Rewriting History… Indian Mary Indian Mary – what a life she led … I heard it said about a woman who is dead “I’ve played a HO… there’s not much difference” My heart sank, my ears rang, even tho I knew not This woman after whom is named a park There must be more that’s not talked about But the woman here, who spoke those words Was going to PLAY Mary, so I heard And portray the life of a woman of history A history where white men left little trace Of noble native dignity and the RED RACE. “I’ve played a HO… there’s not much difference” And none of the others even reacted Revealing to me … the heart of history Of Racism and Predjudice of Hate and Fear And all those ugly things in the heart of Here Where I call home… where I have roots Where great and great – grandmothers bore children and died This land is poisoned with greed and pride. So I’ve come here… to love and tend the precious sprouts Emerging here.. and there… and everywhere That will consume and make obsolete Racism, Greed and Pride and Hate. “I’ve played a HO… there’s not much difference” Then the question of what to wear? Calico is all Mary wore, too bad you don’t get to dress as native. A woman who grew without her tribe Depended upon the Kindness of Government Agents to give her Calico to cover her nakedness. Wear native garb? Not for Mary, she grew up in white man’s land. Not quite welcome ... So Indian Mary… just who is she? Her father was Umpqua Joe you see… He saved the settlers and told of attack So President Cleveland gave him some land And called it a reservation for a single man. Umpqua Joe was a river man, a Chief of the Grave Creeks Clan He ran the ferry from land to land, across the Rogue to ferry man Mary ferried also and carried on her father’s tradition Until she left and moved to town, older now, a little bent down. Marriage and Children Mary had… a HO you say?! I think not. A woman of valor and marvelous strength. Indian Mary … let’s call her by her name. Mary Peters - without a native name I wonder what that might have been Honoring our Native History
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March 2016
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