Re: Marysville incident
Mark M. Franco (mfranco@ecst.csuchico.edu)
Mon, 9 Oct 1995 14:24:19 -0700
>
kraphael@igc.apc.org (Kate Raphael) writes:
>
> Does anyone know anything about what happened at the Marysville frontier
> festival? Is there any info (articles, eyewitness accounts, action alerts)
> about it available on the net?
>
> Please respond kraphael@igc.apc.org if you know anything.
>
> Thanks.
>
I was the MC for the powwow at the Beckwourth Days "celebration" held in
Marysville Sept 30-Oct 1. My side of the story, which does not jibe with the
printed account since I wasn't interviewed is as follows:
On the first day of the powwow during the 1st break I was able to take, The
Arena Director (Doyle Lowry) and I went to the concession area for a bite to
eat. As we were leaving, Doyle pointed out what appeared to be a human target
in an area taped off on a slight incline above us. He said "That couldn't be"
and as we walked passed the tape I saw that the target was of a human form,
painted to look like an Indian (face paint, feather in hair, fringe on shirt,
etc.) We were both stunned and angry that this would be in an area where we
had come for a celebration. As I left the area my anger got the better of me
so I went back to the dance area and using the microphone, called on all
dancers and singers to come back to the arena saying that I wanted to talk to
all of the Indian people. As people came back to the arena I began to tell of
what we had found and that until the target was removed, people from the
offending group and the Beckwourth committee were standing before me, the
powwow was stopped. I would not allow any singing or dancing. Within about
15 minutes the offending target was in the arena, security people, committee
people, mountain men and others arriving. At that time I called on all Indian
people to listen and told them of the anger and hurt that this thing had brought
to us all. I also brought all of the children into the arena and talked to
about 50 or so children, I asked them to look at the target and put the face
of their grandparents, parents brothers, sisters etc on that target. I told
the non-Indian people, black, asian, Mexican to do the same. I asked them to
remember the picture, remember the feeling of seeing in their minds the things
I described. The children were told that I was only going to speak with them as
I am through talking to white adults. The children were, needless to say
saddened. I told all there too that I was leaving the arena, that they could
continue if they liked but my heart was now bad and I could not continue in my
function as MC with my heart like that. I then left the arena. I was followed
on the mike by a representative of the target's owners who said "they couldn't
see why we were offended that they would use that target again, that they were
sorry but didn't know what the big deal was. This made me even madder so I left
the 600 bucks I was promised too. I don't need money that bad to accept money
from racist, ignorant people. I guess the press in Marysville came after I
left and wrote how the mountain men wanted an apology too.... I'm sorry that I
didn't tear down their village...that's the only thing I'll apologize for. I'm
sorry
too that I wasn't able to talk with the elder's later to explain why I left, I
heard some of the younger people saying I shouldn't let people run me off but
I wasn't run off my principles wouldn't allow me to stay at a place where we
had come, as Indian people, to share our culture and were in turn treated like
animals and objects that could be shot. There is more to tell but this post is
long enough.
Mark Franco