Review-The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native
People in North America
By: Christine McFarlane
Have you ever really looked at history and the stories
behind them? Do you question if these stories are fact or myth or accept them
as the absolute truth? You would like to think that what you are reading in
your history books is truth but in “The
Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America,”
author Thomas King looks at the stories behind such events as the 1861 Almo massacre
by the Shoshone-Bannock, the meeting of Pocahontas and Captain John Smith, The
Rebellion of 1885 with Louis Riel, the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, with
George Armstrong Custer and many other stories and points out the
inconsistencies in each.
In each story, we are made to believe facts that are based
on tales someone has made up and told someone else. King states that the massacre in the town of
Almo did not happen, because at that time in history attacks with such a large
number of casualties did not go without mention. Newspapers at that time made
no mention of this so called massacre, nor is there records of this in the
National Archives or in the records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs that is
kept for various states and territories.
King also argues that it was not until 66 years after this supposed event
that a plaque was erected in the town of Almo as part of “Exploration Day,”
which is an event that is designed to celebrate Idaho history and promote
tourism in the area. Makes you wonder doesn't it? It makes you question, why it took 66 years to commemorate lives lost in such a massacre, when there are no records to back up this story. It's a legend told to make the town of Almo stand out, but the town did not even exist in the 1800's.
Similarly, there is the story of how Captain John Smith was
saved by Pocahontas. It makes a great story for Disney where a beautiful maiden
saves a hero. However, at the time of this meeting, there is questionable
evidence to the background of Smith and how he had been saved before by other beautiful
women. Yes, he may have been captured by the Powhatan peoples, but to be saved by a mere child? In1607, he was twenty seven, and
Pocahontas would have only been ten, maybe twelve years old.How convenient that he is saved by a beautiful Indian girl.
History as Thomas King points out “may well be a series of
stories we tell about the past, but the stories are not just any stories.
They’re not chosen by chance. By and large, the stories are about famous men
and celebrated events. We throw in a couple of exceptional women every now and
then, not out of any need to recognize female eminence, but out of
embarrassment. And we’re not easily embarrassed.”
History is not always what we are taught to believe. King
argues that our concept of history is often thought of as something grand
happening, a national chronicle built upon by authenticities and truths that
are melded together into narratives that explains how we get from one end to
the other. This very fact is interesting because the stories we read in
textbooks are presented as truth and we are often taught not to question the
stories that are told to us. To do so, goes against the acceptable norm.
“The Inconvenient
Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America” by Thomas King
is a book that once you pick up, you cannot put down. It takes you on a
historical journey of examining the stories we are told throughout history,
speaks about the relationship between non-Natives and Natives throughout the
centuries, and has you wondering how we might tell a new story for the future.
Thomas King fans will not be disappointed!
"The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People
in North America" is published by DoubleDay Canada and is 288 pages.
Please note: A similar review will be published in Windspeaker at a later date
Please note: A similar review will be published in Windspeaker at a later date
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