I was fortunate enough to get to attend the museum at Haskell last year with my diversity class in the school of Social Welfare. The exhibits were extremely interesting especially the one regarding the history of Haskell University as a boarding school. There were letters posted from children at the school to their parents asking to go home and telling their families that they miss them. We also walked to the cemetery on the Haskell campus and looked at the many graves of children that had died while they were there of various diseases. I recommend going to the museum because it was a really good experience.
I found it rather interesting that the government demanded these children attend boarding schools but the children were not learning anything of any significance there. They were simply being trained to do jobs that they could not do after leaving those schools anyway. These schools were extremely traumatic for these children and it seemed that they served very little purpose.
Friday, July 11, 2008
My meeting
I thought I would talk a little about Peyote and Native American Church or "NAC". I attended one of the "meetings" a few years back with my boyfriend, now my husband. My husband was rasied NAC and started to attend when he was 3 or 4 years old. He knows and sings Peyote songs.
The reason for this meeting was to pray about a 50 year old man who suddenly couldn't walk anymore and doctors couldn't help.
Meetings do not start till evening, when the sun goes down and ends when the sun comes up in the morning. But the peyote keeps you up so you don't get tired. I personally did not feel anything psychedeclic about the whole experience. Maybe I didn't eat enough Peyote but I think i did. Peyote does not go down well, it does not taste well and makes you want throw up.
I guess the meeting was a sucess because this person is walking today. Other reasons why people put on a meetings is for special occasions such as birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, funerals, people who are sick and etc..
This video that I posted is not a meeting but it is peyote singing. Alot of songs are christian influenced, you can hear them say Jesus Christ in this recording. If you really intrested you can find CD's of peyote songs at Hastings or Borders.
The reason for this meeting was to pray about a 50 year old man who suddenly couldn't walk anymore and doctors couldn't help.
Meetings do not start till evening, when the sun goes down and ends when the sun comes up in the morning. But the peyote keeps you up so you don't get tired. I personally did not feel anything psychedeclic about the whole experience. Maybe I didn't eat enough Peyote but I think i did. Peyote does not go down well, it does not taste well and makes you want throw up.
I guess the meeting was a sucess because this person is walking today. Other reasons why people put on a meetings is for special occasions such as birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, funerals, people who are sick and etc..
This video that I posted is not a meeting but it is peyote singing. Alot of songs are christian influenced, you can hear them say Jesus Christ in this recording. If you really intrested you can find CD's of peyote songs at Hastings or Borders.
Peyote!
I'll be the first to admit that I did not know peyote was specifically associated with the Native American Church, in fact I had never really even heard of the Native American Church before. Where was that segment in social studies class on the "religions of the world" unit? Yet another letdown. I think peyote is really interesting because it is another hot-button issue with the U.S. government. I have heard about many court cases involving peyote use and the question of its legality. Someone's blog today mentioned reservations being soveriegn nations, which I think is such an important point to make-especially in terms of peyote use. I have always thought that peyote use is perfectly legal on reservations because they are "soveriegn" (what a loaded word). Looks to me like yet another way for the government to try and play puppet master with supposedly free and independent Indian Nations.
Athletics + Assimilation
When learning about how much emphasis was placed on athletics at Haskell in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I was not sure how I felt about this. Obviously there were many positive things that came from the success of Haskell athletics, but the very nature of having them seemed weird to me. Whether Native Americans used to hunt and gatherer, practice sedentary agriculture, or a mixture of the two, the main focus of native peoples throughout history was to keep intact their culture and beliefs. Since Americans have had a drastic impact on their culture they now are restricted in their practices. Going from a lifestyle of trying to meet basic needs, to a culture that competes in athletics at an international level shows how much influence Americans have had on their culture. To me this seemed like the last straw, what else can the United States take away or add to their culture? The assimliation that was talked about in the article which talked about schools was also quite amazing. The reference that was made about how the United States even wanted the Native Americans to go by "clock time" rather than "natural time" was mind boggling. I am overwhelmed with how ignorant people can be. Wowzers.
