Jumping out of Perspective

Jumping out of Perspective

When hearing the words “Native Americans” or “Indian” the connections made in my mind were those of tribal dances, unique traditions, and creative ways of living. I always thought highly of the Indians because of the way they lived and all the opportunities in front of them. As a child growing up, I would play games with my sisters, acting as Indians— living off the land and finding creative ways to survive. For us it was all fun and games. However, in this study of the indigenous people, I learned that the Indian way of life is more than just tribal dances, unique traditions, and living off the land. Those were all elements of tradition, but the people lived out real lives too. The connections indigenous groups of people have with the land around them penetrate much deeper than the surface. Traditions, memories, and celebrations are all interlaced with the creatures and land that white Americans are trying to colonize.

In reading the novel, Solar Storms, the issue of colonization becomes particularly real and personal for a young teen seeking her identity. Angela finds her way back to the land of her ancestors to uncover the truth about her past and in the process, she takes a journey with her grandmother, Agnes, her great grandmother, Dora-Rogue, and Bush, who becomes her mother figure as their travels continue. These women were undoubtably in touch with their culture. All of them together “became like one animal. [They] heard inside each other in a tribal way” (Hogan 177). The problem that all of them face is the white Americans invading natural land to create dams to produce more efficient water flow and provide electric opportunities for their own kind. Little did these white people know how much they were truly affecting the Indians who were a part of the land, the land their people established years of traditions upon.

After seeing what they fought through, I feel guilty taking my own traditions, specifically as a Christian, for granted. I live in a country that promotes the freedom of religion so I have a tendency to fall into a mindless pattern, acknowledging no appreciation for my blessings. I anticipate the birth of Christ, have ashes wiped across my forehead reminding me of his death, and celebrate His defeat over death on Easter. All these celebrations come with traditions that my family passed down through generations. Indians partake in plenty of traditions of their own and when the white Americans wanted to colonize the land, it disrupted their traditions. For the longest time Angela didn’t understand the way of her people, but when their land was being threatened by the whites she realized “their legacy…had been the removal of spirit from everything, from animals, trees, fish hooks, and hammers, all things the Indians had as allies. They’d forgotten how to live” (Hogan 180). The idea of colonization really started to stick out to me here. No one fully restricts my religion or how I live life, but that was exactly what was happening to the Indian people in this book. The dam construction caused the Indians separation from the beliefs, connections, and traditions with the land they establish throughout generations— they truly had forgotten how to live.

As a matter of fact, the land “is a feeling of belonging. It is a feeling of being connected to the flow of the universe. It’s a feeling that, for the Indians, represents home, family, and interrelationship of all living things” (Armstrong 36). Since Christ is the center of my life, I am able to relate to what the Indians were facing. My relationship with Christ is like their connection to the land. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I take part in traditions in my religion, much like the Indians take part in traditions that essentially worship the land. For those who don’t have some kind of connection that allows them to have a deeper appreciation for life, it can be hard for them to understand what others really have to lose. The white Americans building the dams, simply couldn’t realize that in their minds. They were so focused on how it benefitted them that they formed “a disease of the heart, and the only thing that can cure it is gold” (Hogan 203). Much like those white Americans, people today have a single perspective before them and struggle to see situations through others’ eyes. Until I read this book, I also held that single sided view, a single story without all the necessary details to form an opinion.

Looking back at my childhood and where I am at now, my thoughts about Indians haven’t changed drastically, but a clear awareness of the truth developed. I convinced myself that all the problems they faced, were events that only happened “back in the day.” These issues are still alive and well, even in our world today and that is something I block out a lot of the time. Reading this book allowed me to refocus my attention to what I think is going on in certain situations, to finding out the whole truth. No one should have to suffer through change in traditions simply because another person thinks they are superior. Therefore, everyone has an opportunity to say, “this place is home” (Ortiz). If you secure the chance, take the time to jump out of the perspective you are stuck in and find the truth about what is really going on around you.

 

 

Works Cited

Hogan, Linda. Solar Storms. Scribner, 1997.

Jeannette Armstrong, Jeannette. Slash. Theytus Books, 1985.

Ortiz, Simon J. Fight Back: For the Sake of the People, for the Sake of the Land. Institute for Native American Development, 1980. That’s the Place Indians Talk About

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