The Narragansett Dawn

The Narragansett Dawn was a monthly newspaper that discussed the history, culture and language of the Narragansett tribe. It was produced in 1935 and 1936 with a total of sixteen issues. The founders and editors of the paper were Princess Red Wing and Ernest Hazard. Both were Narragansett tribal members.

The Narragansett Dawn
TypeMonthly newspaper
Founder(s)Princess Red Wing and Ernest Hazard
Founded1935
Ceased publication1936

The newspaper came about because of the Narragansett people's need to retain their history and cultural identity in the wake of the Indian Reorganization Act.[1] In many of the paper's editorials, Princess Red Wing invokes the Narragansett people's pride,[2] often in reply to claims against their ancestry and purity during their detribalization by the state of Rhode Island in the 1880s.[3]

Name

The name The Narragansett Dawn was chosen at a tribal meeting on December 4, 1934. It was said to signify "the awakening after so long and black a night of being civilized."[4]

Slogan and seal

The Narragansett Dawn used the slogan "We Face East" on its cover. Its meaning is broken down as follows:

  • We - "Every descendant of the Narragansett Tribe of Indians"
  • Face - "Your Creator"
  • East - "With the first light, each dawn"[5]

The cover also bears the official seal of the Narragansett Indian Tribe.

Contributors

Princess Red Wing, Editor

  • Princess Red Wing was born on March 21, 1896 in Sprague, Connecticut.[6] Her birth name was Mary E. Congdon. She said that her mother chose to call her Princess Red Wing after the red wing blackbird "to fling her mission far with grace, for ears that harken for the uplift of my race."[7]

Her mother was Wampanoag and her father was Narragansett. Through her mother, Red Wing is related to prominent Indians in American history such as Simeon Simons (who fought with George Washington) and Metacom ( or "King Philip") who led a war against the colonists in 1670s.

She became Squaw Sachem of the New England Council of Chiefs in 1945, a position which allowed her to preside over sacred ceremonies and festivals.[6] She was also a prominent storyteller in the Narragansett community, keeping alive the oral traditions of her tribe. She also preserved their history by founding the only Native American museum in Rhode Island, the Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum.[7] Princess Red Wing died in 1987 at the age of 92.[6]

Ernest Hazard, Editor

Marion W. Brown, Keeper of Records

Chief Pine Tree, Business Manager/Writer

Theodore Brown, Business Manager

Francis Glasko, Business Manager

Princess Wood Dove

Lone Wolf

Little Bear

Sections

Narragansett Tongue

  • This section contained lessons on common vocabulary, such as the names of animals, plants, and types of buildings, in the Narragansett language. There were 13 lessons in all.

Genealogy

  • This section traced the lineage, both paternal and maternal, of significant figures in the Narragansett community.

Narragansett Mailbox/Greetings From Friends

  • This section was similar to a "letter to the editor" section and contained letters written to the newspaper by its readers, both Indian and non-Indian. The letters mostly served to praise the paper or the tribe.

Identity Sections

  • This section described Narragansett items and values that displayed their cultural identity. They appear with varying titles pertaining to their topic, such as "Narragansett Fires" and "Pipe of Peace."

Milestones

  • This section contained small bits of news, such as the announcement of births, deaths, weddings, and notable visits, that occurred in and around the Narragansett reservation in Rhode Island.[8]

Sunrise News

  • This section was written for each issue by the Keeper of Records and contained information on small, notable things that had taken place in the Narragansett community in each respective month.

Poetry

  • The newspaper published short, original poems by Narragansett writers, often with religious or natural themes. These poems were usually related to the Narragansett tribe or their values and ideas in some way. An excerpt: "All that eye and heart could own / Rich domains to roam at will / When the morning sun went down / See him on his eastern hill" [9]

History

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References
  1. Geake, Robert A. (2011). A History of the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island: Keepers of the Bay. Charleston, SC: The History Press. pp. 126–128. ISBN 978-1-60949-258-8.
  2. Red Wing, Princess (Sep 1935). "Our Purpose". The Narragansett Dawn. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  3. Boissevain, Ethel (1 September 1959). "Narragansett Survival: A Study of Group Persistence Through Adapted Traits". Ethnohistory. 6 (4): 347–362. doi:10.2307/480725. JSTOR 480725.
  4. Princess Red Wing (Sep 1936). "Our Purpose". The Narragansett Dawn. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  5. Little Bear (April 1936). "Our Slogan". The Narragansett Dawn. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  6. Cech, John. "Princess Redwing: Many Reasons, Many Thanksgivings". Christian Science Monitor.
  7. Poon, Chris (12 Jul 2003). "Princess Red Wing: Preserver of Native American Traditions". Providence Journal.
  8. Redwing, Princess and Ernest Hazard. "The Narragansett Dawn". URI Digital Commons. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  9. Flying Squirrel (Aug 1936). "The Indian". The Narragansett Dawn. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
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