Preserving Native American Heritage and Stories

Sep 18, 2024

Lecture Notes: Preserving Native American Stories and Heritage

Introduction

  • The passing of older generations marks the loss of firsthand witnesses to transformative historical events.
  • Importance of preserving stories and voices of Native Americans.

Personal Family Stories

  • Saleya Piss Tubby (1899-1988):
    • Enrolled in the Dawes Roll at age four.
    • Name meaning: "to see and to kill" (Choctaw origin).
    • Connection to the speaker as a great-grandmother.
  • Belvia Mintz:
    • Pictured in front of Chilocco Indian Academy.
    • Influence on the speaker's identity and legacy.

The Project's Purpose

  1. Looking Back:

    • Understanding history to avoid repeating past mistakes.
    • Recognizing both positive and challenging moments in Native American history.
    • Highlight: Choctaws as original code talkers in WWI.
    • Example: Tobias Frazier, a code talker, and his daughter Ruth Frazier McMillan.

  2. Looking Forward:

    • Importance of passing generational knowledge to future generations.
    • Example: Brenner Billy's advice to never stop learning and staying true to cultural heritage.
    • Emphasis on identity and cultural continuity.

Native American Thinking and Civil Rights

  • Native Americans as circular thinkers, focusing holistically.
  • Civil Rights Movement as a broader struggle for human dignity and rights.
  • Story of Olin Williams, influenced by Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches.
    • MLK's message resonated across races, including Choctaws.

Broader Message

  • Everyone has a story and cultural heritage.
  • Importance of exploring and preserving family stories for future generations.
  • Universal appeal to recognize the value of all human lives through their stories.

Conclusion

  • Encouragement to explore and share personal and family stories.
  • Emphasis on the significance of storytelling in maintaining cultural identity and legacy.

These notes capture the key points of the lecture, emphasizing the importance of preserving Native American stories and heritage, while encouraging individuals to explore and document their own family histories.