Any Native American Campaign Settings?

Lynn · October 28, 2016, 06:33:09 PM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;927517My point (and I do have one) is that the sheer size of North America meant that there were a lot of different cultures, many of which never interacted with each other. I'm tired of "Native American" being treated as a blanket term as though there was ONE "Native American" culture, or spirituality, or etc.

That's understandable, but not in this case. My position on culture is that they all deserve respect. Like air, you can't put a dollar value on it, and you can't really claim appropriation because it all comes from something else, either by force or by sharing and borrowing. Severe reduction is kind of insulting, kind of like people who say there is one "white culture". But like passing wind its best just let it pass than to bother inhaling.

crkrueger · October 30, 2016, 12:25:57 AM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;927517My point (and I do have one) is that the sheer size of North America meant that there were a lot of different cultures, many of which never interacted with each other. I'm tired of "Native American" being treated as a blanket term as though there was ONE "Native American" culture, or spirituality, or etc. A few years of living among the Buffalo People here in the Dakotas has made me angry as hell about the Tauren, for instance. If you have tipis and totem poles, you're doing it wrong.

Yeah, but they're not doing it wrong, because Blizzard never claimed that the Tauren are the Assiniboine, they're the Tauren...minotaurs dude, minotaurs.

Now, if you want to claim that Blizzard shouldn't have included the random trappings of NA culture without building them some water plants, schools or health clinics first, just to not be a dick, or if they were going to do it, make it an accurate representation despite minotaurs, that's an argument to make. Otherwise you may as well criticize the humans for not being properly British, the Gnomes for not being accurate to the Swiss, and the Dwarves for being No True Scotsman.

ningauble · November 01, 2016, 12:13:29 PM

Quote from: Madprofessor;927537By the way, the last time I talked to the Oglala Souix, they told me that they preferred the term "Indigenous Americans" to "Native Americans." I wonder if that still holds.

"Native American" is a white liberal thing. From what I've gathered based on reading various things, the preferred term is always the name of fucking tribe whenever possible but other terms that work are Indigenous Americans, First Nations (mostly in Canada), and a surprising number of indigenous are actually fine with American Indian, believe it or not. In fact, in most cases "Native American" is probably not a problem, when it comes right down to it, it's just that it identifies you as a white liberal more concerned with etiquette than the actual issues. I'm just a white guy so what do I know about it, but that's my impression of the situation.

3rik · November 01, 2016, 12:22:39 PM

Quote from: ningauble;928208"Native American" is a white liberal thing. From what I've gathered based on reading various things, the preferred term is always the name of fucking tribe whenever possible but other terms that work are Indigenous Americans, First Nations (mostly in Canada), and a surprising number of indigenous are actually fine with American Indian, believe it or not. In fact, in most cases "Native American" is probably not a problem, when it comes right down to it, it's just that it identifies you as a white liberal more concerned with etiquette than the actual issues. I'm just a white guy so what do I know about it, but that's my impression of the situation.

In recent (popular) historical works on the subject I've noticed a return to the term American Indian.

In Mexico IME the preferred word to use is "indígenas" (indigenous people), with "indios" (indians) considered derogatory. This is not a SJW thing. It has been like this for quite some time.

Krimson · November 01, 2016, 12:29:34 PM

Quote from: ningauble;928208"Native American" is a white liberal thing. From what I've gathered based on reading various things, the preferred term is always the name of fucking tribe whenever possible but other terms that work are Indigenous Americans, First Nations (mostly in Canada), and a surprising number of indigenous are actually fine with American Indian, believe it or not. In fact, in most cases "Native American" is probably not a problem, when it comes right down to it, it's just that it identifies you as a white liberal more concerned with etiquette than the actual issues. I'm just a white guy so what do I know about it, but that's my impression of the situation.

Um... no. Native is not exclusively used by white liberals. For reference I live within walking distance of the Tsuu T'ina reserve and serve members of the band every day, and have for years. I had words with management after they had security shadow a long time customer who drops over $300 a week at our store. Also for reference, I live in the riding that was Stephen Harper's. Like his MP office was in the building I have worked in for years. There isn't any place in Canada that is more right wing. Yes rednecks call them Indians but they are also just as likely to refer to them as Natives. What website fed you that information?

ningauble · November 01, 2016, 01:21:10 PM

Quote from: Krimson;928211Um... no. Native is not exclusively used by white liberals. For reference I live within walking distance of the Tsuu T'ina reserve and serve members of the band every day, and have for years. I had words with management after they had security shadow a long time customer who drops over $300 a week at our store. Also for reference, I live in the riding that was Stephen Harper's. Like his MP office was in the building I have worked in for years. There isn't any place in Canada that is more right wing. Yes rednecks call them Indians but they are also just as likely to refer to them as Natives. What website fed you that information?

Look, I'm not trying to get into a pissing contest, I'm putting out there what I've gathered as I do try to follow these issues. I suspect that these things are going to vary from region to region, the custom in Canada may not be the custom in parts of the United States. And of course different individuals are going to have different opinions. If you're interested in web sites perhaps you should follow the link I posted. That is quote from only one individual, but he was (and is) far from the only one.

Necrozius · November 01, 2016, 01:45:45 PM

I'm still yearning for the Straits of Anian guy to make a setting book (based on Pacific Northwest aboriginal myths and peoples)

Narmer · November 01, 2016, 07:35:31 PM

There is Angakkuit which is, from what I gather, Inuit hunting dangerous beasts from folklore and myth..

Lynn · November 02, 2016, 12:15:37 PM

Quote from: Necrozius;928222I'm still yearning for the Straits of Anian guy to make a setting book (based on Pacific Northwest aboriginal myths and peoples)

That's what I have been reading up on recently, both for some background material for my DCC campaign plus for NW based stories. He's got some good ideas there. There are a bunch of tribes in the Pacific Northwest which had some quite unique and interesting cultures.