Wounded Knee
By far the most disturbing and eye-opening stories we have talked about in class is the massacre(and yes, I feel confident using that word in this situation) at Wounded Knee. I could not believe the callousness of the U.S. troops in that situation, to open fire on a group of unarmed Indians who are blatantly waving a white flag of mercy. The fact that over 250 women and children were present makes this event all the more savage(oh, how the tables have turned). I was also staggered by the reporter's account of the massacre in the video we watched during class. He was very obviously shaken to the core, amazed at the brutality he witnessed. Even the doctor, who had served during the Civil War, turned ghostly pale. And I have yet to even mention the forlorn silence which fell over that church, the silence that told the whole story.
Schoolin'!
As a future elementary school teacher, I really enjoyed learning about the advent of schools for Native Americans. Despite their horrible central purpose, to remove Indians of their culture, schools were actually really interesting.
Richard Henry Pratt, who was apparently a jerk as well as an educator, got the idea for educating Native Americans from his experience with prisoners in Florida. How strange that an idea for designing a heavily regimented school that strips students of their heritage and individuality came from an implementation used with prisoners. This is terrible. Students clearly are not prisoners and should not be treated as such. I cannot see how a school that separates student from parents for years at a time ever was approved.
Despite all the horrible attempts to "Kill the Indian, Save the Man," providing Native peoples with educational opportunities could have been a great idea. The problem was that the schools focused so heavily on vocational skills and cultural assimilation. I feel if the schools had not been mandatory and so heavily regimented, and also didn't attempt to completely strip the parents of access to their children, they actually could have been very successful. After seeing some of the successful tribal leaders who were products of the school and were able to assist the tribe in legal dealings and such, you would think that parents would be more than happy to send their children to such a school. Unfortunately, the schools sole purpose was to remove the children from their native culture, and education was secondary at best.
Richard Henry Pratt, who was apparently a jerk as well as an educator, got the idea for educating Native Americans from his experience with prisoners in Florida. How strange that an idea for designing a heavily regimented school that strips students of their heritage and individuality came from an implementation used with prisoners. This is terrible. Students clearly are not prisoners and should not be treated as such. I cannot see how a school that separates student from parents for years at a time ever was approved.
Despite all the horrible attempts to "Kill the Indian, Save the Man," providing Native peoples with educational opportunities could have been a great idea. The problem was that the schools focused so heavily on vocational skills and cultural assimilation. I feel if the schools had not been mandatory and so heavily regimented, and also didn't attempt to completely strip the parents of access to their children, they actually could have been very successful. After seeing some of the successful tribal leaders who were products of the school and were able to assist the tribe in legal dealings and such, you would think that parents would be more than happy to send their children to such a school. Unfortunately, the schools sole purpose was to remove the children from their native culture, and education was secondary at best.
What's in a name?
I saw a license plate yesterday that said TGRLILY, obviously referring to the Indian Princess of the Piccanniny tribe in Peter Pan. It got me to thinking about how Native Americans received their names.
At boy scout summer camp a little while ago, they have an Indian based brotherhood called Mic-O-Say. In joining this I had had to perform certain rituals and put through work and at the end of all of it I was officially inducted as a member of the tribe of Mic-O-Say. I could go more into it, but that's not really the point of my post. As part of our trials we had to spend two nights sleeping and meditating out in the forest. At the end, we were supposed to choose our Mic-O-Say name. My name? Swift, Stealthy Cheetah in Nearby Meadow. It's ridiculously long, I know. Most people's names were like, Broken Arrow, Night Star, Standing Oak. Cheetahs are my favorite animal so I decided to go along that route. I decided I might change my name and I got questioned about it quite extensively because apparently, at the end of our meditation, once we realized our purpose in life, we would see a sign, and this sign was an indicator into what our name should be. I didn't realize this at the time. My friend, named himself Deer Hoof, because he woke up in the night and a buck was standing right next to his sleeping bag. This was his sign, consequently his name. I decided to keep the name, but hopefully noone questions my sign too much.
It has me wondering though how real Native Americans choose their names. Is it just something that is passed down through a generation, or do they have similar experiences that lead to their naming?
In class we learned how at the boarding schools, kids would be given an English name and then adopt their father's as a last name. This is revolutionary for me because I sat next to a kid in home-ec who's name is Matt Yellowbird. This must be why Yellowbird was his last name.
And a funny point is that, these obviously aren't even real, because an Indian word for "yellow bird" would not be spelled or pronounced like that. It must be subversely English.
