tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post116039694735412971..comments2024-03-27T14:08:51.191-05:00Comments on American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL): Jimmy Durham's "Columbus Day" poemDebbie Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972409006633565859noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-19707472067788554482012-10-14T07:11:47.970-05:002012-10-14T07:11:47.970-05:00Thank you for this poem. I shared two with my sev...Thank you for this poem. I shared two with my seventh graders on Friday in honor of Columbus Day. One was "Columbus," by Joaquin Miller, where Columbus is presented as a hero. The other was "Lament of an Arawak Child," by Pamela Mordecai. We talked about different ways of looking at the same person. Now I want to share this one with them. My favorite part is, "And nothing can stop the wind from howling those names around the corners of the school." Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12463332371535167975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1161203312418570472006-10-18T15:28:00.000-05:002006-10-18T15:28:00.000-05:00Also speaking of typos, is the "t" in "Laughting O...Also speaking of typos, is the "t" in "Laughting Otter" really supposed to be there?<BR/><BR/>Interesting poem, though. Thanks for posting it. As Karen said, poems are not for discussing an era, though they can certainly generate discussion. I would be interested in knowing more about some of the people he mentions in the poem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1160940651991956952006-10-15T14:30:00.000-05:002006-10-15T14:30:00.000-05:00What actually happens, in my experience, is that C...What actually happens, in my experience, is that Columbus Day simply isn't taught about anymore. Certainly not in high school and I don't think much in elementary. What is in the school history texts I've seen is Columbus wrapped into the story of a dozen other explorers. History is taught in such a compressed way that I'd be surprised if many kids could pick Columbus out of a lineup.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1160567513772607522006-10-11T06:51:00.000-05:002006-10-11T06:51:00.000-05:00Thanks for the heads up on the typo ("as" instead ...Thanks for the heads up on the typo ("as" instead of "has"). I've fixed that error.Debbie Reesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972409006633565859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1160498915055666512006-10-10T11:48:00.000-05:002006-10-10T11:48:00.000-05:00speaking of typos--I'm just checking: "every creek...speaking of typos--I'm just checking: "every creek HAS accepted the responsibility"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1160497498373239302006-10-10T11:24:00.000-05:002006-10-10T11:24:00.000-05:00I hate to break it to you, but there were a lot of...I hate to break it to you, but there were a lot of filthy murderers on this continent before Columbus came. The only difference is that he was white, so I guess we expect him to behave better than the indigenous people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1160439466002519892006-10-09T19:17:00.000-05:002006-10-09T19:17:00.000-05:00I think the concern of anonymous may be partly bas...I think the concern of anonymous may be partly based on a conflation of poetry with essays. A poem is not generally written for the purpose of discussion of an era. <BR/><BR/>For that matter, factually-based discussion of the "era of exploration of exploration and colonization" is, to my mind, far more grim and unpleasant than the most polemical language of Jummie Durham's poem. "Filthy murderers" seems mild language when I've just read of the dogs of war used by Columbus, Cortez, or De Soto. Words usually fail me when I try to discuss the practices of so many of the "explorers".<BR/><BR/>It is good of anonymous to remind us, though, that Columbus was "simply the first" of those filthy murderers to arrive in this hemisphere.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Jimmie Durham's poem brings breathes life into those who died so long ago (and those who continue to die as a result of the ongoing invasion/colonization of indigenous nations), reminding us that they were people, as real, as full of life as anyone alive now, and reminding us that they are still here with us, in each murmuring field of grass, each singing stream.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1160415336267709572006-10-09T12:35:00.000-05:002006-10-09T12:35:00.000-05:00Columbus Day seems to me to be at a pivotal point ...Columbus Day seems to me to be at a pivotal point in 2006. There are fewer and fewer students these days who aren't aware of the varied opinions which arise in discussion of Columbus' voyages to the Western Hemisphere. <BR/><BR/>The poem is very simplistic in its message; I feel like a far greater discussion of the era of exploration and colonization is warranted than is covered in this poem fragment. Columbus was one of the "filthy murderers", perhaps. Or, he was simply the first one of his era to arrive in this hemisphere. In using polemical language, no one benefits, and ignorance compounds ignorance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-1160398345585388642006-10-09T07:52:00.000-05:002006-10-09T07:52:00.000-05:00Debbie, I can't access this FUUSE website...and I ...Debbie, I can't access this FUUSE website...and I would like to...can you help? Karen Stearns (prof. SUNY Cortland)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com