Savagery is savagery, no matter who is the perpetrator. Not judging or condemning such behavior because it has been practiced consistently throughout history without limitation to race, locality, sex or religion is a personal choice, but it doesn't change the fact that savagery is evil and abominable. To say one cannot judge one group's savagery because another group did this or that is a cop-out.
Debra Jackson/Harold Forsythe <[log in to unmask]> wrote: The famed British General Lord Kitchener (1850-1916), victor at the Battle
of Omdurman in the Sudan (1898), took a trophy to commemorate his victory.
He had the body of the Mahdi, the Muslim prophet who had initially led the
revolt against Egyptian rule in the Sudan, disinterred. The skull was
cleaned and decorated as a ceremonial drinking cup which Kitchener kept with
him throughout his military career, which included command service in the
Anglo-Boer War (1898-1902) and in WW I (1914-1918).
The more one knows of history, the more reluctant one is to judge precisely
what acts denote civilization or its absence.
Harold S. Forsythe
----- Original Message -----
From: "Clara Callahan"
To:
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 4:55 AM
Subject: Re: Native American Culture
> At the risk of stating the obvious, wholesome, non-savage people don't
> sacrifice/murder and then scrape their victims' brains out of their skulls
> with mussel shells.
>
> Anne Pemberton wrote: Doug,
>
> Good questions. I want them to realize that the English were not the
> heroes
> at that point in history. Without the Indians' help, they would have all
> perished. I want them to see the Indians are wholesome people, worthy of
> respect. Not "savages".
>
> That is why I set the year at 1609, since Pocahontas would be older than
> the
> reader, but not yet an adult. The readers of my story range from four year
> olds, who have the stories read to them, to young teens who are slow at
> learning to read. The most common ages are 7-10 for reading them on their
> own.
>
> Since you asked the questions this evening, I am thinking about 1607, the
> summer before the Colonists arrive, and focus only on the daily life of
> the
> Indians. But, then I can't make the points about the first colonists
> listed
> above and below.
>
> I just read an article on Powhatan Women by Helen Rountree at VCU, and
> wonder if, since the Powhatans bathed daily, year round, if the colonists,
> who if I remember my history well enough, bathed irregularly, smelled
> stinky
> to the Indians. That would be a fun fact for kids to wrap their grins
> around!
>
> I do appreciate all the help as I develop this story. Already I know that
> some things in my original plot will not work. I do want historical
> accuracy, since kids get enough fiction from Disney, etal. But, I don't
> want
> to write a text book, I want it to be a fun read.
>
> Anne
>
> Anne Pemberton
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.erols.com/stevepem
> http://www.erols.com/apembert
> http://www.educationalsynthesis.org
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Douglas Deal"
> To:
> Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 10:14 PM
> Subject: Re: Native American Culture
>
>
>> Anne:
>>
>> I see your point... I had misunderstood the basic "format" of the book.
>> But there is still the question of verisimilitude. What is it that you
>> want readers of your book to discover or understand about early Jamestown
>> and the native inhabitants of the area? What sort of historical accuracy
>> is necessary? What sort is unimportant?
>>
>> Doug
>>
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