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National Museum of the American Indian a stunning showcase of history and culture
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Tuesday, September 21, 2004 | Karen MacPherson

Posted on 09/21/2004 12:14:18 PM PDT by Willie Green

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Museum of the American Indian opens today, a spectacular symbol of the cultural and political renaissance of the nation's "first people."

With its sinewy limestone facade and prime spot on the National Mall, the 254,000-square-foot museum is a visually stunning showcase of 10,000 years of American Indian art, history and culture.

More than 500 years after Indians' first, often disastrous contacts with Europeans -- and just a half-century after Congress passed a law trying to "terminate" tribes -- the museum offers American Indians "a prominent place of honor on the nation's front lawn," said W. Richard West, the museum's founding director.

(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: americanindians; archaeology; arealbeeberstuner; clovis; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; history; indians; museum; nativeamericans; preclovis; precolumbian; redskins; smithsonian
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To: Willie Green

politically correct blather. Unfortuante as if this type of mueseum was done with truth as the prime objective, it would be quite illuminating.


21 posted on 09/21/2004 2:28:09 PM PDT by KantianBurke (Am back but just for a short while)
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To: KiloLima
It should be a wonderful day. Can't wait to see it.

Dirtgirl (Apache, Yaqui and Maya ancestry) and Dirtdoggie (Malamute and lord knows what else ancestry) went down to DC for the opening festivities today, as Dirtboy (not a drop of Indian blood in his veins) was stuck at work...

22 posted on 09/21/2004 2:28:32 PM PDT by dirtboy (Kerry could have left 'Nam within a week if Purple Hearts were awarded for shots to the foot.)
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To: Willie Green


"Three inaugural exhibitions further explore the culture, history and spirituality of American Indians. Each of the exhibits focuses on eight different tribes, who have collaborated with museum officials and helped choose objects from the museum's collection to tell their stories."

Why is Indian spirituality ok, but not something like the
ten commandments?

"In the exhibit, visitors learn that the Hupa tribe of California believes that when people die they go to a place where they dance forever. "So when we pray, we ask them to come back and dance with us," Hupa leader Mervin George Sr. states in a quotation on the exhibition wall."

Prayer is schools is outlawed, but prayer in the museum is
ok.


23 posted on 09/21/2004 2:31:16 PM PDT by joelazcr
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To: dirtboy

Hey, can't wait for the report of this festive day!!

However, although Malamute is not one of the indigenous nations of this great land, it is one of my favorite canine breeds.

And, dirtboy, both of us are stuck at work but not working. For shame!


24 posted on 09/21/2004 2:51:32 PM PDT by KiloLima ("...I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic and strong." - GWB, 9-2-04)
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To: KantianBurke

Well, at least you spelled "illuminating" correctly...


25 posted on 09/21/2004 2:53:25 PM PDT by KiloLima ("...I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic and strong." - GWB, 9-2-04)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

And then there were the Navajo code talkers. . . vital to victory in WWII.


26 posted on 09/21/2004 2:54:55 PM PDT by KiloLima ("...I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic and strong." - GWB, 9-2-04)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Or the Navajo Code Talkers in WWII ...


27 posted on 09/21/2004 2:56:03 PM PDT by tanknetter
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Comment #28 Removed by Moderator

To: AroundTheWorldTraveler

Beautiful. Thank you. Look at that body language. Warrior spirit.


29 posted on 09/21/2004 3:12:44 PM PDT by KiloLima ("...I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic and strong." - GWB, 9-2-04)
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Comment #30 Removed by Moderator

To: 2banana
They had never seen a horse, a metal knife, a cart or a plow.

What did we need horses and carts for? We had Canoes, which made a lot of sense, since most of our trade routes were waterways...

They also commonly practiced slavery, genocide and cannibalism against other tribes.

Hmmm... gee. So did many other cultures - including whites. Explain to me how that is relevant?

The Indians sided with the French in the French And Indian War (1753). The indians lost the war.

You make it sound like "Indians" is an all-encompassing thing. As if ALL indian tribes were the same - same language, same culture, same alliances etc... Maybe in your world they are all the same but in that land that we call reality, we find that in actuallity, some tribes were allied with the French, some were Allied with the British. So, you were wrong in that blanket statement.

The Indians sided with the British in the Revolution. The indians lost the war.

Well, considering you were wrong about the alliances during the French and Indian Wars, maybe you'd like to take a moment and rethink this position? This was an issue that was responsible for the breakdown in the Iroqious Confederacy - some tribes sided with the British, and some sided with the Colonials. Oops.

The Indians sided with the British again in the War of 1812. The indians lost the war.

Again - define "The Indians" because I doubt every single indian, nor even close to a majority, sided with teh British during that war. Post proof.

As the Americans moved west, fighting was constant on both sides. The indians lost everytime.

Really? I seem to recall several very prominent instances where the U.S. Army had their asses handed to them by Indians. care to comment?

