Ever since I was the youngest of lads, I have felt a genuine affinity for the native peoples -- particularly the Lakota Sioux -- who populated this land before the white man came. I used to chalk it up as the over romanticized yearnings of a child and my penchant for pulling for the underdog. In later years, however, as I've immersed myself in learning about Tao, I've begun to realize that my affection for these people goes far deeper than I ever imagined.
While in a later post I will talk about their views on leadership and governance -- two aspects that resonate with me to my core -- I think the chief aspect that has drawn me to them is that they were forced down a singular trail that went against their free internal nature.
When whites first encountered the indigenous people of North America, their Christian eyes didn't allow them to see nor understand the developed civilizations before them. Because the native peoples did not bow down before Jehovah, they were deemed savages. (I've found much congruity between many of the native beliefs and the Taoist perspective.)
Because the Christian ethos sees itself as the pinnacle of human development, this meant that it was the Christian duty of the newly "Christian" nation to save the souls of peoples who neither wanted nor needed to be saved! While there certainly were other variables involved -- greed for natural resources to name one -- Christians took the lead in trying to bring these indigenous sovereign communities to their knees.
Initially, they tried a quasi-peaceful route: evangelizing. This met with little success because the worldviews of the differing cultures simply didn't jibe. So, if they couldn't convince the "savages" voluntarily to change their "evil" and "ungodly" ways, then they should be physically annihilated! At the behest of the paternalistic "Great White Father," the US Army did their best to carry out this mission.
Once the "hostiles" were summarily subdued and lodged on, mainly, the most ill-suited land (i.e., reservations), the remnants of these once-proud peoples again were attacked. However, instead of trying physically to kill them, white Christian society was bent on destroying their cultural identity through such nefarious strategies like forced assimilation.
In far too many instances, white society succeeded. Many natives no longer know their own language nor their long history. And all this was perpetrated because Christian capitalists believe there is only one singular path in life.
Fortunately, people like author Joseph Marshall III are working today to resurrect the memory of the cultures that white America so fervently sought to extinguish. Many of the indigenous of this land are reconnecting with their age-old beliefs and culture. Many of us white folk too are beginning to understand the beauty, majesty and developed nature of their culture.
I think this is wonderful because there are many paths to the ultimate destination, whatever that may be.
While in a later post I will talk about their views on leadership and governance -- two aspects that resonate with me to my core -- I think the chief aspect that has drawn me to them is that they were forced down a singular trail that went against their free internal nature.
When whites first encountered the indigenous people of North America, their Christian eyes didn't allow them to see nor understand the developed civilizations before them. Because the native peoples did not bow down before Jehovah, they were deemed savages. (I've found much congruity between many of the native beliefs and the Taoist perspective.)
Because the Christian ethos sees itself as the pinnacle of human development, this meant that it was the Christian duty of the newly "Christian" nation to save the souls of peoples who neither wanted nor needed to be saved! While there certainly were other variables involved -- greed for natural resources to name one -- Christians took the lead in trying to bring these indigenous sovereign communities to their knees.
Initially, they tried a quasi-peaceful route: evangelizing. This met with little success because the worldviews of the differing cultures simply didn't jibe. So, if they couldn't convince the "savages" voluntarily to change their "evil" and "ungodly" ways, then they should be physically annihilated! At the behest of the paternalistic "Great White Father," the US Army did their best to carry out this mission.
Once the "hostiles" were summarily subdued and lodged on, mainly, the most ill-suited land (i.e., reservations), the remnants of these once-proud peoples again were attacked. However, instead of trying physically to kill them, white Christian society was bent on destroying their cultural identity through such nefarious strategies like forced assimilation.
In far too many instances, white society succeeded. Many natives no longer know their own language nor their long history. And all this was perpetrated because Christian capitalists believe there is only one singular path in life.
Fortunately, people like author Joseph Marshall III are working today to resurrect the memory of the cultures that white America so fervently sought to extinguish. Many of the indigenous of this land are reconnecting with their age-old beliefs and culture. Many of us white folk too are beginning to understand the beauty, majesty and developed nature of their culture.
I think this is wonderful because there are many paths to the ultimate destination, whatever that may be.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are unmoderated, so you can write whatever you want.