01/21/2024
ECHO
Normally I dont post about Disney shows here or other work that is not my own but this kinda blew my mind. In the second episode of ECHO it opens with a fully reconstructed depiction of the Moundbuilder Culture in pre first contact (before 1500 AD) Alabama.
This I believe is suppose to represent the Moundville Archaeological Site in Alabama, one of a few Moundbuilder Sites that survived the mass graverobbing and pillaging of the mounds both by Museums and Tourism that lasted right up to the 60's. I did a lecture two years ago on the destruction of the mounds and other Native sacred sites so I'm fairly familiar with these sites overall.
The Moundbuilders are the precursors to whats known as the Mississippian Nations (Though other mounds have been found further east of the Mississippi River) located in the lower eastern states of the US. Originally before the graverobbing of early American Curioso culture and Museums there were hundreds of Mounds that had been preserved all through Eastern America. Currently, there are less then a few dozen preserved Moundbuilder Sites that are currently protected. Among them are Cahokia, Effigy Mound, Etowah, Pinson Mound, and Moundville among others.
To date the Echo show is the only big budget production to attempt to depict the Moundbuilder culture with advisory from the Chocktaw Nation. Overall it was great seeing the culture depicted as just that, a thriving cultural civilization with people, trade, games, traditions, villages, and megastructures that helps establish that North American has always had a rich culture and civilization pre Columbus.
I've been actively working with Museums and National parks these last two years to finally get accurate depictions of North American Indigenous Megastructures out there for the public in the Southwest. Myself being O'odham, we are recognized with being descendant of the Huhugham/Hohokam Puebloan people whose cultures dated back to 500 BC. The Huhugham, Sinagua, and Hisatsinom (formally Anasazi) are only a few of many Prehistoric Indigenous cultures which thrived here in North America before 1500 AD. This includes the Moundbuilders of the East, and its nice to see a real attempt to depict this notable culture and this huge and untaught piece of America history as a real people.
For those who wish to see this segment, check out episode 2 of Echo, its the precredit scene but its definitely worth the watch.
Sapo My Friends.
-Josh
