The story of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft and George Johnston is a complicated one, fraught with issues of cultural appropriation, power dynamics, and historical erasure. For many years, Schoolcraft and Johnston worked together to document and preserve the culture and language of the Ojibwe people. However, despite Johnston’s significant contributions to this effort, Schoolcraft took sole credit for the work, erasing Johnston’s contributions and perpetuating harmful narratives of Indigenous inferiority.

As an ethnographer and historian, Schoolcraft was deeply interested in Indigenous cultures, particularly those of the Great Lakes region. In the 1820s and 1830s, he worked closely with Johnston, a Métis interpreter and trader who had grown up among the Ojibwe people. Together, they recorded stories, myths, and traditions, as well as compiling a dictionary and grammar of the Ojibwe language.

While Schoolcraft was undoubtedly skilled in his work, it is clear that Johnston played a crucial role in their collaboration. As a fluent speaker of the Ojibwe language and a member of the community, he had insights and perspectives that Schoolcraft could never have. Furthermore, Johnston was responsible for many of the actual recordings, acting as a translator and intermediary between Schoolcraft and the Ojibwe people.

Despite this, Schoolcraft took all the credit for their work, publishing the materials under his own name and even going so far as to erase Johnston’s contributions from the record. In his own writings, Schoolcraft perpetuated harmful stereotypes of Indigenous people, portraying them as primitive and uncivilized, further perpetuating the myth of the “noble savage.” This reveals the true character of Schoolcraft, who was willing to manipulate and exploit others for his own gain, even if it meant erasing the contributions of his colleagues and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

It is important to acknowledge the significant contributions of George Johnston to the preservation and documentation of Ojibwe culture and language. His role as a fluent speaker and member of the community was invaluable to their collaboration, and it is clear that Schoolcraft could not have accomplished their work without him. Yet, Schoolcraft’s actions demonstrate a troubling pattern of historical erasure and cultural appropriation, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and exploiting the work of others for his own gain.

It is only by acknowledging the full story, including the contributions of Indigenous peoples, that we can begin to truly understand and appreciate the richness and diversity of our shared history. We must recognize the harm that has been done by those who seek to erase or appropriate the contributions of Indigenous peoples, and work towards a more inclusive and equitable future.

In honoring the legacy of George Johnston, we also honor the countless Indigenous peoples who have been marginalized and erased throughout history. We must continue to lift up and amplify their voices, and work towards a more just and equitable world where all cultures are valued and respected.

Bibliography:

1. Parker, R. D. (2008). The Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky: The Writings of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft. University of Pennsylvania Press.Johnston, B. (2019).
2. The Manitous: The Spiritual World of the Ojibway. Minnesota Historical Society Press.
3. Lurie, N. (2001). The Life and Times of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. University of Nebraska Press.