There is a lot of talk of mortality going around and before I get to the topic of this post I would like to say that all death is is a thing. All we are is a thing and perhaps I will go more in depth into this in another post. I'm not sure yet but it will probably come after I've compiled my feelings on Occupy Wall Street.
So what is this topic? This topic is the telling of stories and how some stories are never told. I have always found it surprising that while we go to a school that prides itself in being of a high tier that very few people I talk to can tell Torrijos and Colonel Custer apart despite the obvious differences in a Panamanian communist leader who was at odds with the US and a colonel for the US Army that was defeated in an uprising by Native Americans.
Today as I went to pick my brother up from college the large amounts of traffic gave me a lot of time to think why I want to see a history of America done from the perspective of those who "lost" America: The Native Americans. I have to say that there are compelling stories out there and it is interesting how every tribe has it's own culture yet people can't tell Navajo from Iroquois so how is it that we remember all the different political natures in Chinese Civil Wars when we don't remember things that happened on our own continent?
I feel simply that one of the loser stories must be told from how the losers saw it. South America fought Spain for independence and was slapped with the Monroe Doctrine. Africa had bustling trade empires of great wealth that people can't be caught dead remembering. America had the Native Americans who were willing to share land but were ravaged by disease, war and trickery. All of these have the potential for amazing storytelling, all that has to be done is to tell the story and while telling the story find the lessons that can be picked out and taught today so that we may prevent injustice to man.
Hoping you may see where this is coming from,
Mike Hand
Going off the idea of history from a Native American's point of view, I once saw a special on Comedy Central featuring Native American stand-up comedians. Basically, every comedian said "So, how about those Americans taking away our home land. Eh?"
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to see how certain events shape a person's life, even if they weren't alive during the time. How would a story sound from the child who's attempting to live a normal American life in conflict with his parent's traditional ways?
But anyway, I agree that the story should be acknowledged.