.5 Native American

There are children who had their language stolen in American classrooms. Native American children often go completely unnoticed in American classrooms, though in many ways it is the educational system of the past that stripped them of their identity as Native Americans.

In Virginia there are several tribes that fell under the leadership of Powhattan, with two, the Mattoponi and Pamunkey, still based on reservations. Yet what most Virginian students are taught is the folklore around Pocohontas. (Among other errors- she did not marry Captain John Smith) Most of the images of Native Americans come from Hollywood. The reality is much less glamorous.

The reality is that as recently as the fifties Mattoponi (Virginian) children were being sent to Oklahoma if they wanted to attend high school. They were not allowed to attend town schools. They were systematically removed from their cultural past. Students were taken so far away, they could only return for summer. They spoke only English. They were required to attend a Christian church. They were removed from their family, their homes, their language, and their ceremonies.

I do not point this out to evoke any white guilt. I do remind you to get the real history, not revisionist Disney history, when discussing Early American history. What may seem as an innocuous Thanksgiving lesson, may be perpetrating further lies. The truth is that Powhattan's tribes celebrated Thanksgiving after every harvest. When the Jamestown settlers came, the natives shared their celebration.

Further, remember two things about Native children. The first is that because of three centuries of intermarrying, many Native American children do not fit our Hollywood image of the Noble Savage. Many Native Sioux are blond and many Seminole are also African-American. The second thing to remember is that the Native American Pride movement has some very young aspects to it. Because of the stigma of anti-Native
racism, many Natives chose to "pass" in order to be able to get work and support their families. Many children who were raised off the reservation, were not even told of their Native heritage. Forty years ago, it was not something you mentioned in polite company. Two generations later you have people of all ages trying to reconnect to their heritage. You may have students at any one of a variety of exploratory stages.
Wherever your students' exploration leads them, it is important that you support it.

If you are fortunate enough to teach near or on one of the many existing Federal Reservations, I urge you to learn more about the individual tribe, as each is different from the others. A friend of mine tells the story of her mother-in-law explaining she was the product of a mixed marriage. Her father was Pamunkey and her mother Mattoponi.

Though the Powwow is a religious ceremony, many tribes hold Powwows that are open to the public. Most often leaders will explain what you are seeing. A few notes on etiquette: You should always walk around the circle, not cross it. Further, because it is a religious service, you should not enter if you are using drugs or alcohol. It would be analogous to showing up at church drunk.

	No Parrot Question
	Mrs. Williams has always been fascinated by Native American traditions and customs, and she is one-eighth Native American herself. Knowing the history of the early educational system and how it relates to Native Americans in particular, how can Mrs. Williams teach in a public school and feel good about it?	Answer Here