Teaching World Cultures

NDN Car: Geronimo in a 1905 Model C, taken at the Miller brothers' 101 Ranch located southwest of Ponca City, Oklahoma, June 11, 1905.  Geronimo, an Apache chief, wearing a top hat, was not joy-riding with his friends. He was under house arrest at the time this posed photo was taken.   

A difficult task, when teaching world cultures, is to address and define cultural differences so that students can fully comprehend, accept and have empathy for things they have no experience with or connection to.  In Minnesota, it is an Academic Standard to teach about the people indigenous to our state:  the Dakota and the Ojibwe. 

The history of Minnesota Indians is brutal and includes the largest public execution recorded in the United States as a result of The Great Indian Uprising, which ended with the capture of more than a thousand Dakota and the public hanging of 38 men in 1862.  The rest of the Dakota were expelled to Nebraska and South Dakota and congress abolished reservations in Minnesota. In addition, there was a $5.00 bounty on Indians (Chief Little Crow’s bounty however was $500.00- and he was shot and killed while picking raspberries with his son.  His mutilated remains were stored in the Minnesota Historical Society until the 1970’s when they were returned to family for burial).

For young students, I have found that using the metaphor of the horse helps students understand the culture, history and contemporary issues of Indians in American Society.  The authentic history should not be ignored, however.  When teaching children, accommodations must be made.

To the Lakota, and other indigenous people, the horse was the symbol of power and survival.  Today, there is not much room for the horse in our society.  Automobiles have replaced the horse in America.

I wrote to Keith Secola and asked permission to use his song, ‘NDN Car’ with my classes. Keith is an award winning Ojibwe musician originally from Minnesota. His song addresses the contemporary Indian culture, and exhibits the sadness, strength and the humor of Indian people:
http://youtu.be/L3OyR6PM8PU

Here are images we compare and contrast in art class:

Advertisement for Indian motorcycles

Photo of an Apache scout by Edward Curtis, 1909
Teachers can discuss idea of the “posed” photographs of Curtis

 
“Woodrow” 1988, Deborah Butterfield, Walker Art Center
This well-loved sculpture is known to most Minnesota students.
http://artsconnected.org/resource/91295/woodrow
 

For fun-A new use for the horse:  This is Libby who had an opinion about our district’s bond referendum!  Photo by Lezlie Pinske

-Jo-Anne Kirkman

RESOURCES:

*Listen to ‘NDN Car’ by Keith Secola; Keith gave me permission to use his song: http://youtu.be/L3OyR6PM8PU

*Another version of the song with movie by Eddie Spears: http://youtu.be/zKjd_xLcE_M

*The Museum of the American Indian:  Song of the Horse Nation; Read, view and learn about the importance of the horse to native cultures.  Hear the story of a Crow warrior raiding Nazi horses in WWII: http://www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/horsenation/raiding.html

Post Script: 
In 1909, Geronimo was thrown from his horse and lay in the cold all night until he was found the following morning.  He later died of pneumonia as a result of the unfortunate accident.  On his deathbed, he told his nephew of his regret to surrender; he is buried at Apache Indian Prisoner of War Cemetery.