Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Knowledge Of Our Homelands

In this time of attacks on Amerindians, do you know where we are geographically?

Left: Illustration by the author of an ancient (1200 BCE) Olmec ruler in Mexico's Yucatan, based upon a gigantic stone sculpture with pyramids in the background.

Right: A painting of Christopher Columbus arriving much later in the Caribbean around 1492 AD.

The above title has an ice-breaker question that I would ask my students from the elementary school level to adults on the postgraduate level.

For that matter, ask the average American, Caribbean, Central or South American this question:

“Where do you think that we are geographically?”

And I guarantee few will correctly answer this simple question beyond their country's current names and education!

So, with my students, I went further: “What if I told you that we in the Americas are in Asia Extended?”

Silence!

"The reason why it's Asia Extended is that Amerindians are genetically "Asiatic", I offered.

The looks on their faces was priceless!

But, I got my point across.

This was my Modus Operandi because of a misleading wall sign which I saw at Jamestown Festival Park in Virginia. often touted as "Where America began!".

“America is a suburb of Europe,” the dismissively Eurocentric sign declared.

HOWEVER, WHAT WE SHOULD REALY KNOW?

As an educator for almost 40 years in the Nation’s Capital, the above approach was my icebreaker introduction. I would then introduce "Amerindian aesthetics" as a part of my curriculum.

Asia is so large that it has the most human beings on planet Earth. This territory which I call "Asia proper"is in the Eastern Hemisphere of the continent. However, many eastern Asians during periods of time moved all the way over to our Western hemisphere from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego in South America and into the Caribbean islands. Over 50,000 years ago or more, some believe. Others say 33,000 years ago. Then, genetic evidence now shows that movements occurred 40,000 to 50,000 years ago.

Widespread misnaming of aboriginal territories began after the arrival of foreigners like Christopher Columbus in 1492, who began by renaming the Caribbean islands with Spanish religious names. For example, In October 1492 when he arrived in the Taino’s Lucaya islands now called the Bahamas, he renamed Guanahani, meaning the “Island of the iguana” (populated by many of these sacred lizards), as an ode to the Sun god, Iguana-el. Columbus renamed the island with the Christian name of San Salvador, (the Savior in Spanish). He like those who came after him, began to rename the Amerindian territories with European names. Following suit, European names first in Spanish, then in English, French, Dutch and other so-called "Christian names" appeared on their maps. Not consulting the Amerindians, these were substitutes for what the ancient civilizations in the Americas previously called their territories for hundreds of years.

Arriving foreigners to the continent were even unaware that North America's indigenous translated name is Turtle Island. Still called this by the indigenous, the continent is continued to be known to those who have respected Mother Earth fot thousands of years. Why? Because from the sky, the shape of the continent is that of a giant turtle. The question is, how did these ancients know what their continent looked like from the sky? The same goes for the Caribbean's Taino women who illustrated the hurricane in the same "S"-shape on ceramic pots, as now seen by satellite photography? (See the above title of this blog for Guabancex's image, as The Angry Woman Goddes, Rider of the Winds, was known).

The Native American's Turtle Island in a sacred circle and with the spiritual colors of the 4-Directions.

KNOWING THE HISTORY OF WHERE WE ARE

Perú's sacred Caral-Supre pyramid and "Amphitheater" complex, built 2600 BCE.

Egypt's first step pyramid built in 2780 BCE, for King Djoser's by his architect, Imhotep.

For example, when we are taught about ancient civilizations, pyramid building rise to the top of the list. However, Egypt does not have the first pyramids, Perú's Caral-Supe, built around 2600 BCE were at least 100 years before Egypt's step pyramid at Djoser. "Perú's structure was step pyramids had flat, terrased sides and had diverse purposes, including ceremonial and administrative functions." While "Egyptian pyramids primarily served as tombs."--AI.

Countries in the Americas that incorporate ancient history into their education curriculum include Mexico, Peru, and America.

- *Mexico*: Mexico's education system draws from the rich cultural heritage of Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Aztecs and Mayans. Their curriculum highlights the history, mythology, and contributions of these ancient cultures to modern society.

- *Perú's*: Peruvian education includes the history of the Inca Empire, emphasizing their achievements in mathematics, astronomy, and architecture. Students learn about the empire's social structure, traditions, and cultural practices.

- *United States*: While not exclusively focused on ancient history, the US education system does cover the history of pre-Columbian cultures, including the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas, as part of its broader curriculum on world history and cultural studies.

ROCKET SCIENCE OR GEOMETRY?

Perú's Caral–Supe pyramid (2627 BCE) may be the world's oldest pyramid which predates Egypt's Djoser step pyramid (2667-3646 BCE) by around 100 years.

