On the rez in Oregon
Pendleton, Ore. – We found John Bevis near his horse (pictured) at the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute just east of Pendleton, one of the country’s original Wild West rodeo towns. The institute is the interpretive center for the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes, all of which call the Umatilla Reservation home.
John, whose father was white and mother a member of the Walla Walla tribe, is a sculptor, painter, and musician.
John spoke at length about life on the “rez” – what it was like growing up poor, making his own toys, becoming an active pow-wow participant, and dealing with some of the hard truths about life on reservations – the alcoholism, teen pregnancies, high suicide rates, etc.
John is a sprightly man of 49. In his lifetime he has housed a lot of anger, and he has gotten into his share of trouble, but today he is a man of warmth and kindness. He shook our hands firmly several times as we were parting, and he sauntered off toward his horse, a smile on his face as he prepared for the ride home.
Posted by Elizabeth Armstrong Moore on Monday, September 25th, 2006 | Email This PostThis entry was posted on Monday, September 25th, 2006 at 8:55 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
31 Responses to “On the rez in Oregon”
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September 26th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
When I was 6 my family went on a cross country trip. As a kid, I didn’t really notice the monetary/social strata of the people we met and talked with, but looking back on it, I see it now. Hearing John Bevis and listening to him speak about his past, his experiences, and really just the way in which he told the stores and how he reconciles the modern world with the psuedo spiritualism of pow-wows and hunting really brought back a section of my trip.
Much of our two months were spent in and around the reservations of this country. We went to a pow-wow, and a rodeo, and the mitchel corn palace, but we also stopped in shops where kids were working with their parents, trying to scrape by. One day we saw a family on the side of the road, with a table and some crafts. We stopped, chatted a little, I got a neat little bead turtle necklace, which I have since lost, and I remember a pleasant but tired look on their faces. I’ve always looked back on that and had to wonder, here comes the family in the van, filled with stuffed animals, Yankees hats on…. Were we part of the “love the bead work and spiritualism” folk that John spoke of?
September 27th, 2006 at 7:44 am
I thought the first passage was preety good, i would want to know more about these indian people . As i was lisning to you I learned that public schools are a lot easyer the privite . That would be very fun to get wiped . Got a question would you like get hair cuts alot . Wouldnt you be bald ? anyways i thik that the blog was good .
September 27th, 2006 at 7:45 am
I did not know that native americans are the most raceist group in the world that was surpriseing thats a mind blow uot
September 27th, 2006 at 7:46 am
i think John’s story is very important to know because now people know how they feel about what other people have done to him and knowing what has happened in the past to teach people that its wrong to hate other people becuase of their culture or skin color. I think its sad that he didnt have the money to go buy stuff that he wanted but I think its cool that he tried something else instead of just sitting there and being sad that he couldnt have the stuff he wanted i think john is a very nice person for tell his story thanks john.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:46 am
from the interveiw that we had watch was very interesting,i think that what the man had to say about all those different subjects was very cool.i also thought that it was cool when he had said that he was there when mlkj got assasinated not the part about the assainated but the fact that he was in the time that martin luther was alive and same with all the other people that are well known.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:47 am
hey good work on this video. i understand were your coming from on this. I was surprised and a little sorry about the wipings at your old school and then you moving to a public school and your happiness about not getting wiped at all. i laughed at that. I also thought it was a great job were you mensioned all the indians and the racist things. it was kinda funny and also kind of sad that none of the ndians tribes could get along. Anyways good work on this. i agreed with a lot of your arguments.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:47 am
I liked what you said about the private and public schools because it gives you a good idea on how your school system works i can not belaive they beat you and follow classmates i can not imagin the fear. I also agree with what you said about racism because its not just blacks and whites but it can be in your own tribe, or with people who is your race also. I think that you gave a lot of great advice and perspective of your life thank you for sharing!
