Post by blackcrowheart on Jan 10, 2006 12:10:39 GMT -5
Unearthing the truth about Native American history
By DANIEL J. SERNOVITZ
www.herald-mail.com/?
module=displaystory&story_id=128337&format=html
HAGERSTOWN -
After a lifetime of hunting Indian artifacts, West Virginia native
and former schoolteacher Joe Gambino has come to know a thing or two
about Native American culture and society.
The thing that stands out most of all, the Berkeley County resident
said, is how little Americans actually know about them and how much
of what they know bears so little a resemblance to the truth.
"What most people know about Native Americans comes from movies and
television," Gambino said. "If you ask most people, they will
consider the Native Americans to be blood-thirsty savages."
In fact, Gambino said, they had a much more hands-on approach to
parenting, an inventive spirit, were more-than capable craftsmen and
lived in harmony with the land.
"They had such a wonderful rapport with nature," Gambino said. "They
destroyed nothing. They wasted nothing."
As part of the Discovery Station at Hagerstown's monthly Saturday
Plus program, Gambino shared his knowledge of Native American culture
and brought with him a long table full of artifacts he has gathered
on his travels, including a hand knife carved out of calcite, a
10,000-year-old limestone arrowhead and an intricately carved squall
knife made from the root of an ironwood tree used to prepare foods.
Also among his collection were several Apache tears, which are black
stones of obsidian carved to symbolize the lives of Apache braves who
flung themselves off cliffs in the 1860s instead of being taken
captive by the U.S. Cavalry.
Gambino lamented in the limited roles Native Americans have been
relegated to in modern society.
"It upsets me to see the condition of the reservations and what the
Native Americans are allowed to do," Gambino said. "We need a greater
understanding between the various cultures of the tribes of the
Native Americans."
Hagerstown resident Peggy Rohr said she and her family recently
became members of Discovery Station, and brought her children to the
presentation because her older son, Joe, has been learning about the
subject at school.
"He's learning about Native Americans, and Native American history,
this year, so I thought it would be a good idea," Rohr said. "I
enjoyed it. I thought it was very informative."
Joe Rohr knew quite a bit about the subject going into the
presentation, and noted Antietam Creek is among several locations in
the region where Native American artifacts still can be found.
"I liked looking at the arrowheads," said Joe Rohr, 9.
Following the presentation, Gambino said after a lifetime of amassing
trinkets and knowledge about Native American culture, he has sought
through the presentations to share what he can with those who are
interested in the subject.
"I'm willing to share with people. That's the reason I do this. It's
my way of giving back," Gambino said. "I hope that they have a better
understanding of what Native Americans are compared with how they are
portrayed in the movies."
For more information about Discovery Station programming, call 301-
790-0076 or go to www.discoverystation.org.
By DANIEL J. SERNOVITZ
www.herald-mail.com/?
module=displaystory&story_id=128337&format=html
HAGERSTOWN -
After a lifetime of hunting Indian artifacts, West Virginia native
and former schoolteacher Joe Gambino has come to know a thing or two
about Native American culture and society.
The thing that stands out most of all, the Berkeley County resident
said, is how little Americans actually know about them and how much
of what they know bears so little a resemblance to the truth.
"What most people know about Native Americans comes from movies and
television," Gambino said. "If you ask most people, they will
consider the Native Americans to be blood-thirsty savages."
In fact, Gambino said, they had a much more hands-on approach to
parenting, an inventive spirit, were more-than capable craftsmen and
lived in harmony with the land.
"They had such a wonderful rapport with nature," Gambino said. "They
destroyed nothing. They wasted nothing."
As part of the Discovery Station at Hagerstown's monthly Saturday
Plus program, Gambino shared his knowledge of Native American culture
and brought with him a long table full of artifacts he has gathered
on his travels, including a hand knife carved out of calcite, a
10,000-year-old limestone arrowhead and an intricately carved squall
knife made from the root of an ironwood tree used to prepare foods.
Also among his collection were several Apache tears, which are black
stones of obsidian carved to symbolize the lives of Apache braves who
flung themselves off cliffs in the 1860s instead of being taken
captive by the U.S. Cavalry.
Gambino lamented in the limited roles Native Americans have been
relegated to in modern society.
"It upsets me to see the condition of the reservations and what the
Native Americans are allowed to do," Gambino said. "We need a greater
understanding between the various cultures of the tribes of the
Native Americans."
Hagerstown resident Peggy Rohr said she and her family recently
became members of Discovery Station, and brought her children to the
presentation because her older son, Joe, has been learning about the
subject at school.
"He's learning about Native Americans, and Native American history,
this year, so I thought it would be a good idea," Rohr said. "I
enjoyed it. I thought it was very informative."
Joe Rohr knew quite a bit about the subject going into the
presentation, and noted Antietam Creek is among several locations in
the region where Native American artifacts still can be found.
"I liked looking at the arrowheads," said Joe Rohr, 9.
Following the presentation, Gambino said after a lifetime of amassing
trinkets and knowledge about Native American culture, he has sought
through the presentations to share what he can with those who are
interested in the subject.
"I'm willing to share with people. That's the reason I do this. It's
my way of giving back," Gambino said. "I hope that they have a better
understanding of what Native Americans are compared with how they are
portrayed in the movies."
For more information about Discovery Station programming, call 301-
790-0076 or go to www.discoverystation.org.