28 May 2008

A NATIVE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE: White War on the Native Population, Interpretation, Commemoration and Re-enactment.

What ever you might think of America Politically and Military wise in our contemporary times, personally I rebuke America's Military Imperialism from Vietnam to Iraq. However, I must remain mindful of all the young American men who gave up their lives in World War I and II, the latter as far as I am concerned being particularly rightous. However, far from rightous was America's internal war against the native population from first Colonies to expanding Frontiers, to final bloody confrontations on the plains, in South West and on the West Coast. There is a story of an unfolding tradgety already told well in books as BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE by Dee Brown, up to publication of this book and the activism of the American Indian Movement the native story was largelly an untold one or worse told from the one sided view of those who came to conquer and colonise.
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However, in recent years much has changed and the Native American story is being all the better told; preserved, protected and preserved. Wales please note, not least those as the WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT, RCAHMW, CADW, National Trust, Civic Trust, National Parks, Forestry Commision, and oh yes! VISIT WALES, the new tourism body for Wales. None of whom can it seems remember how to spell the word B.A.T.T.L.E, that's right 'BATTLE' (certainly not Welsh Battlefield, particularly if it's a medieval one) or should that in their case be spelt B.O.T.T.L.E, that's right 'BOTTLE' but they do not seem to have much of that either by the way they are all avoiding a BATTLE ON ISSUE OF WELSH BATTLEFIELDS? A battle with who? Me! You! or maybe their paymasters at WAG or further afield???
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Anyway back to America In other areas not least History preservation and promotion they are today excellent in their ''Cultural Correctness'' concerning Native American History. America being such an huge country with an huge history, at both National, States, Local plus Native American level, there is an huge number of useful websites worth visiting regards Military History and Battlefields. Far too many for me to list here, so do google search yourselves by typing in such as: NATIONAL INDIAN WARS ASSOCIATION and not least individual Native American Tribal websites and on spec trust to google and simply enter Native American/Indian Wars and Battlefields as example I came up with here, see link>
Battle of Fallen Timbers - The Toledo Metroparks The Battle of Fallen Timbers, August 20, 1794, has been called the “last battle of the American Revolution” and one of the three most important battles in ...www.fallentimbersbattlefield.com/ - 9k - Cached - Similar pages. In this connection I suggest you view this battle as being some what similar to the so called ''Battle of Irfon Bridge 1282'' * (more a massacre, according to historian Anthony Edwards, see Cofiwn Archive blog). However, there the simalarity stops as that does not receive the same attention in it's history, neither in preservation or promotion, does it? No! it does not.
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An addition, see links at bottem to Rosalia Battlefield Website, might indicate that as in Wales there might be more that commemorates defeats rather than victories but one Native American Victory we are familier with but in way that was similar to way the ''Brits'' turn defeat into victory (Dunkirk Spirit, type of thing). That is of course what became known as ''Custers Last Stand'', and which for years was preserved, protected and presented as such untill of in recent years attitudes greatly changed. Some may call it ''Political Correctness'', I call it ''Patriotic Correctness'' and of course an historical truth and reality that needed to be told as such. It is, I hope Wales will note, as witnessed a great change of heart by the ''Powers that be'' and their agencies, please Wales note again, the NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE of AMERICA (check out their brief regards history P.P&P in Wikiapedia)
