even when the conflict she precipitated was brought to national attention by TV cameras (King 19). It was, however, this deep sense of pride in heritage manifested in obstinacy even in the face of tremendous pressure that enables them to ease out of conflict. In the above story, after the conflict was aired in national TV networks border officials eventually relented and allowed them to pass (King 19). Natives have their sense of values deeply ingrained inside of them which naturally give them power to be intractable, and though it may caused them untold suffering, it is the very means by which they pass through the fire. Geddes as a young girl facing up to and unyielding despite her teacher's violent ire demonstrated how indeed this pride in their values enabled natives to pass through conflicts (90). Passing through conflicts is not enough reward for fidelity to one's heritage and culture. The promise for keeping that deep sense of pride is the eventual triumph to enshrine the same more permanently in one's heart and through this to carve out more permanently one's place as a people among the whole scheme of things. What becomes a permanent part of the scheme of things are those that make a positive contribution to the whole. And for the native people it meant a rediscovery of what is inherently of value to them - individually and as a people - for the whole world as well. Geddes experienced this rediscovery - of her capacity for learning that was quashed by her earlier teacher - and earned her a place among the whites, even "with distinction" (Geddes 91). King experienced this rediscovery of the power of pride and fidelity to one's heritage through the white border official's affirmation that her mother was "an inspiration to us all" (King 20). As a people they need to rediscover that they have a lot to give to the world: "a holistic philosophy, a way of living with the earth" and that they have "enormous number of smart, talented, moral Indian people" (Geddes 92) - the legacy of their heritage and culture and of a people they should deeply take pride in being identified with. Having a deep sense of pride in one's heritage and culture opens up a reservoir of energy and power that will enable native people to consolidate their gifts and resources for the service of the greater humanity and earn for them a more permanent and significant place in the modern world. And thus eventually pride will have overcome prejudice. WORKS CITED Geddes, Carol. Growing Up Native. Mercury Reader. Ed. Rubens, Melanie, Gen. Ed. Neuleib, Janice, et al. Boston. Pearson Custom Publishing. 2007. 77-80. King, Thomas. Borders. Mercury Reader. Ed. Rubens, Melanie, Gen. Ed. Neuleib, Janice, et al. Boston. Pearson Custom Publishing. 2007. 10-20. Read More