At boy scout summer camp a little while ago, they have an Indian based brotherhood called Mic-O-Say. In joining this I had had to perform certain rituals and put through work and at the end of all of it I was officially inducted as a member of the tribe of Mic-O-Say. I could go more into it, but that's not really the point of my post. As part of our trials we had to spend two nights sleeping and meditating out in the forest. At the end, we were supposed to choose our Mic-O-Say name. My name? Swift, Stealthy Cheetah in Nearby Meadow. It's ridiculously long, I know. Most people's names were like, Broken Arrow, Night Star, Standing Oak. Cheetahs are my favorite animal so I decided to go along that route. I decided I might change my name and I got questioned about it quite extensively because apparently, at the end of our meditation, once we realized our purpose in life, we would see a sign, and this sign was an indicator into what our name should be. I didn't realize this at the time. My friend, named himself Deer Hoof, because he woke up in the night and a buck was standing right next to his sleeping bag. This was his sign, consequently his name. I decided to keep the name, but hopefully noone questions my sign too much.
It has me wondering though how real Native Americans choose their names. Is it just something that is passed down through a generation, or do they have similar experiences that lead to their naming?
In class we learned how at the boarding schools, kids would be given an English name and then adopt their father's as a last name. This is revolutionary for me because I sat next to a kid in home-ec who's name is Matt Yellowbird. This must be why Yellowbird was his last name.
And a funny point is that, these obviously aren't even real, because an Indian word for "yellow bird" would not be spelled or pronounced like that. It must be subversely English.
I was surprised this week to hear about the history of Haskell University. I had heard "rumors" about it but was unaware of how it began and the harsh reality of the students there. I had not realized that it was a boarding school for such a long period of time and was not prepared for the stories I heard about children who tried to escape. In my previous studies of history I have rarely run across stories from this area that were so widely known like the story of the school and the athletes who were trained there.
I also wanted to comment on a portion of the article I presented this week "Schooling the Hopi". It was absolutely amazing to me the different comments made by several agents who scouted out the Hopi people to see if they would be receptive to a school in the area. All of the agents went there with the same objective yet several reported of a civilized people who were intelligent, settled and peaceful, while others criticized everything they had seen in the villages. They said the people were dumb and especially focused on the "immorality" of the Hopi people. Leo Crane commented several times on the impropriety of dress between males and females even as children which makes me curious as to what he dressed his little kids in and why it mattered what the Hopi children were wearing.
I also wanted to comment on a portion of the article I presented this week "Schooling the Hopi". It was absolutely amazing to me the different comments made by several agents who scouted out the Hopi people to see if they would be receptive to a school in the area. All of the agents went there with the same objective yet several reported of a civilized people who were intelligent, settled and peaceful, while others criticized everything they had seen in the villages. They said the people were dumb and especially focused on the "immorality" of the Hopi people. Leo Crane commented several times on the impropriety of dress between males and females even as children which makes me curious as to what he dressed his little kids in and why it mattered what the Hopi children were wearing.
30 days
As we were talking about reservation life, I got to thinking about how life was today on the reservation for Native Americans. In coincidence, FX was showing the T.V. show 30 days, which was created by Morgan Spurlock (the guy who did supersize me). On this particular episode, Morgan spent 30 days on a Navajo Indian reservation that is situated on the four courner region of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and I think Nevada. This show seemed very relvant to what we have been discussing because it shows that life on the reservation is tough and still full of hardships. Many of these people see very little opportunity on the reservation itself, but they are pulled to stay their so that they can remain with their people. They very much seem to live in two worlds. Most have to go off the reservation for work, which to some of the elders is a negative because they feel they should be contributing to the Indian community. It was amazing to see that even though they had been encroached upon by western ideals and products they still were able to maintain their Navajo traditions. They still got together for native ceremonies, and still practiced Navajo rituals. One of the more upsetting aspects of the show was that they were losing their native language because so many were no longer trying to learn it. As said in the show, it is a difficult language to learn, however there were some schools on the res. that specifically targeted the language during their early years of schooling. However, because of the multiple english influences, the students usually lost it by the time they graduated. Also sad to see was the Grandmother. She spoke only Navajo and she lemented on the fact that she could not talk to her grandkids like she wanted. This was a great programm and really eye opening. the Navajo are still fighting the U.S. Government over water rights. Most of the people on the res. do not have running water. There are like 200,000 people on this res! The are fighting with the Govt. because they are not able to build water lines and take the water from rivers that run through the land because the Govt uses it for other lands. Upon learning of this, Morgan asks "isn't the Navajo nation a soveriegn nation?" in which the navajo reply something like "tell that to the Govt." This shows that although we have made some strides, we are a long way away from treating the Native people with the respect they deserve. They are still fighting and in my opinion they shouldn't have to.
