Murder on the Saltwater Frontier

Andrew C. Lipman introduces his article with the discovery of the murder of John Oldham. My classmate, Viktoriya Shalunova, stated, “in consequence to the murder of Oldham, colonist’s started a two year war with the Indians that included the killing, dismembering, and enslaving of Indians.” I agree with Viktoriya’s following reaction to the war. It seems ridiculous to start a war over the case of one murder, especially when Indians have been constantly targeted ever since their discovery. The article continues with information on the cultural and technological exchanges between the Natives and the English on the Atlantic. Like Matthew Liivoja, I was also surprised with the mention that Natives conducted trade by sea. Throughout history, Natives were constantly painted as barbarians or non-advanced people. I often forget that they too were involved in the exploration for new land and resources. However, Lipman started, “the exchange of maritime information and technologies did not always lead to calm intercultural seas” (283). I believe that the tension between Natives and Europeans have never depleted. Since their discovery and cruel treatment by the Spanish, it would be no surprise to me that Natives viewed all Europeans in a negative manner.

Lipman continues to pursue the truth and motive behind the murder of Oldham. However, a lot of his reasoning for the murder are just speculations with no concrete evidence. For every part of the murder, Lipman offers multiple possibilities of the scenario. For example, Lipman mentioned that Oldham’s body was found naked. He stated that this lead one colonist to “speculate that the Manisses had killed him to ‘cloth[e] their bloody flesh with his lawful garmets’” (Lipman, 288). Then there were others who believed that the act was a final humiliation to their religion and masculinity.