The late cultural critic Neil Postman spoke frequently about the tendency of technology to become mythic, or accepted without question as something that always existed in the natural world. The same can be said of territorial boundaries, a manmade construct that had no relevance for the Cheyenne and Arapaho people of the foothills and high plains of east of the Rocky Mountains in the mid-19th century. By the latter 20th century, however, the more than two million residents of the state of Colorado who lived amidst the arbitrary demarcation lines of a state without natural boundaries felt a strong enough affinity for and identity with their place in the world to honor, grieve and demand action over the “XXXX number of Coloradoans… killed in Vietnam,” or, “…on the highways.” (Ortiz 15) Little more than one hundred years earlier, however, several indigenous tribes had thriving and venerable societies that were destroyed by American troops, and like most non-native residents of the United States, the typical Coloradoan had no concern for this fact. “Repression works like shadow, clouding memory and sometimes even to blind, and when it is on a national scale, it is just not good.”
Table of Contents
1. Native Genocide and American Imperialism in Simon Ortiz’s poem From Sand Creek
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic text examines the historical intersection between the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and broader patterns of American imperialism, arguing that the cultural suppression of indigenous history mirrors subsequent state-sponsored violence, such as the Vietnam War.
- The historical context of the Cheyenne and Arapaho displacement in Colorado.
- The mechanics of the Sand Creek Massacre and the subsequent lack of official accountability.
- The role of historical repression and collective memory in shaping national identity.
- Connections between 19th-century frontier violence and 20th-century American foreign policy.
- The literary intervention of Simon Ortiz’s work "From Sand Creek" as a corrective to historical erasure.
Excerpt from the Book
Native Genocide and American Imperialism in Simon Ortiz’s poem From Sand Creek
The late cultural critic Neil Postman spoke frequently about the tendency of technology to become mythic, or accepted without question as something that always existed in the natural world. The same can be said of territorial boundaries, a manmade construct that had no relevance for the Cheyenne and Arapaho people of the foothills and high plains of east of the Rocky Mountains in the mid-19th century. By the latter 20th century, however, the more than two million residents of the state of Colorado who lived amidst the arbitrary demarcation lines of a state without natural boundaries felt a strong enough affinity for and identity with their place in the world to honor, grieve and demand action over the “XXXX number of Coloradoans… killed in Vietnam,” or, “…on the highways.” (Ortiz 15) Little more than one hundred years earlier, however, several indigenous tribes had thriving and venerable societies that were destroyed by American troops, and like most non-native residents of the United States, the typical Coloradoan had no concern for this fact. “Repression works like shadow, clouding memory and sometimes even to blind, and when it is on a national scale, it is just not good.” (Ortiz 14)
Like the white settlers who ultimately forced them out of the territory in the years following the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, the Cheyenne and Arapaho were not natives of the regions within modern-day Colorado. The Arapaho are believed to have originated near the Red River, and French trappers in what became Chicago evidently traded with the Cheyenne in the 17th century. (Waldman 146-47) Driven west by both rival tribes and white encroachment, the Arapaho and Cheyenne adapted to the new environment and relied heavily on plentiful buffalo for subsistence.
Summary of Chapters
1. Native Genocide and American Imperialism in Simon Ortiz’s poem From Sand Creek: This chapter analyzes the historical, social, and political contexts of the Sand Creek Massacre, exploring how institutional silence and the mythologizing of American frontier history serve to justify imperialist actions throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Keywords
Sand Creek Massacre, Simon Ortiz, American Imperialism, Historical Repression, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Indigenous Rights, Collective Memory, Colonialism, Frontier Myth, Vietnam War, Colorado Territory, Native Genocide, John Chivington, Cultural Criticism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic paper?
The paper explores the historical connection between the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre and the long-standing impulses of American imperialism, specifically through the lens of Simon Ortiz’s poetry.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
Key themes include the erasure of indigenous history, the role of national narratives in obscuring state violence, and the cyclical nature of American military atrocities.
What is the author's primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate how the "repression" of historical atrocities like the Sand Creek Massacre allows similar patterns of violence, such as the My Lai massacre, to persist in American history.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The paper utilizes a literary and historical analysis, drawing on primary historical records, eyewitness accounts, and secondary scholarly work to contextualize Ortiz’s poetry.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The body covers the displacement of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, the details of the massacre, the subsequent congressional investigations, and the long-term impact of these events on American historical consciousness.
Which keywords best describe this study?
The study is best characterized by terms such as Sand Creek Massacre, American Imperialism, Historical Repression, and Collective Memory.
How does the author relate the Sand Creek Massacre to the Vietnam War?
The author argues that the same imperialistic impulses driving 19th-century expansion—and the brutal treatment of indigenous peoples—directly inform the military justifications used in modern conflicts like the Vietnam War.
What specific critique does the author level against the Colorado Pioneers Association?
The author criticizes the association for erecting a monument in 1909 that reframed the Sand Creek Massacre as a "battle" and attempted to honor the perpetrators, thereby perpetuating historical denial.
What is the significance of the quote "nits make lice"?
The quote, used by Col. Chivington to justify the killing of indigenous children, is highlighted to show the dehumanizing rhetoric that recurs in later American military campaigns, such as the Samar campaign in the Philippines.
What is the final message regarding historical memory?
The author concludes that despite the efforts of poets like Ortiz, the national tendency toward historical repression and the refusal to acknowledge the true nature of frontier history remains a significant barrier to justice.
- Quote paper
- Mark Schauer (Author), 2011, Native Genocide and American Imperialism in Simon Ortiz’s poem "From Sand Creek", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/230264
