“I is for Indians”

Classroom 106 (1)

Classroom #106

Fourteen of us gathered in Room 106 at Grays Harbor Community College last evening to take a class on Chinook Culture from Tony Johnson, Chairman of the Chinook Tribe’s Culture Committee.  Every one of us had a direct connection with the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and I suspect that most of us had first heard about the class from Dan Rinker, a museum volunteer and enthusiastic member of the Community Historian Project.

Five or six additional class members showed up, not in person but on the television screen at the front of the room.  They and our instructor were in Raymond and, through the magic of technology we could all see and hear each other remotely.  Mr. Johnson kindly acknowledged our greater numbers in Ilwaco and promised to deliver one of the four scheduled classes from our end of things.  I think we are all looking forward to that.

This was my first experience with live-streamed distance education.  Suffice it to say that I hope that our instructor comes to Ilwaco sooner rather than later.  It’s probably due to years and years of traditional teaching/learning techniques that I find it easier to ‘engage’ when the teacher is up close and personal.

I is for Indians

“I is for Indians”

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed last night’s class.  It was a pleasure to hear Mr. Johnson use the chinuk wawa (Chinook jargon) now and then and to hear from his lips the information that I have gathered over the years from reading books by non-Chinooks.  In the back of my mind, I held my breath a little, and will no doubt continue to do so throughout the class sessions.  I am eager (sort of) to see if there are any glaring errors in my 1999 book, I is for Indians.  So far, so good.

It’s not that I didn’t check with the Tribe before publication.  (In fact, illustrator Pat Fagerland talked about some of the visual details with Tony Johnson, himself.)  And it’s not that the book has been without praise from Chinook tribal members.  Even so, I am conscious now, just as I was then, that I am an outsider speaking about another culture without any real authority.  I don’t know if I would feel exactly the same way if my book had been about the Druids or Picts or other ancient folks who were my ancestors.

I think my feelings have to do with that cultural guilt that comes with being a present-day American.  I don’t know that there is any way to absolve myself from it.  I do take some pride that during the time he was a Washington State senator, my grandfather Harry Espy, went to Washington D.C. specifically to settle the question of the Chinook’s treaty rights.  Like many people, both Indian and non-Indian, he was only partially successful – but at least he tried and at least he got a monetary settlement which, according to Tribal Chairman Ray Gardener, the Lower Chinooks refused but the Clatsops accepted.

But that’s another story.  Suffice it to say that I winced a little last night when Mr. Johnson referred to the Chinook’s non-treaty status.  I doubt that I was the only class member who did.  I hope not.

3 Responses to ““I is for Indians””

  1. Skyler says:

    I wish there was an easy way I could keep up on the classes offered there. I wish they had an active Facebook page so that I could share their classes easily on the Discover Ilwaco page.

  2. Evelyn Prest says:

    Is I is for Indian available to buy? I am from Chinook

  3. sydney says:

    Hi Evelyn,

    Yes, “I is for Indians” is available. They should have it at the Heritage Museum in Ilwaco. If not, let me know and I will get a copy to yo.

    Sydney

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