Adverse Allotments
Prior to studying the allotment period in our class, my understanding was that allotment was something that would boost assimilation into western culture and wasn't something that had corrupt aspects to it. I was very wrong however and it seems that the allotment periods on many reservations, although aimed with good intentions never fully played out. White settlers craved many of the reservation lands because of their prime agricultural properties with little to no care for the people or culture that they were removing from the land. Anglo settlers did everything they could to cheat and move Indian peoples off their land including illegal grazing practices and stealing allotment claims.
I was also alarmed to learn that another central practice to converting the Natives, namely education, was also very corrupt. Amongst all the segregation and racism, Native numbers at schools started to decline which led to the formation of all white schools on reservation land payed for by Indian money. Its hard to believe that this ideal of allotment with its good intentions of assimilation could go so wrong and have almost the exact opposite effects than intended.
I was also alarmed to learn that another central practice to converting the Natives, namely education, was also very corrupt. Amongst all the segregation and racism, Native numbers at schools started to decline which led to the formation of all white schools on reservation land payed for by Indian money. Its hard to believe that this ideal of allotment with its good intentions of assimilation could go so wrong and have almost the exact opposite effects than intended.
Haskell
I find the evolution of the Indian boarding schools very interesting. Haskell started as a typical Indian boarding school that taught traditional, American, gender roles and had the equivalent of grades 1-5. Increased enrollment led to new curriculum and according to the Haskell website the first typing class taught in Kansas occurred at Haskell in the late 1890's. Haskell evolved into a state accredited high school, then a junior college followed by the University in 1994. Haskell offers free tuition to registered Native American tribes with the payment of required student fees, which are about $315.
Haskell began with the intention of destroying Native culture and assimilating Native children. Children were treated poorly and disease spread easily within the student population. Children were not allowed to speak Native languages or practice any rituals, but the school eventually became the institution it is now, that respects Native culture. Does anybody know at what point did the curriculum at Haskell began to respect Native culture instead of suppressing it? I'm assuming it occurred during the Civil Rights movement, which coincides with the end of the high school and the beginning of the junior college.
Impressed with Bill Cody
I was also really impressed with the Bill Cody story. Mainly because he managed to use indian work not only for his own benefit, but for their benefit as well. While we were talking about it in class, I kept wondering whether Bill Cody did it for the right reasons. Did he know he was giving he natives so much by allowing them to be indians? Or was it all self-driven? Either way I was very impressed with the whole story and I wished we could have learned more about it.
It was one of the few moments during class where there was, for lack of a better phrase, a beacon of hope. Finally the natives were getting a chance to be themselves, even if it was for a performance. It shows how incredibly important their culture and traditions were that they were willing to put them on display for white Americans.
It was one of the few moments during class where there was, for lack of a better phrase, a beacon of hope. Finally the natives were getting a chance to be themselves, even if it was for a performance. It shows how incredibly important their culture and traditions were that they were willing to put them on display for white Americans.
Billy Mills
I thought I might add a bit to the Billy Mills story from class. Mills, an Oglala Lakota, was born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in
After graduation, Mills enlisted with the Marines where he continued his running and in 1964 he made the
Despite all of this, Mills went out with the leaders during the race. He passed through the halfway point (5000meters) faster than he had ever run a 5000meter race before. Despite this, Mills kept up with the leaders and with one lap to go he was one of four men that still had a chance to medal (if you watch the video on youtube, which I highly recommend, all of those other runners are being lapped). With about 300meters to go, Australian Ron Clarke elbowed Mills which knocked him almost out to lane three. Mills regrouped and made a heroic sprint towards the finish, winning in an Olympic record of 28:24.4. Many track and field experts still consider Mills’ victory the greatest upset in Olympic history. To this day, no other American has ever won an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000meters. A year later, Mills set a world record for the 6mile run and retired shortly afterwards.
