Whose History is Important History?
The delegation of 12 from Kyrgyzstan visited Conner Prairie this past Saturday. Their faces reflected the mix of their heritage. The bronze skin, broad flat cheek bones and almond eyes of Mongolia; the fair complexions and light hair of Russia, and many variations in between. Including representatives from the cultural ministry, archeologists, anthropologists, teachers and even shepherds, they were here to find out how Conner Prairie has captured “American” culture so that they could go home and figure out how to capture theirs.
Where is Kyrgyzstan? As New Yorkers blur the states between Pennsylvania and California, we Americans are often guilty of confusing any nation east of Turkey and west of China. Kyrgystan lies in that region. Once a stop on the Silk Road trade route to China, Kyrgystan lived under Soviet rule until recently. As an independent entity, the country, rich in history, is just beginning the discussions about how it will teach its children about the past and how it will present itself to others. Dr. K. Anne Pyburn, Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University, created a project to assist with this process. It was she who brought the group to Conner Prairie.
Although they were here to learn from the “experts”, I couldn’t help reflecting that their search mirrors the relatively recent American quest to pin down a complex heritage. The Kyrgyzstanis are asking “Whose history is the important history” much as we have begun to ask what other stories beyond those of the Pilgrims and the Massachusetts Bay Colonists are important to tell our children.
I wondered if we, like the Kygyzstanis, were setting out today to capture and present American heritage if we would make the same choices about preservation and presentation that were made 100, 50 or even 25 years ago. What do you think?
Posted:
3/25/2009 2:19:27 PM by
Ellen Rosenthal | with
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