Tag berlin events

The Spectacular & Surreal – “Spiel mit der Zeit” Premiere 2023

Red Haircrow

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I’ll keep this short and sweet, as I already shared information about my participation in the updated show in anticipation of, Premiere of “Spiel mit der Zeit” at Friedrichstadt-Palast Berlin on 25 November – Intercultural Cooperation & Positive Change. 

View their website and all information about the show, which is open through January 2024, and how to get your tickets. (LINK)

I was cultural consultant on North American Native American material, and helped write the new dialogue for the main 1800s Old American West characters, and the solo song by “White Dove”. Striking the completely false but widely still believed/taught lie that C*lumbus discovered America was critical. Showing how easy and simple it is to explain why Ind*ander is inappropriate, and never was appropriate, (this isn’t new information or a new complaint), is especially important for young audiences and people, to BREAK the cycle of Eurocentricism and European interpretation of “Others” and actually learn intercultural respect and humility.

This was done is a very tasteful way that fit well into the overall theme I wanted to convey: there were always ones who wished to have peace with Natives or others, who were against slavery also, for example, but it was their largely European peers who insisted on genocide and dehumanization, and which continues around the world….exactly as we see now. We and they MUST correct these deadly, disempowering and dehumanizing behaviors still being normalized.

One of the suggestions I made that wasn’t accepted was updating the type of “Native inspired” song, rhymes and beats used. I provided wonderful examples of “modern” Native music that still incorporated traditional ideas, themes and beliefs, but they stayed with the melody from before. Their choice, of course. Another was regarding the Native costumes, which were changed from the original, more mascot (and objectionable) appearance, very true, but my suggestion of universally recognized, natural based motifs were not. The colors were nice, but….

It’s a good thing the Old West historic scene was first. It would have been very underwhelming if it followed the complex dances, the lighting, the acrobatics, the costumes and personalities presented in the other “historic” scenes, which DID recognizably combine modern beats and costumes with historic accents. I still don’t get where “Neanderthals” are included with “bones in their hair and noses” when this is a stereotype still far more commonly seen in “comic” depictions of Africans or other non-European peoples considered primitive, but…

It is an unforgettable, enjoyable show I would recommend, especially as someone who does not believe in political correctness (a practice created by yt people, especially men anyway), but instead use events, films, books, shows, for discussion and dialogues on how to improve, change and correct. Exactly as Friedrichstadt-Palast made the momentous decision to do, in a Germany in the middle of making bad decisions, repeating very flawed reasonings of the past. Many of us still have hope…

As my companion for the event remarked, however, looking around at the packed house and an audience full of excited children, that at that and this very moment, Germany and much of the west not only are watching, but supporting the deaths of innocent children. And this reminds me of my original purpose, my main purpose in beginning the series of education on stereotypes, racism, colonialism and Indigenous peoples, which in film version started in “Forget Winnetou! Loving in the Wrong Way”. I want to help change the world, to create a better world for ALL children, not just certain children. I’m open to working with anyone, whatever their heredity, background, nationality or belief system, to achieve such a critically important goal any real human being should respect.

To see the cast taking a bow at the end of the show, please visit the short video on YouTube. (LINK)

New date! 14-15 September – Seminar “Becoming and Teaching Human Beings: Critical Indigenous Perspectives”

Red Haircrow 2 Comments

 


New date 14-15 September! Social distancing & quarantine protests despite mass illness from #CoVid19? Minimization/dismissal of high death rates in some groups and ethnicities? Western values of self-interest/self above all else despite causing harm vs. Indigenous perspectives of personal responsibility and collective goodness/awareness.

They are at the heart of the on-going pandemic and economic crisis, even as normalized racism, ableism and aggression are seeing new increases. We will discuss these topics and more, and how we continue healing and correction both individually and societally, to help create a better world for all children.

**NOTE: Continued compliance with any/all updates and public notices regarding Corona protocols will be in place. Date subject to change based on on-going current events.

In cooperation with ISTA – Institut für den Situationsansatz, a two-day seminar is planned titled, “Becoming and Teaching Human Beings: Critical Indigenous Perspectives for School and Society.” It will be given by writer, educator, psychologist and filmmaker Red Haircrow in English and German. 

