Website Weary

Ok, I admit it. I love dolls. I have always loved dolls as far back as I can remember. The earliest pictures of me as a child always show me holding some type of doll in my hand. I played with Barbies and paper dolls long after I should have given them away to some unsuspecting cousin. I still have my first Barbie, even though she’s a little worse for the wear after my daughters wrought their special brand of havoc on her. I have a doll collection that is small but suits me nicely. No explaining it, so don’t ask…

Therefore, it makes sense that I will attempt a website explaining and detailing the effect that American Girl Dolls have on the telling of history. These dolls are larger play/collectible dolls that portray different periods of American history. I am somewhat familiar with these dolls because I bought a "Molly" doll (who is a WWII-era doll) for my daughter, Molly. She, of course, still has her Molly, and I will try to get it away from her long enough to let you see one up close and personal. However, Molly is liable to tell me that Molly is living at my house in a box, and if that's the case, I have no idea where Molly (the doll) is. Molly the daughter is in Columbus, and that's another story. Now she plays with dogs and her husband instead of dolls. I wonder if I have a picture of Molly with Molly?

At lunch today I started squirreling around on the Internet to see what I can come up with. There is an amazing amount of stuff out there about these American Girl dolls. There are also some scholarly articles about them, but I haven't had a chance to look at them yet. I might end up hunting down Dr. K and Librarian Kathleen for help with the hard-core scholarly stuff, but I think I'm on the trail!

I can tell already that the story lines and the books about the American Girls are rather "Buffalo Bill-esque". I think I will find that they portray history in a pretty white American way, even though one American Girl is Indian, one is African American (a slave), one is Hispanic, and there are settlers and immigrants as well. Oh, I forgot the Jewish New Yorker. No stereotyping here...

I hope I don’t live to regret doing this research. I love Molly’s Molly, and I really hesitate to think that I bought into the whole “his-story” rather than history. I guess I can feel better by telling myself that I bought this really expensive doll because she had the same name as my Molly. History had nothing to do with it, and that’s probably the truth. However, it will be interesting to see how the American Girls’ stories and history match up – if at all.

To follow up our class today...

In 1883, Sitting Bull was a guest of honor at the opening ceremonies for the Northern Pacific Railroad. When it was his turn to speak, he said in the Lakota language, "I hate all white people. You are thieves and liars. You have taken away our land and made us outcasts. A quick-thinking interpreter told the crowd "the chief was happy to be there and that he looked forward to peace and prosperity with the white people." Sitting Bull received a standing ovation.

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-Words.html

Do you suppose this last part is true?

And another thing...

Ok, I have an addendum to my previous post (which is the real post for this week).

In looking around on the Internet for Buffalo Bill stuff, I came across something that really needs your attention! This is just too good to miss! This is the Paris Disneyland, and get a load of what they are showing visitors about the USA's "Wild West Frontier"! This was posted on the Internet on March 17, 2009:

As you read this, the final performance of the original Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show at Disney Village has come to an end. This Friday, a new set of stars arrive to disturb the natives…

Whilst various aspects of the build-up to Mickey’s Magical Party have been met with a little concern from longtime Disneyland Resort Paris fans — there’s a PR-friendly way of saying it — none have been met with that classic Disney fan anger more than the plan to introduce Mickey Mouse and friends to the usually very historically-accurate Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

The bad news for those fans? The final performance (at least for this year) of the original show was at 21:30 earlier tonight, Tuesday 17th March 2009. And, after two days’ break, this Friday 20th March 2009 will see the very first “soft opening” performance of the new Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show… with Mickey and Friends, as it will now be titled.

The marketing visuals we posted previously have been given their final treatment:

So what exactly has changed? A full press release was recently published in French, which we’ve translated below:

MARNE-LA-VALLÉE, France — It’s a grand premiere! From 4th April 2009, Mickey and his friends, Minnie, Goofy and Chip ‘n’ Dale invite guests to join them at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

They allow the audience to relive the conquest of the American West and to meet Buffalo Bill, Sitting Bull, Annie Oakley and the cowboys of the Wild West.

