Friday, November 12, 2010

Indigenousity.

In the last post, Olmanriver hinted at the fact that the white man might be wrong in his name for the “pepperwood”. The indigenous people that preceded the white man called the tree an “Aantcin.” Also in the last post, Spyrock related a tale about a tribe of white people that lived here before the darker skinned Indian people. The white people were called the Wa-Gas. They “left going north saying that they would return someday.”

What I’m getting at, is that there is so much about history that we don’t know, that it is hard to say, definitively, what anything might be called. Names change as people change. The latest wave of newcomers, "the-back-to-the-landers”, is evidence of what I say. They have their own names for everything. Some brought the names with them, from the place that they departed, and other names they have made up, because they can’t, or won’t, accept the local names. Such is life.

There has been wave, after wave, after wave of “newcomers” on the north coast. Change and conquest has always been a part of the Human Condition. Who’s to say who really belongs here, and who’s to say what things should really be called.

The other day I made the comment to a friend of mine, who came with the first wave of the-back-to-the-landers, that I hoped he didn’t take my banter about the “dratted newcomers” too seriously, that it was just my sense of humor about the situation, and to make it clear that I understood that the times are a changing’, and it was as unstoppable as time or tide. He said that he “fully got the humor” and understood that it was just a sign of my frustration at having to change. So if you are still offended that I curse the Dratted Newcomer… Gotcha!

I know, as most students of history know, that there has been many conquests, and name changes on the north coast. Ray Raphael and Freeman House made note in their book, “Two Peoples, One Place” that there was a tribe of people that lived here before the current Wiyot tribe. The Wiyots claimed that the indigenous people were not a very smart tribe of people. The story goes that they drove them off by dropping poop down the smoke holes of their dwellings. “They got mad and left.” I often wondered where they went.

The fact that the Wiyots didn’t think that the people that came before them were very smart was probably because they didn’t speak the same language. And, they called everything by the wrong names. They probably called the Aantcin tree an Ooohwho tree. Who knows what happened in pre-history. The only thing that we know for sure is what archeology tells us.

The cupuals, little holes chipped in rocks about 2.5 inches around, and 1.5 inches deep, are found all over the world. So, did they come from one common tribe, or is it just a natural instinct to make them?

The Clovis Point, made by knapping chert, obsidian, or flint, is found in Clovis New Mexico. The points are about 13,500 years old. They were used for spear points. The same identical points are found in the Solutre Cave in France. Not only are they similarly made points, but all of the other tools are the same as found in the Solutre Cave in France.

The Athabascan languge that the local Wailaki tribe speaks originates in upper central Canada. So we know that any Athabaskin language speaker is a “newcomer”. Also, at least 36 words are identical to the same words used in the Basque language, from the region north of France. How could that be a coincidence?

Many connections can be made to European ancestry. I feel that it is only fair to warn you that when you start trying to research ancient ancestry, most of the sites that you go to will be white supremacy crap. They are trying to prove that the white man was here first, therefore the Indian people should just go away. I don’t advocate the kind of thinking, in fact I find it highly objectionable. I don’t think that research trying to prove who is right, and who is wrong, is productive. The white people may very well have been first in America, and they were killed and driven off by the Indian people. Remember, the fact that the Indian people weren’t resistant to our diseases, and the fact that we had them seriously outnumbered, and outgunned, is the only reason we were able to take land away from them the last time that the whites showed up. The Indians were very skilled fighters.

The carvings on the rocks in Laytonville are the same as found in England and Ireland. There is much evidence that the American natives came from Europe. The north coast and Inuit tribes probably came from Asia, some say the South Pacific. The rock carvings in central America depict the round head, broad nose, and full lips of the African natives. At any rate, we would be hard pressed to say who belongs here now.
I was born poor and have been completely broke twice in my life. I can fairly say that my wife and I worked for everything that we have, (which isn’t much). It kind of bothers me when people say that this land belongs to the Indian people. The old Indians used to say that nobody owns the land any more than you own your mother or your father. The land is what we came from, and back to which we will go. Ownership is not that important. And...call things whatever you need to... to get your point across.

18 comments:

olmanriver said...

Dogtown--- Harris and Garberville
Buhne Creek--- Dean Creek
Jacobs Valley-- Miranda
Silverville-- Sylvandale?
John Ray curve--- name lost (this is on the way to Shelter Cove
French--- 4 corners
Fearrian orchard- Lost Valley
Scotia flat-- lower Redway (upstream from the Redway beach development)
Phillips Landing- Phillipsville
Southfork--- Garberville (and Hydesville? fuzzy memory...might be wrong)

Kelsey's River-- South Fork of the Eel
Rio des Morons- South Fork Eel down south by Laytonville

These are just a few of the name changes pre-1950. My petition to change the name of Garberville to Garciaville in honor of the first settler, not the first white postmaster, will be found in local stores soon... NOT.

