Burns brings Tecumseh, Native American story to life
The great Shawnee warrior, Tecumseh, had a dream of a united pan-Indian nation that would fight the expulsion from the lands they considered rightfully theirs, and from the extinction of their culture.
Had he succeeded, a map of the northern-most boundary of the U.S. would have a massive horseshoe-shaped dip encompassing Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota into a land settled representing many tribes, traditions and languages.
"We're sitting right smack in the middle of everything here," said documentarian Ric Burns. "If Tecumseh had been successful, Indiana would not have become a state in 1816, Hanover College wouldn't have been founded in 1827 and we wouldn't be standing here today."
In moving words and pictures, Burns presented the epic story of "Tecumseh and Documenting American History," the inaugural address of the 2009-10 Hanover Capstone, "Forging an American Identity: At Home and Abroad." He spoke to a full house at the Lynn Center for Fine Arts Oct. 5.
Best known for his Emmy Award-winning series, "New York: A Documentary Film," Burns has garnered a devoted following during the past two decades. His other works include, "Ansel Adams," "Coney Island," and "Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film." He also worked alongside his brother, Ken, for the landmark PBS series, "The Civil War."
He considers himself a storyteller and appreciates the effects film offers in the process. "Film is like storytelling on steroids. People forget themselves in film and come out changed."
Burns called Tecumseh's battle a decisive chapter for the heart and soul of the American identity. "Tecumseh embodied the central core values of the American people," he said. "Love of country, freedom, (and) insistence of self-determination."
Tecumseh was a charismatic figure, athletic, fluent in four languages, a brilliant military strategist with a gift for inspiration. He told then Indiana territory governor and eventual U.S. President William Henry Harrison, "What we Native Americans are doing is no different from what you did. What right have you to stop this?"
Harrison was so impressed with by Tecumseh's rhetoric and political skills that he believed the statesman could have led an empire like Mexico or Peru.
Burns said Tecumseh was so successful in rallying the Shawnee and other tribes that by 1810, it looked like they would roll back manifest destiny. Though many of his followers faced defeat at the Battle of Tippecanoe against the Americans, the remainder joined Tecumseh to fight with the British in the War of 1812. The British abandoned them during the Battle of the Thames, allowing for an American victory and Tecumseh's death.
Tecumseh is an important figure, said Burns, because he was a great American. "We can all take great hope and sustenance from his story. (Tecumseh's dream) may have failed on the ground, but he deserves to never be forgotten."
Historical novelist, Jeff Shaara, will continue the series with "History and the Novel," Nov. 2; followed by Bernice A. King, the youngest daughter of the late Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with, "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his Legacy," Feb. 2. Rounding out the capstone will be Michael Medved and Jeffrey Lyons with, "The Movies and American Culture," April 7. For more information or to reserve your seat, visit www.hanover.edu/capstone.
