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One of the numerous problems contemporary Indians, or, rather, Native Americans, face is that of public misperceptions. For years Native Americans have been depicted in films and books and newspaper articles in positive or negative ways and the creation of these images have largely been outside of their control. Sometimes they are presented as noble savages uncontaminated by civilization and living in a state of natural happiness; sometimes they are barbarians and savages who can only be saved by European culture. These same images of Native Americans have become established in Poland - also through books and movies - and have little in common with the rich and varied cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The journal "TAWACIN" (a Sioux word meaning "will", "wisdom," or "cognition") came into being in the fall of 1985 in Poznan, Poland. It was founded by memebers of the Polish American Indians Friends movement. Since 1992 the journal has been published quarterly. The goal of TAWACIN is to make its readers acquainted with more honest and accurate images of contemporary Indians. To do so, we let Indians write about themselves as much as possible. In every issue you will find articles about different aspects of Native cultures, histories and spirituality. We are especially interested in work that examines the situation of contemporary Indians. There are also accounts of journeys through Indian Country which often reveals the tragic state of Indians today. In addition, the articles in each issue are accompanied by photographs of Native Americans, their land, and their art. Marek Maciolek
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