The Indian Renaissance

Oscar B. Johannsen

[Reprinted from The Gargoyle, May 1971]

Daily there are increasing signs that a renaissance in our knowledge and understanding of the Indians and their culture is occurring. Whereas previously, the Indians were the ban 'uns, and the white men were the good people, new books, articles and shows are creating a different picture, with the relative positions reversed.

Recently, a book, reviewer of a new book, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West" by Dee Brown pointed out that in general the Indians welcomed the white man. Significantly what the Indian did not understand was the white man's concepts about land. The Indians "knew that land came from the Great Spirit, was as endless as the sky, and belonged to no man".

The white man, of course, coming from Europe where he had lost sight of the fact that land was the common heritage of all men, considered land to be property to be seized by whoever had the force to do so. For some absurd reason, possibly because of lack of knowledge of the great civilizations of the East, Europeans considered the white man as a superior being. Possibly it was because his productivity in contrast to other races of men was so great. Sitting Bull said "The White Man knows how to make everything but he does not know how to distribute it." That is a profound truth which even the dullest can recognize today.

The Indian was not a brutish savage. On the contrary, he had a vision of the Great Spirit which rules the universe. He had a deep sense of right and wrong, and his social arrangements were relatively sophisticated.

That the white man infected the Indian morally as well as physically has become obvious in the plight of many of those living today. The white man lied and cheated the Indians. Treaties would be made ceding land to the Indians which were to be honored in perpetuity. But, naturally, whenever the white man wanted such land, the Indian was dispossessed.

The amazing thing about the war of extermination which the white man waged against the red man is the lack of appreciation of the Indian's superior understanding of the land. Despite their constant statements on how land should be treated the white man apparently never understood.

Chief Joseph of Nez Perce said: "I never said the land was mine to do with it as I chose. The one who has the right to dispose of it is the one who has created it. I claim a right to live on my land, and accord you the privilege to live on yours."

Interestingly, the Indians were the earliest students of ecology. They noticed the spoliation and pollution which the white man wrought. "Already the once sweet-watered streams ... were clouded with silt and wastes of man; the very earth was being ravaged and squandered."

Today, as though awakening from a nightmare, the white man has a sense of guilt and is attempting to assuage his guilty conscience by a series of actions which are questionable. In some cases, land is given over to Indian tribes which have some claims to( it as their ancestral territory. It becomes the private property of these tribes. This may very well lead to serious problems, particularly if valuable resources are found there. Surrounded by a white culture which considers land to be the most sacred form of property, will the Indians act differently?

One offshoot of the white man's guilt feeling is his handling of claims of the natives in Alaska today. Instead of ruthlessly ignoring them, an attempt is being made to compensate them for lands taken from them. Whether the solutions offered are wise or not, is a question. But, at least, there is a recognition that the natives have rights to the land, just as the white man.

To date, however, although there is increasing discussion of land rights, no one seems to question the present system of land tenure. On the contrary, all the solutions appear to be based on,, the fact that land is assumed to be privately owned. Presumably the natives of Alaska owned the land until the white man came. Since he had the greater strength he grabbed it from them. But, the white man has matured somewhat. He feels he must make some restitution so he makes an attempt at compensation. And the native in accepting it, has in a subtle way accepted the white man's concept of land tenure.

Possibly, however, this is a step in the right direction. For if more and more discussion is devoted to land rights, possibly our entire system of land tenure will come under the scrutiny of the people. At least, if such is the case there is hope that some thing constructive may come of it.