Hiawatha Week
April 22nd, 2007
The Hiawatha Pageant was a grand tradition while it lasted, Elgin’s community ritual par excellence. I’ve wished that we could revive it, but in an era of political correctness run amok where even the most dignified iconography is considered disrespectful and racist, there’s no chance of it.
Maestro Hanson in composing Hiawatha to celebrate this grand tradition, found himself practically apologizing to the Herald:
Hanson said that the Elgin and other similar pageants throughout the Midwest likely did not accurately portray Native American music.
Longfellow’s poem has also been criticized as not correctly interpreting Native Americans’ traditions.
But Hanson said that he was careful — both when he started the symphony in the late 1980s and now — to select the parts of Longfellow’s poems that he has researched and confirmed accurate.
“I very carefully chose parts in the poem that project the image of peace and mankind living together,� Hanson said. (Daily Herald 4/22/07)
“Peace and mankind living together”–there you have it, ladies and gentleman, this is the politically correct view of human history, in which wars or battles never happened, or if they did, they were merely accidents or natural catastrophes, no different than tornadoes or earthquakes. Presumably such a glazed view of history also dispenses with the traditional notions of valor and bravery, self-sacrifice and patriotism. But that is more than I need to say. Robert Hanson’s Hiawatha, a choral work, will debut Friday at the Hemmens
Interesting and well put post.
I remember seeing the Hiawatha Pagent a few times as a young child, but didn’t really notice when it was no longer around.
I wish I could see the choral union’s performance.
Posted April 24th, 2007 at 1:59 pmRegarding your reference to the UIUC chief as a dignified icon, I don’t think native americans would have been offended if it was just the image of the chief being used. I belive it’s the fact that they had a kid dressed up as their spiritual leader doing acrobatics and leading the crowd at sporting events in doing the tomahawk chop and indian war cries. So if the people who we claim to be honoring actually feel insulted, then maybe we should stop it or at least listen to them on how we can do it differently if we are really trying to honor anybody.
Posted April 24th, 2007 at 4:01 pmExcuse me, Anonymous, but the “kid” performing “acrobatics,” was a highly-skilled, physically fit university student who in fact had been carefully trained in and was performing authentic American Indian dances. He did not engage in any “tomahawk chop” or “indian war cries.” The University of I— (can we still say “Illinois” or is that “offensive,” too?) made a far more dignified use of symbols drawn from our American Indian heritage than you’re likely to see at many Wisconsin casinos.
But let’s get to the real problem here -the pernicious PC idea that Americans now have to ask for licenses from “authentic” cultural or “community” leaders before they can enjoy and use the cultural bounty that enriches our country. Chief Illiniwek wasn’t some creation “honoring” so-called “Native Americans.” He was an historical figure symbolizing a great American university and of all of us - no matter what our ethnicity - who were once proud to be its graduates. No group of Americans should “own” or control Illiniwek any more than poor white Kentuckians should control whether Illinois can refer to itself as “The Land of Lincoln.” Of course, under “diversity” culture, the idea that Americans share any symbols or attitudes is itself “offensive.” Nevertheless, it was that bold and explosive idea of a democratic community building a new culture through freedom, exchange and creativity which forms America’s truly revolutionary spirit and separates us from static and controlled models of cultural purity such as those of France or China.
My genealogy is German, Irish, English, Swiss, Polish and on and on, but that’s past history. I’m an American - unhyphenated and as “native” as any Cherokee or Lakota. I like all kinds of real American food - hummous, pizza, sushi, fajitas and baklava. I can take or leave saganaki and chop suey, but it doesn’t bother me one bit if they were invented in the USA and aren’t “authentic.” I don’t need Al Sharpton’s authorization to listen to Duke Ellington, I don’t need David Duke’s approval to listen to the Carter family, and I don’t need any “Native American” telling me where to put up my Navajo weaving in my home. It is absolutely nauseating that an American artist like Bob Hanson has to get down on his knees and assure the media that he’s selected only the “accurate” parts of Longfellow’s genius. Since when has accuracy become the test of art? Do we critique “Romeo and Juliet” on the basis of the accuracy of its portrayal of 16th century Verona? Rubbish! I really feel sorry for Hanson, but at least he can now understand how Jewish artists in Germany felt when they were accused of unauthorized “mongrelization” of the pure Aryan culture of the German “Volk.” Isn’t it ironic that another common “Native American” symbol was the swastika?
Posted April 24th, 2007 at 10:39 pmThank you so much for this blog. I saw this too when I was a child and looked forward to it each year. Too bad PC overrules telling a beautiful story. It was a very well done pageant. Do you know exactly where it was held and what is there now?
Posted June 5th, 2008 at 10:55 pmthanks again!
RK, thanks for coming by. The location was Camp Big Timber. I think it’s still owned by the Boy Scouts.
http://www.threefirescouncil.org/
Posted June 12th, 2008 at 2:29 amHiawatha was a wonderful pagent. I came to Elgin at age 21 and went every year I could until it ended. It is sad that “Par” had it in his will to discontinue the pagent after his death. It was a wonderful activity for all involved.
Yes, Mr. Hanson should not have to bow to political correctness. Someone needs to “brave it” and go ahead and be creative.
Posted July 5th, 2008 at 11:19 pm