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Red, Black & Green by Kwazi Nkrumah Back in the 1960's a popular saying was that "you're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem." Well, experience has shown that even when we like to think of ourselves as part of the solution, we are generally part of the problem also. Today, none of us can afford to ignore the fact that we are products of the social environment that has nurtured us and that this social environment is a toxic one racially, sexually and otherwise. Changing this society is really about changing ourselves and our relationships to others.

Having said that, I would like to address what seems to me to be the context of the struggle taking place around the issue of cultural genocide and the use or abuse of Native American spiritual and cultural practices by white Amerikkkans.

For nearly a quarter of a century, beginning in the mid-1980's, a whole Fseries of profound and dynamic social movements hit the scene. These movements included but were not limited to: The Beats, the Civil Rights Movement, the Cuban Revolution, the Peace Movement, Black Power, La Raza, the New Left, Women's Liberation, the Amerikkkan Indian Movement and Gay Liberation.) All of these movements challenged the basic established beliefs, institutions and social practices of Amerikkkan society. (In past, it is more than accurate to say that they generated not only an immediate political crisis, but a fundamental and long-term identity crisis for Amerikkkan society as we know it.) Not only did they raise basic questions about race, sex, culture and economics - they also challenged the religious and philosophical underpinnings of Amerikkkans.

As a result, literally millions of Amerikkkans began to look for new philosophies and sources of wisdom. Many turned to the Third World for new insights and this was a positive thing. For many North Amerikkkan whites, in particular, this was an earnest attempt to break with the racist social conditioning that has accumulated over the past 500 years in Western countries. This conditioning asserts that white people have nothing of value to learn from non-white peoples or cultures. So, again, the movement away from that posture was basically positive.

Unfortunately, some problems have developed. These problems are a product of the fact that many of those who are seeking "personal liberation" and "cultural alternatives" for themselves have failed to confront the problems of exploitation and cultural imperialism. They have failed to look realistically at their objective relationship with oppressed peoples and cultures. The result has been an escalating conflict between some of those who are seeking personal liberation and the peoples of oppressed communities over the issue of "cultural rights". The failure to appreciate the role of national culture as an arena of struggle between oppressor and oppressed groups is what set the stage for this conflict. But now that the conflict has come out into the open, what should progressive people do about it?

First of all, it is important to listen to the criticisms being raised without being too defensive about it. We are all caught up in cultural contradictions, many of which we do not fully understand. This is not our fault, it's just a fact of life. It is sometimes painful to deal with these contradictions, but it is necessary unless we intend to continue to step on other people's humanity.

Secondly, we all need to educate ourselves on the issues of racism and cultural dynamics. Two of the most authoritative writers on this subject are Frantz Fanon and Amilar Cabral, whose views on the subject of national liberation and culture are considered to be standard works. Especially important are Fanon's books, The Wretched of the Earth, A Dying Colonialism and Black Skin, White Masks. Cabral's essays, "On National Liberation and Culture" and "Identity and Dignity in the Context of National Liberation Struggles," published in the book Return to the Source, are also key. All of these books are in print and readily available.

Finally, in specific reference to the ussue of Native American Spirituality and culture, the International Treaty Council of the American Indian Movement and the Center for the Spirit, an umbrella association of Native American spiritual leaders in the Americas have offices located in the Bay Area. They are open to direct dialogue with anyone who is genuinely concerned with respecting Native American spiritual practices without violating or exploiting them. But, as Fanon once said, the best way to show respect for a peoples culture is to be fully committed to the struggle against everything that hinders the health and integrity of that culture in the world today.

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