"I'm sorry, that side of the Cannon Center cafeteria closed 2 minutes ago and you may not go sit by your friends."



While I was reading Kacy's blog, I was reminded that Thanksgiving is great because it reminds me to use a wonderful expression that ought to be much more widely circulated and understood than it is. And Amy June ought to get a nickel every time someone uses it. The expression is: Indian Feather.

Now, I love my Native American brothers and sisters and I mean no disrespect. "Indian" is a politically incorrect term, and wearing Indian feathers on a paper headband to celebrate the first Americans and their contribution to our harvest celebration is not exactly kosher. And let's not forget the enigma of why the LDS church teaches children to pantomime pejorative actions to a song in a minor key and a steady beat about the Lamanites. That doesn't seem very nice to me, and thank you, Dennis, for pointing that out to me a long time ago. I cannot endorse any of that. What I do endorse is the practice of identifying Indian feathers and calling them on it. That said, Indian Feather is the perfect way to describe what an Indian Feather does.

In short, an Indian Feather is someone (who may or may not be wearing aforementioned headgear) who stringently enforces even the lamest of rules.

My Thanksgiving challenge to you, my readers (that means you, Amye, Elinor, ahc and Neil), is to find an opportunity to use "Indian Feather" in context sometime this week and then return and tell us about it, whether you are the Indian feather, or you are Indian featheritized by someone else.

And then mail your nickel to Amy June.

(For my example, see my comment in Kacy's blog.)

Comments

Suzie Petunia said…
Hey there...wait just one minute. I believe IIIII invented the term "Indian Feather". Did I not? Send the nickels THIS WAY! Does anybody want to fight me on that? (10 years does make the memory a bit fuzzy...)

Henry brought home an indian feather headband and brown paper bag indian vest from preschool the other day. I tried it on and had Henry take pictures of me. They will be forthcoming...
November 22, 2005 1:57 AM
Anonymous said…
Of course I wasn't there (because I think I ate in the Cannon Center a total of 3 times my freshman year. . .), but I think that I might have to side with Suzie. After all, she was EMPLOYED at the Cannon Center. Also, I vaguely remember her making her food service hat into a headdress. . .
November 22, 2005 10:58 AM
Anonymous said…
Parenthood has made us all into Indian feathers.
November 22, 2005 1:34 PM
Anonymous said…
If I say that I think that I coined the term, will Suzie think I am a ROTTER? Hee hee remember that fun word? (note:I did not make that one up) Regardless of who coined the expression, the point is that it is a most wonderful adjective when describing just about every parking security guy at the LA airport, and many more people who everyday and in everyway try to usurp their authority. My moment of greatest triumph will come when I hear a complete stranger use the term. That's when I'll know that I have arrived. Sorry that this comment is so long, didn't mean to VENUS you all. hee hee
November 22, 2005 5:46 PM
Anonymous said…
p.s. I just looked through my junk from freshman year and found a picture of the original cannon center indian feathers. Funny huh.
Oh what fun we had.
November 22, 2005 5:52 PM
Emily said…
I'm going to have to go with Amy on this one. I think she did bestow Indian feathers upon us. Someone should ask Bennett. (Did you know they have a baby now!?)
November 22, 2005 9:06 PM
Anonymous said…
All this controversy makes me wish that I had spent more time chillin' in the Cannon Center and less time in the H.B. Lee. I did unearth some photos of "indian feathering" in the library, though. But, I think these are the infamous photos taken with my camera while I wasn't even around. . .

So, are we going with AmyJune on this one? Suzie, do you still want to fight your case?
November 23, 2005 6:58 AM
Anonymous said…
I saw Bennett's baby last week at Stake Conference. He is three days older than mine. He's a cutie.
Oh the memories. We did the strangest things. Who could forget the infamous night in the library Or the night we decided to stay up until 3 being Indian feathers and grinding pretzels into the ground in that community room in John Hall.
November 23, 2005 9:24 AM
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