Indian Tribe Survival

There is a wonderful story on the front page of today's Wall Street Journal describing the reappearance of the Apalachee tribe - formerly of Florida and now of Louisiana - and once so formidable that mapmakers named the Appalachian Mountains after them, but completely decimated by many determined enemies over the centuries - American settlers, plantation masters, the Klan, Jim Crow laws - to the point where the tribe decided to embrace an underground existence and all-but vanish from the face of the Earth. They maintained their Catholicism, genealogies, and traditions as best they could, however, and are now trying to gain federal recognition. Their story is harrowing, however, and the once-huge tribe was almost completely destroyed over the years.

A lot of other tribes embraced secrecy to survive and thrive. Early archaeologists on the Colorado Plateau of the American Southwest speculated on the religious practices and symbolism of the Anasazi Indians, whose ancient pueblos (e.g., Chaco Canyon) they excavated. Pueblo Indians, descendants of the Anasazis, still used some of the symbolism, however. It must be frustrating to be a Southwestern archaeologist, because no matter how much you speculate, and how learned one's credentials, there are people around who know what the symbols mean - and they aren't talking!

My limited experience with Pueblo Indians in New Mexico suggests that, aside from secrecy, they have found many other ways to accomodate American society. I remember talking with several people from Acoma Pueblo (west of Albuquerque, NM) about their determination to secure economic development for themselves and their families, and I was struck by their gritty resolve. The pueblo's casino along Interstate Highway 40 embodies some of their aspirations (and if others lose as badly there as I once did, they will succeed.)

On two occasions, I went to Acoma's traditional "Sky City" for tribal dance celebrations. The impressive mesa-top village has been continuously inhabited since the 1200's at least, longer than any other site in the U.S.: the place was old even before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. I was struck at just how relaxed everything was. The young kids were learning the dances, the adults were teaching them, and everyone was enjoying themselves. There was no sense of artificial pride or of trying to preserve a threatened past - rather the atmosphere was like 'this is who we are and this is what we do.'

Survival of culture depends on moments of selfless joy in tradition. It is no surprise that the Apalachees went underground: otherwise, how could they continue with their traditions? The history of the Pueblo Indians was kinder than that of the tribes of the east, but they too have to be careful.

Best of luck to the Apalachees, and all the other tribes trying to cope with American society!