Bay Guardian Archives In April 1779, the colonial army attacked the capital of the Haudenosaunee, the Onondaga Nation. Town Destroyer. Roxie Theater3117 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103. https://www.roxie.com/ai1ec_event/town-destroyer/. History of Relations with our Brothers: 1613 to Today, Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), MAGAZINE OF SMITHSONIANS NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN. What distinguishes her documentary is that she offers considerable insight into grassroots activism on both sides of the fence. He loves peace, and all that he had in store he has given to those who have been robbed by your people, lest they should plunder the innocent to repay themselves: the whole season which others employed in providing for their families, he has spent in his endeavors to preserve peace. But if Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman have their way, George Washington will also be remembered as "the town destroyer." That's the title of a new documentary that they have written,. description ends , 5:51426; Zagarri, David Humphreys Life of General Washington, description begins Rosemarie Zagarri, ed. Chief Cornplanter, who headed the Seneca tribe of the Iroquois, stressed "And to this day when that name is heard, our women look behind them and turn pale, "Town Destroyer" sheds new light on our first president. For over 8 miles south of Onondaga Lake, the colonial army followed the orders of General Washington killing and burning. But no doubt more than a few young people will get turned on to robotics, space exploration, et al. His heart is in pain for them; but he percieves that the great God will try his firmness in doing what is right. Conotocaurious(Town Destroyer) was a nicknamegiven to George Washingtonby IroquoisNative Americansin 1753. Legendary rock scene photographer's retrospective at Haight Street Art Center glittered with familiar faces. Town Destroyer; George Washington/Nicknames. An Arab stallion with a light grey . His great-grandson lived up to the name of Town Destroyer in his treatment of Indigenous nations both during and after the Revolutionary War (177583). At least thats the impression we get from this very slick package, which numbers Spielbergs production company among its makers and isnt so far in cuddly tone from hisE.T. The title by which Washington was known to Native nations, Handaga:yas or Town Destroyer, was one he inherited from his great-grandfather, John Washington, a slave-owning planter and colonel in the Virginia militia who, during Bacons Rebellion of 1676, had the chiefs of several tribes killed. At fort Stanwix we agreed to deliver up those of our people, who should do you any wrong, that you might try them, and punish them according to your Law. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. copy, DNA: RG 233, First Congress, 17891791, Records of the Office of the Clerk, Records of Reports from Executive Departments (War Department), Confidential Reports; are you determined to crush us? Allegedly both George Washington and his Great Grandfather, John Washington shared an unusual nickname. New York, 1939. description ends 197203). Astonished at what we heard from every quarter, with hearts akeing with compassion for our women and children, we were thus compelled to give up all our Country North of the line of Pensylvania, and East of the Chenesco river up to the forks, and East of a South line drawn from that fork to the Pensylvania line. He had risen quickly through the militia ranks by butchering Indian communities and burning their homes. The Iroquois, whose tribes had lined up on both sides of the conflict, were too distracted by their own internal divisions to see the crisis coming. Following the massacre of five chiefs who had come out to negotiate under a flag of truce to the colonizers, the Susquehannahs gave John Washington an Algonquian name that translated to "town taker" or "devourer of villages." David Humphreys Life of General Washington with George Washingtons Remarks. Athens, Ga., 1991. description ends 10). Town Destroyer is playing as part of the Mill Valley Film Festival with a screening Saturday afternoon at The Roxie (and with an extended run at the Roxie November 4-10). Conotocaurius (Town Destroyer, Seneca: Handaganyas) was a nickname given to George Washington by Iroquois peoples in 1753. (Its twin sister robot, named Spirit, conked out pretty quickly by contrast.). (The Iroquois dubbed him Town Destroyer.) But some present-day students, parents, and observers found those depictions racially offensive, calling for the work to be removed or destroyed. "I am well persuaded," John Sullivan, the leader of the venture, bragged to Congress afterward, "that, except one town situated near the Allegana, about 50 miles from the Chinessee, there is not a single town left in the country of the Five nations." description ends Colonial ser., 16:5018), as well as other grievances. modern editorial content, are copyright