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The Life of the Brothertown Indians

~ Brothertown Indian History, People, Stories and Current Events

The Life of the Brothertown Indians

Monthly Archives: March 2017

Brothertown Hymnody: An Enduring Tradition

30 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by A Brothertown Citizen in Brothertown History

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

brothertown hymnody, brothertown Indian hymns, brothertown new york, brothertown wisconsin, hymnody, native american singing, psalmody, Samson Occom, shape note singing, singing

Introduction

            When our ancestors left their original homelands to re-organize themselves into a new Tribe in New York, they carried very few possessions with them.   Besides themselves and their families, some of the most important things they did carry were their faith in God and their practice of communal hymn singing (hymnody).  The type of hymn singing they engaged in was very distinctive and unique to the New England area.  By 1801, this general type of singing would come to be known as “shape note singing” although the New England Indians had their own unique version of it and particularly excelled at its practice.   Not only did their own version of shape note singing travel with our ancestors from New England to New York, but it was still with them when they relocated to Wisconsin (still Michigan Territory) in the early part of the 1800’s.

Part One:  Occom’s Hymnal and Brothertown, New York

                        Samson Occom, the famous Native American minister, led an extremely productive and influential life.  One of his noteable achievements was the 1774 publication of a hymn book (words only) with many reprinted songs and a couple of Occom’s own (available at http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/evans/N10659.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext).   This has earned him the distinctive honor of being “the first American writer of Presbyterian hymns.”(1)  This hymn book, no doubt, accompanied him 13 years later on his journey to Oneida County New York and the political formation of Brothertown.

            We read in Occom’s journal concerning the night he arrived in New York at his brother in law’s (David Fowler’s) house on October 24, 1785 that, “as we approach’d the House I heard a Melodious Singing, a number were together Singing Psalms hymns and Spiritual Songs”(2).  They sang a bit more before retiring for the night. The next day, October 25th, he noted, “In the evening Singers Came in again, and they Sang till near ten o: c.”

            On Wednesday, he wrote of more singing; as well as on Friday where they sang at “Abraham Simons” house.  On Saturday, the “huskers Sung Hymns Psalms and Spiritual Songs the bigest part of the Time, finishd in the evening,— and after Supper the Singers Sung a while”.  On Sunday it went on longer.  To say that they sang a lot may be an understatement.

            It was not just our early years there in New York that we pursued hymnody, but it continued throughout our time there.  In a letter dated December 26, 1791, Occom wrote, “one Jo–Quinney is… our Singing Master too, and he is Instructing the People in Singing Constantly, two or three Evenings every week.”(3)

            While Occom tells us that they sang “hymns Psalms and Spiritual Songs”, he doesn’t mention much more besides noting their frequency.  Yet, there was something special to be said about Brothertown singing; something that set our ancestors apart.  Partial clarity on this matter can be gained through a review of historical Native America in the New England area as well as by reviewing the education that our founders, including Occom, had received at Moor’s Charity School.

                        …..to be continued

(1)    http://www.nndb.com/people/556/000115211/

(2) October 4, 1785 Journal p12r & following https://collections.dartmouth.edu/occom/html/diplomatic/785554-diplomatic.html

 (3) https://collections.dartmouth.edu/occom/html/diplomatic/791676-diplomatic.html

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A Shout Out to the Ancestors

13 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by A Brothertown Citizen in Brothertown History

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On this date (March 13) in 1773, our ancestors from the 7 “praying towns” first met in Mohegan to discuss the possibility of migrating to new lands.

See p119 of the Brad Jarvis book Preserving the Brothertown Nation of Indians: Exploring Relationships Amongst Land, Sovereignty, and Identity, 1740-1840 for more details:

https://books.google.com/books?id=LZ3Ykvn4mkQC&lpg=PA118&ots=18ut6BZtyq&dq=brothertown%20march%2013%201773&pg=PA119&output=embed“>https://books.google.com/books?id=LZ3Ykvn4mkQC&lpg=PA118&ots=18ut6BZtyq&dq=brothertown%20march%2013%201773&pg=PA119&output=embed

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Tonight at 6 CT, In Person and Online: Calumet County Historical Society to sponsor talk on the Brothertown Indian Nation

01 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by A Brothertown Citizen in Current Events

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Update:  Tonight’s talk has been cancelled due to unsafe weather conditions and will be rescheduled.

 

Weather permitting, Courtney Cottrell is set to give a talk on the Brothertown Indians tonight (March 1, 2017) at 6pm CT at the Chilton Public Library in Wisconsin. This talk will simultaneously be live streamed through the internet via Zoom. The Calumet County Historical Society is hosting the event and it is free and open to the public.

To take advantage of the livestream, please follow the instructions below.

To Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/492142583

Or Telephone:

Dial: +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll) or +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll)

Meeting ID: 492 142 583
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contacts: Debbie Barany 920-418-1173, Terry Friederichs 920-849-4042, Mike Pichee 920-216-7461 or Info@CalumetCountyHistoricalSociety.org
Brothertownindians.org CalumetCountyHistoricalSociety.org
Calumet County Historical Society to sponsor talk on the Brothertown Indian Nation
The Calumet County Historical Society is sponsoring a talk by Courtney Cottrell at the Chilton Public Library on March 1 at 6:00 pm. Courtney is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Brothertown Indian Nation and is a Doctoral Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Michigan. The Brothertown Nation settled on the Eastern shore of Lake Winnebago in the early 1800’s; a portion of that area is in Calumet County.
“This is the first time our organization has asked a speaker to give a presentation. It’s great that Courtney is available to share her knowledge.” said Debbie Barany from the Calumet County Historical Society. “We really hope to have a nice turn out for Courtney’s talk!” Barany added.
The Historical Society has windows from the First Methodist Episcopal Church in its museum. That church was where the tribe held many meetings in the past. The church was located on the corner of 151 and county H. Courtney’s talk is expected to last about an hour; It will touch on the Brothertown Nation’s history, the challenges they faced in the past, those that they deal with in the present, as well as their rich culture. There will be time for questions after the presentation. All are welcome; there is no cost to the public for this event.
About Courtney Cottrell
Courtney Cottrell is the Brothertown Indian Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) and a Doctoral Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Michigan. Along with her tribal responsibilities and commitment to a strong cultural future for the Brothertown she studies diversity in academic institutions, mainly museums. Her interests include sharing expertise between Native Americans and Western cultures through museum collaborations.
About The Calumet County Historic Society & Museum
In 1961, county veterinarian Dr. Royal Klofanda converted an old hatchery on his Reed Street property in Chilton to house his personal collection of antique farm and home implements. In September of 1967 ground was broken for the first of two 40 x 100 foot steel buildings that house the artifacts today. The museum is open each Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 from June to September. It is located one mile south of Chilton on Irish Road just off Hwy 57. The museum does not charge admission and is funded mostly by the generosity of current and past society members. Donations are always appreciated.

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