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Here, I draw your attention not simply to the fact that it has really been given much new attention in preservation, protection and promotion but in recent years the name has been changed following pressure from Native Americans, and at long last a Native American Battlefield Monument has been established. You will also see that interpretation of the battle does not ignore the Native American side of the story, see via link >Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument (U.S. National Park ... 7th Cavalry Monument. Little Bighorn Battlefield ... Battle of Palo Alto. Did You Know? Americans celebrated the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma ...www.nps.gov/libi/ - 27k - Cached - Similar pages The Battle of the Little Bighorn - Little Bighorn Battlefield ...The Battle of the Little Bighorn, more popularly known by its sobriquet "Custer's Last Stand," was fought along the ridges, gentle sloping hills, ...www.nps.gov/libi/battle.html - 16k - Cached - Similar pagesMore results from www.nps.gov »Yes! if only Wales? or rather all the aforementioned Welsh Agencies had the will to do the same, instead of all of them more or less taking ''Sanitized & Censored'' photographs of the Welsh Landscape, if only? Well? you could buck em up a bit, light a fire under their backsides so to speak. Now, I mean by that, a major massive mailing of complaint, not only to the aforementioned agencies but to the Welsh Media and those AM's down at WAG in the BAY, particularly the PLAID AM's after all they boast most as defenders of our Welsh Heritage, well lets see them get up and have a bit of I'r GAD, which their members sing so well. Lets see one and all up and at it, in the interest of our Welsh Battlefields, yes! I do mean the medieval ones, COFIA 1282 and all that, not such a bad thing really, as after all we are constantly reminded of Hastings 1066 and all that?
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I must emphasise this matter of how history is represented, be it from the position of the Native or those who Conquered and Colonised, I am not going to ignore fact either that Nationalists use history to establish Nations or worse? Of course Socialist will use history to advance ''Class Struggle'' . Whatever, I am away to Paris for first week of June for a bit of a rummage in French History from the medieval to the Paris Commune 1871, researching what to see before I go, and sure enough there is always two sides to any ones history. The Catholic Encyclopedia as a far different account to a left wing account of Paris 1871 as they would of the Crusade against the Cathars. Sure, the whole matter is fraught with debate and arguement but in most countries not ignored in ''certain areas'' as much as ''certain bodies'' ignore much of our history, particularly huge areas of Medieval Welsh History. Thus, do note how America deals with it's history, in preservation/protection and most importantly presentation/promotion of, not ignoring and making sure all sides of issues and commemorations are considered.
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I suggest that you perhaps view the web sites listed below first, and then the websites above though I guess you might repeat the viewing experience over and over to get at some truth. When you come to review the above bodies who are supposed to preserve, protect then present and promote our Welsh history, do note how much attention the Anglo - Norman Conquorers gets compared to the native Welsh resistence to conquest and colonisation. This is of course why Cofiwn had come into existance and taking all into consideration it is crossing my mind that maybe Cofiwn should be re-established, but no I am getting of the age where I would rather be a passive archivist of Hanes Cofiwn, see
http://cofiwn.blogspot.com/ Although I am not entirelly refraining from Radical Activism, although it's more of the passive plodding along in my blogs but note am moving towards more ''militantly minded'' thoughts over at YMGYRCH TREFTADAETH blog at http://ymgyrchtreftadaeth.blogspot.com/ .
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As stated and addition, see > Rosalia History -- Rosalia Visitors Center Besides its small-town atmosphere, Rosalia still celebrates its territorial history by having an Annual Battle Days Celebration, the first weekend in June, ...www.rosaliavic.org/history_of_the_texaco_station.php - 6k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this . It will give you some idea how the victor might present history rather than the vanquished be in position to do so anyway, but still please Wales note how this community is doing something about this local history, even though you might like me, wish it had been a native American victory.
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Gethin.

Be back blogging at I'r Gad WBfC about mid June, after Paris field trip, do remember whilst I am away keep up the good fight ok! Yes! I'r GAD! I'r GAD! I'r GAD! for WELSH BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION & PROTECTION, PRESENTATION & PROMOTION. It's a battle that must be fought and it's a victory that can be won, not to fight it would be foolish and not to win it would be at peril of our national identity. Not least it would be a total disregard for those who fought and died over a 1000 years so our country could survive conquest and colonisation by making of us a people who had fortitude to continue the struggle to survive against all that was thrown at us. If i thought it any different, I might be considering staying in France, but not Paris as I really prefer Gwlad Cathar.