America's current dismissive attitudes towards those Amerindians south of our border, and ignorance about their profound histories, engenders distrust, hate, and expulsion from the northern portion of their hemisphere. It is not rocket science that this dismissive attitude continues today. In some countries in the Americas they begin their history where the ancient cultures had, for example, a Pyramid city in Perú's dated from 5000 years BCE. Plus later, the Mexican city known by the Aztec name as Tenochtitlan, was larger than all European cities.

A layout of Mexico's Aztec (or Mexica, pronounced Meh-she-ka) Tenochtitlan.

Tenochtitlan's cmplex.

The population of Tenochtitlan (1325 AD), the ancient Aztec capital, is estimated to have had between 200,000 and 400,000 people at its height in the early 1500s, making it one of the largest cities in the world at the time. Some historical estimates vary, with some suggesting numbers as high as 500,000, while others suggest a minimum of 100,000 inhabitants.

Chichén Itzá

Then, there is the Yucatán’s Mayan Chichén Itzá.

Chichén Itzá pyramid has sculptures, with human remains inside. The deity, Kukulcán, the feathered serpent god, alights from the heavens, blesses his worshipers on earth, and then makes his way to the underworld, or Xibalba. In reality, the setting sun during the spring and fall equinoxes casts a shadow on the northern balustrade that resembles the body of a snake slithering down the stairs, an effect which is heightened by joining with the heads of four sculpted heads at the base.

Chichén Itzá pyramid complex.

JUST A FEW AMERINDIAN GIFTS

A Spanish woodcut of a Taino smoking sacred cohibi or tobacco the oldest medicinal herb in the Americas which was used mainly for spiritual and healing purposes. Later misused recreationally, it caused cancer.

The Olmec invention of latex rubber was used to make waterproof shoes, toys. balls and capes. Later used as latex, before plastics, to make gloves, tires, belts, electric wire insulation, condoms and much more.

A Caribbean Taino rubber ball player as seen by the arriving Spanish in the 1500s AD and its influence on all games played with a rubber ball. To the arriving Spanish, they thought that the bounce of the rubber ball was caused by witchcraft!

If you like corn, here is the grain which the Caribbean Taino’s called “mahisi”, the root word’s maize.

Corn, the evidence of hemispheric trade, the grain which originated in ancient Mexico, was traded as far north as Canada, south to Argentina, east into the Caribbean, and west into early India where corn cob sculptures adorn an ancient temple. Ancient Indian temple sculptures in Karnataka feature detailed carvings of maize (corn) majsi or maize, or corn. The grain was invented by ancient Mexican horticulturalists who cross-pollinated teosinte grasses to the left, creating various types of corn for a variety of climates, and stories about "Corn Mother" who passed it on to many cultures. Now it feeds millions of humans, cattle, and chickens, etc. This is why corn can only be propagated by humans.

Amerindian corn in an ancient Indian temple. Sculpted in 12th and 13th Century A.D. India as Indicators of Pre-Columbian Diffusion.

The Bread of Life: Yuca, cassava, or manioc came from South America via the Caribbean to the Tropical regions around the world.

Considered a Super Fruit with more vitamin C than an orange, the guava fruit here has an association with the Taino God of the Afterlife. Guayaba (2 & 3), and his search dog of the Afterlife (4), guava jelly (5), guava paste or cheese (6), manatee bone vomiting stick used in the spiritual cohoba trance ceremony (7) connecting with the deity.

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

Early Mexican scribe who could also be a teacher.

Ancient Mexico featured two main types of formal education for adolescents: the Calmecac, for the sons of nobles and gifted children focusing on leadership, religious duties, and complex subjects like astronomy and literacy; and the Telpochcalli ("House of Youth"), where commoner boys learned practical, military skills and trades. While not a formal classroom in the modern sense, these institutions served as the primary places of higher learning, with rigorous discipline and different curricula tailored to social class and gender.

The Calmecac

Purpose: For the commoner youth, focusing on practical and military training to prepare them for life as warriors.

Curriculum: Emphasized physical endurance, martial arts, and participation in religious songs and dances.

Students: Boys of commoner families.

Key Characteristics

Gender Separation:
Boys and girls attended separate schools after early childhood. Girls typically attended schools that taught household skills, religious practices, singing, dancing, and crafts.

Community-Based:
Schools were often associated with neighborhoods, known as calpulli, each with its own schools.

Discipline:
Both the Calmecac and Telpochcalli were known for strict discipline and harsh punishments for misbehavior.

Home Education:
Before their teenage years, children were educated at home by their parents, learning various skills and cultural practices.

EDUCATION IN THE AMERICAS

Countries in the Americas that incorporate ancient history into their education curriculum include ¹ ² ³:

In these countries, the inclusion of ancient history serves to:

- *Preserve Cultural Heritage*: By studying their ancient roots, students develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of their national identity.

