HISTORY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

   I have always hoped this site would be seen as educational since it’s conception. My ambition was that, through stories, poems, graphics, and further study a truer picture of the people of Turtle Island (America,) could emerge. One that wipes away all that false Hollywood and Television imagery that set into people’s minds as stereotypical. The picture they attempted to give was usually inaccurate anyway. Indians were mostly portrayed as savages attacking wagon trains, stagecoaches etc. in a mindless way. The differing tribe didn’t seem to matter either: all Indians dressed the same. Luckily things are slowly changing now and people are starting to be taught the reality of history, not Hollywood's take on it.

   Even the British education system is lacking in this area. I cannot speak for the American one. We know who wrote the history books out there. Teaching the history and anthropology of the Native American in his local school, here in England, Cetan has seen the books that the pupils are given to learn from. He has sat there open mouthed reading the absolute drivel within its pages; drivel stated as fact. He was astounded that such books existed. If American History is to be considered a subject worthy of G.C.S.E. examination (an award in the English education system,) then surely someone should get their facts right first. Teachers here are trying to teach children using the same books. They do not know that the ‘facts’ they teach are actually not.

   With this in mind I decided to put more history onto this site. I know it is getting away from the stories a bit but I felt this site is about more than just stories, poems and graphics. It should be somewhere that people can come to when they need information. I know that there are young people out there getting ready to sit exams who have been fed rubbish as knowledge. This is, at best, irresponsible, at worst a huge crime to the memory of the tribes of the Great Plains.

   I thought long and hard about what to put in, it was not an easy decision. There is so much you can say, so much that people need to know. I decided to take things slowly at first, post some things and then to change them over about every two months or so, to increase the knowledge of my visitors and to keep the site fresh.

   I have decided not to post items that describe religious rites or beliefs, except perhaps in very abridged form. I am aware that there are those who call themselves New Agers who will steal from various religions and make it out to be some new truism. I will not allow some quack to make money fooling people into thinking they are doing things the Lakota way.

   I hope there is something here you find of use.

May the Great Spirit watch over you.
William Purcell