Bird Droppings July 10, 2012

Why are there two Standing Bears?

 

I was going through my library of books over the weekend looking for additional references for my dissertation and found this copy from 1972 of The Ponca Chiefs. The following quote is from a court room dialogue of the first time legally Native Americans were found to be people. The full title of the book is, The Ponca Chiefs: an account of the trial of Standing Bear, by Thomas Henry Tibbles.

 

“On one side we have the representatives of this wasted race coming to this national tribunal asking for justice and liberty to enable them to adopt our boasted civilization and to pursue the arts of peace, which have made us great and happy as a nation. On the other side we have this magnificent, if not magnanimous, government, resisting this application with the determination of sending these people back to a country which is to them less desirable then perpetual imprisonment in their own native land.” Judge Dundy, 1879, Trial of Ponca Indians

 

Perhaps finding this book over the weekend came from a discussion I was having a few days earlier about why was the illegal immigration issue not such a political hot potato while the housing boom was under way. At that time at least in Georgia nearly fifty percent of the construction workers were Hispanic along with a large percentage of all landscaping crews. Most areas were impacted, rock and brick masonry, roofing, framing anything with physical labor. Electrical and plumbing and Air conditioning were not quite as impacted. You could go by local banks on Friday afternoons and there would be busy crew supervisors cashing large company checks and paying out large sums of cash to their workers.

I find this so confusing perhaps as in mainland China today Chinese laborers begin to demand higher salaries and better conditions, American factories will start heading home. I still recall sitting in a meeting with a parent and the comment was made he could find no work cause Mexicans work too hard (back in the boom time of construction) and he was a house framer. I think back to discussion on the poultry industry in Hall County nearby and how the processing plants have changed demographically over the years. Originally the workers were White Mountain folk and as segregation set in and workers demanded more money black workers took the place of white workers. About ten years back again a change as Hispanic workers took over most jobs in the processing plants. Those of you who watch “Dirty Jobs” with Mike Rowe may have seen how bad working in a poultry plant really is. Perhaps you have lived alongside one and could barely breathe from the stench. I just paid about two dollars a pound for chicken I wonder what price that would have been if for example a union took over poultry processing and got wages up to United Steel Workers which at one time were twenty six dollars an hour starting. Chicken would be eight or ten dollars a pound on sale.

I am by no means saying this process is just or right. But in effect we drive the process not much different than two hundred years ago when our ancestors started taking the west from the Native peoples. We claim it because we have the right I read in a blog earlier “The God given right”. Who benefits as we struggle with the processes of immigration? Who benefitted two hundred years ago. The same type people who are benefitting now making fortunes on lands taken from tribes. It is those people who are using the labor of illegal immigrants to profit from. It is those companies that are getting unsolicited bids on government work, making money through greed and corruption of human dignity and concern. Many the articles and stories of corruption on the early reservations and even today as mineral rights are sold out from under the tribes for a pittance.  

In 1879 a trial was held because a tribe the Ponca’s, land in South Dakota was taken along with houses, horses, cattle, hogs, farm implements and literally all they had. They were forced to move to the Indian Territories in Oklahoma where many died and sadly this was a tale repeated over and over in early American history. Chief Standing Bear led his people back to their native lands and they were captured and forced again to the Indian Territories. It was in this trial in 1879 that Native People were first recognized as people. Sadly as I look at dates this was after the freeing of slaves. White Americans at this time considered Native People less than slaves not even human beings. If you look hard enough today you will still find that in religions and societies in the US.

            Over the years I have come to reflect often on the Native view of life. All is sacred and to be held in awe. As I looked for information on Stranding Bear of the Ponca’s I also found Chief Luther Standing Bear of the Oglala Lakota’s. Standing Bear was one of the first to be schooled at Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. Children were taken from their homes in the plains and elsewhere shipped to the school, their hair was shorn off, native attire was taken and western clothing provided, Indian names were not allowed and “Christian” names were given. Children could only speak in American English and were punished for speaking their own languages. (That sounds familiar today in the English only politics). Standing Bear returned home to own a store and do well by most standards. He also was disturbed by the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee and began to write. His numerous books and articles were well received and addressed the treatment of native peoples.

 

‎            “No one was quick with a question, no matter how important, and no one was pressed for an answer. A pause giving time for thought was the truly courteous way of beginning and conducting a conversation.” Chief Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Lakota

 

”As a matter of truth, he was the most sympathetic of men, but his emotions of depth and sincerity were tempered with control. Silence meant to the Lakota what it meant to Disraeli, when he said “Silence is the mother of truth,” for the silent man was ever to be trusted, while the man ever ready with speech was never taken seriously.”Chief Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Lakota

 

            As I sit here thinking and reflecting on these two men one who was on trial for leaving his designated given spot after his own land was taken away and the other a speaker and writer of the Lakota way of life whose words reflect sentiments even today. Benjamin Disraeli said several years prior, “When little is done, little is said; silence is the mother of truth.” In my own reflection how true this is. For many promises and treaties were written and spoken and borrowing a line from the movie “Billy Jack”, as Billy Jack addressed his own trial “of the seven hundred and twenty three treaties written all were broken and you expect me to believe you now.” I wonder what if we got more involved politically. What if we voted for people who would be ethical in their choices and not mired in the greed of our society? So many thoughts for one day as I sit pondering along. As I have for nearly twelve years ended my droppings for the day. Please keep all in harm’s way on your minds and in your hearts and always give thanks.

namaste

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