Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict
Introduction:
Will Reed recounts a cultural misunderstanding that he had with a group of Native American leaders.
This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).
Cultural Customs
Will Reed
Former CRS Mediator, Denver Office
So I was working all around there. I
ended up staying there for about six days and after this festival was over and nobody else got
beaten up, I
headed out. I was getting ready to go. And all the Native American leadership were
sitting in this tee-pee. And I went up to this lady, and I said, "Well it looks like my job's over."
And nobody
said anything. So I said it again, "I'm going." I tapped her on the shoulder. "I'm leaving." I
looked around.
Not being that familiar that much with the culture during those years, I continued to say I'm
leaving and
nobody responded. I thought this must be a cultural thing and I'm missing it. And so I said it
again. This
woman looked up and me and said, "God dammit! We heard you the first time. Why is it that
other
groups of people come around us and figure they got to tell us something fifty times before we
understand
you?" So my eyes got as big as saucers, I thought they were getting ready to attack me. It scared
the hell
out of me. She said, "We heard you, dammit. Get the hell out of here." There was nothing about
thanks
or anything. I was expecting a little of that, too. Just "Get the hell out of here. We heard you the
first
time, dammit." So I got in my car and drove back to Oklahoma City and got a hotel room and
stayed until
eleven o'clock the next morning and went back to Denver.
Sensitivity to the immense needs of humanity brings with it a spontaneous rejection of the arms race, which is incompatible with the all out struggle against hunger, sickness, under-development and illiteracy. -- Pope John Paul II
Featured Links Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict Institute of World Affairs
Other Resources from Beyond Intractability A User's Guide for Third Siders The Third Side concept was developed by William Ury. Third Siders are people who try to see both sides of a conflict and encourage cooperative solutions, fair fights, and decision making that advocates solutions which meet everyone's interests and needs as much as possible.
The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess, Co-Directors and Editors c/o Conflict Information Consortium(Formerly Conflict Research Consortium), University of Colorado Campus Box 580, Boulder, CO 80309 Phone: (303) 492-1635; Fax: (303) 492-2154; Contact