- *Promote Cultural Diversity*: Learning about diverse ancient civilizations fosters respect for the contributions of different cultures to modern society.

- *Contextualize Historical Development*: Understanding the past helps students contextualize the historical development of their countries and the world at large.Keep in mind that specific curriculum details may vary depending on the region, school, or educational level.

Monday, May 26, 2025

Ope-chan-canough

The First American War Hero and Martyr

Older blogs: http://yamaye-mike.blogspot.com/

Above: A proposed monument to Opichancanough in which his likeness is represented by one of his Pamunkey tribal descendants, a 1930-1960's Washington, DC businessman and father of 21 children.

"He began in 1610 what the American Revolutionaries achieved in 1776"

It would seem that the man known as the War Chief, brother of Wahunsenachawh or "Powhatan" (a title meaning Principal Dreamer") and his successor as Werowance (leader), should be the first Native American to be called a hero and given those deserved rights and privileges, like the Civil Rights heroine, Rosa Parks.

Opechancanough was the architect of the First Anglo-Powhatan War that took place from 1610-13 in Virginia. Never one to claim defeat as long as he lived, he rebounded with the Second Anglo-Powhatan War that took place from 1622-32. "In 1622 the English knew they were at war. On March 22 there was a massive [coordinated] assault on the English plantations on the James River. English trading vessels in the York River basin, and perhaps the Rappahannock area, were also attacked. About one-fourth of the English living in Virginia on that day; at least another fourth died within the year from Indian sniping, from the famine caused by English inability to plant crops under Indian fire."-- Powhatan Foreign Relations: 1500 - 1722, Edited by Helen C. Rountree, Pp. 190.

During the Third Anglo-Powhatan War (1644-46), Opechancanough was taken to the battlefront on a litter He was later captured and martyred when shot in the back by an English colonist while imprisoned.

His descendants are Still Here!

Some of Opechancanough's Descendants

Above: A few photographs of some of many hundreds of Opichancanough's descendants participating in some continuing activities:

From powwows at young ages; To President Clinton's Washington, DC parade; Acting in movies; An official photo of Keziah Boston who, after over three hundred years, was an elected chief of the Tauxenent/Dogue; of Northern Virginia and Washington, DC ; Photo of Rose Powhatan (Pamunkey/Tauxenent) an Assistant to the Tauxenent Chief who stands next to an exhibition banner in an art show in which she exhibited a traditional totem honoring her "Firewoman Warrior" ancestor Keziah Powhatan, a werowansquaw (female leader) who along with her warriors in 1752 (See DAR plaque at Tysons Corner, VA) burned down the Fairfax County Courthouse when King Charles II gave her land to his cousin, Lord Fairfax); commemoration of the 1647 Treaty of Middle Plantation (Williamsburg) annually held at the Governor of Virginia's Mansion where, in this case, a deer represents the agreement that game be given to the Governor as a part of the treaty agreement with the British. The event continues yearly now for over 400 years, often instead of braver pelts, it is with a deer (or wild turkey) presented to the current governor. (The venison or wild turkey is donated to a shelter for a Thanksgiving dinner).

Above: The 16477 Treaty of Middle Plantation (Williamsburg, Virginia) as illustrated on a T-shirt by the author, from the Pamunkey Reservation's women potters designs made and fired from the Pamunkey River's red clay deposits.

It reads:

[Line 1]." *At the time of the flying of the geese (just before Thanksgiving), *Indian men, *travel,

[Line 2] *Across the water, * To meet with the Governor, * And to agree.

[Line 3] To smoke the Pipes of Peace. * Give firs, * And remain at. Peace, * Forever."

In reality, the territorial and cultural histories of the United States of America began at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, with the establishment of the first successful permanent English settlement in North America. The American Revolution and Opechancanough's Wars share a similar quest, to rid the fledgling country of the English. The people who became "Americans" (through acculturation) were distinct from the English and had done so by first "going Native" and surviving off Powhatan II's generosity. During those early years, the English survived by trading or stealing Powhatan corn since they did not grow enough crops to feed themselves. The English were more interested in growing "brown gold" (tobacco) which was traded overseas as a major cash crop. Pocahontas' second husband, John Rolfe, previously had introduced a milder Taino tobacco to the American colony. The indigenous Caribbean Amerindian cash crop helped to finance the American Revolution. Americans became distinct from their colonial master, the English, by adopting Native American lifestyles and customs. For example, "historians, including Donald Grinde of the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, have claimed that the democratic ideals of the Gayanashagowa [the Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois] provided a significant inspiration to Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and other framers of the United States Constitution"--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iroquois_Constitution.). It seems fitting that the first hero of this pivotal founding of a country was the Native American, and a man named Opechcancanough (pronounced in English as Opi-can-canoe).


