Ganondagan

                                         Ganondagan

         

     I was particularly interested in the Ganondagan Cultural Resources Center Online (Haudenosaunee) because the source provides information about preserved Iroquois culture. Considering the significance of the tribe i thought to follow their philosophies and ways of life throughout this course. The Ganondagan is a Native American historic site in Ontario County, New York . Location of the largest Seneca village of the 17th century, this site was known to be home to 4500 people living in longhouses. It is the The only ancient Seneca town developed and interpreted in the United States. It is considered to be the most revered landmark to Seneca people and a significant historical site to all Six Iroquois Nations (Haudenosaunee). The Ganondagan and Friends of the Ganondagan oversee the White Corn Project.

I think this link was shared because it gives insightful information about  the Iroquois agriculture and how they cultivate corn, specifically, white corn. They emphasis on corn because corn is very important not only in Iroquois diet but for many people. Through this online source we can see how they have been cultivating corn organically. The corn is hand-planted traditional methods, "we hand-plant our white corn - the same heirloom seed grown at the original 17th century Seneca town - at Ganondagan State Historic Site. In recognition of our relationship with Mother Earth, we do not use chemicals or pesticides."   This is highly beneficial for everyone because lately there have been many campaigns against GMO products that lead to many diseases.  Gabriel Rangel is a Ph.D. candidate in the Biological Sciences in Public Health Program at Harvard University.Gabriel Rangel 's article In 1995 the first pesticide-producing crop was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after rigorous testing  A year later, Bt corn was approved, and now the majority of corn in the U.S. has the Bt toxin gene  Additionally, crops have also been genetically engineered to resist herbicides, making it easier for farmers to control unwanted plants in their fields. Perhaps the most famous herbicide resistant crops are the Roundup Ready or glyphosate-resistant plants. The Ganondagan State Historic Site wants to "expose people to traditional food knowledge because it expands their choices and therefore their power over their own lives. Food knowledge involves not only understanding what foods are appropriate, but why and how they are obtained, grown and processed. "

None the information i reviewed has changed my perception about native american life. I believe native american new how ot live in harmony with nature and  as i discovered through reading Treuer Atlas of the Nations The iroquois were farmers and knew to work the land." This source provides details of how long back do these corn techniques go back to " Iroquois White Corn is traditionally and carefully managed and protected to bring you nutritious corn products from heirloom seeds dating back at least 1,400 years in Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) communities."

 Ganondagan Cultural Resources Center Online

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/from-corgis-to-corn-a-brief-look-at-the-long-history-of-gmo-technology/

Indian-white relations before 1776

I read "Indian-white Relations in North America Before 1776." To prepare for the academic journal block for module 2. This source was interesting to me because America was not a nation yet during the discussed timeframe. In my opinion this work intends to show how the interaction the interaction between native tribes and whites varied by region and time.

 The interaction between the Norse and tribes such as the Thule Eskimos in Greenland and Beothuk Indians in Newfoundland was initially based on peaceful trade but quickly deteriorated into violence and Norse expulsion (Hoxie). European nations increased their exploration and colonization efforts in the Americas shortly after the Norse people ended their native trade practices. English and French traders established relationships with various tribes in the Northeast to exchange metal goods, glass and cloth for furs (Hoxie). European powers used their tribal alliances to aid in colonial expansion and to eliminate neighboring tribes.

I believe that this resource was used because of its ease of reading and its documented interaction between European and Native People across the American Continent. This work includes references to three separate sources allowing for reader verification of topic (Hoxie). Giving the reader the ability to independently read multiple references makes this a quality academic website.

The most surprising information that I found in regard to interactions between Native Tribes and European powers was the practice of supplying arms to some tribes. The Dutch supplied guns and ammunition to the Iroquois in the 1640s and 1650s that led to the destruction of the Petuns, Hurons, Eries, and Neutrals (Hoxie). The French armed their native allies with arms as well to aid in fighting non-allied tribes (Hoxie). I was not aware that European powers armed tribes and am surprised that the decision since I feel that conflict between the Europeans and native tribes was inevitable.