September 27th, 2006 at 7:48 am
I never knew that Indians were the most racist people in the world. why didnt u like white people or some other tribes. I allways wanted to know what is was like to be in a tribe,like the ones who lived under those big rock like things with houses that they made.
u should write me back if u want but i would really like u to
September 27th, 2006 at 7:48 am
I learned a lot about this blog and I hope this story is herd by america. So that more people now about Native Americans and what they been through the past 60 years in America. So I hope things chage.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:49 am
I think that your blog was very interesting. After watching your blog i will understand more about the indian culture. I found out that being an indian would mean alot of responsability, having to hunt for your own food. I thought it was sad that you had to make your own food. I hope to hear about more indian facts soon. I hope you can get many viewers to watch your blog, so that people will change their attitudes toward indians.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:51 am
I think your blog about Native Americans was very interesting because
i never would of thught that indians would but there poverty like in a padge were they can tell the white men that they did that to them. I also liked how u talked about how how all indians are not like all just feathered spirtual /naturalism belivers they also are like others who have problems like alcholism and even problems like commiting susicde.
thank u for showing this blog with us it really have gavven me a diffrent perspective about the native americans .
September 27th, 2006 at 7:51 am
Im sorry you don\’t like white people.But i never knew you guys had drunks and drug addicts,and i think your right most people don\’t realize that you have the same problems we do. You are a normal socity and are trying to proserve your coulter.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:52 am
I really enjoyed what you were talking about cause every one and any race has some people that think that they are better and their are people feel the same way you did about white people but my granddad is a Indians and he some what talk about the same stuff you talked about every holiday so i really know werer your coming from when you talk all about the things u talked about and i really enjoyed it all even thow i had all ready new about some of the stuff you were talk about i hope you make some more thing on here some time soon
September 27th, 2006 at 7:55 am
i can under stand a lot of the stuff he talk about. Being an african american and studing slavery and the racism my people had to go throw i have had my moments were i did have that hate for white people but we should not blame them for us being poor we can brake out of that. Lissing to what u had to say it got me thinking about the way i see things and the way have felt about people.
September 27th, 2006 at 11:46 am
I really enjoyed of what you had to say about the videos of how hard it was for you to grow up. It was very interesting of how you made toys! I also enjoyed of what you had to say about racism it told me of what it was like for the Indians.
September 27th, 2006 at 11:50 am
I understand how you used to feel about white men. I think that I would feel the same way if I was in your position. I think that you are very wise though because you also now understand that not all white men are bad. I know that you are probably still mad at the white man because they took your land many years ago and just gav you small reservations to live on.
Thanks for passing your wisdom onto me
September 27th, 2006 at 11:54 am
I really liked how he presented his speech in several sections, it helps you stay on topic on what he is talking about. I enjoyed his talk especially the one about racism because i didn’t know that indians are the most racist people on thee planet, or known to be atleast. I also like how he talked about the private and public schools it really made me learn cause i mean who would have known?
YA-YAH! thats all
September 27th, 2006 at 11:56 am
I really understood what you were saying about the racism, it reminded me a lot of school. When you walk down the halls you see different groups of people the “Goths“ the “preps“ and all the others, and usually you don’t see any of the groups interacting nicely with each other. I think that no matter where you go there is ALWAYS going to be a group that thinks their better then all the rest of the “groups“ and they wont care what you say they are the best, I doubt it will EVER change. And I liked how you said that “Indians are the most racist, they hate other groups and their own“ because that also reminds me of school, some of the “preps“ talk about other “preps“ and it seems that everyone will just hate everybody, no matter what you do they will always think their better. I really enjoyed all of your little conversations but I liked the racism one the most! =)
September 27th, 2006 at 11:57 am
I think he is talking about the poverty we have in the U.S. and the it is better now than it was before. There is war in irag and hurrican katrina, so maybe what he said is going to change.
YA-YAH!
September 27th, 2006 at 11:58 am
I think this video was very interesting and very educational. I really don’t see how wiping could be possible for a punishment and I am very glad that now in this generation if a teacher wiped you its called abuse because I would defiantly hate being abused from a teacher. I also am so happy he actually talked about the cultures and how people would treat people different just because of their culture. I really know what he is coming from with how people make fun of you because of your religion or your culture because I go thought people treating me differently every day because I am Jewish. I seriously think that people are too judgment these days but we will always be judgmental no matter what. I really liked this video and the subjects he talked about.
September 27th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
I never really tout of Indians as racists. I also never new about the hard problems they had. Mainly all I new was that they were the first people in America because at school we never really studied Native Americans from what I could recall mainly I ha d a hard time paying attention in class. In all of my previous classes we would mention Indians but then we would move on to something ells.
September 27th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
I think that it was a good story that was true and to here that you could be wiped at a school I am so happy that I am at cherry creek. When you said that all of the Indians were races. When john said he was poor I thought he had a good idea about when he saw a person have a cool toy he would go home and make is own toy. It sound really said that he was there for Kennedy\’s death and Martin Luther King but before they died he was able to see them do great things. All in all I really enjoy the speech.
