It is possible to sometimes place past historic events into a type of vacuum, where all the people and events were simply plot in a story. History, however, does not live solely on the shelves of historians or archaeologists it reifies cultural identity, challenges accepted narratives, and serves as a nexus of pain, grief, triumph, glory, nationalism, traditionalism, and the whole host of human experience.
Perhaps in no more direct way the legacy of the Indian Wars of the late 19th century continues to shape current politics and society, and at all times the past pain and injustice flow in a ceaseless river into the present.
On December 26, 1862, 38 members of the Dakota tribe were hung in Mankata, Minnesota at the conclusion of the U.S.-Dakota War that swept through the Upper Midwest in the early days of the overshadowing Civil War. Only direct intervention by President Abraham Lincoln lowered the number of potential hangings from over 300 to the 38 comprising the largest mass hanging in U.S. history. Since 2005, current members of the Dakota brave the frozen terrain of Minnesota in honor of their ancestors in a 300 mile horseback trek.
Past events not only shape the way our current life plays out through a domino chain of cause and effect, but deeply affects the very core of people who live personally with the consequences of history. This is a reminder to all of us who practice history, or archaeology, to never lose sight of the direct impact of history on current peoples of all backgrounds.
Please read more about this event and the history surrounding it here:
No comments:
Post a Comment