Besides Mills’ ferocious training (he ran up to 90miles a week), he also maintained a traditional Lakota diet that was based on a 4 day cycle. One day, he ate something from “on the ground” (buffalo, deer, lamb, or beef); the next day “from the water” (fish); the next “from the air” (birds, chicken, or turkey); the next day from “in the ground” (vegetables). Each day, the diet also required foods of five colors: red, green, yellow, brown, and white; and they had to be “live” foods like fruit and grain.
Today, Mills travels the country giving various speeches. He works for Running Strong for American Indian Youth and with Wings of America, which promotes Native American running. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend attending one of his speeches. They are truly inspirational. There is a movie about Mills’ struggles called Running Brave that covers his struggles as a Native American all the way through his Olympic victory. Mills has also written two books, “Lessons of a Lakota” and “Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding”.
(Sorry for such a long post, but I am a huge Billy Mills fan and I find his story truly remarkable and inspiring. I got most of this info from Marc Bloom’s “Run with the Champions”. In the book, Bloom ranks Mills as the 6th greatest American runner ever.)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Personal Experience
This week we talked about clock time versus "natural time." I went to the Navajo reservation with my church to help build a gazebo. It was a lot of fun, but the thing that was hardest to get used to was the fact the people on the reservation really did not care what we did. It was a weird feeling. They would say things like we will start at such and such a time and they would show up like a half hour late.
This goes to show that the schools that we have been talking about in class did not do their job of making the students that went to them to teach others, nor did time and society change the way people felt about time. In Kansas City, there is a program called SNAWS which stands for Sharing Native American Ways Seminar. Some of the people that are invited to this program do not even show up because they just don't have the same idea of time as "main stream" America.
This goes to show that the schools that we have been talking about in class did not do their job of making the students that went to them to teach others, nor did time and society change the way people felt about time. In Kansas City, there is a program called SNAWS which stands for Sharing Native American Ways Seminar. Some of the people that are invited to this program do not even show up because they just don't have the same idea of time as "main stream" America.
Wild West Shows
Before this week, I was well aware of the fact that Wild West Shows existed, and still do to the present. However, what I did not know is the benefits that Bill Cody offered Native Peoples through his shows. By hiring Native Peoples to act in his shows, Cody gave them the opportunity to earn wages and travel the world. The wages earned by working in his shows were considerably better than the stipends offered by the federal government, and travel would have otherwise been out of reach. Travel also introduced Native Peoples to foreign dignitaries, as well as other cultures that they would otherwise have not known.
I found this bit of information about Bill Cody’s Western Shows to be interesting, particularly because of the positive tone. Although, according to an Encyclopædia Britannica online article, Cody ultimately lost all of his money through mismanagement of funds. Despite this apparent downturn, he was still able to help native peoples before he lost his wealth.
I found this bit of information about Bill Cody’s Western Shows to be interesting, particularly because of the positive tone. Although, according to an Encyclopædia Britannica online article, Cody ultimately lost all of his money through mismanagement of funds. Despite this apparent downturn, he was still able to help native peoples before he lost his wealth.
should pay attention to what is around us
I grew up in a town a few miles away from Chilocco Indian School. When I was a teenager, the school was closed. I remember reading about the parents protesting, but I didn't pay much attention. I had Native American classmates and friends. I had ancestors and other relatives with Indian blood. I heard stories about my great great grandfather petitioning the government to prove his Indian bloodline to receive land or payment, but even though I intently listened, the story didn't matter much to me at the time. I wish now I had paid more attention to the stories and the news as it's part of history. The Land Rush took place nearby my hometown, too, and there is a museum commemorating it. There's all this history around my hometown, but it wasn't taught to us in school. We were taught a "whitewashed" view of history. The Union won the Civil War, and then there were ugly Jim Crow laws, but we weren't taught about the lynchings of the innocent. We were taught the Indians were hostile, but not about Sand Creek or Wounded Knee. We were only taught history which portrayed our ancestors in a good, positive, patriotic light.
We should pay attention to the history around us, such as Haskell. How many have visited the museum at Haskell? I know I haven't after 20 years in Lawrence, but I should and will.
Although this post and this comment doesn't directly relate to anything we discussed in class, what I have learned for the past 5 weeks about the mistreatment of Native peoples by Euro-American settlers and the U.S. government is not surprising or shocking, as we knew it occurred, but sad and disturbing. And as you look at history, with Jim Crow laws, and the Civil Rights movement, you wonder why no one learned anything with 150 years of history to gain knowledge from. And as a sidenote, I have read that Billy Mills wasn't always treated nicely during his years at KU, even though he went to high school at Haskell. I hope we have learned better since then.