Right from the moment they arrive, guests will be welcomed by Mickey and invited to step into a souvenir photo to capture a memory of this evening filled with adventures and unforgettable encounters.

Before entering the arena, the audience can enjoy a festive ambiance in the company of Sheriff Goofy and a live musical act.

It’s showtime!

Just as Walt Disney presented his film to the public, Auguste Durand-Ruel, the master of ceremonies of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, presents the show alongside Mickey, Minnie and their friends Goofy and Chip ‘n’ Dale.

All throughout the dinner show, Mickey and his friends will take part and join the audience in their epic adventure across the wild American West.

Wearing their cowboy hats and encouraged by Mickey and his friends, parents and children will support the colour of their “ranch” in several games and events held in the area.

The unique participation of Mickey and friends in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show will transport the audience into a grand celebration of the West!

The exact concept of the characters’ introduction still seems open to a little interpretation, but should the idea actually be that Mickey and the gang are visiting and taking part in the show with the audience, as spectators rather than stars, the transition may not be as painful as thought.

However, from a behind-the-scenes blog of the show, we can learn that “The Cattle Trail scene has become a full-blown Disney Character Ho-Down Musical” and that the characters “dance, sing, wave, and “speak” via recorded bites in various scenes.”

With word that the Disney Hotels have been offering tickets to the show discounted by 50% upon check-in in recent months, though, it may be that Buffalo Bill fans can’t be too picky about the invited guests. Nevertheless, the Native Americans in the cast still planned to sing a traditional native song to commemorate the end of the show as we know it.

http://www.dlrptoday.com/2009/03/17/final-call-for-buffalo-bills-wild-west-show-natives/

I've Been Buffaloed!

I always knew that my Kroger and Target stores were trying to fool me - placing items that I don't really want or need in places where I will notice them. Without even thinking, I plunk them into my basket and off I go to the checkout with about $100 worth of junk that I don't need and only think I want.

However, I honestly did not know that my local museum is pulling the buffalo hide over my eyes as well! Honestly! A museum that is set up to show you what they want you to see when they want you to see it??? Who'd a thought such a thing?

And so goes the Buffalo Bill Historical Center , "The Voice of the American Past". This museum is amazing enough to read about it through the voices of Dickinson, Ott, and Aoki in their article "Memory and Myth at the Buffalo Bill Museum". However, to "see" it in person, via the Buffalo Bill Historical Center website is something to behold.

Having been fortunate enough to read Dickinson et al.'s article yesterday, I have the advantage of seeing what is really going on at the BBM (Buffalo Bill Museum). I think it would be fair to say that I would have a good idea anyway if I had just visited the website. This is pure and unadulterated "cheese" (perhaps Limburger?) and commercialism at its finest.

I'm not even sure where to start with the article, "Memory and Myth at the Buffalo Bill Museum". I really enjoyed reading this as it opened my eyes to how we are constantly being manipulated in our everyday lives. Subliminally, we are told what to do, where to go, and what to buy by simply showing up somewhere. It's really rather amazing how this happens, and is really something that I might want to study in greater detail. To say that the museum is glossing over the truth of the "frontier" is a bit of an understatement. The authors of the article point out in vivid detail just how the curators of this museum seemingly take delight in preserving all things "West" while not actually telling the true story of the West.

The article opened my eyes to several things: First, Buffalo Bill wasn't real. I am a child of the 1950's which I think just generally makes me a little naive when it comes to believing what I see and hear. I was raised without the benefit of knowing everything about the world, and my knowledge was shaped by what I was told, not by what was on the Internet (and there is much debate about whether anything you can find anywhere on the Internet is true either...) Regardless, I believed what I was taught in school, as I am quite certain my teachers believed as well. Second, our nation's way of thinking about the "frontier" is based not on fact, but on what we have been told. More like "his-story", not history.

