Thousands of years before, and leading up to the European “discovery” of the “new world”, people were thriving in communities and tribes all across the land which became known as America. Cities built in stone, villages that traveled with the seasons or herd migrations, ceremonial grounds, sacred lands, vast trade networks, tribal councils, intricate languages were all part of the indigenous peoples who called this home. They were the first to bring a human touch to this land.
Their civilizations and populations were ultimately eradicated and erased from history by the guests who lay claim. History books have been pampered to the latter and to this day, there is a continual discrimination against those who’s genealogical past precedes those who stole possession.
While I cannot change the past or any ancestors’ choices… I do feel that those in the present should at the very least acknowledge, or demand, an accuracy of events to be presented. For everything that I love about this country, there is also a very dark side, of many, which is reprehensible. In the past several years of criss-crossing this land through travels, reading historical markers, visiting ancient dwellings, viewing battle grounds, walking along the Trail of Tears, sites of massacres, and still seeing only a small piece of the overall oppression of millions of people, I don’t believe I can put into words a proper reparation for what has occurred. And sadly, it’s a conflict that is continuing to be waged to this day, swept under the rug by the government and media, by ignorance, or a belief that this is the way it is and always should be.
There’s been a big push in the past few years to make the second Monday of October known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day – as a counter to Columbus Day. I am for this idea, and this is at least a small step in the right direction. We should acknowledge the original stewards of this land and educate ourselves about their fascinating cultures.
I will be sharing photographs and history of a few of these locations over the course of this week. I hope you find it educating and enlightening.
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