Native and white relations varied throughout the Americas but in the end the majority of Native Americans were killed or displaced as a result of the collision of the different cultures.

                                               

                                                         Work Cited

"Indian-white Relations in North America Before 1776." Encyclopedia of North American Indians, Houghton Mifflin. Ed. Frederick E. Hoxie. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. Credo Reference. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

Sun Dance

I wanted to learn a little bit more about religious and cultural aspects of the tribes regarding why certain ceremonies were important to them.  The voice I am working on is from the Ponca tribe of the Great Plains.  I didn't elaborate much in my initial discussion about their spirituality so I felt it would be good to dig a little deeper in my blog post.

One of the main ceremonies that the tribes in the Great Plains participated in was known as the Sun Dance which is translated to the "sun gazing dance".  "The Sun Dance is a distinctive ceremony that is central to the religious identity of the Indigenous peoples in this area" (Wishart, 2011).  Tribes in the plains would partake in this ceremony in which personal sacrifices would be made in order to establish a connection with family, friends and the spirit realm.  Sacrifices would include fasting (giving up food and water), piercing, and removing parts of flesh from their bodies (Treuer, 2013, p. 120).  They believed that this would cleanse their bodies of any negative thoughts and renew their relationships with all human and non-human beings in the world. 

In the picture above you can see a man participating in the Sun Dance ceremony with piercings through his flesh while attached to a pole.

During the time of European settlement, the US and Canadian government put a ban on tribes from practicing these ceremonies stating that it was more superstitious than religious.  This was just another way for the government to suppress the Indian culture and take control of how they were used to living prior to the new settlement.  Eventually the ban was lifted and tribes were able to practice this ceremony once again.

The purpose of these ceremonies was for tribal members to reach a deeper connection with their mind, body and soul.  They believed that this was the best way to reach a mental and spiritual equilibrium that would benefit other members. 

References:

Treuer, A. (2013). Atlas of Indian Nations: Indian Nations of the Southeast. National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. Print.

Winshart, D. (2011). Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. Sun Dance. Retrieved February 29, 2016 from http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.rel.046

Gold Rush madness

      It’s January in 1848, Southern California, so the weather is mild and inviting.  A man by the name of James Marshall is sitting along the American River and finds gold.  Mass migration and go!  Within 2 years, the California population went from 10,000 to 220,000 (less than 2% female) all looking to strike it rich fast.  But whose land were they going to mine?  In is thought that in the 1700’s the Native population was over 275,000, but after a few years of the famous California Gold Rush it had dwindled to about 16,000 by the 1900’s.  What happen to the Natives that called California home even after the invasion of the Spanish?  Why they were considered to be competitors for the gold in the land, and they were destroyed in masses by the miners in the area or taking in Slavery.                                               

                                              

        “The name of the law sounds benign, but the effect was malign in the extreme degree. Any white person under this law could declare Indians who were simply strolling about, who were not gainfully employed, to be vagrants, and take that charge before a justice of the peace, and a justice of the peace would then have those Indians seized and sold at public auction. And the person who bought them would have their labor for four months without compensation. (James Rawls, historian, PBS)                                                                                                                 

       But that was not enough for the settlers of California because they needed the land.  So they made it a sport, like hunting for deer or bison.  Bring in the body or the scalp and be pay $25.00 for a male, or $5.00 for a women or child. And so the Indian raiders could bring the evidence of their kill in, and receive direct local compensation. Furthermore, the state of California passed legislation authorizing more than a million dollars for the reimbursement of additional expenses that the Indian hunters may have incurred. And then that was passed on eventually to the federal Congress, where Congress passed legislation also authorizing additional federal funds for this purpose. So what we have here in California during the Gold Rush, quite clearly, was a case of genocide, mass murder that was legalized and publicly subsidized. (Rawls, historian, PBS) It wasn’t until after 1900 that this law was repealed.                              

