I heard Joseph Marshall speak at a recent Indian Education Summit here in South Dakota. He is impressive! Soft-spoken, well-spoken, candid, and real. An absolutely wonderful and authentic presence! I decided right then and there that I had been missing out by not reading his books! So, I asked my friend Doug, who has read them all, "Where should I begin?" He told me that this one is his favorite book...not just his favorite book of Marshall's, his FAVORITE book. Well, I had to start there, didn't I?
I'm so glad I did! The stories are captivating...Marshall is a wonderful story teller and many of the characters in his stories I had heard of before, like the legendary Iktomi. After the stories, Marshall muses on their meaning and application to modern day life. There is warm wisdom here and clear-eyed analysis of history and the way it has been portrayed. Here are the Lakota values he describes:
1. Humility
2. Perseverance
3. Respect
4. Honor
5. Love
6. Sacrifice
7. Truth
8. Compassion
9. Bravery
10. Fortitude
11. Generosity
12. Wisdom
Here are some pearls I marked...
Words from his grandfather after he complained of kids calling him bad names:
"You cannot forget what they said any more than you cannot feel the wind when it blows. But if you learn to let the wind blow through you, you will take away its power to blow you down. If you let words pass through you, without letting them catch on your anger or pride, you will not feel them."
page 9: To truthfully describe one's action in combat through the forum of ceremony was not considered bragging because the recounting--the story of action--was a gift. It became part of the identity and lore of the storyteller's warrior society, and it served to strengthen the entire village--not to mention that the deed recounted served as an example for young men to emulate.
page 49: ..it is easy to respect someone who is as much like us in every way possible. Respecting someone with different beliefs, different dress, or different customs, or something entirely different from us is not easy.
page 56...everything that happens is a gift from life itself, if for nothing else than to teach us a lesson.
page 68-69: ..intertribal warfare had a different meaning and purpose than the usual defensive-offensive aspects of imperialistic warfare. It was in a real sense an intentional proving ground.
Page 71...war is really a fight between the good and bad sides of humans...
page 155...Bravery is a requisite virtue because life demands it. Whether it's cancer, a broken heart, a lost opportunity, a bad business deal, an approaching hurricane, a tough decision, or a dark alley, life will continually throw challenges at us. Any challenge is also an invitation, a standing invitation...Lightning-struck ash trees were rare, but they were preferred because they had suffered the ultimate adversity, and ultimate adversity produces ultimate strength.
page 158..If you don't think you know how to be brave, look around; you'll find someone who does know. Follow him or her. If you follow long enough, you'll learn to have courage, or the courage within you will rise to the top. When that happens, turn around, and don't be surprised if someone is following you.
Showing posts with label American Indian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Indian. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
I first saw this book in a booth at an Indian Education conference, and the title and cover art intrigued me. I read it in November 2010, and marveled at the author's ability to be funny and tragic simultaneously. It reveals so much of what I have seen during my many visits to our Indian reservations. After years of visits and hours of listening, I understand there are no simple answers to the problems there. This book brings many of the dilemmas to light in a poignant, sensitive, and sometimes harsh way. I especially enjoyed the illustrations in the book; they add to the authentic feel of the stories and definitely enhance the humor! I was so impressed with what this book has to say that I lent it to my good friend Pat. He also has experience on the reservation and I wondered what he would think about this book. He kindly gave me permission to share those impressions here:
I finished Diary of a Part-time Indian yesterday and want you to know how impressed I was. While a bit of a struggle getting through all of the crude references, I felt that it was unfortunately fairly reflective of the age group and the issues they deal with. But more impressive, as you might suggest, was the theme of the book itself. It certainly paints an accurate picture of the reservation world. The author was very skillful at drawing out the comparisons--hope vs despair, pain vs love, change vs risk. In fact, each of these were relevant themes that made an impact on me. The whole discussion of a culture attached to the reservation yet in so doing depriving itself of any hope of betterment/improvement is worthy of debate. Do I deprive myself of hope by not risking, changing or leaving? I liked the author's point that we are all made up of tribes--subsets of a larger culture. That discussion alone gives some hope to such youth struggling with so many deficits. What are other tribes you are connected to that aren't so dysfunctional? I was very impressed with the theme that to nurture hope in that environment you have to leave (both Arnold and his sister left). I likened that to how when we left the pre-existence we did filled with optimism and hope, yet recognizing that to leave is both angst causing and risky. How many of our bro/sis are giving up on our own "reservations" of life now? The metaphor of alcohol representing Satan is worth discussing as well. He literally will lead us down to hell using any addiction, crutch, or vehicle we give him. Sin is indeed addicting.
