"Wampum as Hypertext" Reading Response

After reading Wampum as Hypertext by Angela Haas, I now understand that it is important to look at the history behind a certain technology- or, in fact, any object- before we use it.

This is one of the several reasons that I am a vegetarian. That is, I have researched the history of the meat that are sold in local stores, and the way in which the animals are kept (factory farms, with disturbing living conditions) keeps me from eating meat. I had not, before reading this article, thought to transfer this critical-historical thought into the technologies that I use.

For example, I had assumed that hypertext was, in fact, exclusive to Western practice. On the contrary, as Haas illustrates, Native American culture has been utilizing hypertextual practices log before Western culture also developed these computer- based technologies. What this means, then, for my personal technological practice is that I will examine the origins and history behind each technology I use, and continue to examine these things with emerging technologies. I also hope to impart this idea to my students.

Haas also asks us to reexamine competency in technology. She writes, “Whose definition of technologically advanced are you using when evaluating your technological proficiency? (94)” This is an incredibly important statement- that Western ideologies of technology should not be the standard.

As an active member of the Lumbee tribe when I was younger (around the ages of 5-11), I did find that the generalizations about Native Americans and the use of wampum were problematic [I am a very small percentage Native American-Cherokee- but my half-brothers are Lumbee]. I had never heard of wampum before just a few years ago, and was not fully familiar withwhat wampum is until reading this article. Haas tends to generalize wampum as a universal Native American practice, but in my experience wampum is not a part of Lumbee culture.

When I was younger, the hypertextual practices [now I know, based on Haas’ article, that they were hypertextual practices] that we engaged in as a family were in the creation of dreamcatchers. My mother, brothers and stepfather must have created hundreds of dreamcatchers throughout the years we were active tribal members. Dreamcatchers, through the insertion of feathers, beads, rocks and other symbolic objects into the weaving of the “spiderweb,”create a meaning-making tool that tells a story of the particular origin of the dreamcatcher. It would be interesting to explore Lumbee history and hypertextuality in dream catchers- as I continue to explore the origins and history of other technologies I come in contact with. And fortunately, I have the rest of the summer to do so!