Arts and Humanities Commons^™

From Tidewater To Tennessee: The Structuring Influences Of Virginia Schemata In The Settlement Of East Tennessee, Slade Nakoff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For over two hundred years, historians have debated the historical importance of early Tennessee migrants in shaping the state’s history. These discussions center around North Carolina's impact compared to Virginia's. By shifting discourse to the retention of migrant mentalities, the overwhelming influence of Virginia emerges through the continuity of privilege and commodification schemata. This study employs an interdisciplinary methodological approach combining schema theory, memory studies, and material culture analysis to outline the retention of mentalities from Tidewater, Virginia, to East Tennessee during the early settlement period. By utilizing the case study of John Carter of Watauga (1728-1781), the research illustrates …

From Scouts To Soldiers: The Evolution Of Indian Roles In The U.S. Military, 1860-1945, James C. Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The eighty-six years from 1860-1945 was a momentous one in American Indian history. During this period, the United States fully settled the western portion of the continent. As time went on, the United States ceased its wars against Indian tribes and began to deal with them as potential parts of American society. Within the military, this can be seen in the gradual change in Indian roles from mostly ad hoc forces of scouts and home guards to regular soldiers whose recruitment was as much a part of the United States’ war plans as that of any other group. The gradual …

Outside The Circle: The Juxtaposition Of Powwow Imagery And Cherokee Historical Representation, Dana Brumley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis looks at the juxtaposition presented by the Eastern Cherokee's struggle to present an accurate historical representation of 'Cherokee' against the backdrop of the more lucrative 'Tourist-ready Indian', influenced by powwow imagery. The thesis gives a brief history of the contemporary powwow, discusses the debates surrounding its intrinsic value to American Indians as historically representative, and then examines the shared elements of Cherokee and powwow history. There is an analysis of the influence of powwow imagery on notions of Cherokee history and its correlation to the expectations of visitors to the Cherokee Reservation. Thus, the author argues that the …

Weaving Accessibility And Art In Marilou Awiakta's Selu: Seeking The Corn-Mother's Wisdom., James David Basinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Selu: Seeking the Corn-MotherÆs Wisdom, Awiakta enlists the reader to participate on the path to knowing Selu, Corn-Mother to us all. In particular, the book provides a reader with a text that blends ancient Cherokee teachings of the oral tale of Selu with contemporary Western, Appalachian-American thought and experience. Awiakta adopts and adapts Selu in order to capture and express the essence of the tale within a contemporary American aesthetic.

Though Awiakta's approach is didactic, it rises above mere teaching to achieve an aesthetic characterized by accessibility, simultaneity, and liminality. She purposely combines stories, poems, teachings, histories, and cultural …