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Lecture on Indian history leaves attendees liberated


Dr. Mary Jane Warde, UT Martin alumnus and current Indian Historian and Curator of American Indian History at the Oklahoma Historical Society, gave a lecture entitled Who Owns History?

Warde gave the lecture at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24 in the Humanities Auditorium. An estimated 60 students and representatives of the History department were in attendance.

The discussion concentrated on the various ways that American culture transmits, records, and uses aspects of history, and compared these to the Native American culture.

Warde has worked closely with people of this culture. She said that the history of Native Americans can be labeled as an “oral history”. She described Native American culture as one that puts less emphasis than ours on the consistent logging of information into books. It is almost an issue of history versus stories.

Warde discussed her association with the descendants of the once powerful Indian nations, and stressed that there are different aspects of history valued by the two American cultures. There are two totally different ways of memorializing history, brought forth by two different value systems. The Native Americans that associate with Warde see their history as their intellectual property.

When asked what message she wanted to get across to attendees, she said, “American Indians value their history as an intellectual property and integrate it into their culture much more completely.” She added that she hoped students would take a look into their own history and culture, and make use of it.

“There are many things that are generally unknown about this culture,” said Mark Brooks, an undeclared sophomore from Martin. “I think we learn more about ourselves when studying the distant past, no matter what culture you're studying.”

Warde earned her master's and doctorate degrees in History from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. She is primarily responsible for developing the Indian Gallery in the new Oklahoma Museum of History. She is the author of several articles and book reviews, along with the book, George Washington Grayson and the Creek Nation, 1843-1920.