10-10 Columbus - 3rd try
By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE - We're headed to Barcelona, Spain, for some sightseeing and then will cruise along Christopher Columbus' route to the New World. Although the cruise occurs at about the same time as Columbus Day, this cruise doesn't necessarily celebrate the occasion.
We'll be on the Norwegian Cruise Line, which long has done a Viking Cruise to the New World. These are what are called repositioning cruises, in which cruise lines move their ships from summer itineraries to winter in the Caribbean.
So the Columbus thing really is just a marketing tool. I doubt there will be much celebrating, but we'll see.
No national holiday is more controversial than Columbus Day, which manages to spark animosity from two different groups, both of which were here before Columbus.
One of those groups is the descendents of the Vikings, whom it appears fairly certain were here about 500 years earlier. Minnesota, the home of many Viking descendents, no longer recognizes Columbus Day.
The strongest feelings, however, come from those who were here long before the Vikings. They detest the historical inaccuracy but their big complaint is the treatment of native people that followed.
South Dakota observes Native American Day instead of Columbus Day. Nevada observes nothing on that day. The U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico celebrate Friendship Day instead of Columbus Day due to the controversy surrounding atrocities committed against peoples of the Caribbean.
For a New Mexico perspective, watch Surviving Columbus, a TV documentary by New Mexican Diane Reyna. It presents the Pueblo Indians' 450-year struggle to preserve their culture.
Closer to home, Minnesota refuses to celebrate Columbus Day because that state's many descendents of the Vikings contend there now is ample proof that their ancestors were here 500 years earlier.
Many historians argue that Columbus' achievements are not worthy of a national holiday. Although he was the first to bring European culture to the Americas, he wasn't the first one here.
In truth, the legend of Columbus has been greatly embellished to the point of becoming myth. Early-American author Washington Irving penned an overly dramatic "biography" of Columbus that was so popular it became accepted as fact.
Who were the first people to arrive in the New World? The Bering Land Bridge theory has prevailed for the past half-century. It establishes the first Americans at about 13,000 years old. Digs near Clovis and Folsom, New Mexico were key to developing that theory.
But scientists are now beginning to wonder if there might have been more than one migration. Evidence is slowly emerging of artifacts dating back as many as 55,000 years. Some of that evidence also is here in New Mexico.
In 1940, University of New Mexico professor Frank Hibben claimed to have found evidence of a 20,000 year-old Sandia Man. But technical problems and sloppy record keeping resulted in that find never being accepted by scholars.
Now, a recent excavation at Pendejo Cave, near Orogrande in southern New Mexico, has revealed radiocarbon datings over 55,000 years old. For the time being, archaeologists can't get at it because not only is it on Otero Mesa, it also is on the MacGregor Range of Fort Bliss. So far, I haven't found out how the cave got that crazy name.
For now, that leaves Columbus in the catbird seat. Even though he sailed for Spain and is responsible for most countries of the Western Hemisphere being of Spanish culture, Columbus was Italian and Italians have captured the holiday as a celebration of their heritage in America.
And Italians had much to do with starting Columbus Day observances, first in cities with large Italian populations, such as New York and San Francisco in the 1860s. Then, in 1905, the first state celebration was in Colorado.
In 1937, the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal and service organization, prevailed on President Franklin Roosevelt to declare October 12 a national holiday.
Could changes be in the offing?
WED, 10-10-07
JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com
Sorry. Obviously I'm distracted.
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Syndicated Columnist
SANTA FE - We're headed to Barcelona, Spain, for some sightseeing and then will cruise along Christopher Columbus' route to the New World. Although the cruise occurs at about the same time as Columbus Day, this cruise doesn't necessarily celebrate the occasion.
We'll be on the Norwegian Cruise Line, which long has done a Viking Cruise to the New World. These are what are called repositioning cruises, in which cruise lines move their ships from summer itineraries to winter in the Caribbean.
So the Columbus thing really is just a marketing tool. I doubt there will be much celebrating, but we'll see.
No national holiday is more controversial than Columbus Day, which manages to spark animosity from two different groups, both of which were here before Columbus.
One of those groups is the descendents of the Vikings, whom it appears fairly certain were here about 500 years earlier. Minnesota, the home of many Viking descendents, no longer recognizes Columbus Day.
The strongest feelings, however, come from those who were here long before the Vikings. They detest the historical inaccuracy but their big complaint is the treatment of native people that followed.
South Dakota observes Native American Day instead of Columbus Day. Nevada observes nothing on that day. The U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico celebrate Friendship Day instead of Columbus Day due to the controversy surrounding atrocities committed against peoples of the Caribbean.
For a New Mexico perspective, watch Surviving Columbus, a TV documentary by New Mexican Diane Reyna. It presents the Pueblo Indians' 450-year struggle to preserve their culture.
Closer to home, Minnesota refuses to celebrate Columbus Day because that state's many descendents of the Vikings contend there now is ample proof that their ancestors were here 500 years earlier.
Many historians argue that Columbus' achievements are not worthy of a national holiday. Although he was the first to bring European culture to the Americas, he wasn't the first one here.
In truth, the legend of Columbus has been greatly embellished to the point of becoming myth. Early-American author Washington Irving penned an overly dramatic "biography" of Columbus that was so popular it became accepted as fact.
Who were the first people to arrive in the New World? The Bering Land Bridge theory has prevailed for the past half-century. It establishes the first Americans at about 13,000 years old. Digs near Clovis and Folsom, New Mexico were key to developing that theory.
But scientists are now beginning to wonder if there might have been more than one migration. Evidence is slowly emerging of artifacts dating back as many as 55,000 years. Some of that evidence also is here in New Mexico.
In 1940, University of New Mexico professor Frank Hibben claimed to have found evidence of a 20,000 year-old Sandia Man. But technical problems and sloppy record keeping resulted in that find never being accepted by scholars.
Now, a recent excavation at Pendejo Cave, near Orogrande in southern New Mexico, has revealed radiocarbon datings over 55,000 years old. For the time being, archaeologists can't get at it because not only is it on Otero Mesa, it also is on the MacGregor Range of Fort Bliss. So far, I haven't found out how the cave got that crazy name.
For now, that leaves Columbus in the catbird seat. Even though he sailed for Spain and is responsible for most countries of the Western Hemisphere being of Spanish culture, Columbus was Italian and Italians have captured the holiday as a celebration of their heritage in America.
And Italians had much to do with starting Columbus Day observances, first in cities with large Italian populations, such as New York and San Francisco in the 1860s. Then, in 1905, the first state celebration was in Colorado.
In 1937, the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal and service organization, prevailed on President Franklin Roosevelt to declare October 12 a national holiday.
Could changes be in the offing?
WED, 10-10-07
JAY MILLER, 3 La Tusa, Santa Fe, NM 87505
(ph) 982-2723, (fax) 984-0982, (e-mail) insidethecapitol@hotmail.com
Sorry. Obviously I'm distracted.
Boo! Scare away worms, viruses and so much more! Try Windows Live OneCare! Try now!
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