kenuchelover Wrote:
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>
> Eh, this is certainly cultural discrimination....
> but I'm not so sure it's mainstream vs Native
> American type discimination.
>
> Fact of the matter, for every Indian who has ever
> worn a bolo there are likely fifty or a hundred
> Whites who have done so.

lol, true. Out here, you can see alot of whites running around wearing bolo ties...sometimes moreso than any native population.

>
> This sounds more like snooty east coast vs the
> "western" two thirds of America.

Possibly though the incidence of bolo ties really depends on area. In Portland, I never really saw many men wear bolo ties.


> Yep. And in this case, I'd suggest he try
> emailing a copy of this article to senators &
> congressmen from western states..... starting with
> Texas! Then send it to the White house, & ask
> the official "presidential" opinion as to whether
> a bolo tie counts as a "real" tie.
>
> What do you want to bet that after a few dozen
> rankings politicos (or western raised corporate
> execs, or western raised alumni of that school)
> call up setting the record straight re bolo
> ties..... that the school would back down.

Considering bolo ties were just as heavily worn at a graduation out on the reservation as regular ties...I do think the school should really back down on this one. I didn't see any of the young men wearing bolo ties to the graduation ceremony getting their diplomas withheld here..Hee hee, you're right about the politicians out here as well...they'd probably be quick to set the issue straight...

>
> Heck, bolo's are the only ties I'll wear! I've
> even got two handed down from my grandfather!
>
> Heh, maybe your family would appreciate the
> weirdness of one bolo tie I picked up at a
> quasi-pawn shop. It's a BEAUTIFULLY made Eagle
> Kachina.... all hand made & impressive looking
> as hell. The "weird" part is that instead of
> being silver & turquoise (which it looks),
> it's made of some type of pewter (??? heavy like
> lead, very soft metal, but never tarnishes???)
> with blue plastic "stones".
>
> I paid $10 for it after disabusing the store owner
> of the notion that he could get away with
> "suggesting" to me that it was silver/turquoise.
>
>
> And if it HAD been real materials, it would easily
> be worth $400 plus..... so what freaks me out is
> that it's obviously handmade. I can't imagine
> anybody putting that much effort into it using el
> cheapo materials.... when $15-$25 worth of decent
> materials would have resulted in a piece worth
> far, far more. Any thoughts?

That is really peculiar. My guess is perhaps the artist who made the piece was too broke to pay for the actual materials and went for cheap replacements instead. It's a shame too because it sounds really wonderful. I've seen some strange things coming from artisans trying to make a buck. For instance, a necklace that seemed to be composed of every broken odd and end in his jeweler's box. Had fetishes, shells, coral, turquoise...so much stuff it was crazy. Including a silver kokopelli to boot. All broken. I guess they do what helps feed them.

Stephanie




In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil.--Ralph Waldo Emerson