We should pay attention to the history around us, such as Haskell. How many have visited the museum at Haskell? I know I haven't after 20 years in Lawrence, but I should and will.
Although this post and this comment doesn't directly relate to anything we discussed in class, what I have learned for the past 5 weeks about the mistreatment of Native peoples by Euro-American settlers and the U.S. government is not surprising or shocking, as we knew it occurred, but sad and disturbing. And as you look at history, with Jim Crow laws, and the Civil Rights movement, you wonder why no one learned anything with 150 years of history to gain knowledge from. And as a sidenote, I have read that Billy Mills wasn't always treated nicely during his years at KU, even though he went to high school at Haskell. I hope we have learned better since then.
This week the ghost dance and other “new” native religious movements was one of the big topics of discussion. I just don’t quite understand why the army and white settlers got so riled up about all the different dances. I guess the more “established” things like the peyotism or Smoholla’s message would be troubling for the white simply because it was not at all Christian. There was defiantly no Jesus love there. But why were the many dances such a huge problem? These don’t seem like a set religion, more of a way of expression. The Ghost dance was making a connection to people’s ancestors, and the powwow dances were just community event. Were the whites so paranoid that they thought these mighty savage Indians would scalp them in their sleep after doing these dances?? Seriously, it really makes the settlers out as rather cowardly people.
Also, one of the presentations today was over the Nez Perce tribe. My grandpa was really into westerns and he had this one about Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce trying to escape the reservation/escape to Canada. I guess Chief Joseph was a rather highly respected chief, and I was just wondering if the article mentioned if he was involved early on with the allotment process. I am not really sure if he was even still around by that time, but it would be interesting to know.
Also, one of the presentations today was over the Nez Perce tribe. My grandpa was really into westerns and he had this one about Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce trying to escape the reservation/escape to Canada. I guess Chief Joseph was a rather highly respected chief, and I was just wondering if the article mentioned if he was involved early on with the allotment process. I am not really sure if he was even still around by that time, but it would be interesting to know.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Gold Rush: Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
Growing up in Colorado, we learned all about the Gold Rush. We'd take field trips up to Leadville and Minturn and other old mining towns, walk through the crumbling mines, learn how to panhandle in the creek, etc... At eight years old, it wouldn't have mattered if you told me that we were on sacred Indian burial grounds taken illegally through government trickery and bold-face lies. I mean, this was cool! For years, I thought the Colorado Gold Rush was some romanticized wonderland of every western stereotype; overnight millionaires losing their fortunes in gambling saloons filled with drunks and prostitutes, huge dynamite explosions echo in city streets lined with gunslingers and lawmen. I thought it was like the Wild West on acid, but now I realize I was dead wrong.
Everything about the Gold Rush was a lie. The journalists advertising the discovery of gold were lying; there was no gold under the grass "just waiting to be plucked up." It was scarce, and those that did manage to find it had to work hard to get it. The American Government lied to the native tribes and invaded the territory granted them in treaties. How ironic that these treaties were infringed upon based on faulty reporting. It seems that all parties involved misunderstood the value of the land.
Taking from COverstreet's blog, I would also like to know if the native peoples ever caught on to importance gold held in white society. I know that native cultures were not as materialistic, but could they not have adapted and used America's obsession with the mineral to their own advantage, as the plains tribes did with the horse? How would the history of the west be different if the Lakota and Hunkpapa realized their Black Hills contained something of incalculable value to the white man? Or did they already realize it? Just some ideas.
Everything about the Gold Rush was a lie. The journalists advertising the discovery of gold were lying; there was no gold under the grass "just waiting to be plucked up." It was scarce, and those that did manage to find it had to work hard to get it. The American Government lied to the native tribes and invaded the territory granted them in treaties. How ironic that these treaties were infringed upon based on faulty reporting. It seems that all parties involved misunderstood the value of the land.
Taking from COverstreet's blog, I would also like to know if the native peoples ever caught on to importance gold held in white society. I know that native cultures were not as materialistic, but could they not have adapted and used America's obsession with the mineral to their own advantage, as the plains tribes did with the horse? How would the history of the west be different if the Lakota and Hunkpapa realized their Black Hills contained something of incalculable value to the white man? Or did they already realize it? Just some ideas.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
The Buffalo Are Extinct.
