I was reading about a heat wave coming to the Bay Area and it occurred to me that when I was growing up we almost always encountered some unusual heat in October or November. But we used to call it Indian Summer.
Having caught myself just the other day starting to call a meeting a “powwow,” I found myself reflecting on why it’s called Indian Summer…and whether it’s still called that.
So, I did a little research and found an article that explained why it’s now more correctly referred to as Second Summer.
I find it interesting that I’m having to increase my awareness of terms that are considered disrespectful or even offensive to Indigenous people.
Why? Because despite being one-quarter Native American (one-eighth from both parents), I didn’t grow up feeling Native American. Plus I grew up at a time when cultural sensitivity and awareness were pretty much non-existent.
As children we played cowboys and Indians; we threw up a hand and said “How”; we called one another “Indian giver.” And as young adults we were still saying things like “too many chiefs and not enough Indians”; talking about “circling the wagons” or “holding down the fort”; and describing someone as being “low man on the totem pole.”
It’s sobering to realize how deeply I’ve internalized phrases and comments that seem innocuous but definitely have less than positive connotations.