The Token of Peace - Sacagawea

Sacagawea

(c.1790-1812 or 1884)

 

Sacagawea is referred to as a legendary figure in the history of the American West. I have heard her name multiple times throughout my education, as well as seen her in exhibits while visiting museums. Although, I have never actually studied or specifically read up on Sacagawea.

 

This article states that she was the daughter of a Shoshone chief, and was initially kidnapped by the Hidatsa when she was ten years old. The Hidatsa brought her back to their village in Missouri. She was then sold and wed to a French Canadian trapper named Toussainit Charbonneau.

 

Sacagawea became legendary for her involvement with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Lewis and Clark were assisted by Sacagawea's and her husband Charbonneau as an interpreter for their expedition in 1804. She also assisted them by providing good word of them to the Natives they met along the way. A famous quote that was found in Clark's  journal states, "a woman with a party of men is a token of peace".

 

The story goes on to state how Sacagawea gave birth to her first child, of whom Clark nicknamed Pompey. She carried the child on a cradleboard as they headed upriver along their journey. The child was then referred to as the "second token of peace".

 

The most significant part of the story was when the group was four months into their journey, and they had reached the navigable limits of Missouri.  The group met with a Shoshone band, with hope of obtaining horses to take across the mountains on their journey. Sacagawea assisted as the interpretor durring this meeting. It turned out that the band was led by her older brother Cameahwait. Instead of joining up with her brother and her people again, Sacagawea chose to continue on with her husband, and  Lewis and Clark.

 

The group seperated on their return journey. Sacagawea and Charbonneau's historical records of their lives become conjectural from that point on.

 

What I found to be extremly interesting about the biography of Sawcagawea was the fact the she was intially kidnapped and wed against her will, but she was able to come across her family again and chose to stay with her husband and the expedition. Why do you think she did this ?? The knowledge, the adventure ??

 

 

 

"Sacagawea." New Perspectives on The West. PBS, 2001. Web. 12 June 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/sacagawea.htm>.



Elder Speaks Red Crow Video

I reviewed the video created of Floyd Red Crow Westerman http://youtu.be/g7cylfQtkDg.  This video, spoken from the voice of an elder (Mr. Westerman), is conveying the perspective of the Native Peoples of North America.  He speaks about the ability his people had to foresee the “coming and going” of America (0:35).  The stages of development that have to be experienced are a purifying and then a renewal stage, he says that renewal is near(0:15).   I have not taken the opportunity to study the Native People of North America but with some of the stereotypes that are portrayed in the media I have always considered them very spiritual people although not religious.  But, when I see this video it makes me wonder how it never crossed my mind that these native people could have foreseen what was to come. 

I am very spiritual and believe in the gift of prophecy so it was refreshing to see a video like this included in the course curriculum.  I think this was included because it addresses some of the stereotypes of associated with Native Americans in the spiritual sense but also it magnifies their belief of living from and protecting the earth in a time where we are openly stripping the earth of Her gifts and resources for monetary gain.  (Queue Micheal Jackson “Earth Song” http://youtu.be/XAi3VTSdTxU also see live performance http://youtu.be/buCdGwH2Efc) 

Mr Westerman also describes our connection to the earth by saying that over 95% of our body is water and how we rely on “good” water to stay healthy (4:11).  He describes the natural water sources as healthy before the invasion of the Europeans and how those sources subsequently became contaminated after their arrival.  He also speaks about our human connection to trees by shared DNA (4:35).  Trees and humans/animals breath in and expel opposite gases therefore providing an even exchange with one another.

The inclusion of this source was a gift and it does a great job of expressing the Native American beliefs that everything on Earth is connected and has a spirit and should be treated as such.  This was a great piece for me to encounter because I share those same beliefs from my exposure to other metaphysical teachings so it does not alter my view of the Native People but further confirms what I believed about them.  They are wise and connected people and not bloodthirsty savages as the Europeans try to portray them as.

Earlier in the post I mentioned Michael Jackson “Earth Song”.  This song comes to mind as I cover the material in this module.  This song was released in 1995 and it was a very memorable song for me.  It was then, at the age of 10, that I realized I had compassion for the earth and could recognize what was being done to disrespect it and the creatures on it.  I apologize if this takes me off-topic, but in this informal setting I thought it would be appropriate to intertwine some of the things the readings bring to mind.

