Letter: Native Indian History

Dear Editor,

I saw on the district website there is an opportunity for local residents to share feedback about changing the name of the Owego Indians.

As a graduate of OFA in 1971, I remember spending many hours studying and researching the Indian tribes throughout North American History.

The roles of the Indian tribes, French / Indian War, American Revolution, here in the East.

I remember walking along the Susquehanna River in the early spring with my 7th grade science teacher, before Route 17 was built, to find Indian Arrowheads, which I still have. I remember building Long Houses and studying about the Indian Tribes’ way of life.

This left such an impression on my life; I joined the Order of the Arrow Dance Team in Boy Scouts, where I also earned an Eagle Award with a Gold Palm.

My wife Lin, a 1970 graduate, recently donated to DanceUSA.

In reviewing the DanceUSA website (https://usdac.us/) I found a link (https://usdac.us/nativeland) that had the following:

“We are eager to share this #HonorNativeLand Virtual Acknowledgement Pack as an effort to renew our commitment to acknowledging place and the ancestral and contemporary stewards of these irreplaceable resources of land, air, water and cosmos. 

“With this release of these digital tools, we encourage folks to find creative ways to weave in acknowledgment as they host events and staff meetings in the digital space.”

I would contend that the Owego Indian name honors our “Native Indian History” and the name should be preserved as our community reminder of their past.

It might suggest another way to combat New York State over-regulation and allow us to embrace our local “Native Indian History”.

Let the Owego Indians fight and be a leader in empowering our community to join with other communities and countries around the word in preserving our local “Native Indian History”.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Layman

Apalachin, N.Y.