The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia. fort Stanwix, commissioners from Pensylvania, told our chiefs, that they had come there to purchase from us, all the Lands belonging to us within the lines of their State, and they told us that their line would strike the river Susquehanna below Tioga branch. ", This lesser-known title also had its origins in 1779, when General Washington ordered what at the time was the largest-ever campaign against the Indians in North America. "It was disastrous to the Iroquois," says Barbara Graymont, author of The Iroquois in the American Revolution. We were deceived but your people in teaching us to confide in that King, had helped to deceve us and wnow appeale to your hearts. They would soon face one of the largest amphibious invasions yet seen. It involved members of both the Susquehannah and the Piscataway, an Algonquian tribe that lived across the Potomac River from Mount Vernon. light grey. George Washington is called "The Father of our Nation" and by some "Cincinnatus" but the Iroquois had a nickname for him as well "Conotocaurius"(Town Destroyer) We talk about the Indian wars of the late 19th century but the late 18th century had Indian wars too and George Washington was the man behind it George Washington had complicated relationships with Native Americans. For GWs reply, see GW to the Seneca Chiefs, 29 Dec. 1790. It has also been translated as "Town Taker", "Burner of Towns", "Devourer of Villages . The name in its original language (s) has been given variously as Conotocarius, Conotocaurious, Caunotaucarius, Conotocarious, Hanodaganears, and Hanadahguyus. On the one hand, things were said like If you support this mural, you have a colonized mentality and (on a signboard) Stop Protecting White Supremacy. On the other, the whole situation was termed identity politics gone off the rails, and the suggestion that the murals were traumatizing an easy way to justify the erasure of things you dont like.. The Expedition you are appointed to command is to be directed against the hostile tribes of the Six Nations of Indians, with their associates and adherents. The name in its original language(s) has been given variously as Conotocarius, Conotocaurious, Caunotaucarius, Conotocarious, Hanodaganears, and Hanadahguyus. https://www.usnews.com/news/national/articles/2008/06/27/town-destroyer-versus-the-iroquois-indians, Massacre & Retribution: The 1779-80 Sullivan Expedition, How a Native American Prophecy Over George Washington Affected the Country. He had been commissioned by the Five Nations in the spring of 1790 to seek redress of grievances against the New York lessees. r e. s w. w. w. Tow. Following the 2017 clashes at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Trump presciently observed: So, this week its Robert E. Lee [] I wonder, is it George Washington next week [] Thomas Jefferson the week after [] Where does it stop? The short answer is that it doesnt stop until the US contends not only with its history of slavery but also its history of dispossession. How did we get here after 50 years, during which span a majority of Americans came to support abortion access? 48 Hills welcomes comments in the form of letters to the editor, which you can submithere. Will California Save the Iconic Joshua Tree? From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 31 May 1779 Sir, The expedition you are appointed to command is to be directed against the hostile tri 21st. Washington himself was given or assumed an Indian name, Conoto carious, meaning "Town Destroyer" or "Devourer of Villages," and an Indian messenger who arrived at Fort Harmar in July 1788 was identified as "George Washington, a Delaware." He was not the only Indian to bear Washington's name. What was George Washington's favorite fruit? (The Iroquois dubbed him "Town Destroyer.") The Mohawks saw the colonial settlements in violation of the Proclamation Line and trespassers in their territory. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. MVFF is an acclaimed eleven-day cinema event celebrating the best in US . After suffering for nearly two years from Iroquois raids on the Colonies' northern frontier, Washington and Congress decided to strike back. Many colonial homes were attacked. Sr William Johnson came and took that Fort from the French; he became our father and promised to take care of us and did so till you were too strong for his King. When the Ronald Reagan arrived to replace the George Washington in 2015 . Privacy Policy texts. . In fact, it dates back at least to 9 July 1776 when, after a public reading of the Declaration of Independence, a group of Continental soldiers and New Yorkers, calling themselves the Sons of Freedom, pulled down the equestrian statue of King George III on Bowling Green. Courtesy: JASON SZENES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock. They were men and when at peace had a right to live on the Earth. This battle isnt over yet, but no one will blame you for feeling combat fatigue. What is