1. (Part 1) Indigenous Native American Prophecy (Elders Speak part 1) http://youtu.be/g7cylfQtkDg 

Module 1 Blog Post- PBS

Rachel Mangels

Professor Nesberg

First Peoples of North America

8 June 2014

Module 1 Blog Post

1)What source did you review and who created it? What perspective do you think it is meant to convey? Provide at least one specific example and citation from the Module 01 online resources to support your opinions.

The source that I reviewed was http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/native/index.html. The website is created and managed by PBS. PBS is an American Public Broadcasting Service and is a non-for-profit network. PBS’s mission statement is “to create content that educates, informs, and inspires…” The primary areas that I reviewed on the website were the pages that detailed the native tribes that had the most significant interactions with Lewis and Clark on their journey across the Western United States. The page about the Blackfeet Tribe for example explains how twenty years of peace and trade with Europeans turned to hostility and bloodshed after tribe members’ interactions with Lewis and Clark and their group- the Corps of Discovery. Based on PBS’ mission statement and the information that I read, I feel that the website is presenting a non-biased perspective with a focus on providing information to educate whoever may be interested in learning more.

2)Why do you think these web resources where selected and put into this course and not others? What makes a quality academic website and do you think the website you reviewed is one? Provide at least one specific example and citation from the Module 01 online resources to support your opinions.

I did not review the entire list of web sources due to simply not having the time, but hopefully reading others’ post will help guide me through the resources I have not reviewed yet. However, based on the information that I did read, I believe that these web resources were selected specifically because of the knowledge that they are able to provide which is an asset to the course. Additionally, they appear to be very factual and worded in a manner that it easy to read making them a great source for both scholars and the public to enjoy. “Indian tribes, among them the nearby Yakimas and more distant Walla Wallas and Nez Perces, made their way to Nixluidix to trade goods for the bounty of Wishram salmon. Locals brought meat, roots and berries, while tribes like the Nez Perces traded animal skins, horses and buffalo meat.” This excerpt is from the story of the Wishram Indians. As is shown from this excerpt the material is easy to understand and dissect >> The Wishram Indians had a lot of fish. Other Indian tribes traveled to a place known as Nixluidix and traded animal skins, horses, and buffalo meat for the fish.

3)Has the information you have read thus far changed, in some way, your view of native communities? Provide at least one specific example and citation from the Module 01 online resources to support your opinions.

Absolutely! That material read on the online source that I have been referencing, in addition to the reading done in the books has definitely helped to widen my previous ideas. I did not realize I was doing it until I started absorbing so much new material, but I realize now that I had the mental image that all Indian tribes looked the same and did all of the same things but happened to live in different places. I now know that the different tribes specialized in different products that they traded, had different languages, and much more. An example of this is shown in my response to Question 2 directly above. Due to specializing in different areas, the natives had established trading locations/periods of time so that they could obtain a variety of products/food items.

The First Secret Agent

(Jurgens)

I watched the video Sitting Bull’s Great Grandson Tells Oral History Film Clip, in this video Ernie LaPointe tells the story of the first secret agent among the Lakota.  (LaPointe)  For me I find it so unsettling that in the troubled times the Natives did not stand together united against their common enemy, the “white man”.  

Ernie LaPointe’s story tells of the time his mother and grandmother (Angeline LaPointe and Standing Holy) met Oscar One Bull on the road when they were traveling.  His mother told him that when the man came up to their wagon she did not know him but her mother did and covered her head with her shawl and refused to look at the man.   She repeatedly told this man that she “never wanted to look upon his face again in this life” and to go away because he had caused the death of her father.  Even though the man denied it she still refused to remove the shawl from her face.  (LaPointe)

After the man left them Ernie’s grandmother explained why she had covered her eyes refusing to look at the man.  It was because he lived in the camp with the Lakota and would relay all of their plans and council meeting information to the Indian Agent, James McLaughlin.  Including the time he was planning to visit Red Cloud with his concerns over the Ghost Dance.  The tale made it seem that by One Bull running off and letting McLaughlin know of his plans caused Sitting Bull’s death shortly after.

One Bull was not only a traitor against his own people the Lakota but he also betrayed his family by telling the plans of his uncle, Sitting Bull.  This lead to the attempted arrest of Sitting Bull and subsequently his death.

 

References

Jurgens, Palmquiest &. Sitting Bull and nephew, One Bull. Library of Congress. Sitting Bull and nephew, One Bull. Washington, 1884. Photograph.

Sitting Bull's Great Grandson Tells Oral History Film Clip . Perf. Ernie LaPointe. 2009. YouTube.