Tag: History

General History, Native Issues, Oral History, Oregon indians, Siletz Reservation2 Comments

Erroneous Tropes in Narratives of Removal to the Coast Indian Reservation

David G. Lewis, PhD

Digging through previously collected digitized documents, I found several accounts of removal of the tribes to the Siletz Reservation. These are worthy of commentary for the historical origins of many of the details emphasized. Its apparent that oral accounts are in many ways more accurate than written histories. A good number of early written histories were produced by non-native writers, who did not ask native people about their perspectives on their histories. This was quite common, and so most early histories and many recent histories who do not access more than one perspective tend to privilege a specific bias. Many … Continue reading Erroneous Tropes in Narratives of Removal to the Coast Indian Reservation

education, General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Native Issues, Oregon indians2 Comments

Two Schools at Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, 1863

David G. Lewis, PhD

There are a few reports that open the windows wide to a vision of the reservation, its changes, its struggles, and its peoples. In the 1863 Grand Ronde reports from the employees at the reservation there are great details about the two schools at the reservation. The schools were originally funded through treaty annuities, provisions guaranteed to provide services to the tribes on the reservations should they agree to sell their lands and remove to a permanent reservation. As I have noted in other essays, funding for all services was inconsistent and most services then were given for limited durations … Continue reading Two Schools at Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, 1863

Anthropology, General History3 Comments

Truth of History

David G. Lewis, PhD

This title is nearly an oxymoron. There are historic truths, but what we known of history is an invention of mostly people who did not personally experience that history. In truth, historians write histories all the time where they assume that what they are writing is true, based on the preponderance of evidence. Mostly historians get clues as to what is history from a number of sources, and they have to assign values to those sources. Some sources are reliable, some are not based on a number of factors. These factors can include the reliability of the source, the source’s … Continue reading Truth of History

education, Native Issues, Oral History, Personal History, UncategorizedLeave a comment

American Mythic Origins, Thanksgiving, Mascots and the Oregon Trail

David G. Lewis, PhD

Over the last week I have taped at least two shows for the radio about my thoughts about Thanksgiving. Suddenly everyone wants to know what “Natives” think about this holiday. I think its a reaction to recent activities around Native American month and Indigenous People’s days. Indigenous people’s days have now become a big social movement with many cities moving to eliminate Columbus Day, and institute an Indigenous day of recognition in its place. This was a movement I was in the middle of in the 1990s at the University of Oregon, and more recently worked last year to begin … Continue reading American Mythic Origins, Thanksgiving, Mascots and the Oregon Trail

education, General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Kalapuya, Native Issues, Oregon indians, Personal History, Radio and Video, treaties, Uncategorized, Willamette ValleyLeave a comment

Public Anthropology- Radio Shows KMUZ, KYAC

David G. Lewis, PhD

The following Radio broadcasts feature various educational and information shows about Oregon Indian History. Native America Calling Wednesday, February 27, 2019 – Indigenous perspectives on borders Thursday, June 14, 2018 – Political rhetoric takes a turn Tuesday, June 2, 2020 – Past disease outbreaks inform the current pandemic The Rewilding podcast, Episode 8 https://www.petermichaelbauer.com/episode-8-engaging-with-the-history-and-people-of-your-place-with-david-lewis/ KMUZ-Salem Indian education http://kmuz.org/willamette-wake-up-11092017-history-of-indian-education-in-oregon/ Your Salem Through the Years with Virginia Green http://kmuz.org/category/your-salem-through-the-years/page/6/ Willamette Wake Up 11/23/2017 — Thanks Giving Day Reflections http://kmuz.org/willamette-wake-up-11-23-2017-thanks-giving-day-reflections/ Grand Ronde Tribe Podcast Regarding the Willamette Valley Treaty, Podcast #4 The Podcast is here https://www.spreaker.com/user/smokesignals/ss-podcast-4-willamette-valley-treaty The Trails of Tears, Podcast #9 KYAC- … Continue reading Public Anthropology- Radio Shows KMUZ, KYAC