Contact: What it means and how it operates Exhibiting Native American Cultures: Points of Contact Museum Studies Special Topics, A460/560 Larry J. Zimmerman,

Contact:

What it means and how it operates

Exhibiting Native American Cultures: Points of ContactMuseum Studies Special Topics, A460/560 Larry J. Zimmerman, Ph.D., RPAIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

•A coming together so as to be touching

•A situation allowing exchange of ideas or messages: communication, intercommunication

•An acquaintance who is in a position to help: connection, source.

•Be in communication with, establish communication with

•A junction where things touch or are in physical contact

•Close interaction

•A communicative interaction

Contact

How do you know contact has occurred?

•Sudden culture change

•Apparent anomalies in objects or practices

•Combinations of decorative motifs, objects, practices that weren’t there before

•Sudden popularity of certain objects or practices

•Population movements

But be cautious! Lots of other factors may account for the shifts observed.

What factors cause one group to contact another?

Environmental changes that force population movements

Economic pressures (other than environment)

Population pressures

Displacement from territory

Curiosity & exploration

Desire for the exotic

Religious proselytizing

What happens when contact occurs?

•Ideas get exchanged

•Things get exchanged

•Understanding begins

•Misunderstanding begins

Other possibilities:

Disease Conflict

Mistrust Trust

‘Hybridization’ Syncretism

Diffusion and its processes

Stimulus diffusion—ideas, from simple contact

Single trait diffusion—a few things, from trade

Complex diffusion—whole cultural complexes, from colonization

Independent Invention

Just because things seem to be alike doesn’t mean they are so because of contact and diffusion!

Similar environmental and social conditions lead to similar adaptations.

Form, Function, and Meaning

Form—physical characteristics or attributes of an object or concept

Function—the role of the object or idea, what it does

Meaning—what the object or idea means to the people who have or use it

The concept of the Frontier

•A boundary between (at least) two major approaches, elements, or territories

•Characteristics:

Constant tension and possible conflict

Constant exchange in spite of any tensions

Constant minor shifts one way or another

For America, the frontier is part of the master narrative, an element of American character

Frederick Jackson Turner and the “Frontier Hypothesis”—see the full text

Development of the American frontier helped to shape not only the character of the American people but also the nature of its institutions

Individualism, nationalism, mobility, egalitarianism Frederick Jackson Turner

Culture as processContact is not a ‘thing,’ but can be seen in things

Contact is dynamic and is best viewed diachronically

Contact is a matter of adaptation

Contact is sometimes so subtle that it is denied

The Culture Area Concept

How to handle the huge diversity of Native American cultures:

There was huge variation in languages.

Cultures Areas or Food Areas?

The Problem with Culture Areas

Actually, these categories have entered into the popular culture in a big way. They are now the main descriptors of Indian groups.

One needs to question whether it is still a useful concept:

It locks Indian groups in time, using descriptions of groups at the time of Contact.

Pan-Indian cultural activities and massive influences of media have "blended" lots of cultural traits.

Doesn't account for the ability of groups to adjust to white and other Indian influences.

Contact in the Eiteljorg

According to Webster… Marty Gradolf

(Winnebago of Nebraska), 2001

Treaties—formalized contact

Even in the entryway, contact is obvious

Interactive map: Indian IndianaInteractive map: Indian Indiana

MyaamiakiMyaamiaki (The Miami People) (The Miami People)

Myaamiaki

Finished mahkahsina (moccasins) made by Scott Shoemaker

Tomahawk pipe (Miami), c. 1795.

Ribbonwork interactive

Bodewadmi (The Potawatomi People)

I live in two worlds really. I go to work I live in two worlds really. I go to work everyday and I live in a house and I drive a everyday and I live in a house and I drive a Tahoe and I wear Reebok shoes, just like Tahoe and I wear Reebok shoes, just like everybody does. But also, I follow the good everybody does. But also, I follow the good road. It’s important to me to keep that balance.road. It’s important to me to keep that balance.

- John Pigeon (Pokagon Band of - John Pigeon (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi)Potawatomi)

Basket by John Pigeon

Basketry interactive

Lenapeyok & Mihtohseeniaki (The Delaware and Others)

Lenapeyok & Mihtohseeniaki

Lenapeyok & Mihtohseeniaki

Historical Timeline—draws attention to contact