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Recently, she asked a 9-year-old girl who arrived in a homemade beaded costume to remove the garment before visiting the homesite, reducing the child to tears and upsetting her mother.

"It was hard, because the last thing on this girl's mind was giving offense; she was trying to 'honor the Indians,' " said Coombs, a 30-year veteran of Plimoth Plantation and a member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag community of Martha's Vineyard. "I did what I had to do for the sake of my staff, and correcting the stereotype."

Such costumes are not tolerated because Native people find them to be a mockery of traditional dress. "We're here to explain how people feel. It makes people feel made fun of," Coombs said.

So, hurting a little girl's feelings is ok but hurting the feelings of adults is not?

I'm pretty sure I can find other places to visit.

Native people my Charlie; land bridge or boat, their ancestors were exotic as we all are.

The offended are their advocates, protectors and overseers, different plantation - same old fields.

Such costumes are not tolerated because Native people find them to be a mockery of traditional dress. "We're here to explain how people feel. It makes people feel made fun of," Coombs said.

I'm sure the girl was wearing the costume in order to make fun of indi.. uhm, I mean the Native Ameri.. er, uh, native peoples. Does that mean that a kid has to dress in authentic garb or don't wear anything at all that might closely resemble native people's clothing? I can only imagine what they're selling in the gift shop. I just hope that it comes with some kind of instructions so that the kids who buy it don't offend someone by wearing it incorrectly.