http://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2011/01/13/1294943243_7852/539w.jpg
I chose the image of a man riding a horse because it was drawn by the Dakota. It is important for us, as the outsiders, to understand how the Dakotas see themselves. This drawing is not of Native Americans running around wild and shooting buffalo willy-nilly(as they are sometimes portrayed in the media) nor is it a meditative old wise man. This is a simple painting of a man riding a horse. We, modern day Americans, have taken bits and pieces of the Dakota culture and applied them to all Native Americans. Not all tribes dance the Grass Dance, in fact, very few divisions of the Dakota do it. In addition, not all tribes hunted buffalo and rode horses. We have also generalized the Dakota tribe when in reality there are divisions and subdivisions making up a very complex and successful tribe. I say “we” but maybe I should be saying “me” because I myself have formed these stereotypes and generalizations in my head for as long as I can remember. The engraving by Theodor de Bry from 1619 is the Dakota tribe through the eyes of a foreigner. It is a perspective but a distorted one. As humans, we make quick assumptions because we want to know everything that we possibly can but while making assumptions about the Dakota we never thought that maybe they weren’t true.
It was really intriguing reading your blog because of the fact that the Dakotas lived in Minnesota. My question is that if the winters were so brutal for the Dakotas way back when, why didn't they move to a warmer climate?
ReplyDeleteYou had such a colorful presentation and it was fun to look at all of the pictures that you had. I never knew that the Dakota was divided into separate groups, but why did they split up and were there a lot of differences between them?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was ever a conscious decision of the Dakota to spilt up into divisions but it was something that made them a very successful tribe. Because their were so many divisions, the Dakota was able to thrive under many different chiefs that had different ways of ruling; this made it possible for the Dakota's traditions to live on today.
DeleteThis is a very well written blog Eva, and it is very similar to my tribe, who also come from Minnesota. Even though this isn't about pre-contact I would love to know more about why people in the United States today see Native Americans dancing around a fire and chanting, as you touched on this in your link about the Dakota grass dance.
ReplyDeleteI think people see Native Americans as the people chanting around the fire because the Dakota is a very large tribe and a very well known tribe. This grass dance was a huge part of their culture. The grass dance is a representation of the Dakota and the Dakota is a representation of Native Americans. Unfortunately, this means that the Dakota and many Native Americans are seen as the one thing that observers know about from the Native American culture.
DeleteYour explanatory statement was really interesting, and I think its really cool how you added your own perspective and ideas to the project. Great job! I'd like to hear more about them pre-contact as well though.
ReplyDeleteI agree great blog Eva! I also did the Dakota and enjoyed seeing how some of your research provided more insight than I did. I would like to know how the stereotypes you talk about have affected your thinking? I also agree with Gretta's question. What was stopping the Dakota moving during the winter season and moving back when it was warmer? Why couldn't they simply moving to a completely different climate and staying there year-round?
ReplyDeleteThis group similarly to the Pueblo's seem to value agriculture. Did this group do hunting or fishing or mostly just grow crops?
ReplyDeleteThe Dakota hunted animals after contact but pre-contact they were very agriculture oriented which made them dependent on the land around them.
DeleteHi Eva,
ReplyDeleteI noticed that the Apache Indians are very similar in accordance with their lifestyles. However, I was wondering how have their traditions changed? What values and purpose of these traditions and customs have altered?