For over five hundred years, the true history pertaining to the Native American struggle for survival has laid buried within our National archives.

Oral history passed down through generations of Native People has also been silenced for too long. What we were taught as children and young adults studying Native American History was selectively approved by the United States Government and the publishers of almost all our textbooks. These reference materials are responsible for educating the majority of American people. Many texts have been converted to other languages and used throughout the world.

This ‘selective’ process was written in such a way as to justify the systematic annihilation of Native People and their culture. These carefully written pieces of His Story (history) also helped diminish any blame and discomfort many readers may have experienced regarding Native American genocide.

-- From the Itanka Institute website at www.ItankaInstitute.org

People all around the world shudder at the thought of the Holocaust. The systematic annihilation of 6 million Jews by Hitler and the Nazis is commonly perceived as one of the most horrific atrocities of humankind.

According to Chief Judge Mary L. Pearson of the Spokane Tribe in Washington state, however, the Jewish genocide pales in comparison to the 30 million or more Native Americans who met a similar fate at the hands of early European and then American governments.

Pearson appeared before the Cherokee Tribal Council earlier this month soliciting support for the non-profit Itanka Institute. One of the institute’s projects is a seven-part docudrama titled “Itanka.”

Itanka is a Native American term which means “One who assumes the responsibility for his/her people.” The series will go back 500 years to create a visual timeline of Indian history told by tribal people and documented through historical government and religious documents. A brochure describing the project says: “As creators and supporters of Itanka it is our hope that this visual history will assist in diminishing ignorance and intolerance of Native Peoples and their culture.”

The Cherokee Tribal Council unanimously passed the resolution, joining Tribal Cultural Resources in sponsoring Itanka. James Bird, cultural resources officer donated $500 on behalf of Tribal Cultural Resources. The council, on a motion from Big Cove representative Teresa McCoy, added $3,050 to that donation, increasing the Tribe’s sponsorship to the $3,550.

Bird said that he felt Itanka was quite worthy of support and that it could have “broad implications all across Indian Country.”

According to Pearson, the docudrama will be a seven-hour series aired in three parts. A three-hour middle section will be bookended by two, two-hour presentations. Pearson said that Itanka Institute plans to preview the first two-hour installment at this November’s Native American Film Festival.

Pearson believes the factual story of the legalized subjugation of Native Americans has “never been told.” It’s important, she said, “not only to educate the general public but to educate native peoples.”

Pearson was spurred to action by a social studies assignment given to her 14 year-old grandson. The student was to write a story closely representing what many Native American cultures would consider a vision quest. The problem, according to Pearson, was that the teacher had totally fabricated all the circumstances and beliefs regarding such a quest.

“There was no actual Indian History represented in the assignment,” Pearson said.

She doesn’t believe a teacher would make-up Japanese culture or make-up black culture under similar circumstances.

She feels that it is important to give Indian children “something real.”

“Children need to know what happened,” Pearson said. She hopes the videos would be used in high school, college and even law school curriculums.

“I’m an attorney; I’m talking about the law,” she said.

Pearson said that the Cherokee were a perfect example of the kinds of legalized injustices faced by Native Americans.

“The Cherokee tried over and over again to fit in,” she said, but the tribe was forced onto the Trail of Tears.

“The whole thing was about greed,” she said.

Pearson admits that Indians have been complacent. The reason everyone remembers the Holocaust is because the Jewish people are adamant about keeping it in the public eye, she said. “No one has done this for Native Americans.”

Pearson and the Itanka Institute are looking for concrete responses to their efforts. Pearson said she would like to see a public apology by the government and reparations, not in the form of money, but in the restoration of Native American languages.

“Indian people will begin our own healing when we get validation,” Pearson said.

 

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The Smoky Mountain News