Conclusion: Anthros, Indians, and Planetary Reality

Deloria argued that if anthropologists speak critically to the shortcomings of their own society using knowledge derived from tribal peoples, that will signal that something of real value is contained within the tribal context.

“If, however, anthropologists and other social scientists begin to speak critically to the shortcomings of their own society using the knowledge which they claim to have derived from observation of the tribal peoples, that will be a signal that something of real value is contained within the tribal context.”

Deloria argued that as long as anthropology focuses on Indians and other tribal peoples and reports back to its own society about them, there is no respect for tribal peoples.

“As long as anthropology and anthropologists focus on Indians and other tribal peoples and report back to their own society about the quaint and sometimes romantic people they are studying, there is no respect for tribal peoples in spite of the pious disclaimers and pledges of emotional allegiance given by scholars.”