SoapBox
D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim
Support Native artists I also participated in the Indigenous Peoples’ Day of Rage event on Oct. 10 and I appreciate what Riley Neugebauer wrote in the Telegraph opinions Oct. 21. With Native American Heritage Month and Thanksgiving in November, now is the time to finally remove the caricature statue of “The Chief” outside the Toh-Atin Gallery. The Indigenous organizers have done so much to pave the way for increased public awareness of the harm this caricature causes every day in the lives of our Indigenous neighbors. They have asked white folks to use our individual and collective white privilege to once and for all take down this sign of ignorance and discrimination. Representing Indigenous people as a crude mascot perpetuates white beliefs that Native Americans are relics of the past that can be exploited without recognizing the thriving current culture and modern lives of our tribal neighbors, including the Nuuchiu (Ute), Diné (Navajo) and Jicarilla Apache, among others. Not that this would be my preference, but if the owners of Toh-Atin are so attached to an old timey Wild West feel, put up a caricature of a cowboy instead. Caricaturize your own race if you are attached to a “Cowboys and Indians” mentality. Or if their value is around having a Native American draw attention to the artwork inside the gallery, take up the
anonymous donor on their offer to remove “The Chief” and replace it with artwork by Native artists. In terms of brand alignment, the crass “Chief” is in stark juxtaposition to the beautiful artwork inside. The Toh-Atin is not a roadside trading post, it is a classy art gallery with a gorgeous assortment of Native art. The Toh-Atin website highlights the artists in a respectful way. Wouldn’t a beautiful statue by a Native artist outside the gallery draw even more attention by appreciators and collectors of Native American artwork, and thereby increase sales? As it stands, the offensive sign likely turns away many potential shoppers, myself included. Taking actions toward a more inclusive culture and community doesn’t mean defeat; it means winning together. Let’s get out of the “either/or” thinking that if one group achieves success, the other side loses. No! We can all be winners in this together. I encourage the Clarks to take action to heal some of these wounds and help bring our community closer together. Everyone, please talk to your friends, write letters, attend City Council meetings and take a photo at the statue with the hashtag #notyourmascotdurango. – Sandhya Tillotson, Durango
Lights, camera, action There’s quite a bit of nothing to do on a movie sets. Now that there was a tragic shooting death in Santa Fe where bored
staff used live ammunition for target practice with the same gun that took out a young mother/cinematographer, how about having a delivery of ping pong tables and other non-lethal games to all movie sets? The games could be donated to Boys & Girls Club or other organizations afterwards, which is a lot less expen-
sive than civil lawsuits. The loss of a human life followed by mean-spirited comments from lawmakers Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene should be addressed at The Capitol. More horse sense in Wild West settings and less hate all-around would be nice. – Sally Florence, Durango
Where the grass is always greener.
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