There was an exhibition about the treaties between the american indians and the US. That's great, because I had no clue how that had worked, except that the US bought lots of land, didn't keep their end of the deal and BLOOD.
I'd heard the first nations didn't have a notion of land property, and didn't understand what they were giving away. I'd heard that the right to pick berries in the best places was transmitted through families.
I'd heard they had helped the settlers settle. I'd heard that they had opposed armed resistance.
I'd heard that every nation had taken their own path (regarding europeans settlers). I'd heard that the US had fucked everyone over.
I'd heard that the US paid something to each member of the first nations. I'd heard that they were considered lesser men at some point (a very long point).
What the exhibition said was:
There were roughly three acts, one prologue, one epilogue.
Prologue: All's well that starts well
First Nations live together, fight together, form treaties, alliances, trade. All's well.
Act I: Good treaties
A few explorers, traders and fishers arrive. They trade with the First Nations (glass beads, metals, guns, maybe horses, against furs and... other stuff?) and make treaties of non-interference. Some relationships go well, some don't. I even read they made treaties with Finns. European people, mandated by the royalty, buy small bits of land from the first nations' leaders. Lots and lots and lots of treaties are written (twice for each, both the european and the native way), because there are lots and lots and lots of First Nations. All in all, it's going pretty well.
At some point between act one and two or maybe three, there is the US independance war. Some tribes help the US, some France, some Britain. Which one they supported doesn't change anything, none of the three keeps promises anyway.
At some point(s) between act one and two and three, there are big epidemics amongst the natives.
Act two: Bad treaties
Oh but wait, lots of settlers are coming! The crowns get desperate for lands. Most eastern first nations feel they have given enough lands, but european negociators are pressured by the crowns to act fast, and they bully people for land, threaten them, bribe them, get them drunk to sign treaties, appoint a random person from a random village to act as representative of his nation and sign treaties with them. More fights. Evangelical racism.
Also, settlers go into native lands, and the governments are unable to make them respect the treaties.
Things are going down.
Act three: What treaties, we have guns!
By act three, somehow, some native tribes have become really poor, and have to buy at credit not to starve. That may have something to do with the US's use of the scorched earth policy. Then the food company forces them to give up more land (and gets super rich in the process). Then the US goverenment decides they -really- need land, and try to relocate the First Nations further West. Some agree (against food and money), most won't, and armies relocate them at gunpoint, without taking too much care to let them actually survive the forced march, or kill them if they resist. They don't honor the past treaties, if you were wondering.
But there are other Nations further West, and they don't like it. Massive population moves. Massive population loss (especially as they don't know how to live in the land they're taken to). Lots of subsequent population moves, as the US extend further west. Bad things all around.
And then, assimilation, acculturation, traditions forbidden, kids stolen from their families, american indians as lesser men. The reservations go from "lands that are ours only" (in the treaties) to "prisons we can't leave".
Epilogue: All's bad that will end better
In the 60s, cultural revival. After a few dozen years, they still have to fight for their rights but there is hope. Like, there are lots of native women who disappear and are murdered. Way more natives that are really poor/go to prison/commit suicide than white people. But each tribe (I think each?) has a government sanctionned by the State, and there are no more discriminatory laws. Lots lost, but not all forgotten.
october 11th
I'd heard the first nations didn't have a notion of land property, and didn't understand what they were giving away. I'd heard that the right to pick berries in the best places was transmitted through families.
I'd heard they had helped the settlers settle. I'd heard that they had opposed armed resistance.
I'd heard that every nation had taken their own path (regarding europeans settlers). I'd heard that the US had fucked everyone over.
I'd heard that the US paid something to each member of the first nations. I'd heard that they were considered lesser men at some point (a very long point).
What the exhibition said was:
There were roughly three acts, one prologue, one epilogue.
Prologue: All's well that starts well
First Nations live together, fight together, form treaties, alliances, trade. All's well.
Act I: Good treaties
A few explorers, traders and fishers arrive. They trade with the First Nations (glass beads, metals, guns, maybe horses, against furs and... other stuff?) and make treaties of non-interference. Some relationships go well, some don't. I even read they made treaties with Finns. European people, mandated by the royalty, buy small bits of land from the first nations' leaders. Lots and lots and lots of treaties are written (twice for each, both the european and the native way), because there are lots and lots and lots of First Nations. All in all, it's going pretty well.
At some point between act one and two or maybe three, there is the US independance war. Some tribes help the US, some France, some Britain. Which one they supported doesn't change anything, none of the three keeps promises anyway.
At some point(s) between act one and two and three, there are big epidemics amongst the natives.
Act two: Bad treaties
Oh but wait, lots of settlers are coming! The crowns get desperate for lands. Most eastern first nations feel they have given enough lands, but european negociators are pressured by the crowns to act fast, and they bully people for land, threaten them, bribe them, get them drunk to sign treaties, appoint a random person from a random village to act as representative of his nation and sign treaties with them. More fights. Evangelical racism.
Also, settlers go into native lands, and the governments are unable to make them respect the treaties.
Things are going down.
Act three: What treaties, we have guns!
By act three, somehow, some native tribes have become really poor, and have to buy at credit not to starve. That may have something to do with the US's use of the scorched earth policy. Then the food company forces them to give up more land (and gets super rich in the process). Then the US goverenment decides they -really- need land, and try to relocate the First Nations further West. Some agree (against food and money), most won't, and armies relocate them at gunpoint, without taking too much care to let them actually survive the forced march, or kill them if they resist. They don't honor the past treaties, if you were wondering.
But there are other Nations further West, and they don't like it. Massive population moves. Massive population loss (especially as they don't know how to live in the land they're taken to). Lots of subsequent population moves, as the US extend further west. Bad things all around.
And then, assimilation, acculturation, traditions forbidden, kids stolen from their families, american indians as lesser men. The reservations go from "lands that are ours only" (in the treaties) to "prisons we can't leave".
Epilogue: All's bad that will end better
In the 60s, cultural revival. After a few dozen years, they still have to fight for their rights but there is hope. Like, there are lots of native women who disappear and are murdered. Way more natives that are really poor/go to prison/commit suicide than white people. But each tribe (I think each?) has a government sanctionned by the State, and there are no more discriminatory laws. Lots lost, but not all forgotten.
october 11th
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