Indigenous Ironies

Frank and I visited the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City today. Located in the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House, the museum opens to a grand, oval-shaped rotunda. Murals of milestones from the US appear, alongside representations of the explorers famously associated with the US. Ironic, considering how their expeditions impacted the very people the museum commemorates.

clear sky

white-washing

history

We walk into the permanent south gallery exhibit, the “Infinity of Nations.” The exhibit features background and artifacts from all Native American people living in the entirety of the Americas, from the article circle to Patagonia. As I passed display after display, I recall how harmoniously the indigenous nations of the Americas lived with nature. Nothing wasted; everything used: so unlike the aspirational avarice so many in modern societies demonstrate daily. Another irony observed: would we even need an Earth Day had we adopted the indigenous people’s perspective on living with nature?

climate change

not knowing when enough

is enough

I’m hosting Haibun Monday over at dVerse, where we write about Earth Day.

The Pub is still open! Come join us!

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8 responses to “Indigenous Ironies”

  1. kim881 Avatar

    I like the title, Frank, and, you will be interested to know that I visited the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City back in 2002. Thank you for bringing back some memories in your haibun.  I agree about ‘how harmoniously the indigenous nations of the Americas lived with nature. Nothing wasted; everything used’, so very different to modern societies. I would love to adopt the indigenous people’s perspective on living with nature.  Both haiku sum it up well.

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    I think we need to learn a lot, instead of growing obese from abundance we need to lear how to thrive within the limits we are allowed….

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Eugi Avatar

    Living with nature teaches us to be self-sufficient. We are a wasteful society filling landfills with plastic and e-waste. Your haiku express the need to weigh our perspectives and appreciate what we have.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Gillena Cox Avatar
    Gillena Cox

    Very interesting haibun

    much♡love

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Suzanne Avatar

    Yes if only we had learned how to live on the planet when we encountered indigenous people in the Americas and over here in Australia where I live. Your final haiku says it all.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. ben Alexander Avatar

    would we even need an Earth Day had we adopted the indigenous people’s perspective on living with nature?

    I think about this too, and the answer is quite clear, Frank. Thanks for the prompt!

    ~David

    Liked by 1 person

  7. lesleyscoble Avatar

    The native American lived in harmony with nature for millennia, leaving no plastic footprint. Wolves even hunted with them. Your haibun breaks my heart.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. pvcann Avatar

    I love your question, rhetorical perhaps, if we followed the indigenous pathway we wouldn’t need an Earth Day. I answer in the affirmative, as many would, powerful haibun.

    Liked by 1 person

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Frank J. Tassone-American Haijin by Frank J. Tassone is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0