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Editorial and Opinion CPage A. Along the Robeson Trail by Dr. Stan Knick, Director PSU Native American Resource Center (Author's Note: This is the eighth in a series of articles about contact between English colonists and early Algonkian Indians in coastal North Carolina, based on the writings of Arthur Barlowe in 1584, Ralph Lane in 1585-86 and Thomas Harriot in 1587.) Two weeks ago I mentioned that one benefit of the journey of Wanchese and Manteo to England (with Barlowe in 1584) was that it allowed time for the young scientist Thomas Harriot to learn more of "their Algonkian language. This opportunity for increased linguistic experience had two main effects. First, it made it easier for Harriot to comprehend and describe in more detail than was previously possible exactly what the Native people were saying. Harriot learned the Algonkian words for many plants and animals, and for many activities of the people as well. Second, through a more full grasp of the language Harriot gained greater insight into the culture ? the ways of looking at things ? of these early Algonkians. This made it possible for him to understand Indian life in a deeper sense than had any of his fellow colonists. Harriot's descriptions of what he saw and learned on the 1587 voyage are useful in our search for information about traditional life in Native America. For example, he illustrates that Native people had made considerable advances in agriculture. From a wild grass they had developed com: "Pagatowr, a kind of grain...the same in the West Indies is called maize.... The grain is about the bigness of our ordinary English peas, and not much different in form and -shape, but of divers colors ? some white, some red, some yellow, and some blue. All of them yield a very...sweet flour. Being used according to [its] kind, it makes a very good bread.... "It is a grain of marvelous great increase ? of a thousand., .and some two thousand fold. There are three sorts, of which two are ripe in eleven and twelve weeks at the most, sometimes in ten, after the time they arc set, and are then of height in stalk about six or seven feet. The other sort is ripe in fourteen, and is about ten feet high, of the stalks some bearfour heads, some three..., every head containing five, six or seven hundred grains.... Of these grains, besides bread, the inhabitants make victuals, either by parching [roasting] them, or seething [boiling] them whole until they be broken, or boiling the flour with water into a pap [mush]." Grains of these Pagatowr plants, taken back to England and from there distributed all over Europe, would become the food that, as much as any other, feeds the world. Harriot also tells us how these Native people traditionally prepared their fields for planting: "The ground they never fatten with muck, dung, or any other thing, neither.plow nor dig it as we in England.... A few days before they sow or set, the men with wooden instrument made almost in form of mattocks or hoes with long handles, the women with short...parers...of a foot long and about five inches in breadth, do only break the upper part of the ground to raise up the weeds, grass and old stubs of corn stalks with their roots. The which after a day or two days drying in the sun, being scraped up into many small heaps ..they bum into ashes. And whereas some may think they use the ashes ..to better the ground, 1 say that then they.would either disperse the ashes abroad, which we observed they do not..., or else would take special care to set their com where the ashes lie, which also we find they are careless of. And this is all the husbanding of their ground that the; use. "Then their setting or sowing is after this manner. First for their corn, beginning in one corner of the plot...they make a hole, wherein they put four grains, with care that they touch not one another (about an inch asunder) and cover them...again ? and so throughout the whole plot..but with this regard, that they be made in ranks, every rank differing...half a fathom or a yard, and the holes also in every rank as much. By this manner there is a yard spare ground between every hole, where...they set as many beans and peas, and in divers places also...the seeds of macocquer [squash], meldcn [melon] and planta solis [sunflower], "The ground being thus set.., an English" acre...doth there yield in crop...of com, beans and peas at the least two hundred London bushels, besides the macocquer, melden and planta solis\ when as in England forty bushels of our wheat yielded out of such an acre is thought to be much." This tells us that these Native American farmers knew what they were doing. Their inter-cropping technique (sowing various plant types together) was apparently fiye times more productive than the method used by the English. When an acre produces more than two hundred bushels of com. beans and peas (plus the other crops), without fertilizer or chemicals, sophisticated agriculture must be in use. Harriot was certainly impressed. In thenext segment, find out more from Thomas Harriot's descriptions of