We need to heed the words of deep thinkers like you. It is not enough to love the outdoors, as many do. We need to honor and nurture it.
Thanks once again, Chris, for weaving a bridge to our past and resetting our compass. Now we must engage all navigators (legislators) in a proper direction.
This is a great blog. I only wish I knew you were doing this before you left the U. I have, however, read The Swine Republic, so maybe I am not too far behind.
You raise a vital point by comparing the Native Peoples' attitude toward the land against our own. Manifest Destiny is nothing other than greed, and we have a manure load of it in Iowa.
The obituary is wonderful; it is clear you admired and respected your uncle.
A couple of points of history:
1. Black Hawk crossed over to his home on Rock Island in Illinois. He was pursued up the Rock River into Wisconsin by Atkinson's regulars and Henry Dodge's ranger militia.
2. The Winneshiek "buried" near DeSoto is the Elder, Coming Thunder's father. Coming Thunder was tribal chief in Iowa, then in Blue Earth. He died on the Missouri River in Kansas, trying to make his way back to Wisconsin with his family. His family, by the way, made it back and became hugely plentiful.
The Elder Winneshiek had his main village on the Pecatonica River in what is now Freeport, Illinois, where I am from, thus my interest. He packed up and left for the Black River about 1827-28 after he and Coming Thunder were detained in prison for a time over the Winnebago misunderstanding of 1827.
I’m fairly certain we’d all be in a much better place(CLEAN WATER) here in Iowa if we’d never “removed”, (I put that as politely as I can) the indigenous population. We think we know so much more…..and look where that’s got us!
-Johnson County symbolically gave the Iowa Tribe a few acres back last year. Let’s hope it’s a small start to bigger things.
This is one of the most helpful for me articles anyone so far has written. There is just something about a human being doing what their gut instinct tells them to do. This is a very much needed article. Gosh I do appreciate this. This article actually will bridge a gap.
What a wonderful article and a beautiful obituary. Like so many here in Iowa, I am from European stock, and recently discovered that my great-great-grandfather fought in the "Indian War" after serving in the Civil War. While I find that embarrassing, I try every day to improve the land by including native plants in my yard and struggle in my efforts to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle. We have so much more to do to improve our environment. Learning about our history is a good start. Thank you.
Beautiful. Powerful. And a grand obituary. We are all glad that you have continued your writing here.
We need to heed the words of deep thinkers like you. It is not enough to love the outdoors, as many do. We need to honor and nurture it.
Thanks once again, Chris, for weaving a bridge to our past and resetting our compass. Now we must engage all navigators (legislators) in a proper direction.
Touching. Thank you.
Hi Chris--
This is a great blog. I only wish I knew you were doing this before you left the U. I have, however, read The Swine Republic, so maybe I am not too far behind.
You raise a vital point by comparing the Native Peoples' attitude toward the land against our own. Manifest Destiny is nothing other than greed, and we have a manure load of it in Iowa.
The obituary is wonderful; it is clear you admired and respected your uncle.
A couple of points of history:
1. Black Hawk crossed over to his home on Rock Island in Illinois. He was pursued up the Rock River into Wisconsin by Atkinson's regulars and Henry Dodge's ranger militia.
2. The Winneshiek "buried" near DeSoto is the Elder, Coming Thunder's father. Coming Thunder was tribal chief in Iowa, then in Blue Earth. He died on the Missouri River in Kansas, trying to make his way back to Wisconsin with his family. His family, by the way, made it back and became hugely plentiful.
The Elder Winneshiek had his main village on the Pecatonica River in what is now Freeport, Illinois, where I am from, thus my interest. He packed up and left for the Black River about 1827-28 after he and Coming Thunder were detained in prison for a time over the Winnebago misunderstanding of 1827.
Bernie Leopold
Iowa City
I’m fairly certain we’d all be in a much better place(CLEAN WATER) here in Iowa if we’d never “removed”, (I put that as politely as I can) the indigenous population. We think we know so much more…..and look where that’s got us!
-Johnson County symbolically gave the Iowa Tribe a few acres back last year. Let’s hope it’s a small start to bigger things.
-my goodness, the irony of it all!
This is one of the most helpful for me articles anyone so far has written. There is just something about a human being doing what their gut instinct tells them to do. This is a very much needed article. Gosh I do appreciate this. This article actually will bridge a gap.
What a wonderful article and a beautiful obituary. Like so many here in Iowa, I am from European stock, and recently discovered that my great-great-grandfather fought in the "Indian War" after serving in the Civil War. While I find that embarrassing, I try every day to improve the land by including native plants in my yard and struggle in my efforts to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle. We have so much more to do to improve our environment. Learning about our history is a good start. Thank you.
Thank you! You are an inspiration.
This must run in the family: “you knew within minutes of meeting him that he was a genuine and honest man.” Good post today!
Yes. I think you could probably write anything. Thanks.