Who gets to tell history?

Photo credit, Stephanie Graham. Mural by James Barany, Stockbridge, Wisconsin

Take a closer look at this image.  What story does it tell?  Who do you think is telling the story?

Our Fellow, Stephanie Graham, embarked on an in-depth study of forced migration of the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe from New York to Wisconsin. Not only did her Fellowship lead her to deepen her understanding of the history of her community but it also helped her and her students grapple with important questions like, Who gets to tell History? To learn more about the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe, you can learn more on these Tribe-created websites:

• History of the Stockbridge Munsee Community
• Brief History of the Mohican Nation
• The Mohican People – Their Lives and Their Lands A Curriculum Unit for Grades Four to Five

Fellow Curated Resources

• Stephanie’s Fellowship Passport
• Art project 1: Altered Book Project
• Art project 2: Hexagon Project

“In the current teaching and understanding of indigenous peoples, students in my school feel very removed from the stories. I have seen this in my high school art classes in the superficial use of imagery in their practice of making objects. I also see it in their lessons in social studies, where the knowledge is presented as history and not as living culture that continues to be affected by westernized notions of stories, practice, and object relevance. Students should be taught to understand their role in the relationship between past atrocities and the current climate of injustice… However, the ideas are almost too abstract for children to understand because they lack a sense of connection to the land, stories, and practices of their place of living and learning. Our land is not only tied to indigenous history, it is also the home of important figures in black history, including Mumbet, Dubois, and others. It is through that connection to “place” that students will better understand their identity, which is necessary in developing a sense of empathy towards the people from whom the place was stolen.” 

Additional Fellow-Created Resources

• Hannah Sherk – How landscapes influence and inspire our creative endeavors.

• Sunny Zheng-Herb – Exploration of Native Alaskan arts and culture.

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