Now, before you go spouting off biased half-truths, outright lies, and misconseptions about "The Indians", perhaps it would be better if you knew what you were talking about?

31 posted on 09/21/2004 3:52:59 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks (How do you ask a hamster to be the last hamster to die for a mistake?)
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To: AroundTheWorldTraveler

I think if people really looked at the numbers, they'd find that American Indians have not only served this nation - before ever having citizenship, and before ever having the right to vote etc.. - but have served this nation in unbelievable numbers, whether it was as code-talkers, scouts, infantrymen, sailors, Marines, etc...

So what if 500 years ago we didn't have what Europeans would consider a "Written Language" - we had something more precious than that. While the colonists were living under the bootheel of oppression by their Royal British Masters, we Iroqouis were enjoying the fruits of a constitutionally-based representative government... But, since we didn't have "The Wheel", we ain't s**t... ;0)


32 posted on 09/21/2004 3:59:44 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks (How do you ask a hamster to be the last hamster to die for a mistake?)
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To: Chad Fairbanks; 2banana
So, you were wrong in that blanket statement.

Yeah, a pox on your blanket, 2banana!

33 posted on 09/21/2004 4:07:41 PM PDT by KiloLima ("...I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic and strong." - GWB, 9-2-04)
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To: KiloLima; 2banana

Sorry if I'm sounding grouchy - I'm just tired of people using the phrase "The Indians", as if we were all the same, and that what applies to one automatically applies to the other... Nothing is ever that simple.

By the way, 2banana? If you ever get a chance, take a look at the Constitution of the Iroqouis Confederacy - it's well over 500 years old (pre-contact) and is an incredible system - especially for a bunch of stone-agers... ;0)


34 posted on 09/21/2004 4:11:34 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks (How do you ask a hamster to be the last hamster to die for a mistake?)
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To: 2banana
So what's your point? Just about everyone here knows that the Indians lost the war. That was then. This is now. They are getting compensated for their loses with your money. The Casinos are doing just fine.

It's hard to read your post without seeing just a little if not a lot of prejudice. Read what you wrote and think about it.

35 posted on 09/21/2004 4:29:29 PM PDT by fish hawk
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To: Chad Fairbanks

You don't sound grouchy. I was just teasing you about the "blanket statement."

I'm all for the truth. See my previous posts.


36 posted on 09/21/2004 4:30:09 PM PDT by KiloLima ("...I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic and strong." - GWB, 9-2-04)
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Comment #37 Removed by Moderator

To: Chad Fairbanks
So what if 500 years ago we didn't have what Europeans would consider a "Written Language"

Actually the "written language" of Europe was borrowed from Babylon. They did not "develop" it.

On the other hand the tribes of the Americas developed three distinct methods of record keeping, The wampum belts of North America, the hieroglyphics of the Mayan and the quipu of the Inca.

The funniest part was the "had never seen a horse". And Europeans had never seen llama's or turkey or buffalo. What does that have to do with anything?

38 posted on 09/21/2004 5:37:18 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (There is no Chaos. Only very complicated Order. (Presenting Lady Snuggles of the Lethal Yew in PJ's!)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Beats the heck outta me LOL... I guess some people will come up with anything they can use as an excuse to feel superior to others. It's a natural human tendency, like breathing.

Like, how I believe the Iroquois were superior to everyone else (and don't sic yer gramma on me, either, as I'd hate to have to eat her... oh, wait we don't do that anymore...)


39 posted on 09/21/2004 5:41:31 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks (How do you ask a hamster to be the last hamster to die for a mistake?)
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To: 2banana; All

I have a lot of respect for you, 2banana, because I've read your posts.

However, this particular issue is near and dear to my heart and I have to say something.

I'm very glad there is an exhibition devoted to Native Americans. They had, and have, so much to offer but so often we're deaf to what they have to say.

"As the Americans moved west, fighting was constant on both sides. The indians lost everytime."

You're right about that--but the Indians lost b/c the whites had guns. Period. Guns will beat bow & arrow every time.

The Native Americans, the Indians, the First Nations, whatever name we choose to call them --they had, and have, a very proud and beautiful history from which I am grateful to learn.

As a matter of fact, I just spent last week in New Jersey, learning tracking from a man who learned from the Apache scouts (www.trackerschool.com). I met people from all over the place, including plenty of military.

Yes, in the past, there was plenty of brutality--on both sides. Just read about the Sand Creek massacre in Colorado.

I am glad every day that I was born in the United States. And yes, things happened the way that they had to have happened, for the best. I do believe that, because I have faith in the U.S.

But that doesn't mean that we didn't lose something special in refusing to listen and learn to what Native Americans and their traditions have to say.

Okay, enough already--I'll shut up now. :) Take care, everyone. Goodnight.


40 posted on 09/21/2004 5:49:27 PM PDT by proud American in Canada (Oh, by the way -- thanks for the Internet, Al!)
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