Date: Mon 24-Nov-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

schools-native-american-indian

Full Text:

Pony Boy Dispels Myths About Native Americans

(with cuts)

BY MICHELE HOGAN

GaWaNi Pony Boy, a native from Qualla Boundary Reservation in North Carolina,

made myth-shattering presentations to students at Hawley and Head O' Meadow

Schools last week.

The children learned that the Hollywood-created image of the "Indian" was very

different from what it meant to actually live in a Native American tribe. For

starters, the children discovered that of the 547 different tribes in North

America, none of them say "how" as a greeting.

Pony Boy also said emphatically that Native Americans did not send smoke

signals. The wind smears the smoke, so at best, smoke could only be used as a

general distress signal.

In a serious tone, Pony Boy went on to explain that "the cowboys and Indians

didn't fight. It was the cavalry that fought against the Indians because they

wanted their land. The cavalry then fought with the cowboys to get their

land."

Pony Boy then asked the group at Head O' Meadow School, "Where are Indians

from?" He appreciated the quick response of Anne Marie of Head O' Meadow

School. She said "India!"

Pony Boy said he agreed with her fully. He said that he is from North

Carolina, not India, and he prefers to be called a Native American, not an

Indian.

Regalia

Pony Boy went on to show the significance and uses of the scout regalia that

he was wearing.

The "roach, not cockroach" in his hair was made of deer and porcupine hair

because he wanted to be like those two animals.

His gauntlets were designed to keep him cool in summer. The long fringes could

be dampened to draw heat away from his body.

"I'm wearing dead animal skins. Why?" said Pony Boy. One child at Head O'

Meadow answered, "There was no cloth or fabric or sewing machines." Another

said, "Not to waste anything." Pony Boy agreed with both answers.

Later a HOM child asked, "If you didn't waste anything, what did you do with

the eyeballs?"

Without a moment's hesitation Pony Boy described how eyeballs were used to

make a paint that lasted very well, an epoxy paint.

Pony Boy himself had war paint on, one black stripe down his face, which was

allowed only after an act of bravery.

Scare Tactics

Pony Boy explained that his people prefer to dishonor an enemy than harm him.

He demonstrated several tactics used to scare the enemy, including the "coup."

In a coup, a mounted Native American would ride close to an enemy, then make

the enemy stand facing away from them. The enemy would hear noises behind his

back, but he was not permitted to look.

Eventually, the Native American would go in front of the enemy, perhaps poking

him lightly with a stick with fur or hair on the end, stare at the enemy,

then, without a word, ride off.

Pony Boy showed black bands around his calves. There was one to signify each

time he had done a coup on the enemy.

Pony Boy described how native tribes would play stick ball matches to settle

problems between groups. He then played some loud and discordant sounds on a

wood flute, which was intended to distract and annoy stick ball players from

the other tribe.

Later, he played melodic music to clearly show students the difference.

Weapons

Pony Boy explained how weapons were used for survival. Children aged five and

six were given blow guns, which were used on small game. Since the range of

the weapon was only about 30 feet, children had to learn stealth to sneak up

on the rabbit or squirrel they were trying to shoot.

He carefully demonstrated this weapon, then brought out a bow and arrow used

by children from about age ten or 12 and up.

Pony Boy explained that tomahawks were never thrown because they were not an

accurate weapon, and they were too valuable to risk losing, especially if lost

to enemy hands.

Perhaps the biggest scare of the performance came the moment Pony Boy asked

for two volunteers at Head O' Meadow School to hold a small cloth in front of

the log he had been aiming at earlier.

Any sign of humor left his face. With fierce dark eyes and a air of deep

concentration, he picked up a tomahawk and made careful aim at the log where

the children stood, nervously clutching the cloth.

Suddenly he lunged forward, swinging the tomahawk in a throwing motion. Both

children screamed and ran, then laughed with relief as Pony Boy had

beautifully imitated the motions of throwing the tomahawk, while, in reality,

he had let the tomahawk land harmlessly a few feet behind him.

Once the crowd settled down he reminded the kids not to do this at home.

Frog & Scorpion

Pony Boy used an old Lakota story of the Frog and the Scorpion to explain to

students that some things in life are, by nature, dangerous, and must be

avoided.

In the story, a frog met up with a seemingly pleasant scorpion who needed a

ride across the river because he could not swim. The frog felt confident that

the scorpion would not sting him, because if he did, the frog would die and

the scorpion would soon drown.

But one quarter of the way across the river, the frog felt the scorpion's

stinger penetrating his back, and cried out "Why?" The scorpion explained

simply, "I am a scorpion and it is in my nature to sting."

Students identified modern day "scorpions" of smoking cigarettes, doing drugs

or playing with fire, and were asked to remember the story of the frog and the

scorpion when making decisions in the future.