Hello everyone-
This last weekend, there was a fund raising powwow held at the large ring at Newark to benefit NAICCO of Columbus, Ohio. As NAICCO largely provides support for Sioux who have come to Ohio, this powwow was a good thing (they aren't called "the Bad Lands" for nothing).
The catch is that NAICCO's host was the Newark Earthworks Center of Ohio State University at Newark, which should be considered as an agent for the Ohio Historical Society, who actually claim title to the ring.
And therein lies the problem, a problem which has driven me to speak about it.
I need to start this note with some background. It is strange for me to write this note, as I am only 1/8 Shawnee, along with a whiff of Huron; more specifically, I am descended from Thawaghili (ancient Tziwighili) from Shawnee Oldtown, Maryland. Over the years, somehow I have become a historian; it certainly was not any plan on my part.
As another of the Thawaghili descendants was elected to public office in Maryland some years back, my Native ancestors' division's principle remains were protected some years ago by the State of Maryland. The remains originally survived the conquest because the place where they were located was of no economic use to the European settlers.
As if that were not enough to show how limited my ability to speak on these matters is, the remains here in Ohio were built by other divisions of the Shawnee Nation, and the Shawnee Nation's covenant belt was broken long ago during the conquest. It also appears to me that these ancient people were also in part Cherokee ancestors (we are speaking about events which took place long ago), but then as my understanding of Cherokee history is even more limited, it would be best if they were to speak on this.
Here in Ohio, many remains were destroyed by the settlers. At first, the settlers did not want any "Indians" returning to visit their ancestral sites. Later, they did want any signs left that the lands they had settled on were taken from the "Indians".
The only way any remains would be preserved was if they were assigned to mysterious "Moundbuilders", who bore no relation to the Shawnee (or the Cherokee). The Ohio Historical Society was and is a group of private antiquarians (they are not a branch of the government of the State of Ohio) who promoted this myth. The thinking among local descendents has been "We don't care who they say built them, as long as they are preserved", and the Ohio Historical Society was not only tolerated but actually encouraged in promoting the "Moundbuilders" myth.
But times have changed, and the Ohio Historical Society has as well. What started off as a group of well meaning antiquarians has turned into a group of people feeding off the tax paying people of State of Ohio, while not under their control. And in sum, the settlers, having removed the "Indians" from Ohio, are now trying to remove their history, and therein lies the problem.
I am pretty certain that many Sioux youths at the Powwowwere confused by them, and I view this as a problem for the Dakota, Oglala, Lakota, Nakota and other Siouxian leadership to correct. It appears that they are now going to try to steal your history, and give you the Shawnee and Cherokee's. This reminds me of how the Choctaw lands in Oklahoma were given to other peoples; I feel that the Siouxian peoples should not let their history be stolen by them, as much as I resent the attempts to steal the Shawnee (and Cherokee) and history here in Ohio.
Further, in doing so it looks to me that the Ohio Historical Society is trying to use the old European trick of playing one nation against another.
Now I must speak about some of the individuals involved in the Ohio Historical Society.
Last year, to the astonishment of many people, Chief Glenna Wallace told Dick Shields at the Great Ring that the Golf Course would have to move from ceremonial remains where it is now located. You may hear her words here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pEh9n5_D7kBarbara Crandell (Cherkoee descendent) objected to Chief Glenna conducting a social dance outside of the ring after she made her statement. I replied:
"Hello Barbara -
"While perhaps the original structure under "Eagle" Mound in the center of the Great Ring may have been a place for preparing the bodies of notables for internment, most people then were cremated.
"As I have tried to explain to you, the rings were used at the fall Bread Dance to teach the night sky, the story of Grandmother (Kokumthena) and the two boys (Venus and Mars).
[I need to add here that I now know that "Grandmother and the Two Boys" was the advanced lesson, while at the ring White Hawk taught the constellations to everyone. While I suspect that The Shawnee "White Hawk" may be identical with the Cherokee "Man who married Two Star Maidens", but it would be better if a Cherokee were to comment on this. Returning now to my reply to Grandmother Crandall:]
"The social dances were absolutely appropriate.
"I am pretty sure that Marty and many people were stunned by Chief Glenna Wallace's blunt declaration that the remains were built by Shanwee ancestors.
"I myself was stunned to hear Brad Lepper and Dick Shields cede the point in their remarks.
E.P.
