Module 2 Blog Assignment

Jim Pritt

Professor Nesberg

First Peoples of North America

14 August 2017

For this blog assignment I decided to look at the link on the online resources for module 2 entitled: “Culture-Based Online Resources “and we will attempt to answer the questions based on the webpage entitled: “National Museum of the Native American Indian“and answer the following questions listed below that can be found on the webpage entitled: “Culture-Based Online Resources”. Those questions will be: (Culture-Based Online Resources) (Explore).

“What source did you review and who created it? What perspective do you think it is meant to convey? Provide at least one specific example and citation from the M2 Online Resources to support your opinions” (Culture-Based Online Resources).

As mentioned above the source that was examined from the list on the webpage entitled: “Culture-Based Online Resources” was the source entitled “National Museum of the Native American” (Explore) (Culture-Based Online Resources) The site seems to be either created by or endorsed by the Smithsonian Institute. The Smithsonian Institute is well known for their museums, and exhibits located in Washington D.C. that span a great breadth, and depth when it comes to various topics. The Smithsonian is also known as well for their magazine. A magazine that my Father currently has a subscription to (Explore) (Culture-Based Online Resources). 

It is my opinion of what the website entitled: “National Museum of the Native American” (Explore) is trying to do is to provide access to individuals about Native Americans, their Tribes, their cultures, and lifestyles, or lifeways. So that students, or even just individuals interested in Native American culture, history, and subject matter have access to accurate information in this area (Explore).

For example on a page of the site entitled: “Object Collections“ it has a picture of an exhibit that shows a pair of a northern Shoshone women’s moccasins, and leggings from just after the turn of the 20^th century . The moccasins, and leggings that are pictured are absolutely gorgeous and the craftsmanship that went into these shoes is of outstanding quality. The detail and colors used make them make them true work of art (Object Collections).

 “Why do you think these web resources where selected and put into this course and not others? What makes a quality academic website and do you think the website you reviewed is one? Provide at least one specific example and citation from the M2 Online Resources to support your opinions” (Culture-Based Online Resources).

It is my opinion that the resources that were put on the page entitled: “Culture-Based Online Resources” were chosen, and placed there to give students whether a history major, or students that are taking this course as part of a general education requirement for their degree so that students have access to non-biased, and accurate information regarding Native Americans as well as their history, culture, and customs (Culture-Based Online Resources).

The website that I viewed entitled: “National Museum of the Native American” I would consider a quality academic site because as mentioned in other answers the site is part of the Smithsonian Institute an organization that is highly respected, and known worldwide for the information and exhibits found in their magazines, and museums.  It would be absolutely unthinkable that the Smithsonian would put their name to anything other than accurate information. Especially when in doing so could result in the institute’s reputation being damaged (Explore) .

Another great thing that I noticed on the National Museum of the Native American in their online store it mentioned that all profits made from the purchases of customers for products in the store would go directly to support the NMAI and their vision to help inform, and educate others about Native Americans, their cultures, and customs. Which in my opinion is such a wonderful thing so that the horrible treatment that Native Americans have been threw in our history will not occur ever again.  (National Meusem of the Native American).

“Has the information you have read thus far changed, in some way, your view of native communities? Provide at least one specific example and citation from the M2 Online Resources to support your opinions” (Culture-Based Online Resources).

 In my opinion my views, or thoughts really have not changed after viewing the site entitled:      “National Museum of the Native American (Explore). The reason that I believe that my views or thoughts really have not changed is that in the beginning of the course it was conscious decision of mine to come to this course without any predetermined ideas or judgments when it came to Native American cultures, and Native Americans in general. Therefore everything that I have learned thus far has been new, and exciting.

 After taking a diversity course last semester it really opened my eyes to prejudice, and biases in our society when it comes to how we view others. The course also allowed me to reflect on my own upbringing, and life experiences being an individual with a disability. My upbringing was done in a community that housed an Ivy League University that attracted people from all over the world and from all backgrounds into the area. It is my thought that because of growing up in a university town and a widely diverse community differences among individuals and their backgrounds were always accepted if noticed at all.

 Differences for the most part when growing up in the town that I did, were not considered either bad, or good in the community that I grew up in. Differences were just viewed as different. Not saying that there wasn’t racist, and prejudice individuals in the community but they were always the minority.  Another benefit that I received as a child was that I was exposed to these cultural differences early in life literally from birth so I never saw differences I just saw people. Which I think truly aided me in becoming a well-rounded person.

 That being said it should be noted that during the required readings for the course it has at times been difficult to learn about the treatment of Native Americans by early Europeans, and Americans as well as their governments.  Such an example would be of the Tribe of my voice. A Tribe that actually started out as two separate tribes that became one due to the Europeans ordering a “genocidal edict” on the Fox Tribe forcing them to merge with the Sauk Tribe to avoid annihilation by the French (Treuer 161) and later the United States Government using deceitful tactics to take land away from the Sauk and Fox Tribe resulting in the Black Hawk War of 1832 (Treuer 48) (Nabokov 98-101). 

On a side note having nothing to do directly with this modules blog assignment. The following came to mind recently and I wanted to share it with the class.

