By 350 years ago, in 1668, the impact of the invading European traders, colonists, and missionaries was resulting in many changes for Indian people. The European market demands for North American furs and Indian interest in obtaining European manufactured goods changed the relationships between Indians and animals and between the Indian nations. Trade with the … Continued
The Maidu inhabited a series of mountain valleys in northeastern California. In general, the area occupied by the Maidu had an elevation of more than 4,000 feet above sea level. The Maidus are usually divided into three main groups, based elevation: valley, foothill, and mountain. Of the these, the valley group Maidus were most numerous. … Continued
A treaty is simply an agreement between two or more sovereign nations. When the European nations began their invasion of the Americas, they generally viewed Indian nations as sovereign entities and negotiated treaties with them. The concept of making treaties was not new to American Indian nations and Antone Minthorn, in an essay in As … Continued
Taken with permission When I wrote this, The Death & Vision of Moxtaveto (Black Kettle) Custer was pursuing the snow tracks of Dog Soldiers that would eventually lead to Black Kettle’s village on Thanksgiving Day in a cruel irony. The cruelest irony however, was that Black Kettle and his wife would be slain nearly four … Continued
The Sherman County Museum in Moro, Oregon, includes a display of Indian (primarily Tenino) artifacts. When the Euro-American invasion of what was to become Sherman County, Oregon, began in the 1770s, the area was occupied by several Tenino bands which moved seasonally between summer and winter villages. The four Sahaptin-speaking groups were: Dalles Tenino, Tygh, … Continued
One of the mainstays of the diet for the California Indians was the acorn which was used in soup, porridge, and bread. Sixteen different species of oak provided the acorns. There are a number of steps involved in gathering and processing the acorns. They are gathered in September and October. Traditionally, the people gathered the … Continued
Situated on a bluff high above the Columbia River near Goldendale, Washington, the Maryhill Museum of Art has an outstanding collection of American Indian art and artifacts which are displayed in a series of galleries. In addition, the Museum has displays of recent acquisitions of Native American art displayed in another gallery. Shown below are … Continued
With South Carolina CD5 and Georgia CD6 in the books, many Democratic party members and commenters and pundits are advancing their own hot takes of what went right and wrong in these races. The DCCC is to blame. The candidate is to blame. Democratic members will never win again. All hope is lost. Hope is … Continued
For the Native American people of Southern California, games and gambling were an important part of daily life. There were a number of gambling games which involved dice and games which involved guessing which hand held a marked stick or bone. In their book The Cahuilla Indians of Southern California, Lowell Bean and Harry Lawton … Continued
One gallery in the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington, is dedicated to The Secret Life of an Artifact. This display provides a behind-the-scenes at the museum collect and the science and creativity that goes in to preserving and interpreting artifacts. Textile arts, ranging from quilts to rugs, often dazzle the eye. … Continued
