Authenticity of the Walam Olum PDF

Preview

Summary

Walam Olum...

Description

Aurora Guenette Term Paper 29 March 2016

Inaccurate, but Authentic: A Review of the Authenticity of the Walam Olum

In the practice of religion, there are many beliefs that are proven inaccurate, but are still recognized in that religion. One controversial topic is the recognition of the Walam Olum for the Lenape religion although it is inaccurate. To understand this controversial topic, it is easier to assert it’s claim in the context of a common example. The race of Jesus Christ for American Christians has been debated for many years. A common misconception is that Jesus is caucasian, black, or even a woman. In the Faith section of Newsweek, Carla Yu sought to find a single image that defines Jesus Christ. In this article it describes the view of Jesus to many Americans, “Jesus as a woman, Jesus as a member of a minority, these tell us something about the struggle in our own day for the recovery of the sacred. Our culture is speaking through the image of Christ about its own pain and agony” (Carla Yu). Despite historical evidence supporting Jesus being born in Galilee and being Jewish, not much else is clear about his race. Even so, Jesus’ nationality was not commonly considered until the rise of European nationalism in the 19th century (Moxnes). The assumption of Jesus’ race can have many benefits for American Christians. Assuming Jesus as someone’s own race allows a sense of identity in their religion. It

may also make their religion more a reality because it is defined. American Christians assuming that Jesus was either white, black, or a woman may be historically wrong, but it is undoubtedly accepted. Therefore, although a belief is inaccurate it can still be supported with strong background, may have connections to the real truth, and can most certainly be accepted as an authentic belief for the religion. One issue that is currently under debate is whether the Walam Olum is authentic documentation for the Lenape religion. The Lenape tribe, originating from Delaware passes on their cosmology most commonly through storytelling. Lenape religion was seldom written down until the 1830s when the Walam Olum was published. The Walam Olum, written by Constantine Rafinesque, was an interpretation of wooden records presented to Rafinesque by a Dr. Ward, whom received them from the Lenape as a reward for his medical care (Brinton 153). The Walam Olum depicts a Lenape creation story, migration from Asia to North America, and the lives of the Lenape before contact with Europeans (Young 65). Although similar stories can be found in their oral interpretation, the Walam Olum is the only documentation of these stories physically. Since Rafinesque published the Walam Olum in the 1830s there has been controversy regarding its authenticity. Those believing it was foraged contend so because of the absence of the wooden records and the inability to locate Dr. Ward, who presented the records to Rafinesque. Those opining the authenticity of the Walam Olum notice Rafinesque’s background in natural history and Native Americans, the resemblance to Lenape language and stories, and claim that inaccuracy does not

correspond to inauthenticity. For all of these reasons, the Walam Olum should be considered an authentic documentation of Lenape history and religion. The authenticity of the Walam Olum, first is determined by Rafinesque’s background in natural history and Native Americans. Stephen Williams, author of Fantastic Archaeology, describes Rafinesque’s extensive body of work, “He wrote his articles in four languages, works ranged from short love poems to 248-page epics, from brief legal notices to lengths and scholarly monographs. They covered ecological history, and most of the field then called natural history-botany and geology-as well as archaeology” (Williams 99-100). Rafinesque was an accredited professor at the Transylvania University and a scholar in natural history. Besides his education, his connections in the field are important to the Walam Olum. He befriended John Clifford, who became a significant link to the Indian Mounds in Kentucky and to many archaeologists with interest in Native American history (Williams 100-101). Rafinesque’s background in natural history and his connection to Native American history suggest his ability to receive the wooden records and produce the Walam Olum, and position as author of an authentic document of Native American history and religion. The connections to traditional Lenape stories and language also serves the belief that the Walam Olum is authentic. One parallel to Lenape language is the metrical form of the Walam Olum. Illustrating the literary devices found in the Walam Olum Daniel Garrison Brinton, interpreter of the Walam Olum, analyzes, “The rhythmic is syllabic and accentual, with frequent efforts to select homophones and sometimes alliteration”

(Brinton 160). Since Rafinesque did not speak Lenape language, there is little evidence of his capability to produce such metrical structures and avows for Rafinesque receiving the records from another source and then producing it into the Walam Olum. The connection to Lenape is also found in Rafinesque’s translation skills. One example of his close interpretation is suggested by Brinton, “In the fourth line of the first chant, he wrote owak, translating it “much air and clouds,” when it is clearly a mere transposition for woak, the Unami form of the conjunction “and,” as the sense requires. No such blunder would appear if he had forged the document” (Brinton 157). These hints towards Lenape language appear throughout the Walam Olum so often as Rafinesque, with his limited knowledge of the language, could not have foraged it. Those believing the Walam Olum is foraged commonly declare the absence of the original wooden scores and the inability to find Dr. Ward. Regarding the disappearance of the wooden score, those opposing authenticity must consider the materiality of the score. This score was glyphs written on wooden sticks that very likely suffered serious wear, noticing the struggle Rafinesque had translating them in the 1820s (Young 65). This score was hard to preserve due to its natural make up and manifests why it is no longer present for documentation. Supporters of the Walam Olum’s forgery also claim that because Dr. Ward could not be located after his encounter with Rafinesque the Walam Olum must be inauthentic. Williams was quick to execute this argument, but contradicts this stating, “ He [Rafinesque] was not easy to work with… Rafinesque was both erratic and difficult, to be sure” (Williams 100). If the statement by the opposition is true about Rafinesque then it can certainly be calculated

why Dr. Ward, among others, would not want to have contact with Rafinesque after making acquaintance. There is also evidence that a Ward family of Kentucky knew Rafinesque in the 1820s when he would have known Dr. Ward (Brinton 153). The inauthenticity of the Walam Olum can not be proven by the absence of the wooden scores and of Dr. Ward, therefore, this information does not validate the forgery of the Walam Olum. Due to Rafinesque’s background with natural history and Native Americans and the connections to Lenape language, the Walam Olum should be considered an authentic document of Lenape culture, history, and religion. This authentication will support the Lenape because it is one of few written documents of their religion. It can also serve as an object of remembrance for Lenape identity before the 1830s. While Lenape struggle to survive today, the Walam Olum inaccuracy cannot mean the document is inauthentic, because it supports the beliefs of the Lenape.

Works Cited Brinton, D. G., & Rafinesque, C. S. (1885). The Lenâpé and their legends: With the complete text and symbols of the Walam olum, a new translation, and an inquiry into its authenticity. Philadelphia: D.G. Brinton. Moxnes, Halvor. "Identity in Jesus' Galilee-From Ethnicity to Locative Intersectionality." University of Oslo. Print Vu, Carla. "That One Face." Alberta Report. 16 Aug. 1999. Web. Williams, S. (n.d.). Fantastic Archaeology: The Wild Side of North American Prehistory. Maney Publishing. Young, W. A. (2002). Quest for harmony: Native American spiritual traditions. New York: Seven Bridges Press....