Scholars seek site of 1540 battle

The Birmingham News ^ | Sunday, October 01, 2006 | THOMAS SPENCER

[Condor 63]

It was the bloodiest battle ever fought between Europeans and Native Americans on North American soil. It changed the course of history. And yet, after more than a century of theories, research and argument, the path of Spanish conquistador Hernando De Soto and the site of his watershed battle at Mabila remain mysteries buried somewhere in Alabama soil.

During a conference that ends today at the University of Alabama, a team of folklorists and historians, archaeologists and linguists, geographers and geologists are once more poring over the evidence. They're using new technology and new insights in hopes of pinning down the likely location of the battle that involved De Soto's army, the towering Indian Chief Tascaluza and the Indians of Mabila.

[raybbr]

ping

[avile]

"Native Americans"

No, American Indians. I refuse to use Owellian ,liberal Newspeak.

[the final gentleman]

Right, avile, Native Americans don't like the term "Native Americans", but the sensitive socialists on the left, know best. But like it or not, namby-pamby academia has decided that that is exactly what they are.

["We seek a less competitive and argumentative approach, trying to come to a consensus," said Vernon J. Knight, a UA anthropologist and one of the conference organizers.]

Good idea, Vernon J., maybe you scientist can average out a compromised location for the battle...oh, what the heck, put it in Mississippi, they need the tourist trade more than Alabama.

[N. Theknow]

the towering Indian Chief Tascaluza and the Indians of Mabila.

Where did the Native Americans go? Indians must have displaced them doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn't do.

[billorites]

[RobbyS]

Right, Indians use "Indians." BTW, I have never understood why they never used the term "aborigines " which doesn't have a double meaning. They tried "Amerind" but it didn't catch on, maybe because it is am ugly neologism.

[RobbyS]

Even I object to this. Color him copper. You can leave the feather red.

[blam]

Scholars Study Lost City Of Mabilia At UA

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

No, American Indians. I refuse to use Owellian ,liberal Newspeak.

Beat the PCers at their own game; I call them "Siberian Americans"

[Wonder Warthog]

"Beat the PCers at their own game; I call them "Siberian Americans""

Ah, a GREAT term. Totally accurate, historical, and all that.

AFAIC, there either are NO "native Americans" (in the sense of having evolved on the American continents), or anybody born here is a "native American". But "Siberian American" is correct in either case.