Recently I have been thinking a lot about how young the United States is. As the first permanent settlement (Jamestown) was established a mere 405 years ago, we tend to forget that many different groups of indigenous people belonged to this land long before us. Though much has happened to drastically alter the world since the Europeans and Native Americans first made contact, four centuries is a relatively brief span of time to inhabit a land. I am currently taking a course called “Indigenous Film of North America,” which, in conjunction with Geography of the James, has encouraged me to think a great deal more about the heritage of the state and continent that I consider home, and the ways that we disrupt and interact with our environment. I keep wondering about the status of the Native Americans in our region currently and what their relationship to the area is now that four hundred years have separated them from complete autonomy over the land. And how can it be that we, as Americans, consider our large portion of this continent to be our home—key to our national identity—and yet do not often consider the indigenous peoples who lived here for thousands of years before our arrival? When there is “evidence of human activity that dates back at least 17,000 years,” how can we justify a 405-year claim? From discussing Native American history in class and reading online specifically about those native to Virginia, I have found a lot of information about their history, from the pre-contact period (10,000 BCE to 1607) to their fight for recognition (1980 to present). As the James River has always had such a huge impact on the peoples of Virginia, I am finding that developing my knowledge of the indigenous people and their relationship to their environment is particularly relevant for this class.
Here’s a link to an interesting map of the area around Jamestown. Click the Modern River Names tab and the Modern Cities to get some perspective. Also, check out the respective regions of the Indian tribes!
http://www.virtualjamestown.org/smith_voyages/jsmith_voyages.html
And here’s a great website if you’re interested in a brief overview of the history and present status of Native Americans:
I love this, it’s one of the many historical events accompanying the creation of America that’s so completely and conveniently overlooked. The thing that strikes me as most ironic about it all is that for 17,000 years, the indigenous people of America lived harmoniously with the earth and achieved a balance we haven’t dreamed of. We largely ignore their place in history, but they could really teach us a lot–there’s so much to emulate.
I still need to try to get a better grasp on the indigenous peoples of this region. One thing that I’m learning in my Indigenous Film class and in our Earth Lodge class is just how much I don’t know about the continent that I call home. My understanding of time and space has changed already, so I know that my curiosity in these areas will continue to develop. I may know the U.S. history of the past 405 years as far as important leaders, movements, and battles won and lost, but there is so much that I have not yet wondered at or discovered. I totally agree, Shannon. We conveniently ignore so much of the history that came before European conquest. How can true American history be so foreign to me?