In Hippies, Indians, and the Fight for Red Power, Sherry L. Smith examined Native American activism during the 1960s and 1970s. In the Introduction, Smith argued that Native American activism sporadically accumulated success over time leading to "meaningful reform of Indian affairs," without one specific polarizing event. In a somewhat contradiction to the idea of a steady build up of popular support and legislative action, Smith indicated that activists employed sensational efforts to garner attention, whether it be a more radical or violent protest, or simply a media ploy. Often subjected to cultural appropriation or incorporation into other political agendas by some of the people seeking to provide support, Native Americans learned
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She credited Stewart Brand's photography (Native Americans) and his catalog promoting Native American items for influencing the counterculture. Smith noted Brand was influenced by One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. In Chapter One, to introduce the hippie culture involvement in the fish-ins, Smith credited Ken Kesey as highly influential in disseminating interest to the counterculture and to mainstream America, his , at minimum, through his book One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, featuring a Native American narrator. Smith stated that Kesey was the "bridge" between the Beat Generation and the hippie culture, and that Gary Snyder brought in a more "sophisticated" element to the counterculture connection. Smith mentioned the Beats connection, but arguably did not give enough credit to Jack Kerouac, Allan Ginsberg. or even Neal Cassady for influencing Kesey, Wright, and thus the counterculture. However, Smith argued, much of the counterculture interest was superficial, simply cultural appropriation. Smith included Peter Coyote's narrative, incorporating Native American culture into his life. Coyote articulated a general issue with counterculture interest, "...the hippies were not a culture; [they] were full of ideas and often half-baked sentiments and work ethics that left the natives uninterested in them in the long term." Smith, to illustrate the point, examined the "Hopi-Hippie …show more content…
For Smith, it represented the decade long history of Native Americans forming coalitions with other non-Indian groups to pursue their own agenda. Smith's stated that while Native American faces were at the forefront of their issues, the "levers of power rested in non-Indian hands." The celebrities, the hippies, the other activist groups, religious groups, the media, all worked in tandem to bring Native American issues to the public consciousness, which in turn escalated legislative and judicial action and reforms. Smith recognized the importance of the media, especially the impact of underground newspapers such as The Barb and The Tribe, and reporters such as Ted Findley in San Francisco, that personally galvanized community awareness and even assistance. There are two specific elements in Smith's history that perhaps warranted chapters on their own but did not fit the flow of the book: 1) The politics of Native American and African American relations: Smith noted throughout the history that African Americans often had a disconnect in understanding Native American agendas, and attempted to tie them to civil rights activism. Also, the impact of militant African American factions on Native American movement. 2) Native American resentment or disapproval of
She credited Stewart Brand's photography (Native Americans) and his catalog promoting Native American items for influencing the counterculture. Smith noted Brand was influenced by One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. In Chapter One, to introduce the hippie culture involvement in the fish-ins, Smith credited Ken Kesey as highly influential in disseminating interest to the counterculture and to mainstream America, his , at minimum, through his book One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, featuring a Native American narrator. Smith stated that Kesey was the "bridge" between the Beat Generation and the hippie culture, and that Gary Snyder brought in a more "sophisticated" element to the counterculture connection. Smith mentioned the Beats connection, but arguably did not give enough credit to Jack Kerouac, Allan Ginsberg. or even Neal Cassady for influencing Kesey, Wright, and thus the counterculture. However, Smith argued, much of the counterculture interest was superficial, simply cultural appropriation. Smith included Peter Coyote's narrative, incorporating Native American culture into his life. Coyote articulated a general issue with counterculture interest, "...the hippies were not a culture; [they] were full of ideas and often half-baked sentiments and work ethics that left the natives uninterested in them in the long term." Smith, to illustrate the point, examined the "Hopi-Hippie …show more content…
For Smith, it represented the decade long history of Native Americans forming coalitions with other non-Indian groups to pursue their own agenda. Smith's stated that while Native American faces were at the forefront of their issues, the "levers of power rested in non-Indian hands." The celebrities, the hippies, the other activist groups, religious groups, the media, all worked in tandem to bring Native American issues to the public consciousness, which in turn escalated legislative and judicial action and reforms. Smith recognized the importance of the media, especially the impact of underground newspapers such as The Barb and The Tribe, and reporters such as Ted Findley in San Francisco, that personally galvanized community awareness and even assistance. There are two specific elements in Smith's history that perhaps warranted chapters on their own but did not fit the flow of the book: 1) The politics of Native American and African American relations: Smith noted throughout the history that African Americans often had a disconnect in understanding Native American agendas, and attempted to tie them to civil rights activism. Also, the impact of militant African American factions on Native American movement. 2) Native American resentment or disapproval of