Story Published:
Apr 18, 2009
Story Updated:
Apr 17, 2009
Regarding “After The Mayflower,” (the first episode of “We Shall Remain”), the Tribal Historic Preservation Officers of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), the Narragansett Indian Tribe and the Tribal Historic Preservation Authority of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe question the potential of this mini-series to “… tell the story of pivotal moments in U.S. history from the Native American perspective.”
The THPO offices are charged by their federally recognized tribes and the National Historic Preservation Act with the responsibility to protect, preserve and advise on regional tribal history and culture. Our ancestors are central to the events following the Mayflower landing, yet our historical guardians, our THPOs, were avoided by this PBS production.
This production uses National Endowments for the Humanities funds. We maintain that Section 106 consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act should have been addressed as the project involved federal money in the public presentation of tribal history. Our tribal cultural authorities were not contacted to consult on the authenticity of the production’s script, intent, process or end product.
We have not struggled to maintain our tribal cultural identities for nearly 400 years since colonization to be disrespectfully ignored and dismissed or to have our history misrepresented for the purpose of entertainment.
PBS, your disrespect of the tribes has done a disservice to your audience. Please note that our histories go back tens of thousands of years prior to these “pivotal” conflicts in defense of our families, our ancestral lands and our ancestral way of life.
Finally, PBS in its support and broadcasting of this production has given credence to a radically altered interpretation of the great Shawnee Chief Tecumseh’s 1811 declaration to President James Madison’s messenger by deleting its land based implication. “We Shall Remain” implies a call for pity and does not carry the same declaration and meaning as “… AND HERE, WE SHALL REMAIN.”
– George “Chucky” Green
Tribal Historic
Preservation Authority
and Medicine Man in training
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
– Bettina M. Washington
Tribal Historic
Preservation officer
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
– John Brown
Tribal Historic
Preservation officer
Narragansett Indian Tribe
Tuesday, May 12 at 3:35 PM Lynette Warren wrote ...
The Wampanoag THPO haven't said anything in letter about what they see as inaccurate in the episode. Is their complaint solely that they weren't consulted during the production of the project? On the lesser point, I disagree with the THPO regarding the title. It's quite subjective to say that using the shortened quote, "We Shall Remain" versus "And Here, We Shall Remain," evokes pity. The shorter title has more impact and seems to me to be better suited as a series title.
21324349Wednesday, Apr 29 at 1:13 PM Phoenix Navajo wrote ...
The Ken Burns style of filming left some good chances at better re-telling, like too much narration. I also agree with a others that if certain entities felt left out, then make your own film. Its not as hard as it seems and certainly the venues exist for it to be shown. The old, crying cause we got left out, thing is in the past. We now have all means available to make history to our own making. I think a medicine man and two preservation officers could at least write a book.
20577887Wednesday, Apr 29 at 11:00 AM BJ in Washington State wrote ...
I think the series is very good. The cast includes MANY tribal members so obviously these tribes were consulted and agreed to doing the episodes, so where's the problem?
20567473Tuesday, Apr 28 at 9:16 PM arizona reader wrote ...
Although peoples have diffenent perpectives of this PBS series, I am so very grateful that Native actors and Native languages make this PBS series possible. I and my 10 year old son watch, facinated and sad, stories never heard of in public school history lessons. We talk and Google what we want to know about Native American history. I agree, if American Natives think this PBS series is inacurrate, then please publish your peoples history lessons so we all can learn, stop complaining. Peace
20374956Thursday, Apr 23 at 6:18 PM John Brown wrote ...
Ben-Alex. Your comment hit the very spot our letter addressed. This PBS Broad Cast was not ours. We have addressed and are addressing our history through the film or broadcast industry mechanism. Our point was and is that when I directly called those responsible for this broad cast there was no response. I went as far as to request the National Park Service managers of Boston Harbor Islands not to film the program for lack of coordination and consultation.
20141836Thursday, Apr 23 at 2:54 PM Ben-Alex wrote ...
I understand that it's tough to make historically accurate film from a "Native" perspective, especially when the money is not Native. But I'm tired of listening to Native people whine, and act offended by projects that discount them. Make your own movies. Do your own projects. Spend time understanding the system that governs our images in the media, and help develop solutions with those of us who are trying to create. Otherwise, your words are just common noise to most savvy Native ears.
20130921Thursday, Apr 23 at 10:51 AM Pony Hill wrote ...
I will reserve my full judgement regarding this series until I have seen next week's episode. There is so much misinformation regarding the Cherokee removals and Jackson's roll that I hope this series is not yet another mindless re-telling of the same old myths. I was especially upset to notice the 'map' shown during the episode which showed Cherokee Territory encompasing all of North and South Carolina. I think the Catawba, Yamassee, Tuscarora, and others would have disagreed with this!
20111271Monday, Apr 20 at 6:23 PM Anonymous wrote ...
This letter hits the mark. American Experience only decided to create this series after much critisism about the absence of histories about people of color. These critisisms came from many filmmakers of color who get funding from the National Minority Consotium and not American Experience. The administration of American Experience is all white, and has been for way too long. The so called Native advisory lacks Natives who come from the tribes this series depicts. That says it all!
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