I know lots of Native Americans and have never know any of them to give a gift and give it back...So what's the origins of this term?
2006-08-04 07:22:19 · 6 answers · asked by Donna B 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Let me add that I do know what it means...to take back a gift. I am really just intersted in any story behind where it came form, who said it first, that sort of thing...
2006-08-04 10:13:14 · update #1
It means if you give a gift to someone,you are expecting a gift of equal value if not more in return..
2006-08-04 07:29:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a good question. I always wondered that (I'm Chickasaw) and WE never gave anyone anything it was always TAKEN. Whether it was the US Army or "White Man" but before that the Indian wars between tribes were ruthless (even more then the wars with the 'white people')
Land and people were taken and never given or taken back.
I think it's just one of those saying that was just meant to be mean. Like Hebbie-Jebbies! (which means you have "Jew cooties"... I got into trouble saying that in front of my friends Jewish Grandmother, of course I had no idea that's what it meant until after her lecture)
OH I just thought of something! In American Indian culture if someone gives you something it is customary to give something back to them. I bet 'white' people that this was rude when an Indian gave them something an expected to get something back and saw it was their way of getting stuff. Not realizing that was the way (and still is the way) things are in a traditional home
2006-08-04 14:31:57 · answer #2 · answered by ma_zila 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Native Americans back in the day had a tendency to give gifts to people and then take them back.
2006-08-04 14:27:46 · answer #3 · answered by EvilFairies 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its a distortion made by the us government. they would coerce or trick indians into signing treaties or have unauthorized indians sign away all of the tribes land, then when the tribe tried to take back or keep their land we claimed they were going back on their word, thus indian givers. a true misnomer if there ever was one.
2006-08-06 05:45:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is because early settlers gave Indians land, and then took it back from them. So we were the Indian Givers.
2006-08-04 14:25:55 · answer #5 · answered by holyterrar85 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The U S gov't "gives" Indians their 'own' land, then takes it back. You give to the Indian and then you take it back.
2006-08-04 14:31:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