Date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997 20:59:00 EST

From: Billy Hamilton wjhami01[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MOREHEAD-ST.EDU

Subject: Indian Giver



Brian,



I see what you are saying, but that is not how I have always

understood it. As I understand it, "indian giver" refers to instances in

which the white people tricked Native Americans out of land, by various

means. The Indians often did not understand that they had given up that

land, but still thought it was theirs and attacked the white settlers

moving in. Thus, the white people got mad and said that the Indians were

going back on their deals, when in reality they had been tricked and did

not know it. Thus, "indian giver" refers to someone who gives a person

something and then wants it back. I could be wrong, but that is how I

understand it. It is a term that angers the Native Americans I know and

have encountered, thus I feel that I have not been too far astray in my

understanding of the term.



Billy Hamilton