01/31/2014
Why is voting very important in ANY Native American contests?
These contests may appear to be all about egos and who may
be better than others, but there is a completely different perspective
that most people cannot see.
Would you like to see a Native American Artist, of any sort get
the recognition they deserve? What does that actually mean to the Native
American community? Wouldn't be really cool to see Bird Singers, your
favorite drum group, or favorite traditional dancers performing opening
ceremonies for a big event like The SuperBowl, World Series, or Championship
games on a regular basis? Well, unfortunately, the people who run "big
entertainment" rely COMPLETELY on popularity. How is popularity measured?
Popularity is measured through voting processes. The ONLY way to get into
mainstream entertainment is to show the people who run "big entertainment"
that you are a viable product…….yes, product. They care about money, whereas,
Native Americans greatly care about being recognized. Yes, the two can work together easily because the "want" from both parties is different. We don't want the same thing. They can have the money and all of the evil that comes with it. We want everyone to know that we are here, have always been here, and are not going anywhere. We are just as good as anyone and if it means entering into voting contests that "big entertainment " sees as valuable investment information to
measure one's "worth" then so be it. They can think about their ways of "success" while we think about how we see as successful. They can see us as numbers while we make ourselves known. When we become organized, we become stronger. Organizations such as The Native American Music Awards bring all of the Native's talent into one space , not only in an organized fashion, but in front of notable people in the entertainment industry. It's very important to get the endorsements from these notable people in the industry because it makes what we are doing relevant to society. A perfect example is the greater organization of Pow Wows. The continued support by the organizers, participants, vendors, and spectators help greatly with the unity of Native Nations from all over. These "Contests" are not part of an individual action, It's ALL of them as a whole that keep us from being swept under the rug of society.
So in conclusion, if you are not at all interested in participating as a face in the Native American community, then the least you can do is vote for someone who is working hard to represent your community. For those who choose to participate and disagree with the previous comment's reality about money, well rest assured if you are popular in the entertainment industry you WILL make money. One thing I know for sure from experience is that money NEVER buys happiness.
Sincerely Yours, Tha Native aka Short Dawg Tha Native
