So enjoyed this Lucinda. Not sure if we originally bonded so well due to our Native American heritage but I expect, somehow, even if unknown at the time, it was true. I recall my grandmother who was part Cherokee and part Choctaw mentioning feeling like an “in-between”. I thought she was referring g to the unusual combination of the two tribes, but it may have been more.
I thought of it often when I would taken on a role in theatre because, in a sense, we are in-between world in that process. So great to get this backstory about the symbols for those who don’t know them and gracious to share that personal funeral story.
Thank you, Alan. My grandmother, Lucinda (Daddy’s mother) was half Choctaw, half Caddo but is on the Dawes Roll as full-blood Choctaw.
I have written about this (it breaks my heart) Daddy lost his father when he was only 8 years old. He knew his Daddy was White, everyone else in the household was Indian. Beyond “White”? Nobody knew. This was Depression Era Oklahoma, food was scarce, money non-existent much less the time and resources to research DNA. So Daddy grew up an NDN child with a dead white father. He went into the army and along with 19,000 other young GIs landed in Scotland he and all the rest were welcomed by a Pipe and Drum Band and paraded through the streets. Daddy, a Blackwood in Scotland, the land of Blackwoods didn’t know until years later that his White blood was pure Scots.
We are what goes into us— really to the bone. I’m glad to know you are a kindred spirit in more ways than we already knew.
An amazing insight into many cultural strands. First, your immediate memories of what feeling like a Genizaro. Then to see, to recognize that many cultures do not make room for the Genizaros among them (ah, the heavy influence of the Catholic Church!), and finally to come to terms with my own feelings of "otherness". Many, many thanks.
I've had a number of conversations since this post with other people about the feeling of being an outsider. I think the melting pot that is our country is the key to some of this. And that's another reason we need to strive to welcome and recognize the value of all the cultures, languages etc that make up our country or something terrible might happen wait something terrible did happen. Oh, Hal.
Your early experiences with cross-cultural interactions is telling. One’s encounter with death, how a teenage memory processed the burial traditions of another tribe, witchcraft, and feelings of not-belonging are human reactions to the differences and encounters of “the other.” Throughout history such encounters, when not understood, lead to cultural misunderstanding, prejudice, and , yes, sometimes racism. Unfortunately government interactions have, as a result, forced assimilation in an attempt to change and alter what is so misunderstood in ‘the other,’. Fortunately there are those, like your family, because of your own indigenous heritage, who seek to understand and accept the differences.
Kathy, thank you for weighing in on my post. It is very interesting to me to hear from you on this, your perspective as a scholar on the subject which for me was entirely about memories and feelings from my youth--the experience and what I carried with me from the experience were without any framework at all--just from the gut. We really do need to understand history to figure ourselves out--I value your knowledge and perspective very much.
Thank you Lucinda for reporting out on another example of intentional traumatization as an instrument of political control. Human history is packed with this use of strategic violence and dehumanization, but the telling of that "real" history has only begun. I wrote about that in this essay in case you're interested:
Yes, I’m interested and thank you for putting the link here so I will be sure to read it. And thank you for the interesting and thoughtful content you bring to Substack. This platform is a welcome home to me and I’m happy to have found it especially since it is populated by so many gifted writers and thinkers.
Yakoke! Yakoke for your story of life of our peoples of the Americas. Bringing words to life. Shining light on the darkness of our recent history to reveal the real story of the People of the Land. Your words, your story stirs up a lot of ancestral DNA in me, which is good. Has me asking again. Hearing for the wisdom for our days. Through the invasion, takeover and genocide we have endured and overcome as the people of the land. These memories and symbols you use in your story are embedded in our DNA and are scattered all across the Americas as reminders of their presence then and as a way for us to remember who we are. We are the continuation of the story. We are still Here! Yakoke fehna hoke my Chahta sister.
Randy, it pleases me so much to read your words about our shared family history. The connection is so important and keeps me grounded and with the ancestors in the beyond. We know them on our hearts and our memories and they know us . They are smiling at us, Cousin.
So much is not reported, not put in history books. That phrase, the survivors (winners?) write the story. I'd never heard of the revolt, Lucinda. And that the trials lasted so very long. All done in the name of the church. Exposing these events is so important, to bring the reality of it all to the light. Thanks for another informative post.
Happy to pass along new knowledge. I learn so much from your work and our shared interests do converge with the Mayan and Native American history. Thank you
So enjoyed this Lucinda. Not sure if we originally bonded so well due to our Native American heritage but I expect, somehow, even if unknown at the time, it was true. I recall my grandmother who was part Cherokee and part Choctaw mentioning feeling like an “in-between”. I thought she was referring g to the unusual combination of the two tribes, but it may have been more.
