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Objectifying the past - Lakota responses to western historiography

Kurkiala, Mikael LU (2002) In Critique of Anthropology 22(4). p.445-460
Abstract
This article discusses an emergent indigenous counter-discourse. on Lakota (Sioux) Indian history. This discourse challenges the widely accepted narrative of Lakota history that sets their date of arrival in the-Black Hills of South Dakota in the 18th century. Modern Lakota historians maintain that the Lakotas have always been in the sacred Black Hills and that the conventional narrative of the Lakota past serves to legitimize their displacement. From a perspective inspired by the writings of Michel Foucault this article argues that, although this discourse can be seen as reflecting an attempt to regain a privileged position of defining Lakota history and identity, if also reproduces the very logic of modern 'grand narratives'. Lakota oral... (More)
This article discusses an emergent indigenous counter-discourse. on Lakota (Sioux) Indian history. This discourse challenges the widely accepted narrative of Lakota history that sets their date of arrival in the-Black Hills of South Dakota in the 18th century. Modern Lakota historians maintain that the Lakotas have always been in the sacred Black Hills and that the conventional narrative of the Lakota past serves to legitimize their displacement. From a perspective inspired by the writings of Michel Foucault this article argues that, although this discourse can be seen as reflecting an attempt to regain a privileged position of defining Lakota history and identity, if also reproduces the very logic of modern 'grand narratives'. Lakota oral tradition, however, is based on a fundamentally different logic from modern historiography, and it is here, the article suggests, that a more fundamental form of resistance is maintained. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
discourse, Lakota history, Lakota Indians, resistance, representations
in
Critique of Anthropology
volume
22
issue
4
pages
445 - 460
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • wos:000179975200004
  • scopus:0036455990
ISSN
1460-3721
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d2bdb87b-2ce8-45a5-9e48-d93b87d5644a (old id 892184)
alternative location
http://coa.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/4/445
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:36:59
date last changed
2022-01-26 07:43:01
@article{d2bdb87b-2ce8-45a5-9e48-d93b87d5644a,
  abstract     = {{This article discusses an emergent indigenous counter-discourse. on Lakota (Sioux) Indian history. This discourse challenges the widely accepted narrative of Lakota history that sets their date of arrival in the-Black Hills of South Dakota in the 18th century. Modern Lakota historians maintain that the Lakotas have always been in the sacred Black Hills and that the conventional narrative of the Lakota past serves to legitimize their displacement. From a perspective inspired by the writings of Michel Foucault this article argues that, although this discourse can be seen as reflecting an attempt to regain a privileged position of defining Lakota history and identity, if also reproduces the very logic of modern 'grand narratives'. Lakota oral tradition, however, is based on a fundamentally different logic from modern historiography, and it is here, the article suggests, that a more fundamental form of resistance is maintained.}},
  author       = {{Kurkiala, Mikael}},
  issn         = {{1460-3721}},
  keywords     = {{discourse; Lakota history; Lakota Indians; resistance; representations}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{445--460}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Critique of Anthropology}},
  title        = {{Objectifying the past - Lakota responses to western historiography}},
  url          = {{http://coa.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/4/445}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}