Native American Encounters with Europeans

Elias Puentes
ENGL 470.01
September 05, 2008

Narratives about the encounters of Native Americans and Europeans are interesting because they present two sides of the story. Unfortunately, we do not have enough Native American narratives, and I wonder if what we have is accurate, or if somehow, it has been influenced by the Europeans.

I find Red Jacket’s Speech to the U.S. Senate to be original. I really did not find European influence. Red Jacket delivers a magnificent speech which appeals to the intellectual and emotional aspect of the Europeans. In his short speech, he covers the difficulties that the Natives have encounter since the arrival of the Europeans, but one of his strongest judgment is on religion. He makes a very intelligent argument about Christianity. It is very academic in style and his argument is difficult to refute.

The only disadvantage Red Jacket recognizes is that Christianity is written in books, but other than this, he says, “We are told that your religion given was given to your forefathers, and has been handed down from father to son. We also have a religion which was given to our forefathers, and has been handed down to us their children.” He also acknowledges that overall; there are difference, but that the Native American religion comes from God as well.

In his speech, Red Jacket also implies something like this: If you claim that your religion is the one in which to follow God, why is it that you have come to our land and caused so much harm. In fact, he refers to the arrival of the Europeans as an evil day. He does not say this for the sake of saying. He gives evidence of the conflicts that White men have inflicted on them.

I find that Red Jacket's piece of literature was not influenced by a Western point of view. Red Jacket remains very true to his believes and origin. However, not every Native American narrative remains true to their faith and culture.

Pontiac’s speech is an example. It is very apocalyptic. He keeps having visions and encounters with the Great Spirit, and the purpose of these visions is for the Natives to return to their origins. Well, I am not sure. I wonder if the visions are influenced by the Bible because a lot of the imagery and language makes reference to Biblical scenes.

I think that Pontiac’s speech was more about the enculturation and the evangelization of the Natives, and less about returning to the origins. This is why I think so. “The children of your great father, the King of France, are not like the English. Never forget that they are your brethren…. The Great Spirit next gave his hearer various precepts of morality and religion….. A prayer, embodying the substance of all that he had heard, was then presented to the Delaware. It was cut in hieroglyphics…. And he was directed to send copies to all the Indian villages.”

Pontiac is really persuading the Natives to subscribe to something new. This is definitely European influence, while Red Jacket’s speech is not. He remains true to
himself and to his culture.