Something that came to mind recently that has really disturbed me is how American companies have in the past glamorized, commercialized, and profited from Native Americans in history either directly, or indirectly.  These companies seem to have sole purpose to grab as much cash as possible for the company while ignoring the individual sacrifice, and suffering that a particular Native American, or Tribe had made in history. The Native American and Tribe that is being referred to is Pocahontas, and the company in question is the Walt Disney Company (Treuer 43).

When learning about the woman known as Pocahontas it triggered my memory that the entertainment giant known as the Walt Disney Company made at least one movie with Pocahontas’s name as the title of the film that was a feature length animated film that was made and released by the Disney Company in 1995 (Internet Movie Database). However the Disney company did not stop there as the Disney company released a second film in 1998 entitled: “Pocahontas 2 Journey to a New World “ (Internet Movie Database), and even a video game based on the Disney animated character that was released in 1996 as well (Internet Movie Database).  

While never having seen the film personally, or played the video game. The film seems to be have based the cast of characters on historical vents suggesting that the movie is loosely related to Pocahontas’s actual life story (Internet Movie Database). As some of the cast of characters of Disney’s animated film are characters such as Captain John Smith, and her future British husband John Rolfe are mentioned as appearing in the animated film. These individuals were also were significate people in Pocahontas’s actual life as they are mentioned in Treuer’s book “Atlas of Indian Nations” as well (Internet Movie Database) (Treuer 43)

In my limited research I could not find any information that the Disney Company donated any portion of the profits generated from sale of the films and other related Disney memorabilia from these products. It would seem that the Disney company simply pocketed all the profits that the company made from the movies and other memorabilia that the company sold including other companies who purchased a license from Disney to use the name Pocahontas and characters image in order to design, manufacture, sell, and profit from a long deceased Native American woman and the personal sacrifice she made.

This is just another example of how a white founded company (Disney) founded by Walter E. Disney who was born in 1901  once again took advantage of Native Americans, their history and there suffering and  turning it all into profit for the Disney company (Jon Jeffereson).

Star Trek Insurrection Movie (1998)

The story for this particular movie effects Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise E and is set in the 24^th century and is pure science fiction. However the movie touches in some of the same ideas as we have been studying about in Treuer’s books entitled “ Atlas of Indian Nations”, as well as Nabokov’s book entitled “ Native American Testimony Revised Edition“ (Nabokov) (Treuer) (Internet Movie Database).

The science fiction film entitled “Star Trek Insurrection” features some of the same basic ideals as when whites came to North America and would force Native Americans from their land, and homes in the case of the movie Star Trek Insurrection it was an outside force being a compromised Starfleet Admiral, and the Sonia a race that uses futuristic technology to stretch their skin to allow them to appear not to have aged. However their skin has been stretched so much over the years to prevent aging that they are all quite deformed as a result (Internet Movie Database).

That is why the Sonia with the help of the corrupt Starfleet Admiral are trying to move a race known as the Bakoo from a planet in the middle of a part of the galaxy referred to as the briar patch (Internet Movie Database).

Apparently the planet that the Bakoo inhabit has some natural occurring phenomenon that regenerates DNA after a person reaches adulthood. As a result planet is of extreme interest, and importance to the Sonia and Starfleet. Because if the Sonia and Starfleet are successful in secretly moving the Bakoo off the planet the Sonia will be able to regenerate themselves and Starfleet will profit from selling the mysterious powers to others in the Galaxy (Internet Movie Database). 

  

Works Cited

Culture-Based Online Resources. n.d. 13 August 2017. <https://moodle.esc.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=1590215>.

Explore. 2017. 13 August 2017. <http://nmai.si.edu/explore/foreducatorsstudents/>.

Internet Movie Database. " Walt Disney's Pocohontas 2: Journey to a New World (1998)." 1990-2017. Internet Movie Database. 13 August 2017. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0143808/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_40>.

—. "Star Trek Insurrection (1998)." 1990-2017. Internet Movie Database. 13 August 2017. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120844/?ref_=nv_sr_1>.

—. "Walt Disney's Pocohantas (1995)." 1990-2017. Internet Movie Database. 13 August 2017. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114148/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt>.

—. "Walt Disney's Pocohontas (1996) Video Game Released 1996." 1990-2017. Internet Movie Database. 13 August 2017. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0222280/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_53>.

Modern Marvels Walt Disney World The History Channel. By Cindy Robinson Jon Jeffereson. Perf. Les Wooten. Prod. Cindy Robinson. A&E Television, 2005. DVD. 13 August 2017.

Nabokov, Peter. Native American Testimony Revised Edition. Revised Edition. New York: Penguin Group, 1999. 4 June 2017.

National Meusem of the Native American. "NMAI Store." 2017. National Meusem of the Native American. 14 August 2017. <http://nmai.si.edu/store/>.

Object Collections. 2017. 13 August 2017. <http://nmai.si.edu/explore/collections/object-collections/>.

Treuer, Anton. National Geographic Atlas of Indian Nations. Washington: National Geographic, 2013. Book. 27 May 2017.