Names do change, by influx of newcomers, or by the ol'time locals.

We are all just passing through.

Ernie Branscomb said...

South Fork = Dyerville?

olmanriver said...

Thanks for that correction Ernie!

olmanriver said...

If I had had my coffee before posting yesterday, maybe I would have remembered these name changes...
Eagle Praire-- Rio Dell
Springville--- Fortuna

Change happens.

Anonymous said...

Eagle Point Viaduct is relatively new and the name has been changed already.
One evening going North I came on a doe in the middle of the viaduct, it just hopped over the side. I bet I was at the far end before she was at ground level.

Oregon

Anonymous said...

Once again Ernie you manage to dabble in white supremacist arguments while feigning disgust at the very same time. You're basically saying "The white supremacists are right, the whites were her first, but I find this conclusion objectionable, even though its right." In other words, the Indians have no special claim to the land, its really your white ancestors who do... Ha!

You are closet racist Ernie Branscomb.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Oregon
I was coming into Garberville late one night and there was a deer in the middle of the Bear Gulch Bridge. I came to a complete stop to not scare it. It slowly pussyfooted over the the edge and to my sadness it jumped over. Sometimes you feel like crap even when you can't change a thing. Crap!

Ernie Branscomb said...

Anon
You are wrong. I sign my name to everything I publish, and I usually mean what I say. Why would you twist an innocent statement so badly. You are one sick bastard.

Robin Shelley said...

OMaR! Rio des Morons?!! That must be where Anonymous 1:25 (Indian name: One Sick Bastard) comes from.

olmanriver said...

Mebbe so Robin.
Ernie... sorry you get crap like that.

You must have felt terrible about that deer, how sad.

I went to bed last night thinking I needed to chew Ernie out this morning... he, and his blog, have ruined me.... I am addicted to history... spent about four hours yesterday with a couple of young eighty year olds, you know, just a little younger than me... they had the best stories, having gotten here in the fifties and watched the changes. I got a bullshistory version of the Sproul brothers attack in 1861, that was... Long Valleyesqe.
I really get the feeling of loss, that Ernie and Oregon et al, have expressed. Think of roaming the land back when no one lived in the hills.
I haven't liked the changes in my few decades here...
But with change you gain and lose... how everyone weighs the loss and gain is probably different.

Anonymous said...

Ernie, you really think that white people were in North America before the Indians? Are you a Mormon? How many different ways can you make an arrowhead out of a rock? How many different ways can you dig a hole in a rock?

You are attempting to justify a belief held by white supremacists. This idea is given no credence by actual archeologists.

So once again, Ernie Branscomb is dabbling in white supremacist garbage. Tell me how he is not.

Robin Shelley said...

It's your argument, 7:17. Tell us how he IS.

Anonymous said...

I just told you how he is. Look, Ernie is no historian. Actual historians go to school, study, and utilize evidence to come to their conclusions. Ernie is no historian.

Ernie is a storyteller. He cites certain things that reinforce his preconceived notions. In this case, it's a little close for comfort to the national socialist agenda. And he admits it, and feigns disgust. All the while the crux of his argument is that Native Americans have no special claim to the land, no claim at all because the white people were here first.

Put down the bong and wake up.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Anon
You must be losing it, you are now paying me fine compliments.

“Ernie is no historian”
Bingo… Those that really know me know that I repeatedly warn people that I am no historian. The most I will lay claim to is the title of “bullshistorian”. I love to hear the old stories that the Old-Timers tell about historical events. Few agree on what “really” happened. I have often said that I have heard at least five stories about every historical event, with the exception of Fox Burns, I stop counting Fox Burns stories in the high 20’s. After a few stories, your mind will form an opinion, but it is often wildly divergent with the true event. So much for “historian”.

The next compliment is:
“Ernie is a story teller”
Wow, thank-you! And all this time I thought that you hated me!

But you lose me here:
“All the while the crux of his argument is that Native Americans have no special claim to the land, no claim at all because the white people were here first.”

You got it wrong there, I will say flatly that I don’t give a rats-ass who came first, just tell me the story. I will admit that I have a slight preference toward the Indian side, because I know, more than most, how very much they have lost.

I really think that you must have some other reason for your bitterness toward me, but don’t expect to be respected, you won’t even sign your name to your bitterness.

This round was fun. Okay, blow another spit-wad from behind your curtain

Ross Sherburn said...

Glad we aren't in the old days and "face to face".
This could have turned into a "Fist fight"

Robin Shelley said...

I'm waiting for you to back up your argument, 9:22. So far all you've done is hurl accusations. When you're through stamping your foot, prove your point.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we are waiting, 9:22. Back up your accusation.

Cousin

Ekovox said...

The Yuroks or Karuks from the Klamath-Trinity also have creation stories of the Wa-Gay people. So, that's quite interesting. Who were the Wa-Gay peoples of ancient Northern California?