![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/593\/2017\/10\/b0695-1.jpg\")
<\/a>“Mineola or the Wedding of the Indian and the coon” cover art<\/p><\/div>\n
Out near the town named the Needles<\/em> [chorus]<\/em> Told him she hadn’t thought of marriage<\/em> Where to even begin? Right off the bat, we have the term “coon” used to describe an African American man. This term came from the Spanish word\u00a0barrac\u00f3n<\/em> which was\u00a0a large building constructed to hold merchandise, where slaves were kept for sale. This word was later anglicized into “barracoon” then shortened into the slag: “coon”. The first verse sexualizes the Native American woman emphasizing her skin tone. In the chorus begins “Won’t you be my Indian baby? Love you yes indeed I do” to be followed later in the piece by “Told him she hadn’t thought of marriage” which leads me to question motives\/consent. Last but not least, the final verse mentions how the gentleman caller would need to ask the “Big Chief” referencing the Chief of that Indian tribe. Additionally, this piece says the love interest was from the Kickapoo tribe. This tribe was believed to be located in the part of the country that is now Oklahoma and Texas. I find it hard to believe that Schuch had any contact with this tribe in Auburn, NY.\u00a0This piece is a whole new level of problematic. Written by a \u00a0German immigrant, a love song between two people of cultures to whom the composer does not belong nor know enough about to compose a piece of music. This is just scratching the surface on how people can completely abuse traditions they are not educated on.<\/p>\n Work Cited<\/p>\n Schuch,\u00a0Louis Arden.\u00a0Mineola or the Wedding of the Indian and the coon<\/em>. Sheet Music Consortium, Duke Music Libraries. Auburn, NY. 1904.\u00a0link<\/a><\/p>\n Schuch,\u00a0Louis Arden Jr., Find A Grave.com<\/em>\u00a0link<\/a><\/p>\n Swanton, John R. The Indian Tribes of North America<\/cite>. Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 145. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1953.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Louis Arden Schuch (1876-1944) was a composer. Born in Germany, immigrated with his parents to the United States and settled in Auburn New York. He composed his problematic work titled “Mineola” in 1904. “Mineola” which translates to “pleasant place” in … Continue reading
\nThere lives a pretty Indian maid<\/em>
\nShe is the Pride of the Kickapoo Indian<\/em>
\nand her skin of Navajo shade<\/em>
\nWhile out way up on a vista<\/em>
\nA Coon perchance the maid to meet<\/em>
\nand to her he took a fancy<\/em>
\n\u00a0… <\/em>every night and day<\/em>
\nthis Coon to her would say,<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWon’t you be my Indian baby?<\/em>
\nLove you yes indeed I do<\/em>
\nI will make you happy, happy<\/em>
\nBabe, now that I’ll be true<\/em>
\n…<\/i>
\nOn the Indian reservation<\/em>
\nSay you’ll be mine, don’t decline<\/em>
\nthe wedding of the Indian and the Coon<\/em><\/p>\n
\nalthough she loved him heap much so<\/em>
\nAnd if he expected her to Marry<\/em>
\nTo the Big Chief he would have to go<\/em>
\n….<\/em>
\nThe ask’d what shall I say to him<\/em>
\nIn reply says dear don’t worry<\/em>
\nhave nerve drink some Tom Gin<\/em>
\nAs he said good bye that day<\/em>
\n… to her did say<\/em><\/p>\n