Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 11, 1 November 2014 — Museum of the American Indian exhibit focuses on treaties [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Museum of the American Indian exhibit focuses on treaties

By Lurline Wailana McGregor One side struggled to hold on to its homelands and ways of life, while the other sought to own the riches of North America. Such is the foundation for treaties made between the United States government and Indian Nations, as told throu2h a new exhibit at the

National Museum of the Ameriean Indian in Washington, D.C. Over the course of the next four years, eight treaties, representing approximately 374 of those ratified between the United States and Native Nations, will be exhibited in rotation as part of an ongoing display showcasing over 125 objects from the museum's collection and other lenders, including archival photographs, wampum belts, textiles, baskets and peaee medals. NMAI director Kevin Gover (Pawnee) describes the exhibit as the museum's most ambitious effort yet, presenting the history of the relationship between the United States and American Indian Nations through their treaties.

"The history of U.S.-Indian treaties is the history of all Americans," says Gover. "We cannot have a complete understanding of what it means to be Americans without knowing about these relationships, whether we are Native Americans or not." The exhibit, whieh opened in September on the museum's 10th anniversary, is divided into five chronological sections:

Introduction to Treaties introduces the visitor to the earliest treaties, such as the Two Row Wamnum Belt between the Iro-

quois and the first colonists, who were seeking only to coexist with eaeh other. The belt symbolizes an Indian eanoe carrying everything Indians believe to be true on one row while the other row is the Europeans' ship, carrying everything they believe to be true. The intent was to show "We are traveling on the river of life together, side by side ... people in the ship aren't going to try so steer the eanoe; people in the eanoe aren't going to try to steer the ship." Serious Diplomacy traces how diplomacy and negotiation evolved from the early exchange of ceremonial gifts to complex negotiations. Native nations sought unitv within the confed-

eration while the United States negotiators tried to balance the conflicting interests between the federal government and the states. Bad Acts, Bad Paper comprises treaties made in the 1800s, after the United States abandoned the ideals of earlier treaties and instead used them as a means for confis- SEE TREATIES ON PAGE 33

Viewpoint Native Nations Native diplomatic traditions aimed to establish a relationship of trust that outlasted future disagreements. Viewpoinb European Nations European diplomacy focused on bargaining to create a written agreement that could be enforced by either side and consulted if a dispute arose. — Quoted from one of many Viewpoint panels dispīaying differing worldviews betn'een the parties

uiiiuuiuuii j Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American lndian Nations When: Until fall 2018 Where: National Museum of the American Inelian, Fourth Street anel lndependence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. Features: 0riginal treaties shown one at a time in a six-month rotation, archival photos, wampum belts, textiles, baskets and peaee medals. There are also original videos narrated by Robert Redford and interactive media stations. Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily, closed Christmas Day Admisson: Free Weh: americanindian.si.edu

The Treaty of Canandaigua of 1 794, signed by President George Washington and The Six Nations (lroquois), is featured in an exhibit at the Smithsonian's Nahonal Museum of the Amehean lndian. At right, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Oren Lyons, Ph.D., and The Tadodaho of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chief Sidney Hill examined the signature of Ki-On-Twog-Ky, aka Cornplanter (Seneca), in September. - Courtesy: Kevin Wolf/AP lmages forthe Qmithcnninn'c MMAI

Thomas Jefferson peaee medal, 1801, owned by Powder Face (Northern Inunaina/Arapaho), Oklahoma. - Courtesy: Walter lanimoie

TREATIES

Continued from page 27 cating Indian land. Great Nations Keep Their Word demonstrates how, in the 1900s, Native nations appealed to treaty

rights and used them as tools to demand a return to a balanced and peaceful co-existence. Dozens of treaties were nullified through the U.S. government's Termination Policy, whieh sought to end government programs for tribes by ending tribal rolls and liquidating and distributing tribal assets to tribal members, and most importantly, ending the protected trust status of Indian-owned lands. Native nations, through social activism, the courts and legislation were able to turn the tide and win the reaffirmation

of treaties and a return to a more respect-based relationship in the second half of the century. Lastly, the Future of Treaties summarizes the exhibition with two main points: everyone is affected by the treaties between the United States and Native nations, and the struggle is not yet over. "Viewpoint" panels are placed throughout the exhibit to contrast Native with non-Native worldviews and attitudes. The panels include viewpoints on many aspects of life, for example, Native Nations are self-governing and non-coercive, European nations are hierarchieal and controlling of individual citizens. Oral speech was more trustworthy than written words in the Native world, written language was more authentic and trustworthy in the Western point of view. "Treaties are living documents that bind the Nations ... in friendship and law, and are the foundation for keeping promises and realizing ideals today," says Suzan Shown Haijo (Cheyenne/Muscogee), guest curator of the exhibition. A eompanion publication to the exhibition, Naiion to Naiion: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations, edited by Harjo, includes essays and interviews by scholars of Native history and law that explore the many reasons for why centuries-old treaties remain living, relevant documents for both Natives and non-Natives in the 21 st century. ■ Luiiine Waiīana McGregor is a writer, teīevision producer and author ofBetween the Deep Blue Sea and Me.

Treaties are living documents that bind the Nations ... in friendship and law, and are the foundation for keeping promises and realizing ideals today. — Suzan Shown Harjo ( Cheyenne/Muscogee )

Below, Wendat (Huron) wampum belt, 1600-1650, lndian Territory (Kansas), made of whelk shell, quahog shell, hide, bast fiber yarn and cordage. - Courtesy: ErnestAmoroso