November 7, 2004: Headlines: COS - Kenya: Writing - Kenya: History: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel : Kenya RPCV Scott Zesch writes The Captured: "It confirmed for me what I learned in the Peace Corps," he said, "and that is that the best way to overcome stereotyped ideas about people of a different culture is actually to live among them and get to know them as individuals.

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Kenya: Peace Corps Kenya : The Peace Corps in Kenya: November 7, 2004: Headlines: COS - Kenya: Writing - Kenya: History: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel : Kenya RPCV Scott Zesch writes The Captured: "It confirmed for me what I learned in the Peace Corps," he said, "and that is that the best way to overcome stereotyped ideas about people of a different culture is actually to live among them and get to know them as individuals.

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-36-89.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.36.89) on Friday, November 12, 2004 - 9:21 pm: Edit Post

Kenya RPCV Scott Zesch writes The Captured: "It confirmed for me what I learned in the Peace Corps," he said, "and that is that the best way to overcome stereotyped ideas about people of a different culture is actually to live among them and get to know them as individuals.

Kenya RPCV Scott Zesch writes The Captured: It confirmed for me what I learned in the Peace Corps, he said, and that is that the best way to overcome stereotyped ideas about people of a different culture is actually to live among them and get to know them as individuals.

Kenya RPCV Scott Zesch writes The Captured: "It confirmed for me what I learned in the Peace Corps," he said, "and that is that the best way to overcome stereotyped ideas about people of a different culture is actually to live among them and get to know them as individuals.

BOOKMARKS A lesson in history, cultures

Nov 7, 2004

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

by Geeta Sharma-Jensen

A lesson in history, cultures

Scott Zesch was wandering through a neglected corner of a cemetery in his hometown of Mason, Texas, one June afternoon when he caught the name "Adolph Korn" on a plaque.

That was a relative, he realized, noting the date of death, 1895. But why was there no other information on the tombstone?

"It's shameful," he wrote later. "My family has let this pathetic chunk of concrete stand as his only monument. As if we're embarrassed to claim him."

That thought led Zesch on a long search that eventually unfolded in a fascinating story, a story he tells in his new book, "The Captured: A True Story of Abduction by Indians on the Texas Frontier" (St. Martin's Press).

The book, his second, is not just the story of one white child taken by Comanche Indians and raised by the tribe for three years. It also is a record of this country's history and of the many white children whom Indian tribes took home with them in the Texas hill country and on other frontiers.

For me, the book also is evocative of other, larger issues -- assimilation and culture and human interaction and environment.

When I reached Zesch one evening at his hill residence in Art, Texas, (population: 3), he mentioned similar emotions.

"It confirmed for me what I learned in the Peace Corps," he said, "and that is that the best way to overcome stereotyped ideas about people of a different culture is actually to live among them and get to know them as individuals.

"These children grew up with Indians in an era when there was great prejudice, especially in Texas, against Native Americans. And they were changed. . . . There were a lot of common characteristics I found among these children."

Zesch, a lawyer who abandoned the practice of law to write, became determined to understand how a timid farm boy like his great- great-great uncle became Indianized in such a short time, even fighting alongside the Comanches against the encroaching settlers.

His research took him to Washington, D.C., Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas as well as to several descendants of children who had grown up in tribes. He also talked to Comanche elders.

The Indians, he said, "captured children of settlers because they wanted to build up their own numbers and they hoped they would like their ways."

In the 1850s and 1870s many children were captured. Two were from Reedsburg and were taken when their parents, who had been close to the Winnebago Indians while they lived in Wisconsin, moved to the Texas frontier.

Zesch found that after these children were released they generally disliked staying indoors, wandered off into the woods for a few days, moved around a lot and, as adults, had trouble holding on to regular jobs.

"They were between two cultures and heavily influenced by the two cultures," he said.

Adolph was especially changed. He never forgot his Indian ways and never really found a place in white society. He spent his last years living alone in a cave.

------------

E-mail: gjensen@journalsentinel.com





When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

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Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.
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Returned Peace Corps Volunteers mourn the loss of Peace Corps Volunteer Melissa Mosvick who died as a result of a public bus accident on Saturday, November 6, 2004, in Ouarzazate, Morocco.
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The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference.

RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls.

Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate.

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Story Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Kenya; Writing - Kenya; History

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