The more things change...

There is another new blog on indigenous peoples that started at the end of December 2011, just like TK Totem. Now as TK Totem is trying to get the word out about itself, and let people know it’s here, some people might think it is a bit mad to highlight another indigenous rights blog. I myself do not see blogs in competition—and at any rate, I would be remiss not to shout out about the blog at www.LastRealIndians.com.

It is filled with dynamic posts, fresh points of view, and well-written perspectives. One post in particular caught my eye, and that was the one about “Vine and the Divine.” The blogger, Denny Gayton, discusses the worth of the work of the late Vine Deloria, Jr. There is very little I can add to what has been written; only to say that if you are not familiar with Vine Deloria, Jr and his work, and if you have an interest in indigenous rights, you cannot afford to overlook his work.

I have a well-worn copy of “Behind the Trail of Broken Treaties: An Indian Declaration of Independence” ( at this link here) on my desk. The concluding chapter discusses the importance of reinstating a treaty process between the indigenous peoples in the United States and the United States government. His arguments for the need for this resonate with the arguments being made by the Corroboree for Sovereignty group in Australia ( the subject of this blog post).

“Behind the Trail of Broken Treaties” was written in 1974. A great deal has changed since then—but a number of issues still persist as well—as shown by the parallels that can be drawn from Vine Deloria’s arguments and the current position of the Corroboree for Sovereignty.

Written by Sarah Sargent.