Who Speaks The Voice Of History Essay, Research Paper

The facts of history in the eyes of Americans

have been viewed in many lights. The Smithsonian exhibit entitled,

?American Encounters? is no exception. This multimedia exhibit focuses

on American Indians, Hispanics and Anglo-Americans in New Mexico.

Although the exhibit contains many noteworthy facts about the culture and

lifestyle of the Indians, in my opinion, many other aspects of Native American

history were left in the shadows. The Smithsonian did not clearly

illuminate the struggle and oppression which the Indians endured during

the European settlement. This obscured information raises the issue

of which historical facts are selected as notable. E.H. Carr, an historian,

explains this argument with a very prominent quote from the first chapter

of his book What is History. The quote states, ?The facts speak only when

the historian calls on them: it is he who decides to which facts to give

the floor and in what order or context? (Carr 9).

As stated above, Carr believes that ?facts

only speak when the historian calls on them. . .? (Carr 9). In the

?American Encounters? exhibit, the facts concerning Indian tribulation

and European domination could not be heard. By all means I believe

that their situation was more than just an encounter. From the statement

on the plaque, one could interpret that the Europeans were given the land,

or that the Europeans established forts, trading posts, and colonies to

live as one with the Indeginous peoples; however, that was

not the case.

Consequently, Carr?s statement holds true.

The authors of the exhibit choose how to present this portion of history.

They decide in what context to display the facts. Obviously the authors

feel that a blurb on the wall is enough to express years of struggle and

strife. If visitors to the Smithsonian had no previous knowledge

about the conflict between Native Americans and the Spaniards, does this

excerpt explain the real situation?

From this plaque I am taught nothing of

the hardships that the Natives endured. I do not learn that thousands

of Indigenous lives were taken at the hands of the Spaniards simply to

acquire land that wasn?t theirs. I do not learn that families and

tribes were broken up in order to teach the Europeans how to survive.

To my dismay no artifacts, pictures or any other type of visual display

told this side of the story. It is the responsibility of the authors

of this exhibit to accurately convey the facts and clearly elaborate on

them.

However, the Smithsonian has dedicated

a large section of the exhibit to the lifestyles of current American Indians.

As previously stated, Carr is certain that, ?. . . it is [the historian]

who decides to which facts to give the floor. . .? (Carr 9). In the

section allotted to the Kha p?on, Indians of Santa Clara, there is a plaque

mounted on the wall which is, to my surprise, accompanied by an assortment

of visuals. Among many items, the display includes numerous examples

of pottery, a Pueblo Indian-shaped mirror, and a traditionally set dinner

table. Beside this manifest is an extremely eye-catching photograph

of a typical Pueblo Indian family. All of these wonderful artifacts

are presented in order to show how the American Indians of today continue

to prosper despite their distressing history.

Once again the ?American Encounters? exhibit

confirms Carr?s statement. The authors of this exhibit choose which

aspects of history to amplify. I don?t completely understand

why the modern lifestyle of an American Indian is uplifted, yet acknowledgement

of their burdened past is vague. Visuals and artifacts provide an understanding

of the exhibit that a plaque alone cannot equally produce. It is

imperative that the presentation of historical facts are appealing, explicit

and powerful.