Dartmouth returns the papers of an 18th century Mohegan scholar to the tribe

Dartmouth returns the papers of an 18th century Mohegan scholar to the tribe

Transcript¹

Samson Occom was sent to Europe to raise funds for a school for Native American students, but the money was diverted to found Dartmouth College. Now a step toward reconciliation².

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

This next story is one of betrayal and steps toward reconciliation. In the 18th century, a scholar worked to raise money to build a college for Native American students like him, but the money was diverted to establish the Ivy³ League Dartmouth instead. Connecticut Public Radio's Diane Orson reports.

DIANE ORSON, BYLINE⁴: Born in 1723, Samson Occom was the first Native American student of the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock. Occom was a gifted orator⁵ and became a minister. In the 1760s at Wheelock's urging, Occom traveled to Europe to raise funds for what he believed would be a school in Connecticut for Native students. But not long after his return, he learned that Wheelock diverted the funds to the founding of a school in New Hampshire that catered⁶ to the sons of white settlers. It became Dartmouth College.

(SOUNDBITE OF CHANTING)

ORSON: Members of the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut chant a traditional song before the start of a repatriation⁷ ceremony. Guests include Dartmouth officials and Mohegan families.

Sarah Harris is vice⁸ chairwoman of the Tribal⁹ Council and a Dartmouth graduate. She says for decades, the Mohegans asked Dartmouth to honor Occom's role in the school's history.

SARAH HARRIS: Hundreds of years of not telling Occom's story has denied both Native and non-Native students and the larger community the truth of Dartmouth's founding.

ORSON: The Mohegans also called on the college to return a collection of Occom's handwritten papers. As Dartmouth President Philip Hanlon prepares to hand them over, he reads from a 1771 letter Occom wrote to Wheelock about the betrayal.

PHILIP HANLON: (Reading) Your having so many white scholars and so few or no Indian scholars gives me great discouragement. And now I am afraid we shall be deemed as liars¹⁰ and deceivers in Europe.

ORSON: Occom's papers include letters, diaries, sermons and a page of Indigenous¹¹ herbal remedies. He wrote in five languages - Mohegan, English, Greek, Latin and Hebrew. Dartmouth experts say it's one of the earliest examples of written Mohegan language. President Hanlon acknowledges it took too long for the papers to return to Mohegan land.

HANLON: But they are here now, accompanied by the spirit of Samson Occom that lives with them.

ORSON: Jane Fawcett gets emotional as she describes what the repatriation ceremony means to her. Fawcett is a Mohegan nonner, or honored grandmother, and grew up on Occom's homestead.

JANE FAWCETT: Samson Occom was very important to me, actually. He was - he inspired me to go to college. I'm sorry. I don't usually break down.

ORSON: For two centuries, Dartmouth did little to honor its founding purpose. Fewer than 20 Native American students got Dartmouth degrees between 1769 and 1969. In 1970, the school began actively¹² recruiting. About 1,200 Native Americans have graduated since. And Mohegan leaders say today's ceremony marks the start of a different relationship with Dartmouth, now that Samson Occam's papers are back home.

For NPR News, I'm Diane Orson.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

3 ivy   

n.常青藤，常春藤

参考例句：

• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
• The wall is covered all over with ivy.墙上爬满了常春藤。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 orator   

n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• The orator gestured vigorously while speaking.这位演讲者讲话时用力地做手势。

6 catered   

提供饮食及服务( cater的过去式和过去分词 )； 满足需要，适合

参考例句：

• We catered for forty but only twenty came. 我们准备了40客饭菜，但只来了20个人。
• They catered for everyone regardless of social rank. 他们为所有人服务而不计较其社会地位。

7 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

10 liars   

说谎者( liar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The greatest liars talk most of themselves. 最爱自吹自擂的人是最大的说谎者。
• Honest boys despise lies and liars. 诚实的孩子鄙视谎言和说谎者。

11 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

12 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。