role of the artist in reflecting America to itself? Wanting to remain neutral but forced to choose sides, some Haudenosaunee nations fought alongside the colonists during the war. Filmmaker Alan Snitow stands in front of an audience after a screening of the film Town Destroyer at the Little Roxie Theater in San Francisco Calif., on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. The name in its original language(s) has been given variously as Conotocarius , Conotocaurious , Caunotaucarius , Conotocarious , Hanodaganears , and Hanadahguyus . Jimmy Carter is a Liberal Saint Now, Was a War Criminal Then. Filmmakers Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman . In Snitows and Kaufmans documentary some George Washington students and their parents argue that the images on the walls are a relic of the past and not history, that they instill a sense of trauma and shame and ought to be eradicated. Years later when George Washington was elected President of the newly formed United States, Seneca Chief Corn Planter addressed President Washington in 1790. Thus he claimed the whole country North of Pensylvania and west of the Lands belonging to the Cayugas. Advertise They told us they must have the whole: That it was already ceded to them by the great King at the time of making peace with you, and was their own. (The Iroquois dubbed him "Town Destroyer.") But some present-day students, parents, and observers found those depictions . "Town Destroyer" will have its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival, Oct. 6-16, with the first of three screenings at the CinArts Sequoia Theatre in Mill Valley, Oct. 8, at 8 p.m. No doubt he meant to deceive us. left as is, but with explanatory text?) Phelps (17491809) was a Massachusetts merchant, politician, and large-scale land speculator. On display since San Franciscos George Washington High School opened in 1936, it offers a view of the Founding Father both celebratory and critical, referencing his involvements in slavery and Native American genocide. To Natives, Washington was both the "Great White Father" and "Conotocarious," which means "Town Destroyer" or "Devourer of . Gen, George Washington meets with representatives of the Iroquois nation before departing for Y. that the King had ceded the lands to the thirteen fires, The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, David Humphreys Life of General Washington,, David Humphreys Life of General Washington with George Washingtons Remarks., Early American Land Companies: Their Influence on Corporate Development, Report on Canadian Archives . All rights reserved. To some, the brouhaha confirmed a stereotype of SF as the kingdom of liberal snowflakes who experience a meltdown at anything potentially troubling. Archives. He told the council of the murder of the husband of his wifes sister by a white man four years earlier, the robbery of his company at Cat Fish (Washington, Pa.) while returning from the treaty at Fort Harmar in early 1789, and the murder of his nephew by a white man in the winter of 178990 (Pa. Archives, description begins Samuel Hazard et al., eds. All three had participated in the Iroquois campaigns during the Revolution; Cornplanter as a principal war chief and the others as head warriors. It is an ideology that has been so thoroughly internalized that it has never prompted a national reckoning. Good luck with that: GWHS is seldom if ever open to the general public. Report on Canadian Archives . George Washington (February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America and served as the nation's first president (1789-1797). The name in its original language(s) has been given variously as Caunotaucarius, Conotocarious, Hanodaganears, and Hanadahguyus. His mural, "Life of Washington," is widely . es. The Speech of the Corn-planter, Half-town and the Great-Tree chiefs of the Senecca Nation. To him we gave four miles round Niagara, as a place of Trade. It also opens Fri/4 at the Roxie, with some screenings attended by Davenport and producer Keith Wilson. Snitow & Deborah Kaufman Executive Producer Peggy . Battlegroundhas already had a brief run in theaters, but now is available for streaming on digital platforms including iTunes. Town Destroyer is a 2022 documentary that discusses the art, history, struggle, and politics around the Victor Arnautoff murals at George Washington High School. copy, PHi: Gratz CollectionIndian Commissioners Papers. Washington referred to himself as "Conotocaurious" in a letter he wrote to Andrew Montour dated October 10, 1755, in which he tried to manipulate the Oneida to resettle on the Potomac: In 1779 during the American Revolutionary War, the Sullivan Expedition, under Washington's orders,[6] destroyed over 40 Iroquois villages in New York, partially in response to Iroquois participation in attacks on the Wyoming Valley in July 1778 and Cherry Valley in November 1778. It has also been translated as 'Town Taker', 'Burner of Towns', 'Devourer of Villages', or 'he destroys the town'.