traditional life in coastal North Carolina. For more information, visit the Native American Resource Center in Old Main Building, on the campus of Pembroke State University. Reader says O.H. Lewis, Robert Anderson trying to trick Indians To the Editor I am writing you to alert all Indian people about the trickery of O H. Lewis and Robert Anderson These two men are trying to trick Indian people just like the white men did when they bought the Island of Manhattan from Native Americans for a few trinkets You know all those articles O H. Lewis has been writing about LRD'A in the Robesonian? They arc selling up Robert Anderson to come our and endorse federal recognition " for Lumbcc people Robert Anderson wants to go to Congress so bad that he w ill promise (LIE) to Indian people to gel there. Back in 1994 and 1995. w ith ' this silly vote fraud investigation. Anderson and O H Lewis were calling all Indian people thieves and liars because they voted Democrat. I used to support Robert Anderson but 1 do not now I know that he is sneaky, and will say anything andpromiscanything He will pretend to be the friend of Indian people now but wait until he gels to Congress. He will forget where Pembroke is located then I don't think that he really likes l.umbec people 1 have heard from a man in Faycttcvillc who said that Anderson calls Indians mud people" after lie drinks a few beers I know that he said in f'J'M thai he doesn't need Robeson Counts to W in. If that is the ease Robeson County voters should not vote for him Maybe OH. lewis" friends at the Tribal Council w ill let Robert Anderson gel elected into their little club Lumbcc voters should look real hard at the candidate rn both partics to see w ho is being sincere to the Lumbcc people, and w ho is just using them for votes i know that Robert Anderson is just using L.umbec people lo help himself. Slop him He must be slopped Sinccrclv Charles Rullard s Lumbcrton Easter Musical to be presented at Prospect UMC March 30 The Musical Ministries of Prospect United Methodist Church, Route3, Maxton, will present the Musical 'Hallelujah What S Savior" on Saturday night, March 30, 1996 at 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday morning, March 31, at 10:40 a.m. You are invited to come and celebrate with the Chancel Chitir, Youth Choir and Children's Choir as they lead in the remembrance of the life, death and the Resurrection Of the Lord Jesus Christ. There will be solos, special lighting and other effects to enhance the Musical production. The event trill be directed by llarold I) Jacobs andthepart of Jesus Hill be played by Morr is Dial. PEOPLE ARE SWEET ON THE FRESH TASTE OF HONEYBEE. honeybee SWEET -SWiSs' NOW IN PLASTIC CANS. 7 1 I ? '- < I y wwi?(MU* / Alcohol Kills! " Choose a Better Path CHOOSE TRADITION \ NOT ADDICTION* Knoff the conuxiuftnctt of alcohol and drugabuw '. K _ Aminaattom r' I >! > Ill Jnn | ? ? ? j u' Pfu rtcwwma wnwin WKI Town Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 6 An Easter Egg Hunt will be held Saturday April 6 bcginnyig at 11 a.m. at the North Carolina Indian Cultural Center There is no admission charge The egg hunt will be for children age 12 and under Prizes will be gi\ en out for decorated baskets and eggs found For more information call 91085X-3801 The e\ cnt isbcing sponsored b\ the North Carolina Nativ e American Council on Higher Edu cation University Theatre to present 'Godspell' m The University Theatre at Pembroke State University will present the I musical Godspell. a jubilant celebration of the Gospel according to st. Matthew I on Thursday. april 18at8p.m: Friday. April 19.at 11 a.m.: and Saturday. April I. 20 at 2 p.m. in theGivens Performing ArtsCenter. Admission is $2. Fortickcts I or information call GPAC box office at (910) 521-6361 or 1-800-367-0778 Meet the Candidates Mitchell "Bosco" Locklear, Candidate for Board of Education Jeffrey Moore, Candidate for District Court Judge Prospect Community Saturday, April 20-4:00 P.M. Home of Henry Locklear, Jr. (W.L. Moore Road, off Highway 710) Free Food I You are invited to attend a reception in honor of Dr. Freda Porter-Locklear who is featured in the television series Breakthrough: . ... i i< . I ' " r ?r.tf i J The Changing Face of Science in America Monday, 1 April 1996 2:30 PM Native American Resource Center Old Main Building Pembroke State University This event is sponsored by the Native American Resource Center, the Departments of American Indian Studies and Mathematics and Computer Science, and the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television. Accidents can be more than iust a pain in the"neck ' I ? Even the smallest of automobile accidents can leave you with lasting pain. Chiropratic specializes in the treatment of automobile injuries and is approved by Workers' Compensation and must major insumace [companies. , k Call us today. Chiropractors... We Can Help II ^ ^ now open: Chiropractic Center of Pembroke I Can Today 521-7800 I DR. SHERWOOD MIMSOM IS TRAINED AMD LICENSED TO ?
The Carolina Indian Voice (Pembroke, N.C.)
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