In celebrating Indigenous People’s Day, I couldn’t forget the “Freeport big Indian,” and those who say they view it as a “tribute” to Maine’s Indians, and the disagreement about whether the roadside attraction is racist or not.

You might think it would be a natural place to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day. My husband and I tried, but in spite of our best social media efforts, no one brought flowers to lay at the landmark’s feet. No one joined us at dawn, under the big Indian.

And, of course not! Because the big Indian has nothing to do with Indigenous people.

If it’s a tribute to anything, it’s a tribute to the way Indigenous people are used to boost our national pride, while destroying native culture. I can’t un-see how this roadside attraction is a sort of consumer porn, “come gawk at this!” Is it representative or totally invented? Who knows?

And, misleading portraits can’t celebrate Indigenous culture.

When we celebrate Indigenous peoples and culture, we watch the sunrise. We brew tea from pine needles. We make things with our hands, we dance and sing! We cry and pray and burn sage. We listen to native voices.

As my husband and I stood at dawn under that Freeport roadside attraction, it didn’t look beautiful to me. It looked cheap, fake. As far as “art” goes, we could do a lot better.

Doesn’t it feel good to live and learn? Change isn’t always bad! Sometimes, it’s an improvement!

Jenny Ruth Yasi
Freeport

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