I really liked the way the authors wrote this article - I found it a really good read and underlined the heck out of it! It furthered my knowledge of how the West was really "won" and why we should all work to make our history real and not "his-story". The Buffalo Bill website is, well, pretty amazing and must be experienced to be believed. Did you see the pictures in the art museum and in the gift shop? Pretty amazing stuff! My favorite is “Madonna of the Prairie”. You should definitely find this one! This picture is copyrighted, so I’m not going to post it here, but you should definitely find it! http://www.bbhc.org/wgwa/index/cfm

Research Presentation Today

“According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

-Jerry Seinfeld

I have to give my research presentation today...

Borderlands

This has been an interesting week for me. Pasha, and I are doing our research presentation on Saturday regarding the "borders" that exist (real and imagined) between the United States and Mexico. I have read, re-read, and read again Pat Mora's poem, "LaMigra". I find it intriguing and disturbing. As I mentioned to Pasha, I feel that Part I of the poem is pretty clearly defined - the border patrol demands obedience, and there is a large price to pay if their demands are not met. It seems clear-cut, and very troubling. The female part, Part II, is a little more detailed, and demanding in its own right. It seems to me that the female in Part II is taunting the border patrol, not only with her femininity, but with her ability to know the land and her abilities as well. Frankly, she seems to make the border patrolman appear as a big, pathetic dolt.

It was a pleasure to read Gloria Anzaldua's writing from Borderlands La Frontera. Not only was it extremely well written and interesting, but it was fun to translate as well. I absolutely agree with Ms. Anzaldua's concept of una raza mestiza, and very much hope that she is correct that "En unas pocas centurias, (in a few centuries) the future will belong to the mestiza." This is a real hope of mine - that race and class will someday be a non-issue. I know that it won't happen in my lifetime, and probably not even in my grandchildrens' lives, but maybe someday...

I really enjoyed Anzaldua's use of metaphors in this piece, especially when she speaks of borders. In follow up to this week's reading, I have done a little research on Mexican women, and in particular, Mexican women who live in border towns. Of particular interest is information on the "femicide" that continues to go on in the border area of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. For additional information on this dire situation, please follow this link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104981339&sc=emaf

This situation in Juarez certainly gives little hope to Anzaldua’s belief in the long struggle that will bring us to the end of rape, violence and war. In August 2009 alone, there were over 300 murders (USBorderWatch.com 9/2/09), and authorities expect the total murders for 2009 to exceed the 1623 in Juarez in 2008. Juarez and El Paso, Texas share the same border, and Juarez has a population of 1.5 million people, mainly because of the export factories resulting from the NAFTA pact between the U.S. and Mexico. These factories are also known as “maquilas”.

According to Mike Davis’ MAGICAL URBANISM Latinos Reinvent the US City, in discussing these border-town maquilas, he indicates that El Paso/Juarez has 1.5 million residents, and Tijuana/San Diego has 4.3 people. If that is the case, and assuming that both areas have the same “opportunities” (maquilas), then why is Juarez this hotbed of gang-related crime and femicide? Why isn’t it the same in Tijuana?

I very much enjoyed reading Mike Davis’ MAGICAL URBANISM Latinos Reinvent the US City. As a late (1953) baby-boomer, it is almost inconceivable to me that the United States will soon be a country where the Anglos will no longer be the largest population. Because of my age, I have had to adjust my thinking and have no problem with being a minority. In fact, chances are that I may never see that happen. However, if I do live that long, I will embrace the diversity that has become (will become) the United States. By that time, our country will have stepped up to the plate and most folks will be willing to admit that this country was never really ours to begin with, and that if we share it with others, then it we will be richer for it.

What I learned today...

The early North American Indian made a great mistake by not having an Immigration Bureau.

-author unknown