A while back I was working on an Ed Tech project and wrote an article about the misuse of technology in education (wrong place, wrong reasons, wrong people etc) and compared it to the episode in history when Geronimo was given a Cadillac by the American ‘establishment’ and made to pose for a photograph – trouble was that where Geronimo lived there was no petrol, oil or garages and no one could drive. It reminded me of the the way technology was (and is) thrown at education sometimes – for often dodgy political reasons. And that, I guess, sums up where I am coming from in my work with education and technology – a bit sceptical and critical of the status quo. If we look at Geronimo’s Cadillac as example of how colonialism uses technology – then perhaps we can see how technology has become a tool for the economic and philosophical colonisation of education by economic interests aka neoliberalism. it is useful also to remember how the colonised can internalise the colonisers ideas – soemthing we see a lot in Ed-Tech.
I got into the Geronimo story through listening to the song called Geronimo’s Cadillac – that was performed by the great Scottish singer and guitar player Dick Gaughan – still the best version I have heard. It documents a shameful episode (one of many) in history about how the indigenous people were treated.
The actual song was written by the American singer and songwriter Michael Murphy and his word are copied below and there are some links a YouTube performances of the song
Micheal Murphey playing his own song – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4Hn4kMzp50
Background to the song http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geronimo’s_Cadillac_(Michael_Martin_Murphey_song)
Geronimo’s Cadillac Lyrics
Well they put Geronimo in jail down south
Where he couldn’t look the gift horse in the mouth
Sergeant, sergeant, don’t you feel
There’s something wrong with that automobile
Governor, governor, isn’t it strange
They didn?t have no cars on the Indian range
Warden, warden, please listen to me
Be brave and set Geronimo free
Whoa boys, take me back
I want to ride in Geronimo’s Cadillac
Whoa boys, take me back
I want to ride in Geronimo’s Cadillac
Let me ride, let me ride
Warden, warden, don’t you know
Prisoners have no place to go
They took old Geronimo by storm
Ripped off the feathers from his uniform
Jesus tells me I believe its true
The red man is in the sunset too
Took all his land, now they won’t give it back
And they sent Geronimo a Cadillac