Native American Reaction to Henry Hudson

Evan Haefeli re-examined the traditional interpretations of the native reaction to the arrival of explorer Henry Hudson and the men on his ship “Half Moon” 400 years previously. He focused on what the natives' descendants said was their ancestors' impressions of Hudson when he arrived, whether or not they thought he was a “God” or “Great Manitou” and what they might have really meant by those descriptions. He also talked about different interpretations of the way people reacted to the explorers. He also responded to questions from members of the audience.

“What Did the Native Peoples Think of Hudson?” was part of the Indians/Dutchmen Lecture Series. It was held at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, November 5, 2009, in the George Gustav Heye Center in Manhattan of the National Museum of the American Indian. close