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winglo
Deerslayer
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
July 13 2007
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 Posted - April 04 2008 : 3:55:48 PM
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The recent post regarding Mary Jemison has made me finally get around to asking something I've wondered about for awhile. . .I hope this is the appropriate forum.
Mary was clearly accepted by the Indian culture that abducted her. In fact, they may have abducted her to integrate her into their culture because of the loss of one of their own. Here's what I don't understand, why do we historically see Indians accepting white settlers into their culture (as Hawkeye was accepted by Chingachgook in the movie), integrating them, treating them as their own, but European cultures don't seem to do that much, at all. Historically there aren't many examples of it in North America that I know of (Joseph Brandt, maybe) nor in Europe. Even movies, which may be inaccurate, show characters, such as Squanto, being abducted and used as slaves or entertainment, but clearly thought of as savages. Why is the European culture less accepting of Indians (or any outsiders) while Indian culture is so willing to accept and integrate? I am asking this as one with European heritage because I just don't get it. It's so immoral, amongst other things. Can anyone help me out?
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Monadnock Guide
Council of Elders
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
March 14 2005
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Posted - April 04 2008 : 4:06:42 PM
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| One reason that Indians accepted other "folks" is that many tribes were small and/or rather spread-out. They often fought among themselves, - and being a "low population" culture, losses in battle were hard to replace. Any captives were killed or accepted into the tribe - after awhile as replacements. Recently I've read a couple of books on the trappers in the Rockies, - and some plains tribes didn't take many males captive, they were killed on the spot. Any women & children were taken as slaves. Different tribes living even fairly close together had huge differences in lifestyle and beliefs. |
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Longrifle
Pioneer
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
April 23 2007
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Posted - November 21 2008 : 02:14:05 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by winglo
Here's what I don't understand, why do we historically see Indians accepting white settlers into their culture (as Hawkeye was accepted by Chingachgook in the movie), integrating them, treating them as their own, but European cultures don't seem to do that much, at all. Historically there aren't many examples of it in North America that I know of (Joseph Brandt, maybe) nor in Europe.
I know this is an old post but I want to add a thought.
It's true that it was less likely for whites to accept Indians into their culture but I'm aware of one notable and surprising exeption: Andrew Jackson, usually remembered as a great persecutor of Indians, adopted a Creek orphan boy named Lyncoya after the Creek War. Jackson raised Lyncoya as a son and planned to have him educated at West Point. Unfortunately, Lyncoya died from tuberculosis in 1828, at the age of sixteen.
Perhaps this is evidence that Jackson was less a racist than is usually thought? In any event, it raises some interesting questions about a complex man. |
"I can't say I was ever lost, but I was bewildered once for three days." - Daniel Boone |
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Diane B.
Colonial Militia
USA
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May 19 2002
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Posted - November 21 2008 : 7:31:33 PM
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The life & history of Pocahontas and her relationship with the Europeans should also be mentioned here (and I'm speaking of the "real" Pocahontas, not the fictionalized version portrayed in various cartoons and movies). Pocahontas played a significant role in the history of our country, especially in regards to relations between the Jamestown colonists and the Indians living in Virginia at that time.
As a young woman, Pocahontas moved to a settlement called Henrico, where she became educated in Christianity. Eventually she was baptized and christened Rebecca. On April 5, 1614, Pocahontas was married to John Rolfe, a European colonist & successful tobacco farmer.
Sir Thomas Dale, the leader of the Henrico settlement, made an important voyage back to London in the spring of 1616 to seek further financial support for the Virginia Company. As a sort of colonial "publicity stunt," he took about a dozen Algonquian Indians along with him. Also on this voyage were Pocahontas, her husband and their young son, Thomas. Pocahontas was well received by the King, the royal family & London society; and she even became reacquainted with her old friend, Captain John Smith, whom she had not seen for 8 years. Sadly, Pocahontas would never set foot on Virginia soil again. After a few short months in England, she became gravely ill & passed away at the young age of 22.
BTW, far back in my father's ancestry, my family traces back to Pocahontas. On my mother's side, I understand that her father's mother (or grandmother???) was full-blooded Cherokee. I'm still trying to research of the details but in the meantime, I'm very, very proud of my heritage. Hmmm...I wonder what Pocahontas would have to say about having a distant relation called Rattlesnake Woman...??? 
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Rattlesnake Woman
"The earth does not belong to us; we belong to the earth." - Chief Seattle
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European vs. Indian culture