September 27th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Mr. Bevis I unstand your fellings about racism because I am handicaped. I would like to bring attention to this issue that I feel strongly!! Tell me how I can help!!
Shannan Williams
September 29th, 2006 at 11:27 am
Again, I was truly moved by this piece. The audio is essential for the simple reason that it acomplishes what several hundred years of domestic policy has not, namely to give voice to the native cause, the native identity. I’m reminded of what Marilyn Manson said in “Bowling for Columbine” when he was asked what he would say to the shooters at Littleton. He said he would say nothing, but rahter listen to them, since apparently no one else ever did.
What Mr. Bevis says is profound in that it can easily serve as a metaphor for the plight of a neglected community. Most of us have never spoken with a native or heard, in their own voice, the cracks, the pauses, and the stamina of this forgotten struggle. Nor have most of us considered that in this oppression we can hear the birth pangs of ressurection. Of hope. Of a new dawn for America’s lost Americans. Thanks for reminding us all of the bloody realities of our past, and hopefully also of the redeeming possibilities of our future.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:40 am
In the audio piece entitled “Growing up Poor” I think Mr. Bevis provides an interesting metaphor with the story of making his own kites. I am trying to resist the platitude of saying some nonsense like, “When life gives you lemons…” But at the same time, some of the most profound moments of my life have come from seeing the improvised imaginative devices of empoverished children. Whether it be the children of Auschwitz and Birkenau, or the children of the slums outside Rio, seeing the artifacts of these children’s collective drive to play at all odds is inspiring to me. They literally dance in the jaws of the dragon. Every day. And the elements of their lack, in their little hands, become the tools of their emotional and spiritual escape.
The poet Jack Gilbert writes, in “A Brief for the Defense”:
“The poor women
at the fountain are laughing together between
the suffering they have known and the awfulness
in their future, smiling and laughing while somebody
in the village is very sick. There is laughter
every day in the terrible streets of Calcutta,
and the women laugh in the cages of Bombay.
If we deny our happiness, resist our satisfaction,
we lessen the importance of their deprivation.
We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,
but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have
the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless
furnace of this world. To make injustice the only
measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.”
Fly your kite, Mr. Bevis. And we will all watch in wonder.
September 30th, 2006 at 11:54 am
This blog was very inspiring to me because me being of black/cherokee/blackfoot/domincan/irish ancestry I can totally understand where he is coming from.
tohindu
October 6th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Great - thank you to John Bevis for being so honest about so many real issues and topics and for sharing his time. Dispelling the mainstream American myths about life on the Rez and being Native American one sentence at a time, with real (honest) history lessons. Excellent.
October 30th, 2006 at 2:29 am
in schools in the west before we mature we want to make our identity known, we want to distinguish ourselves from others, we see divisions, it’s all ego…. death to ego!!,
some grow up and realize we’re all the same, reincarnation means you were probably a different shade of skin in a past life, perhaps you were a horse, or a ladybug or a bat, i pray that one day we will all realize that all beings are equal, even the plants and the rocks, god is not some grey haired dude in the sky, god is everything
i enjoyed hearing this nice man’s voice
December 14th, 2006 at 3:06 pm
the simple life nicole…
I Googled for something completely different, but found your page…and have to say thanks. nice read….
December 16th, 2006 at 11:26 am
Elena…
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Some of them are really interesting…
April 6th, 2007 at 1:24 am
I am part Indian. I don’t look it, I look as white as you can get. When I was younger I would look at my grandfather, my uncles and cousins and never realize I didn’t look like them, never thought about it.
One day when I was in my late twenties I was sitting around drinking with this Indian guy I just met (yep you know how this is going). I we were talking and I was feeling the kinship I always felt around my family. Well this guy started to turn into Mr. Hyde.
When I wasn’t looking he lambasted me in the side of the head knocking me down where he continued to kick me in the head until another man pulled him off me. His reason for his actions was because I was white.
I am now 40 years old and have friends of about every color in the melting pot. I know one thing is for sure. If there is anyone in this country more racist then an old black man it is going to be an Indian.
I still love the people of my GrandFather, but I have learned to be wary.
I enjoyed this blog a great deal, thanks for taking the time to put it out here for other s learn from.