                 

    It is thought that the Kumeyaay Indians who were the largest and strongest of the Southern California tribes dwindled down to less than 1,000 surviving members by the turn of the century.  “Hank Aldama was told to collect a small rock, no larger than his fist, and run as far north, east, south and west as his legs could carry him. This would become the boundaries of the reservation. Decades later, Mr. Aldama would recall with a laugh, “I thought I ran farther than that.”  Jamul Indian Village was established in 1912 for the Kumeyaay in east San Diego Country.  It was a rather small reservation that had no amenities that most people at that time were taking for granted like running water or vehicles to get to work.  It wasn’t 1980 that the reservation received electricity, a mere prior to the United States even recognized the Jamul Indian Village as a Indian Tribe.

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

PBS. The Gold Rush- The Native American Experience. 13 09 2006. document. 28 02 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/sfeature/natives_03.html>.

 

 

References

Indigenous Peoples Literature. 13 05 2012. 29 02 2016. <http://www.indigenouspeople.net/>.

Jamul Indian Village, A Kumeyaay Nation. 2015. 28 02 2016. <http://www.jamulindianvillage.com/>.

PBS. The Gold Rush- The Native American Experience. 13 09 2006. document. 28 02 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/sfeature/natives_03.html>.

 

White Corn Project Sustains the Heart, Mind, and Tradition

Iroquois White Corn

White Corn Project Sustains the Heart, Mind, and Tradition

By: Jeremy Valdes-Riccardi

  For centuries, corn has been a staple crop for countless Natives living in the Americas and at the Ganondagan State Historic site, located in Victor, New York, the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Nation brings this tradition to life through the use of web resources and the Iroquois White Corn Project.

  The project began as the brainchild of Drs. John Mohawk and Yvonne Dion-Buffalo in 1997 as a way of “creating a sustainable market for farmers who could then grow larger quantities of white corn annually; stimulating demand for white corn through the introduction of new dishes and uses; and encouraging greater consumption” of white corn which has been a traditional food staple for the Iroquois nation for countless generations.

  After the deaths of Mohawk and Dion-Buffalo, the project lay dormant until its revitalization by Peter Jemison, manager of the Ganondagan State Historic Site, who eventually moved the project to its current location and established a collaborative effort between the Collective Heritage Institute and local restaurateurs to maintain the tradition and share the history and importance of white corn to the general public.

Corn Braided in the Traditional Style for the Drying Process.

  Iroquois white corn is “a vital food in many Haudenosaunee kitchens across the region” and follows the Iroquois legend and tradition of planting a “Three Sisters Garden” comprised of corn, squash, and beans. The heirloom corn seed grown at the historic site dates back more than 1,400 years and sustained the Seneca people that once lived at the site. The White Corn Project was established to maintain the symbolic importance of the traditional Three Sisters crops while promoting a healthy lifestyle in an effort to integrate tradition into today’s mainstream food trends.

  The project also seeks to create advocacy by exposing Natives and visitors alike to learn and understand the importance of how the crop is obtained, grown, and processed while supporting community agriculture and contemporary trends geared towards promoting healthy food choices and sustainable living.

  The importance and directive of the White Corn Project goes beyond healthy food choices and sustainable agriculture by spreading cultural awareness all while preserving the traditions and history of the crop and how it sustained the Iroquois Nation. By exposing people to the traditional process of growing and harvesting the corn, the traditions and histories of the Iroquois Nation is preserved in the generations that choose to advocate and maintain this tradition.

  The Ganondagan State Historic Site and its website provides a multitude of information and facts regarding art, history, and tradition as well as providing access to the Iroquois White Corn Project and how to become involved. The website provides visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in the history of the Seneca people, and Iroquois Nation, through the use of interactive imagery, videos and documents as well as gaining insight and opportunities to visit this New York landmark and participate in the many events and programs that the historic site has to offer.

  After reviewing the website, and learning more about the historic site and the Iroquois White Corn Project, I have gained a greater appreciation for the history of the people who once lived in New York as well as learning more about the importance of the corn crop, the Three Sisters Legend, and the techniques used to maintain the tradition and legacy of the Iroquois Nation. Advocacy and engaged learning is key to supporting and maintaining the histories of the First People and to ensure that the generations that follow in our footsteps understand and appreciate the rich cultural traditions of the people who thrived in our own backyards.