The seminar is designed not just for teachers or educators, but for anyone interested in these topics. It will include multimedia presentations, resource materials and networking opportunities. German description below.

***Please contact ISTA for details about the event, and to register or submit your interest in the seminar. You are welcome to share this information with your contact. Early registration is welcome as seating will be limited.

Topics for presentation:

“The tendency to ignore the needs of certain groups to represent themselves is a big problem in western society and continues to adversely affect all our children. How can we change this by incorporating accurate Indigenous knowledge and values into our classrooms and societies?

We provide a brief overview of accurate Native American history, contemporary issues and experiences in German schools as a guide in writing curriculum and planning activities. We outline what inclusion, not appropriation, looks like by presenting culturally appropriate examples and resources.

We provide research on the effects of stereotypes and bias towards Native and other peoples. We answer the question, “What is really learned by children when other cultures and peoples are misrepresented and misused?”

We provide a contrast/comparison model of Indigenous worldview and values vs. Western Society/European values. We discuss the effects of these values on things like gender identity and expression, food and living choices, belief systems and the world around us.
We discuss how humanistic, empathetic values were lost, and how this has affected our educational systems and models. Our focus is to (re)discover these values in ourselves and find the best ways to return these values to our classrooms and societies.

We discuss how to incorporate appropriate Indigenous knowledge and “awakened” practices in classrooms and raise awareness on why culturally sensitive curricula and activities are necessary. We will amplify and share Native voices from around the world to encourage critical thinking and decision making by listening to others, not reading rulebooks. We want to make a support system on a journey to create a better world for all children.

Deutsch

Die Tendenz, die Bedürfnisse bestimmter Gruppen zu ignorieren, um sich selbst zu vertreten, ist ein großes Problem in der westlichen Gesellschaft und wirkt sich weiterhin nachteilig auf alle unsere Kinder aus. Wie können wir dies ändern, indem wir genaues indigenes Wissen und Werte in unsere Klassenräume und Gesellschaften integrieren?

Wir bieten Ihnen einen kurzen Überblick über die genaue Geschichte der amerikanischen Ureinwohner, aktuelle Themen und Erfahrungen in deutschen Schulen als Leitfaden in Aktivitäten Lehrplan und Planung zu schreiben. Wir zeigen, wie die Aufnahme, anstatt Aneignung, aussieht. Wir werden kulturell angemessen Beispiele und Ressourcen geben.

Wir bieten Forschung über die Auswirkungen von Stereotypen und Ausrichtung auf Einheimische und anderen Völkern. Wir beantworten wichtige Fragen wie: „Was wird wirklich gelernt, wenn andere Kulturen und Völker falsch dargestellt und missbraucht werden?“ und „Wie falsche Darstellung der indigenen Völker andere Diskriminierung in der Gesellschaft verbinden?“

Wir bieten einen Kontrast / Vergleichsmodell der indigenen Weltanschauung und Werte vs. der westlichen Gesellschaft / Europäische Werte. Wir besprechen die Auswirkungen dieser Werte auf die Geschlechtsidentität und Ausdruck, Lebensmittel und Lebenswahl, Glaubenssysteme unserer Umwelt.

Wir erörtern, wie humanistische einfühlsame Werte verloren wurden, und wie dies unseres Bildungssystem und Gesellschaft betroffen hat. Unser Fokus ist diese Werte in uns selbst (wieder) zu entdecken, und die besten Möglichkeiten zu finden, diese Werte in unseren Klassenzimmern und Gesellschaften zurückzukehren.

Wir besprechen, wie man angemessenes indigenes Wissen und „awakened“ Praktiken in den Klassenzimmern übernimmt, und das Bewusstsein darüber, warum kultursensible Lehrpläne und Aktivitäten notwendig sind. Wir teilen Native Stimmen aus der ganzen Welt um kritisches Denken und Entscheidungsfindung zu fördern, indem sie anderen zuhören anstatt Regelbücher zu lesen. Wir wollen ein Support-Systeme kreieren um eine bessere Welt für alle Kinder zu schaffen.