B

EversinceIwasasmallgirlinschoolI’vebeenawareofwhattheschooltextbookssayaboutIndians.IamanIndianandnaturallyaminterestedinwhattheschoolsteachaboutnativesofthisland.

OnedayIreadthatadelicacy(美味)ofAmericanIndianpeoplewasdriedfishwhichaccordingtothetextbooktasted“likeanoldshoeorwaslikechewingondriedleather.”TothisdayIcanremembermysurprisemyangerandmysadnessatreadingthesewords.Wecalledthiswind-driedfish“sleet-shus”andtousitwasourfavoritedelicacyandindeeddidnot tastelikeshoeleatheranddidn’trotourteethandbringaboutthevariousdietaryproblemthattroubleIndianpeopleinmoderntimes.Ittookmanyhoursoflongandhardworktocurethefishinjustthisparticularfashion.Earlyfurtradersandothernon-Indiansmusthaveagreedfortheyoftenhadthisfoodastheytraveledaroundisolatedareas.

Ibroughtthetextbookhometoshowittomyfatherleaderofmytribeatthattime.OnthisparticulardayhetoldmeinhiswiseandmodestmannerthattheoutsideworlddidnotunderstandIndianpeopleandthatIshouldnotletitpreventmefromlearningthegoodpartsofeducation.

AtalatertimeinmylifeIhadbroughtagroupofIndianpeopletothecountryfairgroundstosellIndian-madeartsandcrafts.MygroupwasexcitedtomakesomemoneybysellingIndianhandicrafts.WethankedthemanwhoshowedustoourboothandtoldhimitwasniceofhimtorememberthepeopleoftheIndiancommunity.ThemanexpandedalittleandremarkedthathelikedIndianpeople.“Infact”hewentontostate“wearebringingsomeprofessionalIndianstodotheshow!”

AswestoodthereinshocklisteningtothisuninformedoutsiderIlookedatmydearIndiancompanionaneighty-year-oldwomanwhocouldwellrememberthegreatchiefsofthetribewhoonceownedallthelandofthiscountrybeforethewhitemancamebringing“civilization”whichincludeddiseasesandpollution.MyfriendsaidnotawordbuttookthehurtasIndianpeoplehavedoneformanyyears.

Ofcourseweallknewthatthe“professionalIndian”werenotIndiansatallbutdressedinleatheranddancingtheirowndances.Andanywayhowdoesonebecomea“professionalIndian”?

45．Whichofthefollowingstatementsabout“sleet-shus”istrue?