| Anthropology, as a discipline, sorely lacks diversity. American Indians, in particular, seldom pursue anthropology degrees and tend to view the discipline unfavorably. Non-native explanations for this tend to revolve around stereotypical essentialisms: that American Indians are not interested in their pasts, that they select disciplines with greater financial rewards/job prospects. Such unsatisfying paternalistic rationalizations perpetuate the notion that American Indians are inherently different from non-natives, that they in effect pursue money like children with tunnel vision.;Rather than accept such simplistic/racist explanations for this lack of diversity, I examine the studiers of Indians as a culture in and of itself. All cultures produce artifacts, and the focus here is upon the discourse artifacts produced by non-native scholars about the other. I examine attempts by the Haudenosaunee in the late 1980's to present their histories in their own words to New York State Middle School curriculum administrators, and how a group of so-called "Iroquoianist" scholars, referred to as trolls/fentonites by Indians, derailed this effort. I use the basic tenets of archaeological research as a metaphor to examine, via discourse analysis, the writings and utterances of ten of the university-based, non-native academics who tried to silence the Haudenosaunee, and who were instrumental in forcing the project to be shelved.;The results of this research show that the written production of "Iroquois" history is one that is largely done by a faction of non-native scholars, who choose to define in binary ways what is real and what is fake. This powerful group favors assimilation for American Indians, has a financial stake at furthering non-traditional interests for the Haudenosaunee (e.g. gambling, tobacco, gas), and foments internal political factionalism in their paid roles as expert consultants and witnesses. The Haudenosaunee are disparaged by this well-known group of scholars, while those willing to trade "Iroquois" culture (artifacts, stories) away, and who believe assimilation is the only solution to continued variants of neo-colonization, are rewarded with jobs/money. I conclude this research provides a more realistic explanation for the lack of diversity within the discipline, and for the strained relationship between "Iroquoianist" academics and the Haudenosaunee. |
