The Wisconsin Oneida and the WPA: Stories of Corn, Colonialism, and Revitalization

Abstract

Abstract Colonization efforts over time have changed Oneida relationships with corn drastically. This study examines that history through a collection of stories told by Oneida people for the Work Progress Administration (WPA) between 1938 and 1942. Furthermore, the people’s changing relationship with corn over time highlights the effects of removal, allotment, and assimilation on the Oneida within the American context. Finally, while change occurred, the WPA interviews uncover continuity in Oneida Country as members struggled to maintain their relationship with corn and other traditional foodways in the wake of colonialism.