Re: Mohawk History Debate

Peshewegunzh (peshe%mamia.uucp@mthvax.cs.miami.edu)
Mon, 6 Apr 1992 02:52:31 EDT


I knew the state of affairs on campuses was bad these days, but
evidently from Gerald Alfred's (Dept. of Government, Cornell University)
recent dispatch, things are far worse than I feared - European cafeteria
food must have a way of driving some intellectually as well as gastronomically
berserk. Gerald adds new meaning to the concept of anthropological "course
material":

> The word "Mohawk" derives from a Massachusetts word which translates
> into "fearsome cannibal." Yes, our people did practice ritual cannibalism as
> part of the blood feud and as an instrument of war. No, Cliff does not under-
> stand the first thing about the significance or spiritual aspect to warfare
> among our ancestors ... as is the Iroquois tradition, Cliff has had his three
> chances and the time for words is finished. I think that if Cliff ever shows
> his face among us, he'll be given a complete education to supplement his
> feeble knowledge. And maybe he won't be so dangerous after undergoing that
> treatment.
>
> Skennen (Peace)

Cliff might prove as indigestible as his ideas, and no improvement over
the low quality of regular campus culinary offerings.

Kinda disturbing, though, about the implicit analogy made by using "Iroquoian
and Iroquois" and the "Germanic and German Nation" in the same breath - the
latter in recent history also felt there was a great spiritual aspect to blood
feuds and warfare, and while by no means technically backward, practiced
modern, scientific versions of cannibalism. They considered themselves warriors,
men of action impatient with the niceties of words, too. Interestingly, their
religion was paganism (of the Norse variety), in contrast to Christianity and
Judaism which they held in contempt for counseling peace, just as some others
have now viewed a distaste for violence as an expression of weakness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peshewegunzh

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