Tag: germany

The #BorderPersonalityDisorder Connection & Extreme #NativeAmerican Hobbyism

sloganSMALLIn the years of my observation and research on Indian hobbyists, whether personally or professionally, there are significant similarities between many of the most extreme in Germany, including their age group. Most often those born 1940-1970 or so, but can include others. As any social scientist can attest, those terrible events of Nazi Germany and WWII also had an effect on German society.

One was a need for escapism, conscious or unconscious, to a lesser or greater degree, and the avid interest and appropriation of other cultures, while still “being German” in their methods and mentalities. This is neither good nor bad, in and of itself. It is simply an after effect, but it does contribute to the sub-culture of Indian hobbyism and non-native “native” spiritualists.

Healthier personality types who more often came from homes with little or no abusive behaviors parentally or environmentally and who had positive reinforcement, may also have natural interest in other cultures but without attempting to “lose themselves” within them. Comparatively, those who grew up receiving frequent personal criticisms, for example, especially with added other stresses or abuses can develop a variety of psychological issues, one of which is borderline personality disorder.

Though having a name and description of the mental issue, behavioral traits aren’t always recognized, so the disorder (like others) can go undiagnosed or be “hidden” by the individual as long as their desires are satisified. When their desires and expectations are not? Behavior can quickly become emotive, extreme and shocking even to those closest to them. It is also frequently directed at those closest to them or those they feel closest to, whether or not having a relationship and/or connection to them (i.e. someone they perceive as a threat to their happiness, such as someone via Internet). In the particular case of hobbyists, native enthusiasts or “pseudo-Indians”, it is when the desire for validation, recognition or acceptance as their chosen culture is thwarted or challenged. Continue reading “The #BorderPersonalityDisorder Connection & Extreme #NativeAmerican Hobbyism”

“Forget Winnetou!” Our #Documentary on #NativeAmericans in Germany, Stereotypes & Reeducating the Resistant

“Whether from novels, non-native historians and so-called native experts, US systematic, institutional racism and white privilege caused the spread of misinformation and misinterpretation of natives around the world. In the US,  native stereotypes and Eurocentric perspectives at times nearly subsumed real natives and their reality. From kindergarten to post-doctoral university, misinformation and skewed history has […]

Collateral Damage: Foreigner Casualties of Germany’s Refugee Policy

fikiThe Problem

Many people have reasons for and against Merkel’s refugee policy, but I have no dispute with the very real need and relevancy of true refugee acceptance policies. War within several places, such as Afghanistan and Syria, have been fomented by a number of western countries for decades. They have covertly and overtly, aided and abetted, happily supplied arms and advisory personnel before installing local figureheads for a variety of reasons for their own benefit. Yet now many of the same ones, both citizens and politicians, are on the concern spectrum from sympathetic to outrage at the overwhelming influx people streaming into Europe or who need help in resettlement because of those ongoing events.

Germany is at the heart of the current situation literally and figuratively, after Merkel threw open Germany’s “doors” without forethought to having adequate systems in place to deal with results. It’s pointless trying guess why it was done without considering that, as a mostly inland country with only a northern coast, refugees would have to cross through others to the reach Germany, the perceived pinnacle of hope, leaving a swath of inadvertent disturbance in their wake. EU neighbors arguably but seriously and deservedly so have become exasperated with that reality, as Germany has latterly hurried to create contingency plans against the majority economic immigrants taking advantage of their offer.

Solutions?

In the scramble, and what is felt the need to cover any Ausländers coming to or in Germany (perhaps) lawmakers and policy pushers have now enacted new strictures or modified ones in place. I say, perhaps, because I don’t have access to copies of the change in guidelines, but many ex-pats are feeling the direct effects as interpreted by the Ausländerbehörde. The immigration office has always generated “horror” stories, with hundreds even thousands of forum threads and discussions of the frustrations caused and dehumanizing treatment by their unsmiling workers whose primary job is to say “No”. If you don’t believe that and/or object to that label, you don’t know German bureaucracy, where technically “Nein” is first reply on most any topic. Continue reading “Collateral Damage: Foreigner Casualties of Germany’s Refugee Policy”

Karl May Museum Reneges on Agreement to Return #NativeAmerican Scalps

Update 2017: The Karl May continue refusing return of all of the remains. They only agreed to return ONE human remains to a tribe. The others they consider themselves caretakers of, and refuse to respect multiple requests to return our relatives for respectful burial. Two years ago I was interviewed by Deutsche Welle TV on […]

#Indigenous #Film Festival 2015 in Rostock #Germany: We’re Back!

We’re excited to announce that we will again we’ll be giving a workshop at this year’s,  “Tage des indigenen Films” (Day of Indigenous Films)  in Rostock, Germany in cooperation with elements e.V. The event lasts from 16-20 November. Our workshop will be on Tuesday the 17th. Films we will specifically review are Disney’s “Pocahantas” (and […]