Editor's Notebook

Page 6

I don't know about you, but I was disturbed to read that some members of the Alexander Reserve staged a "wagon burning" for delegates to the Crime Stoppers International Conference.

The "event" gave the Edmonton Sun a headline that read: "Crime Stoppers Folks Treated To Wagon Burning - Wild West welcome for visitors," and a story that said in part:

"(the delegates) witnessed a mock attack on make-believe settlers by an Indian war party...

"To the delegates delight, the natives, members of the Alexander Indian Reserve, galloped around the settlers' covered wagon and set it on fire.

"Although their costumes, complete with war paint, were authentic, the Indian's riding prowess was less believable - two of the seven braves bit the dust while riding around the wagon.

"'This is just great,' says Henry Jesserer, a delegate from Rochester, New York

and a first-time visitor to Alberta, "This is the greatest spot in the world.'"

It's hard to imagine the kind of logic that would lead this kind of event actually occurring in 1986. It leads to a number of questions.

First of all, it's bad history. Do you recall a single documented wagon burning by Indians in Alberta's history?

It's also bad horsemanship, and whoever fell of deserves whatever embarrassment they suffered.

Most of all, however, it's bad taste, and unfortunate that Indians allowed them-selves to be a part of it.

For years, we've been battling to eliminate the false historical image of Indians as bloodthirsty savages.

For years, we've been striving to project a positive image of Indian people.

We've had school texts pulled for their inaccuracies, taken the mass media to task.

We've used the courts and other methods to end stereotyping and discrimination.

Surely this kind of inane, inaccurate and demeaning depiction of Native people is not fitting for 1986.