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 ...
ping
Way overdue. Amen.
It should be a wonderful day. Can't wait to see it.
The exhibit includes a brief, hard-hitting video, starring American Indian actor Floyd Flavel, that warns viewers that the exhibition "may fly in the face of what you've learned" about American Indians from movies, television and even textbooks.
I can see the political correctness coming a mile away...
Before Indians were running casinos and selling cigarettes tax-free in North America, they were a stone-age people before the "pale face" came. They had not learned to domesticate animals (except dogs), they had no written language, they used only stone tools and they had not even yet invented the wheel.
They had never seen a horse, a metal knife, a cart or a plow.
They also commonly practiced slavery, genocide and cannibalism against other tribes. No matter how many times you watch "Dances with Wolves" and "Pocahontas," it will not change these facts.
In terms of population percentage loss, the worst war we ever fought was King Philip's War in 1675. King Philip was an indian chief (also known as Metacomet) who attacked to oust white settlers from New England. The Indians burned down/destroyed twelve of ninety Puritan towns and attacked forty others (including Providence). The Colonists' population was small in 1688 and a good percentage of that population was killed in the war (with about 1000 slain out of a population of 52,000, this death rate was nearly twice that of the Civil War and more than seven times that of World War II). The Indians lost the war.
The Indians sided with the French in the French And Indian War (1753). The indians lost the war.
The Indians sided with the British in the Revolution. The indians lost the war.
The Indians sided with the British again in the War of 1812. The indians lost the war.
As the Americans moved west, fighting was constant on both sides. The indians lost everytime.
The problem with the Smithsonian is that they include Mexican Indians, South American Indians, and Canadian Indians as "American" Indian history. Those groups have nothing to do with American Indians!
Why don't you visit the museum and then report?
Yes, we know the tribes were killing and enslaving one another, did grisly scalpings and all. Still, there could be something to learn at the museum. Why not?
Well, it's all North America and they were here before Canada, U.S. and Mexico. Nations such as the Crow and the Objibway extend across what is now our northern border.
By the way, the Provincial Museum in Edmonton, Alberta, has a absolutely outstanding exhibit concerning native North Americans. It tells the story from the ice age when the first people arrived in North America, until the present: http://www.pma.edmonton.ab.ca/gallery/peoples/info.htm
"The problem with the Smithsonian is that they include Mexican Indians, South American Indians, and Canadian Indians as "American" Indian history. Those groups have nothing to do with American Indians!"
The quote of Dr. David "Bad Eagle" Yeagley-
"The Smithsonian just opened the new Museum of the American Indian. I utterly dispute the title.
It is the museum of indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, or the Americas. It is not an American Indian museum, but only in part.
Our established historical name, American Indian, is being again swindled from us, usurped by political correctness and racism. It is anti-white, anti-European racism to attempt to associate all peoples of the Americas as one group.
We are not. We are independent peoples, with different native languages, different religions, different cultures.
I completely protest the name of this museum, and its purpose.
Ernest Steven, president of the National Indian Gaming Association said yesterday (in Washington DC) one third of the money for the museum was donated by the Oneida Nation, the Mashantucket-Pequote (Negro club), and the Mohegan Sun casinos, alone. This was approximately $96 million.
Shall we talk about Indian health? Education? Heating bills?
I shall write more on my protest later."
"The Wheel"
"The Written Alphabet"
"Metal Tools"
"Indian Industry"
"Rights are for Everybody"
"Indian Literature"
"I completely protest the name of this museum, and its purpose.
"
OK, that's fine. You're welcome to protest.
But America encompasses more than just the USA. As I said, Canada and Mexico are both part of North America.
Ping!!!
I'm with you.
Remember kennewick Man
Remember Kennewick Man!
I have one thing to say to you:
"Tatonka".
People around here paint with a very broad brush.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.