This week in class he learned about the buffalo. The buffalo that used to roam back then are extinct. The buffalo that we have today, are of mixed type of bison. The stories that I heard in history classes was that the Calvary was shooting them left and right. Their reasoning was, "To get rid of the Indian, Shoot the buffalo. Buffalo being the main food and clothing source of the Native American.
Once in awhile I do get ill and have to go to the "walk in clinic" here in Lawrence. I walk inside my doctors office and hanging on the wall is a piece of artwork. This piece of artwork is a drawing of the 1850's era. It shows 3 cowboy men riding on a train through the wide open area of the Plains. They are sticking their heads out of the window, and their having a 'high ol' time', they have on their cowboy hats and in their hands are rifles. While the train is in motion their shooting at these buffalo and killing them. In the background you can see other buffalo lying dead in the wake of their path. This is pretty sad.
Being Native American and knowing what this picture "represents", I am offended and possibly others might be as well. I always intended to write a letter to the office manager and explain that this "picture" is offensive to some of their customers.
This is an example that shows the lack of knowledge that society has of American Indian history.
Once in awhile I do get ill and have to go to the "walk in clinic" here in Lawrence. I walk inside my doctors office and hanging on the wall is a piece of artwork. This piece of artwork is a drawing of the 1850's era. It shows 3 cowboy men riding on a train through the wide open area of the Plains. They are sticking their heads out of the window, and their having a 'high ol' time', they have on their cowboy hats and in their hands are rifles. While the train is in motion their shooting at these buffalo and killing them. In the background you can see other buffalo lying dead in the wake of their path. This is pretty sad.
Being Native American and knowing what this picture "represents", I am offended and possibly others might be as well. I always intended to write a letter to the office manager and explain that this "picture" is offensive to some of their customers.
This is an example that shows the lack of knowledge that society has of American Indian history.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Gold Rush
When thinking back to any class I have taken in my entire life, I don't remember learning anything about the Gold Rush. Whatever I did learn about the Gold Rush but forgot most likely dealt with basics such as what the Gold Rush was and when it occurred. Learning about the impact that the Gold Rush had on the West Coast, the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, and in the Black Hills just makes me sick. So far in this class, this was probably the most interesting thing that I have learned. The impact that the Gold Rush had on natives throughout the country is completely surprising.
The Gold Rush that occurred in Pikes Peak, Colorado which effected the relationships between the United States and Native Americans is another blemish on United States history that will never be forgotten. The massacre that occurred at Sand Creek by Shippington and other U.S. soldiers led to the bad blood between the U.S. and Native Americans. I was surprised that it took this long before Native Americans got the point that the U.S. could not be trusted, but I was glad that they finally came to that conclusion. Whenever I heard that this was the breaking point, I felt happy. I kept wondering when that point was going to come.
The Gold Rush that occurred in Pikes Peak, Colorado which effected the relationships between the United States and Native Americans is another blemish on United States history that will never be forgotten. The massacre that occurred at Sand Creek by Shippington and other U.S. soldiers led to the bad blood between the U.S. and Native Americans. I was surprised that it took this long before Native Americans got the point that the U.S. could not be trusted, but I was glad that they finally came to that conclusion. Whenever I heard that this was the breaking point, I felt happy. I kept wondering when that point was going to come.
Oregon Trail: World's Greatest Game?
Probably the most interesting thing I have learned in this class, is that so much of what I know about native American history is complete bunk! One such example is the video game "Oregon Trail" which we all played in computer class in second grade. The Indians would attack, and if you were lucky, they would kill your brother (if you were unlucky, you had to hope he would fall under the wagon wheel, or succumb to the oh-so classic "You have died of Dysentery"). This is a horrible misconception. Fewer than 350 white settlers were killed while crossing Native lands during the time, and Indians were much more frequently aides than enemies.
Another great example is Custer's Last Stand, or more appropriately, the battle of Little Big Horn. In popular knowledge, poor Custer was nobly doing his duty to his country, when he was viciously attacked by savages! But have no fear, he died with honor, defending his country to the end. This misnomer was just reaffirmed in an E-mail I received last week. Horrible! In reality, Custer attacked during a ceremony and hoped to slaughter an unsuspecting village. Fortunately, justice was on the side of the Lakotas, and they routed him. There is a super neato photo essay in the book on 357 about this!
