Qualifying Saunt’s “Great Transformation” with a Broader Perspective of Indigenous History :: Essays Papers

Qualifying Saunt’s â€Å"Great Transformation† with a Broader Perspective of Indigenous History As the new American nation emerged in 1783, freshly baptized in the blood of war and swollen with patriotic pride, the transformative ideology of materialistic monism slipped soundly into the heart of the Creek Nation in the Deep South and never let go. Saunt tells us this was a novel cultural metamorphosis. Subverted indigenous ethnocide, over 50 years in the making, now found with the advent of the war sweeping economic accommodations in capitalistic competition. Western vehicles of individualistic profit and cultural prestige freely flourished among the southern Indians; the African slave trade boomed among the Creeks, young warriors bartered for rum instead of sustainable grain, and mestizos acquired valuable connections through war efforts and bribes. Yet while this change pervaded Creek society with unprecedented vigor, what evidence exists to prove this shift the most noteworthy in Indian life and memory? While the cultural wounds of these few notable decades are carefully and proudly recorded, and are indeed transformative times, they exist as a mere moment over the course of four centuries in the living testimony of Western cultures transforming and shaping Native American History. However, I contend that Saunt’s â€Å"great transformation† of Creek materialism in Revolutionary America is undeniably significant, especially in his claims linking prestigious mestizos, like Colbert and McGiverlly, to dual forces of ethnocide and environmental destruction in their co-optation with European authorities. Tumultuous and aggressive, colonialism in the late 18 th century promoted a new ideology within the very heart of Deep South. The vital inner structures of clan ties and community tasks were essentially eradicated with the â€Å"great transformation† of Creek culture. Ancient traditions of clan and the martial ties that once â€Å"created a dense network of interrelationships throughout the deep South† were lost in the Revolutionary war politics (Saunt 21). Factionalized and dissident peoples stumbled along in the absence of common compassion. Where trade and marriage were once â€Å"indissoluble† and essential to establishing formidable allies and friends, individualistic pursuits of material gain and power assumed the helm. Even existing agreements with European colonies which previously â€Å"demanded that allies exchange gifts rather than commodities† became secreted, deceptive exchanges of poor quality skins for rum (43). Saunt is correct is assessing the broad ripple effect of this possession plague: European trade monopoly forcibly ripped apart the fabric of Indian society. Rum was more tempting than household goods required by women in caring for their clan, and when young warriors exchanged heaps of ill-prepared skins for an intoxicating drink, they had to resort to plundering necessary clan goods from surrounding communities.