To learn more about the Iroquois White Corn Project visit their website at: www.iroquoiswhitecorn.org, or you can obtain additional information on the Ganondagan State Historic Site webpage by visiting: www.ganondagan.org.

Module 2 journal

                                                                       

Indian-White relations before 1776

                                                                                                                                                                         Colonization of north america altered the histories of natives but the scope of the change varied drastically from one place to another.The earliest contacts between natives and Europeans was between Beothuk Indians and Norsemen at settlements created by the Norse in Thule Eskimos.At first peaceful trade ensued but violence eventually occurred over disputes and most likely Norse attitudes of superiority.Norse eventually withdrew from America in 15th century (Indian-White relations in North America).Honestly this was something new to men i learned from this article.Originally i ignorantly believed Columbus was the first to make contact with Native Americans but i was wrong.

This departure coincided with Europeans expanding to the Eastern subarctic coast, and the California coast.Native Americans found themselves drawn to European goods but left them exposed and at the mercy of old world diseases.England colonial expansion led to Anglo-French competitions by the 1740's Areas such as the Ohio Valley was a hot spot by speculators for settlements.Areas where many native populations lived.Many native tribes in this area were allied with the French but truly desired to remain independent.By the time the American Revolution happened Native tribes such as several of the Iroquois(including Mohawks and the Seneca's) forged relationships with the British.Relationships they had with the British would eventually grow sour however when new policies issued by the British were placed on the colonies to curb the monarch's debt.These laws centered around taxation mostly and it effected everyone.That and settlers encroachments on Indian land continued for many years throughout the years leading up to the revolution.  .

http://search.credoreference.com.library.esc.edu/content/entry/hmenai/indian_white_relations_in_north_america_before_1776/0

Chief Joseph (My first blog every very late M1)

This Blog is about Chief Joseph.He was born on March 3 1840 in Wallowa Valley Oregon Territory.Joseph was a leading figure in Nez Perce a tribe that lived in the Pacific Northwestern United States. Joseph is known mostly as being responsible for a strategic retreat that he carried out after the killing of a group of white settlers.Arguments suggests tensions erupted after the US government tried to force the Nez to relocate to a reservation of their choosing.Knowing that there would be serious repercussions for the attack which was actually carried out by White Bird another tribal chief Joseph and his band would embark on one of the largest military retreats ever recorded.

what followed was four months on a 1400 mile march that would take the Nez to Canada.On the journey there they won several victories against US forces. Us forces were around tow thousand men 

and Joseph's band only consisted of around two hundred warriors.The retreat however took it's toll on the band after a while. With around forty miles left Joseph surrendered to American forces in 1877 citing starvation and a dramatic loss of men as their reasoning.He spoke in a speech reflecting their journey, the pain of his loyal followers,and of the deaths of fellow chiefs Looking Glass, and Toohoolhoolzote. It is interesting to note that Joseph achieved great fame after the retreat. He was one of the earlier natives to convert to Christianity,and he was nicknamed red napoleon.Following their retreat and surrender Joseph and his people would live in territory in Kansas and Oklahoma.They finally would return to the pacific northwest but not Wallowa Valley which Chief Joseph would never see again.He died in 1904

References

http://www.biography.com/people/chief-joseph-9358227

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/chiefjoseph.htm

 

Museum of Southeast American Indians

Museum of Southeast American Indians

The web resource that I selected is the Museum of the Southeast American Indians.  This source is updated by Tony Wilson and hosted by the University of North Carolina, Pembroke.  The Museum’s website is very comprehensive and informative.  The Museum of Southeast American Indians is intended to allow the university to expand its capacity to address complex historical, cultural, and contemporary issues facing American Indian communities, and more specifically, those Native American communities throughout North Carolina and the entire Southeast.  This is accomplished through cross-disciplinary collaborations with research, service outreach and instruction.

