Issues → November/December 2008 → Interact → 10 Things to Do →
Plimoth Plantation: An Interpreter's Tale
(page 5 of 5)
"It's very difficult, perhaps impossible, to operate in an Indian mind-set and a non-Indian mind-set at the same time," Pollard explained, sitting at a desk in his tiny office. Books and Indian photographs lined the walls; and on a stand sat a battered old manual typewriter. "For one thing, Indians have never been concerned much about a person's physical appearance. At the campsite, you more or less get used to, 'Look, Mommy, there's an Indian,' but it's harder to take at the local supermarket. For a while there," he smiled, relighting a pipe, "all kinds of people were dressing like Indians, but now it's back to just us."
Pollard would like to see the group concentrate on educating other Indians, such as the large group of native American children who visited Plimoth Plantation last summer. "We envisage some language programs," Pollard explained, "and eventually a place where Indians can come and learn something about their heritage and apply it to their own lives."
This is one of the purposes of Plimoth Plantation. Jim Baker elaborates: "There is no place on earth today that's as primitive as Plimoth in 1627. If Third World people don't have modem things, they know that they exist and therefore that great change is possible. We are closer to those people of the Third World than we are to the Pilgrims because the great divide of the Age of Reason separates us. In the Pilgrim village, the existence of the spiritual world was never questioned. The Pilgrims did not believe in progress. In coming to America they were trying to recapture the community of the ancient Christians. I don't think this process can be reversed, that anyone, Indian or non-Indian, can recapture the mind of his ancestors after so many years."
Yet, even in the absence of the spiritual dimension, the little village is a powerful image to visitors from rural backgrounds. Interpreters report overhearing visitors compare it to their villages in Central Europe, cottages in Ireland, or river settlements in Brazil.
A year ago a group of Laotian refugees were taken on a cultural excursion to the Plantation. The filmstrip and static exhibits were of little interest, but the Laotians brightened when they entered the village. They examined the fat sheep and pigs, sniffed the herbs, and touched the wooden houses reverently. As they were leaving, one of them politely asked, "Can we move here and make this our home?"
Reader Comments
Comment from Alf & Diane Ripley on November 6, 2008
As always, I find any article about Plimouth Plantation to be very interesting. For years I have read everything I could about the saga of the Pilgrim fathers and their history. This and anything New England has fascinated me and for the longest time I couldn't understand the reason for this. A couple years ago my son, who is very interested in our family's geneology, came across any entry for my mothers side of the family (Hughes). This entry indicated that my great great great-grandmother was an Elizabeth Potter of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. It further indicated that Elizabeth's great great great-grandfather was a man named George Soule, who it turns out, was a bonded servant to Edward Winslow and accompanied Winslow to the new world aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Soule was also a signer of the Mayflower Compact. This information more than confirmed, for me, the reason why I had this interest in early New England history. My son has also learned recently that Elizabeth Potter had another relative during this time which is of interest. His name was Roger Williams. And yes it is the same Roger Williams of Rhode Island fame. Completely and utterly fascinating for me. If I am correct William Bradford was from Yorkshire in England and the Ripley side of our family was from that area as well. They immigrated to Nova Scotia in 1774 during the Yorkshire Settlement of that time. I have been a subscriber to Yankee Magazine since October 1981 and it is story's like Kathleen Kilgore's about Plimouth Plantation that helps to keep me coming back. Great article!!
regards,
Alf Ripley
Registered users can add comments.
Registration is free, and just takes a moment.
Login or Register.