Yesterday I had plans to catch the midnight showing of Kill list, but I've been watching a sufficient dose of vids on DVD, a 3 part documentary on the legacy of Crazy Horse called Crazy Horse and his family. Interesting stuff. It makes me want to participate in the Sturgis rally all the more, if only just to check out the Black Hills.
Thinking seriously of breaking in one of my own tees with the head of a condor silk screened on it this year when I make the venture out to South Dakota. I feels so worthless that I actually had a request to do a tee of an Apache Indian from my nephew whose high school mascot is just that, and I said ok with the conditional "but by the time I finish it, you will have already graduated."
I don't need to explain to all the creative minds who may be reading this how important exposure and inspiration is to the creative process. I don't know what to expect by traveling to SD in August, but I'm sure as hell taking my camera.
Now here's the catch. I've always heard native Americans believe cameras can steal their souls. I am the last person who wants to steal, or insult, an American Indian. So the camera will be for landmark purposes. Can I point out something that's been on my mind about the whole savagery Indians seem to be living down? I don't know my history, so it was a surprise to me when I learned about the battle of Little big horn.
Here I thought Indians were a cruel people who killed and mutilated the transplanted Americans aimlessly. The way I read into the documentary vid, however, the recession was taking it's toll in America. I can see rogue military installs breaking treaty and advancing troops, waiting for the natives to make the first strike, therefore justifying a slaughter of a people short of being genocidal.
Now, if you thought I was straying from topic by raising the subject of the Sioux nation, listen to this. You know how heavy metal can be misinterpreted as devil music--what is said, btw, in the prelude to the studio version of the song world painted blood?--I love Slayer. I'm sure you've heard the concept of the victors of war being the writers of history. Or something like that, anyways. It seems to me that the attack of native Americans back in 1876 was wrong, and as much as I would normally see history in the perspective that the government might write it in history books, if Indians were savage devils, then doesn't it seem like heavy metal might have been a government sponsored movement to paint the heathen as an acceptable way of life?
Oh, good news. I finished writing my nephew on his 3 day retreat with the church for his confirmation. Dear God, somebody help that boy if he reads what all I said. I meant good.