How did these misnomers begin and why are they so heavily propagated despite their blatant contradiction of historical evidence? I would say the problem originates with our inherently racist society and our 'othering' of Native peoples. Of course Hollywood can take some blame, but they cannot force us to devour films which contradict our morals. No matter how disgraceful, any successful Hollywood endeavor must reflect, on some level, the moral constitution of society. This tells me our society is pretty weak sauce :(
Another great example is Custer's Last Stand, or more appropriately, the battle of Little Big Horn. In popular knowledge, poor Custer was nobly doing his duty to his country, when he was viciously attacked by savages! But have no fear, he died with honor, defending his country to the end. This misnomer was just reaffirmed in an E-mail I received last week. Horrible! In reality, Custer attacked during a ceremony and hoped to slaughter an unsuspecting village. Fortunately, justice was on the side of the Lakotas, and they routed him. There is a super neato photo essay in the book on 357 about this!
How did these misnomers begin and why are they so heavily propagated despite their blatant contradiction of historical evidence? I would say the problem originates with our inherently racist society and our 'othering' of Native peoples. Of course Hollywood can take some blame, but they cannot force us to devour films which contradict our morals. No matter how disgraceful, any successful Hollywood endeavor must reflect, on some level, the moral constitution of society. This tells me our society is pretty weak sauce :(
Media Hype: Continuation on Gold Frenzy
A very interesting point was mentioned about all the Gold Rushes and the amount of death that occurred because of this dash for riches. Another point I want to bring to the table is that of media hype and how it has changed little through out time. The news papers of the 19th century were saying that the gold was leaking out of the ground in the Black Hills, and that you could pick it like a crop and so on... Has our media not changed, and why do we still trust so blindly what the media says. Human nature has a tendency to blow things up and make things/situations seem better than they really are.
I thought this was an interesting tid-bit that would spur some good thinking, and this also goes to show that society rarely learns from its mistakes.
I thought this was an interesting tid-bit that would spur some good thinking, and this also goes to show that society rarely learns from its mistakes.
Plains Peoples
I thought it was interesting hearing about the plains peoples this week. I have heard the term "Sioux" used before to describe the plains Indians, but I didn't realize that there are actually many different people included in the term and is actually a bit of a misnomer.
I also thought that the massacre at of Black Kettle's Cheyenne by the US Army was interesting because I think it highlights the mistrust that the Indians must have felt toward the Americans. After the massacre many of the Indians had to figure that they could never enter into treaties with the Americans and expect them to keep their word.
I also thought that the massacre at of Black Kettle's Cheyenne by the US Army was interesting because I think it highlights the mistrust that the Indians must have felt toward the Americans. After the massacre many of the Indians had to figure that they could never enter into treaties with the Americans and expect them to keep their word.
500 Nations
The most interesting discussions this week for me came from the 500 Nations documentary that we watched during Monday's class. This was very disturbing to me in many ways, especially the opinion I had of white Americans of European descent after leaving the class. Anyway, the stories of Black Kettle and White Antelope were very distressing and also the leader of the Kiowa resistance (I don't remember his name, does anyone else?) The pictures were very haunting, all of them have such sad eyes. I cannot help but wonder what made this alright to the Americans that engaged in activities such as these, especially the buffalo hunters that participated in the murder of buffalo to kill off a people's food source? I would be very interested in watching the whole documentary.
I also began to wonder about the reservation concept and wish that those were explained more in depth.
I also began to wonder about the reservation concept and wish that those were explained more in depth.
Gold Frenzy
Something in this weeks lectures that I thought was interesting was how gold kept being mentioned as a main cause for alot of the violence that existed between indians and white settlers. It seemed like every time a conflict arose between indians and whites it was because white settlers had found gold on indian lands. This just shows how much of an impact socio-economics had on the indian wars of the late 19th century. It also made me wonder if there was any point when the indians became aware of just how much power gold had in white society. Perhaps when they found this out they could have used it as leverage in alot of thier dealings with whites. But, from what we have seen, the whites probably would have been more akin to just kill or displace the indians when they found out about the gold they had available to them. Im sure that the indians did not see as much value in gold as whites, as thier societies were not nearly as materialistic as white societies at the same time.
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