I thought of it often when I would taken on a role in theatre because, in a sense, we are in-between world in that process. So great to get this backstory about the symbols for those who don’t know them and gracious to share that personal funeral story.
Thank you, Alan. My grandmother, Lucinda (Daddy’s mother) was half Choctaw, half Caddo but is on the Dawes Roll as full-blood Choctaw.
I have written about this (it breaks my heart) Daddy lost his father when he was only 8 years old. He knew his Daddy was White, everyone else in the household was Indian. Beyond “White”? Nobody knew. This was Depression Era Oklahoma, food was scarce, money non-existent much less the time and resources to research DNA. So Daddy grew up an NDN child with a dead white father. He went into the army and along with 19,000 other young GIs landed in Scotland he and all the rest were welcomed by a Pipe and Drum Band and paraded through the streets. Daddy, a Blackwood in Scotland, the land of Blackwoods didn’t know until years later that his White blood was pure Scots.
We are what goes into us— really to the bone. I’m glad to know you are a kindred spirit in more ways than we already knew.
XO,L
An amazing insight into many cultural strands. First, your immediate memories of what feeling like a Genizaro. Then to see, to recognize that many cultures do not make room for the Genizaros among them (ah, the heavy influence of the Catholic Church!), and finally to come to terms with my own feelings of "otherness". Many, many thanks.
I've had a number of conversations since this post with other people about the feeling of being an outsider. I think the melting pot that is our country is the key to some of this. And that's another reason we need to strive to welcome and recognize the value of all the cultures, languages etc that make up our country or something terrible might happen wait something terrible did happen. Oh, Hal.
Your early experiences with cross-cultural interactions is telling. One’s encounter with death, how a teenage memory processed the burial traditions of another tribe, witchcraft, and feelings of not-belonging are human reactions to the differences and encounters of “the other.” Throughout history such encounters, when not understood, lead to cultural misunderstanding, prejudice, and , yes, sometimes racism. Unfortunately government interactions have, as a result, forced assimilation in an attempt to change and alter what is so misunderstood in ‘the other,’. Fortunately there are those, like your family, because of your own indigenous heritage, who seek to understand and accept the differences.
Kathy, thank you for weighing in on my post. It is very interesting to me to hear from you on this, your perspective as a scholar on the subject which for me was entirely about memories and feelings from my youth--the experience and what I carried with me from the experience were without any framework at all--just from the gut. We really do need to understand history to figure ourselves out--I value your knowledge and perspective very much.
Thank you Lucinda for reporting out on another example of intentional traumatization as an instrument of political control. Human history is packed with this use of strategic violence and dehumanization, but the telling of that "real" history has only begun. I wrote about that in this essay in case you're interested:
https://bairdbrightman.substack.com/p/the-evolution-of-trauma
I look forward to exploring more of the writing in your Archive! 👏
Yes, I’m interested and thank you for putting the link here so I will be sure to read it. And thank you for the interesting and thoughtful content you bring to Substack. This platform is a welcome home to me and I’m happy to have found it especially since it is populated by so many gifted writers and thinkers.
Thanks Lucinda. There are indeed a lot good writers and nice people here. It's a welcome refuge from all the "craziness". Let's hope it lasts.
Yakoke! Yakoke for your story of life of our peoples of the Americas. Bringing words to life. Shining light on the darkness of our recent history to reveal the real story of the People of the Land. Your words, your story stirs up a lot of ancestral DNA in me, which is good. Has me asking again. Hearing for the wisdom for our days. Through the invasion, takeover and genocide we have endured and overcome as the people of the land. These memories and symbols you use in your story are embedded in our DNA and are scattered all across the Americas as reminders of their presence then and as a way for us to remember who we are. We are the continuation of the story. We are still Here! Yakoke fehna hoke my Chahta sister.
Randy, it pleases me so much to read your words about our shared family history. The connection is so important and keeps me grounded and with the ancestors in the beyond. We know them on our hearts and our memories and they know us . They are smiling at us, Cousin.
So much is not reported, not put in history books. That phrase, the survivors (winners?) write the story. I'd never heard of the revolt, Lucinda. And that the trials lasted so very long. All done in the name of the church. Exposing these events is so important, to bring the reality of it all to the light. Thanks for another informative post.
Happy to pass along new knowledge. I learn so much from your work and our shared interests do converge with the Mayan and Native American history. Thank you