The museum through its website serves to educate and serve the public in areas related to prehistory, history, culture, art and contemporary issues of American Indians, with special emphasis on Native American Indians communities of North Carolina and the American Southeast.  According to their website, the museum also exists to engage in scholarly research; protect and preserve material culture; encourage American Indian artists; and cooperate on a wide range of service projects among other institutions and agencies sharing a common interest and concern for American Indians.

After researching the museum and their website, it was interesting to see and hear some of the realistic testimonials and information, including artwork, archaeological information and artifacts supporting Native American heritage and culture.  The website contains a wide variety of information on archaeology of southeastern North Carolina; Native American health issues; Native American history as well as contemporary issues.

In going through the information contained on the website, it was interesting to hear the Native American teachers, more specifically, teachers who are members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, telling their stories of years and years of education and cultural awareness among Native American students. I have never really had the opportunity to fully understand the care concern that Native Americans have for one another within their tribes.  For example, The Museum of the Southeast American Indian website videos of these teachers interviews (see link below) express their commitment to the success of each and every student, and having a positive impact on the lives of each one, regardless of their capabilities.  There was a strong commitment toward making a difference in their student’s lives, and it was not as much about the money as it was about enriching the lives of students.  I could not help but compare this to non-Native American educational experiences, and I think non-Native teachers and administration could learn a lot from our Native American neighbors. 

http://www.uncp.edu/academics/opportunities-programs-resources/opportunities-programs/museum-southeast-american-indian/telling-our-stories-new-film

Overall, I think the perspective that the Museum of Southeast American Indians website is intended to convey, is that Native Americans, and in particular those tribes of North Carolina are still here, and that they are a proud and loving people, with challenges similar to those faced by non-Native American people.  There were a number of videoed interviews with leaders of the various tribes, these interviews gave me a lasting impression of just how similar some of the social, economical and other challenges that we all face in life, and how we address those challenges.  And most importantly, it helped me better understand just how much non-Native Americans have to learn about historical cultures of our Native American neighbors. 

The resources on the website help viewers understand that Native Americans are still here, and that they never left.  Equally as important, the site provides information on the real challenges that tribes faced when being forced off their land, and how they have rebuilt to resemble a way of living.  Activities in the community such as pow wows are one way of sharing cultures and heritage, and by opening these events to the public there is a great educational component.  This is an opportunity for all independent communities within the tribes to all come together.  Based on the information on the Museum of Southeast American Indians website, there is a lot on information to help not only forge a more informed understanding, but to help preserve Native American cultural geography, and material culture, that without institutions and resources such as this website might otherwise remain in the shadows of society.

This Museum of Southeast American Indians website also gives a clear perspective on how proud Native Americans are of their heritage, and rightfully so.  There is an open expression of who Native Americans are and what they have always represented throughout history up to modern day.  There is no longer a fear of announcing that you are Native American, and the website is a resource for conveying this rich traditions and way of life.  Much like non-Native societies, issues such as aging demographic, poverty, housing assistance, education, all exist in Native American tribal life.  What I also found interesting on the website is that many of the Native American initiatives to address the above issues are graciously extended to non-Native citizens as well.

In summary, some key perspectives that the Museum of Southeast American Indians website provides are that Native Americans are proud of their heritage and culture, and are committed to protecting it in the future.  This culture is alive and well, and always has been.  There are great similarities that Native Americans and non-Native people share in today’s society, as well as historically.  Native Americans wish to work together with the Commission of Indian Affairs to improve the environment, and preserve natural resources.  Through resources such as the Museum of Southeast American Indians, Native Americans wish to educate on material culture and history with a rich variety of historical material items, and art that express spiritual and traditional heritage of Native American Indians.  Perhaps the strongest perspective gained through the museum and this web resource is the message that Native Americans are the people, people of the first nations, still strong and growing, living in the heart of traditions left by ancestors, a fire still burning to be carried forth for future generations, and most importantly, they have been here throughout all time.

References:

Wilson,Tony. Museum of Southeast American Indians. University of North Carolina, Pembroke. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.