I read something today that caused me to reexamine my feelings about Native American exceptionalism. At least as far as I, and many people I know idealize them. It’s been easy for me to romanticize their culture as if they are the one example of how a society can be inherantly fair and egalitarian. A reverance for the Earth. Never taking more than they needed. No modern sense of ownership of land. If you take something out of necessity, you give something of equal value or meaning in return. Leaving my larger opinions of them aside, and back to what I read today….
I was given a book as a gift by my Mother 5 or 6 years ago. It’s title is Stolen Continents, The Americas Through Indian Eyes Since 1492 by Ronald Wright. I’ve already read this book. It’s not much different from many others that I have. It documents the discovery and near annihilation of indigenous American peoples. In rereading a section of this book today about the Iroquois I came upon a passage about an attempted forced ban on abortion within the Iroquois Confederacy in the late 18th century.
In 1799 the Iroquois found themselves decimated. After successive wars, the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, disease, and continual encroachment by the British, Americans and to a lesser degree, the French, what once was the most populous and organized tribe of the east found itself numbering about 4000. Handsome Lake, who had fallen victim to alcoholism and been bed ridden for several years, began to have visions. According to the book, his life had mirrored the decline of his people. He became an alcolholic soon after his ancestral lands along the Genesee river in New York were taken by whites and he was forced to live on the Allegheny Reservation. Although an alcoholic and destitute, he came from the royal lineage of the Turtle Clan. Half brother of Cornplanter and uncle to Red Jacket. The visions, as told in Gawasowaneh’s (Arthur Parker) translation:
“Then said the beings, addressing me, ‘He who created the world at the beginning employed us to come to earth. Our visit now is not the only one we have made…..
‘Do not allow anyone to say that you have had great fortune in being able to rise again. The favor of the four beings is not alone for you, and the Creator is willing to help all mankind…
‘We will uncover the evil upon the earth and show how men spoil the laws the Great Ruler has made…
‘Four words tell a great story of wrong, and the Creator is sad because of the trouble they bring, so go and tell your people.
‘The first word is One’ga (alcohol). It seems that you never have known that this word stands for a great and monstrous evil and has reared a high mound of bones'”.
The other evil words that Handsome Lake speaks of contain the reference to abortion that caught my attention. They are, Withcraft, Black Magic and Abortion. According to the author, “the ban on abortion was timely. Many pre-Columbian peoples had practiced birth control and abortion to keep their numbers in balance with the land. But in 1800, with only 4000 Iroquois left on earth and women aborting from despair, it had to be stopped”.
Okay, this is what caught me. I can’t say that I was shocked. Not for a people facing what to them must have felt like impending extinction. More than anything I’m curious what you all think about it. Remember too that the Iroquois are a matrilineal society. The women decide upon and appoint the leaders. As the authour alludes to, abortion was more a practical thing. Nature can only support so many in any given environment. Too many people and the resources cannot support them. But faced with imminenet destruction, needing to reconstitute the tribe, abortion was seen, I’m assuming, as self defeating.
I’m still thinking about all this. It just gave me much to think about, and as usual, I’m very interested in what you all think.
Peace
Update [2006-12-3 17:35:18 by supersoling]:links
Stolen Continents
South Dakota Abortion Rights
Fire Thunder Impeachment and the Rights of Women