Summary Of The Book On Zion's Mount: Mormons

In the book “ On Zion's Mount : Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape” Jared Farmers argument is that early pioneers not only displaced and misunderstood the native peoples living the in West, but they also displaced and replaced their sacred, essential symbols with others and made a false history to support the sacredness of their newly chosen emblems. For example, they replaced Native Americans vital, life-giving, Utah Lake with the lifeless, unimportant and unworthy emblems that reminded them of home, because they did not then, nor do they now, understand the real importance of Native American places like Utah Lake.
Some of the best evidence Farmer gives to support his argument are the names of well known landmarks such as the
As an example of the duality of places he gives of Mount Rushmore and how it is viewed starkly different by different groups of people. By the Native Americans as deeply religious place and by others as the location of a monument dedicated to important white American leaders. He also writes about this same duality between Utah Lake and Mount Timpanogos. Mount Timpanogos would become an emblem for the Mormons elevated by a false history, but I reminder of home. While the Mormons would dismiss Utah Lake in favor of Timpanogos, its meaning for tribes who live by the lake and understand it’s vital life giving essence is sacred and important. Duality is a common theme within the
It is certain that they are not blameless, but Mormons did not make a concerted effort in destroying the Indians they merely were self-serving, misguided people trying to succeed they way that generation did. We are looking back with a better understanding and an enlightened sense they lack and blaming them for not having our modern sensibilities. One of Farmer's point in the collective memories and how there was and is an effort to change the true story to one of falsehood that fits the desired senorio. For instance, fish-eaters lived along Utah lake and this was vital to their survival. Fishing made up nearly 30% of their diet. In contrast, the pioneers did not rely heavily on fish and instead looked at the granite peaks as emblems of strength, unchanging that reminded them of home. To solidify this they created a back story of Indians living from generations on Timpanogos to validate their claim. Over time even native population began to believe and share this false collective memory. In a way of all his claims I agree with this the most. For most people as a whole we see what we want to see and believe what we want to believe. In other words collective memory can be