Schiller Park Historical Society

Saturday, I attended a centennial celebration thrown by the Schiller Park Historical Society, for Schiller Park.  I was invited by a colleague of mine, Dan Melone, who works as an archaeologist in Lake County but who has been a full member of the Schiller Park Historical Society for nearly a decade.  He and fellow colleague Buzz Spreeman were exhibiting local Native American artifacts, including arrowheads and other stone points (he knows the technical terms, me, not so much).  Buzz Spreeman, a descendant of Chief Alexander Robinson, aka Che Che Pin Qua (a key figure in the formation of the city of Chicago), was on hand to speak to visitors about local Native American history.  He also demonstrated the art of flint knapping.  It was great seeing so many great historical items and meeting a lot of great people.

This post may not come across as "naturey", but I think of it this way - prior to European settlement, the Chicago area was settled by natives for thousands of years.  They lived primitive lifestyles and hardly ever squandered.  They respected the land, the animals, the seasonal cycles.  Some might be inclined to believe that they left a negligible ecological footprint, but I view them as having been part of the ecology of the area.  Many were hunters & gatherers and those that did grow their own food did it to such a small extent that it seldom put a dent in the appearance or functionality of the landscape.  They worked with nature, not against it.  Seeing the benefits natural fire provided to the land, they replicated the effects of fire by strategically burning land in order to increase yield and accessibility to their crops.  They hunted out of necessity and used every part of the animal.  In many ways, they were the poster children for "green" living, and yet many people still think of Native Americans as having been savages.

All of what I've learned from Dan and Buzz over the last year or two has reminded me about the idea that we are all inherently part of nature, though many consider themselves separate from nature.  Research shows that excluding one's self from nature can lead one to view nature as something we can fear, something we can exploit, and something we can destroy.  All humans are still and always will be very much tied to nature in every way imaginable, even if some never leave the cities.  Living a life deprived of exposure to natural places will create people who have no clue how the world works outside the big box - where our food, water, and natural resources come from.  When these things are taken for granted, it leads to consumption on a disastrous scale and a materialistic culture.  Just ask Madonna.  The natives had the right mindset - learn to appreciate the little things, be resourceful, prudent, and most of all, respectful.

Anyway.  I thought I'd share a few photos of Saturday's fun event.  The historical society is located in the lower level (fancy term for basement) of the local library, and they have an assortment of relics related to Schiller Park, including a neat mid-century typewriter.

Buzz, a member of the Menominee Nation, showing off his flint knapping skills for the visitors.  If you ask me, this was the coolest part of the whole day.  

Dan with his collection of local Native American points and pottery fragments.

This one is especially beautiful.

Group shot (Buzz, Dan, author/historian/parapsychologist/colleague Ursula Bielski, and me) - I'm in good company.