[RP TownTalk] Mural Idealist

Wed Apr 22 19:15:31 UTC 2009

http://www.piscatawaynation.org/

This website mentions a curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of  
the American Indian, Gabrielle Tayac, who is a member of the Tayac  
family who are still very much alive and leaders of the Piscataway  
Nation. She probably can help with historic images from the area.

JB

On Apr 22, 2009, at 10:07 AM, OurDollMom at aol.com wrote:

> The phone numbers I gave you do not work but I do
> have a phone number that does & I left a message.
> The American Indian Cultural Org. meets the first
> Tuesday of each month at the Greenbelt Church,
> 7 pm at 1 Hillside Drive but the church sets on
> Crescent Road.  Anyone is invited to learn about
> them & come to the meetings.
>
> If we are going to have a mural in the Historic
> District about Indians - it should only honor our
> own Indians who were living here.  These Indians
> are still here in Cedarville/Waldorf & meet in
> Greenbelt.  I think we should consult them so they
> can feel proud that we are honoring them in the
> proper historical way.  There has been so much pain
> between the Indians and the White man here in our
> area.  This is a chance to honor & respect them.
>
> My mother was a geneologist and when I was young
> I went with her talking to the Chiefs & used to go to the
> festivals.
>
> It is confusing to have a mural with southwestern
> symbols in it.  When history buffs come to visit us
> or others who know their history - the experts will
> think we DO NOT KNOW our history and are not
> proud of it.  It sends the wrong message.
>
> The Mural
> should honor what the Riversdale Mansion stands for
> and complement it - teaching our residents & children
> what we are about.  It should make our Indians still
> alive and in our area proud that we care about them.
>
> Natalie & Maurice Proctor would be the ones to teach
> us the symbols & history to portray on this Mural.
>
> Emily
>
> In a message dated 4/21/2009 10:28:56 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> m.avery at rocketmail.com writes:
> It is very interesting that you have chosen Native American symbols  
> as a place to start your artistic ideas for a mural, but it looks  
> as though you have chosen symbols from southwestern Indians.
>
> Are you aware that we have a very long and influential history of  
> Native American culture in the Riverdale Park area?
>
> The kind of native American that resided in this area were the  
> Woodland Indians. Woodland Indian period was from 1000 BC to 1600 AD.
>
> Captain John Smith explored the upper Anacostia River, which  
> included the tributaries in today's Riverdale Park. In fact, the  
> area you propose is located near to a tributary of the Anacostia  
> River. The Indians he found near the tributaries of the Anacostia  
> River were called the Nacotchtanke. Riverdale Park is part of the  
> Anacostia River Trail and a Federally designated historic district.
>
> Many residents in the area have found arrowheads while digging in  
> their yards and therefore have experienced a connection with the past.
>
> A mural with Native American symbolism in this town would be better  
> served if it had representative symbols of the indigenous people of  
> the Anacostia region.
>
> Melissa
>
>
>
> From: Christopher Martin <chrism at pgcps.org>
> To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org
> Cc: Alice Ewen Walker <alice at ewenwalker.com>; James n Julie Coleman  
> <jnjcolemans at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 11:09:49 AM
> Subject: [RP TownTalk] Mural Idealist
>
> Hello Riverdale Town Talkers,
>
> A note from Community Based Classroom Teacher / Riverdale  
> Resident / mural planner:
>
> In my class's conception of this mural  -- the rainbow squares and/ 
> or other squares in this rough sketch (see http:// 
> www.muralcollaborative.netfirms.com/muralintro.htm) could be filled  
> with symbols designed by local artists/ community members, working  
> side by side with CBC students.  In that sense, if there are any  
> strong Symbols of Riverdale that Historic Preservationists want to  
> fit into the mural - you're more than welcome to.  There are about  
> 7-10 or more squares available with this sketch.  We'd love to have  
> and want input/asistance from any artists or aspiring artists from  
> town - neighbors Jim L and Sherita S... that means you! :)
>
> If we - cbc artists, riverdale artists/community members-  wanted  
> to change the design to some degree to include landscapes/moments  
> from town history.. we could do that also.  The process of  
> community involvement is as important as the artwork in this  
> mural.  The challenge is getting multiple artists/ideas into a  
> coherent mural.  I think the sketch's division by squares / rainbow  
> of symbols has the potential to incorporate many different  
> perspectives into a unified landscape.  By allowing CBC students to  
> follow through with their initiative here, getting community  
> involvement (including the elementary school too) from experienced  
> artists and beginners - this mural can serve many purposes.  It's a  
> big enough bridge for us all to fit under it!
>
> CBC students would like to start attending the Thursday Market to  
> assist us locals create potential design squares, have a children's  
> drawing space, and raise a little $ for the project, but as of yet  
> have not gotten the go ahead from Town / Market leaders.  Town /  
> market leaders... what's up?
>
> For more info about CBC and its students go to www.pgcps.org/~cbc.
>
> Thanks for your time.
>
> Chris Martin
> 301-918-8726
> chrism at pgcps.org
>
>
>
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