"Greedy Gold Propectors" Hurt California Indians? (Sacramento, Tehachapi: how much, casino)

[Full-Blooded American]

I caught part of a commercial today that stated something like California Indians were somehow hurt by gold prospectors or something like that -- I believe the commercial was sponsored by Morongo. Was this news to anybody else? I'd never before heard of gold prospectors hurting Indians.

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by Full-Blooded American

I caught part of a commercial today that stated something like California Indians were somehow hurt by gold prospectors or something like that -- I believe the commercial was sponsored by Morongo. Was this news to anybody else? I'd never before heard of gold prospectors hurting Indians.

Never heard that before, but found this excerpt:

The Kawaiisu were a semi-nomadic hunter/gatherer tribe that ranged throughout the Tehachapi Mountains. They were closely related to the Chemehuevi, and, therefore, the Southern Paiute. They were devastated by the gold rush miners and settlers, as well as U. S. military aggression

Source

I wonder what the motive is for these commericals the Morongo tribe have been airing.

[1752]

Seriously? It was pretty devastating, the indians had no resistance to the diseases of Europeans and were in a real decline when the 49'ers showed up but there was real ethnic cleansing going on all through the 1850's to 1890's.
I am interested in that time period and have heard alot of sad stories. If you were out in the woods shooting an indian was no more ilegal than shooting a deer or bear.
If you want to read something depressing Google "California indian massacres".
Times were different then and most peoples had their low points but it is best to learn about these things and try and make peace with others if you can and make things better rather than dwell too much on past evils.

[Full-Blooded American]

Originally Posted by 1752

Seriously? It was pretty devastating, the indians had no resistance to the diseases of Europeans and were in a real decline when the 49'ers showed up but there was real ethnic cleansing going on all through the 1850's to 1890's.
I am interested in that time period and have heard alot of sad stories. If you were out in the woods shooting an indian was no more ilegal than shooting a deer or bear.
If you want to read something depressing Google "California indian massacres".
Times were different then and most peoples had their low points but it is best to learn about these things and try and make peace with others if you can and make things better rather than dwell too much on past evils.

Interesting. I wonder if Morongo will be airing any commercials about all the European undocumented migrants who were kidnapped, tortured, and killed by Indians.

[cobmw]

It's time for a ballot intitiative at the next CA election. Restitution for all those suffering Indians (oops, I mean Native Americans). I'd say $5,000,000 each should clear our consciences. Is there any doubt that it would pass?.

[eureka1]

I'm just curious , what is a "full-blooded American"? What country did your ancestors come from? The commercial probably has to do with opening another casino.

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by Full-Blooded American

I caught part of a commercial today that stated something like California Indians were somehow hurt by gold prospectors or something like that -- I believe the commercial was sponsored by Morongo. Was this news to anybody else? I'd never before heard of gold prospectors hurting Indians.

I thought it was the San Manuel Indians who were airing the commercial(?). Anyway, gold prospecting and mining in California (and elsewhere) was hardly sensitive to the environment and continued to not be so up until relatively recently with the institution of various environmental laws. In the absence of these laws, recovery of raw materials be it gold, silver, nickel, oil, etc. was very damaging to the environment - that is well documented and some of the damage is still evident today.

It is debatable how much direct impact the Native Americans were subjected to. My initial guess is if gold were found on land that the Indians were occupying at the time (or using for their livelihood), I doubt highly that the gold prospectors/miners would negotiate their relocation, compensate them for the loss of land, or analyze the impacts of mining activities on the lives of Indians before commencing said activities. So, yes, they were 'hurt'.

I've seen the commercial numerous times already and my first reaction was that it was abrasive and appeared to be (inadvertently?) digging up old wounds especially around Thanksgiving. The commercial also made reference to a variety of other injustices including, paraphrasing here, slavery by the Spanish. With references to their current success, my guess is they're suggesting that through all the injustice, they can be independent and are not asking from anything from California (or anyone else that matter). Considering the commercial is only 30 seconds long, details and explanations will be limited.

Originally Posted by Full-Blooded American

Interesting. I wonder if Morongo will be airing any commercials about all the European undocumented migrants who were kidnapped, tortured, and killed by Indians.

I doubt it. The injustices that occurred in the past are reasonably well known. We don't need a commercial to tell us what happened. In any event it is unnecessary since the Europeans (who became the European-Americans) were the victors and, as it is said, "History is written by the victors..." Therefore, naturally the injustices by Indians against Europeans will be better documented than injustices by Europeans against Indians.

[Full-Blooded American]

Originally Posted by MIKEETC

I doubt it. The injustices that occurred in the past are reasonably well known. We don't need a commercial to tell us what happened. In any event it is unnecessary since the Europeans (who became the European-Americans) were the victors and, as it is said, "History is written by the victors..." Therefore, naturally the injustices by Indians against Europeans will be better documented than injustices by Europeans against Indians.

You know what else the victors did? They allowed the side who lost the war to live in their own sovereign nations, free from taxes or the rule of the victors. Fairly nice, eh? How many other people have done that?

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by VLWH

I wonder what the motive is for these commericals the Morongo tribe have been airing.

I'll bet there's some legislation affecting Indians working its way through Sacramento and they're starting the PR machine to gain public sympathy for themselves and whatever their position on the proposed law might be.

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by Full-Blooded American

You know what else the victors did? They allowed the side who lost the war to live in their own sovereign nations, free from taxes or the rule of the victors. Fairly nice, eh? How many other people have done that?

I don't know who else would have done that...but it is the least the victors could have done. An imperfect solution, really, as the land that became the various sovereign nations for each respective Indian tribe/nation are not necessarily their original land, i.e. that land the victors eventually 'allowed' them to live on was not their 'home' land.

Example: The Cherokee. Originally from what would become the southeastern United States, they were moved by the US government to what was then called Indian Territory but soon became Oklahoma. Although the Cherokee eventually 'received' sovereign territory, the capital of the Cherokee sovereign nation is in Oklahoma hundreds of miles from where they originally came from.

For comparison, that's like someone stealing your car (example, a Nissan) and then, as repayment, they give you a Toyota. So, sure, you got a car back, but it is not your car.

Keep in mind that this is my basic analysis. I'm not suggesting by any means that we undo injustices, rewrite history, make mass repayments or retributions, or that we all have a giant power hour of crying. I'm fully aware of the injustices that every ethnic group, nation, race, etc. has committed against another throughout human history. No group can claim complete innocence. Perhaps the commercial is the Indian's way of saying, "Those who cannot remember the past..."