(Top): !980's photograph of Powhatan's Mantle viewed by Rose Powhatan (Pamunkey/Tauxenent). (Bottom): Photo of the mantle showing a man between his two totems, a mountain lion and a deer. Surrounding them are circles representing 32-34 Algonquian nations in the kingdom, approximately between 18,700 to 19,250 square miles.

We should make a commemorative statue to the American hero Opechancanough who was a younger brother of paramount chief Wahunsenacawh (Powhatan II, the statesman who expanded the confederation of 8 Algonquian nations into one of 34 before he was 60 years old). As seen above, Opechancanough was primarily known as the nationalist war chief who masterminded the inter-tribal Indian rebellion of 1622, and later 1644, until he was assassinated (shot in the back) while held in captivity by the English colonists in Virginia in 1646. There are many theories about the true identity of Opechancanough as well as his rationale for instigating the ingeniously coordinated Virginia Indian rebellions.

Some believe that Opechancanough may have been the captured Indian youth, initially taken to Mexico, where he was baptized and given the name "Don Luís" and educated by the Dominicans. He was later taken to Spain. During his two years in Spain, he met King Phillip II. While he was in Spain, he was generally assumed to be "the son of a petty Chief". He eventually left Spain for Havana, Cuba, in the company of Dominican missionaries. Don Luis carried on the Powhatan tradition of being a great speaker, and seems to have mastered the art of persuasion. He convinced the Dominicans to return with him to his homeland, under the pretense of helping them in their quest to "Christianize" his fellow tribesmen. Phillip II wanted to establish a missionary settlement in the Tidewater region of Virginia (then known as "Ajacan"). Some historians believe that Opechancanough was that unnamed captive, and his experiences among the Spanish may have influenced his deep distrust of European settlers in the "New World". He must have known that their plans for colonization would result in the cultural annihilation and displacement of his people by the Europeans.

Another theory about Opechancanough's distrust of Europeans can be found in the writing of John Smith. Smith boasted of having shamed the well-respected leader by holding a pistol to his breast while marching him in front of his assembled tribesmen. Smith, as seen in his memoirs of the Pocahontas Story tended to exaggerate his power and stature. The Pamunkey warriors laid aside their weapons in an attempt to save the life of Opechancanough, not out of cowardice, but in solidarity of their love for him. Opechancanough was shown an egregious lack of respect by John Smith .

On Memorial Day and March 22nd, some Eastern Woodlands Native Americans, in the know, will quietly celebrate Opechancanough's strategic attempts to rid his territory of the increasing number of English interlopers.Why not join Virginia Natives by including in your meal for that day, turkey or venison (or any Virginia game animal, i.e. raccoon, muskrat, etc.), plus vegetarian succotash and corn bread or pone (two Powhatan Algonquian words). Or, as a learning assignment, you may want to practice a few of their following American words:

"In addition to other current Algonquian dialects and dictionaries, the Powhatan's language is not dead. Algonquian is the language of the first indigenous Americans to intimately interact with the English. Their words below survive in the English language as Caucus -- from corcas. from caucauasu or "counselor". First recorded by Captain John Smith. Today, it is a political meeting, especially on Powhatan II's old territory where, according to an English chronicler, he liked to caucus with surrounding tribes (on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC) to make decisions. The chronicler also stated that 'Powhatan never left his territory'; Chipmunk -- from chitmunk. Hominy -- corn; Honk-- from honck or cohonk, a Canadian goose. It is associated with the sound made by the bird, or associated with winter or a year. The Powhatans called the "Potomac" River "the River of the Cohonks" for the noise made by the yearly arrival of the geese there. To honk, honky, and honky tonk all come from cohonk; Match coat -- from matchcores, skins or garment; Maypop -- from mahcawq, a vine with purple and white flowers that has an edible yellow fruit; Moccasin -- from mohkussin, a shoe; Muskrat -from mussascns; Opossum -- also possum, from aposoum, or "white beast"; Papoose -- an infant or young child; Pecan -- a nut, from paccan; Persimmon -- a fruit; Poke weed -- from pak, or pakon, blood + weed; Pone (Corn Pone) -- from apan, "baked". Powwow -- from pawwaw, an Algonquian medicine man. A dance ceremony used to invoke divine aid in hunting, battle, or against disease. Now used as a Pan-Indian word for a social dance festival; Racoon -- from aroughcun; Susquehanna -- from suckahanna, water; Squaw -- a vagina, associated with a derogatory term for an Indian woman, now obsolete; Terrapin -- a turtle, from toolepeiwa; Tomahawk -- from tamahaac, tamohake, a weapon. From temah- (to cut off by tool) + aakan (a noun suffix); Tump (tump line) -- a strap or string hung across the forehead or chest to support a load carried on the back. -