Blog Post #3.
“You Are Now on Indian Land” – Native American Occupy Alcatraz
I decided to write my third blog about the Native Americans take over of Alcatraz because a little less than a year ago I was actually able to visit Alcatraz. On arrival the first thing you notice is a giant building on a giant hill, then underneath that is the landing port where the boat docked. In red writing above and below a nicely posted United States penitentiary sign, were Indians Welcome and You Are Now On Indian Land. This red writing was some of the first things seen by the tourist. Although it was one of the first things I saw it was also one of the least memorable. We took an entire tour of Alcatraz Island, learned all about the inmates where they slept, ate, historical fights and runaways that happened but we were only very briefly informed about the Native Americans taking over. Until reading about the Native American occupying Alcatraz I never really thought back as to why they were there, I knew they have landed and stayed for several months, even years but was unaware of the complete dramatic impact of why they took over.
After reading what is discussed by Salomon I realized the impact the take over had and why it was so important to the Native Americans. The main tactics the Native Americans used were to “sit in” / “stay on” Alcatraz until they received the rights to it under the Sioux Treaty of 1868, which entitled Indians to claim surplus land.
They challenged authority and engaged in disruption by their demands to the federal government. Some of which reasonable like granting them the title to Alcatraz under provision of an 1882 act – states: “abandoned federal facilities be utilized for Indian schools.” Some of their ruthless but true statements in their proclamation – “3. The sanitation facilities are inadequate… 5. There is no industry and so unemployment is very great.”
The issues of racism, sexism, homophobia, and class discrimination are somewhat prevalent but not all of those stand out. Racism and class are the top concern for the takeover of Alcatraz . Racism – how the Native Americans were mistreated, living on their reservations and leaving the home they have always had for a promise of something better. The Native Americans took a chance but the promises made on the other hand were not held up. Class – as you can see above in the terms of their proclamation, they lived in truly uninhabitable areas.
As stated above I did know about this movement beforehand which is why I figure I would further my education on it but I think I was so overwhelmed with all the information I received that day on Alcatraz that the real reason the Native Americans took over I placed in the back of my mind, or felt the other information I learned was more important and exciting.
The significance of this moment had to do with the merging of all Native Americans from different tribes, they stood together to find a voice and fight for what they felt was right. Alcatraz was especially important for the Native Americans and the renewal of their history.
One reason I started this blog with talking about my trip was because thinking back to it which was less than a year ago, I really felt like the tour we took on Alcatraz didn’t really stress the importance of the Indian landing, the main “entertainment” piece was the penitentiary and what happened there. Maybe since I knew less about Social Justice Movements I didn’t put thought into the importance of it other than it was just a huge party for Native American college students for the first several months then they liked it and tried to live there. Whereas now I know the true importance of the movement and that they did it to rebuild and regain some of what was once theirs. It’s unfortunately, how their land was taken and promises were made that weren’t kept.
Oops, I uploaded the same picture twice and just a random picture as well... Sorry
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think the history focuses on Alcatraz as a place of incarceration and not the larger history; why do you think tourists are more likely to flock to see a prison (what is that about) than a place that sparks historic memory as it relates to Native American resistance, Native struggle, and the larger history of the conquest?
ReplyDeleteI think tourist flock to see Alcatraz as a prison because there is more “build up” to see it. There is movies made about the escape from Alcatraz, the prison housed some of the most notorious criminals in America. I really don’t believe people know how much history is on the island for Native Americans. They don’t really know the importance and how the stance on Alcatraz really brought different Native American tribes together that form a more united force.
ReplyDeleteHow does imagining the U.S. as a nation of laws, crime and punishment, where bad people are locked up away from "good people" offer a more appealing narrative than Native American genocide?
ReplyDeleteNow that you have visited Alcatraz, how would you present the information differently if you were the one giving the tour? From the sounds of it, the Native American presence was all but placed in the category of denial during your visit. How would you change this and how important is this part of history toward the casual tourist that visits the island?
ReplyDeleteShowing Alcatraz in the light of a prison on a remote location is such much more "enticing" than the history of Native Americans, for the average person. Just like you said, Amanda, there is more of a "build up" to see it. The U.S. also did a good job of stifling the Native Americans into portraying them as a long lost history. Do you feel your visit to Alcatraz was an injustice to the Native peoples?
ReplyDelete