Rarely do I finish a book with an interest in reading it again immediately. The more the author delved into the reservation world the more you wondered if Arnold would indeed escape its entrapment, hopelessness. I also appreciated the positive aspects of the Native culture--the connection with family, the ability to laugh, etc. I found it interesting, however, that he didn't mince words about reservations being concentration camps, about the curse of alcohol, etc. I look forward to one more quick read.
I have to admit that Pat's deep thinking made me feel like a lightweight! And it shows the value, too, of not just reading a book, but reflecting on its message and application to my life. I never thought about how this life presents us with our own "reservation" experiences! Very interesting thing to ponder. What is it in our lifestyle that is holding us back? So often we think that we can withstand temptation rather than fleeing it!
Like Pat, I appreciated the author's description of the positive aspects of the Native culture. I wonder if Alexie is saying that the only hope is to leave the reservation? Some believe their life's calling is to work to improve life there...not to flee it. I wonder, how does one retain the glorious aspects of one's culture and language if one leaves the tribe? Does one transplant it within a larger culture? And how often does the dominant culture choke out and persecute the transplanted ones? I keep thinking about the safety and security of the family unit, and how Native people view the family unit as much larger than we traditionally have viewed it...It's a wonderful wide web of aunties and cousins and adopted-in members, and everyone is connected. I know I am viewing this through my own limited lens, but it seems generous and open in a way that sometimes our dominant white European nuclear families are not. I love how the richness of the Native culture (and I realize there is not just one) has been opened up to me and enriched my thinking and life. I know my view is limited by my own culture, so I'm very grateful to the patient teachers who have helped me understand my limitations. Grateful, too, for honest authors who will give us an intimate view...
I finished Diary of a Part-time Indian yesterday and want you to know how impressed I was. While a bit of a struggle getting through all of the crude references, I felt that it was unfortunately fairly reflective of the age group and the issues they deal with. But more impressive, as you might suggest, was the theme of the book itself. It certainly paints an accurate picture of the reservation world. The author was very skillful at drawing out the comparisons--hope vs despair, pain vs love, change vs risk. In fact, each of these were relevant themes that made an impact on me. The whole discussion of a culture attached to the reservation yet in so doing depriving itself of any hope of betterment/improvement is worthy of debate. Do I deprive myself of hope by not risking, changing or leaving? I liked the author's point that we are all made up of tribes--subsets of a larger culture. That discussion alone gives some hope to such youth struggling with so many deficits. What are other tribes you are connected to that aren't so dysfunctional? I was very impressed with the theme that to nurture hope in that environment you have to leave (both Arnold and his sister left). I likened that to how when we left the pre-existence we did filled with optimism and hope, yet recognizing that to leave is both angst causing and risky. How many of our bro/sis are giving up on our own "reservations" of life now? The metaphor of alcohol representing Satan is worth discussing as well. He literally will lead us down to hell using any addiction, crutch, or vehicle we give him. Sin is indeed addicting.
Rarely do I finish a book with an interest in reading it again immediately. The more the author delved into the reservation world the more you wondered if Arnold would indeed escape its entrapment, hopelessness. I also appreciated the positive aspects of the Native culture--the connection with family, the ability to laugh, etc. I found it interesting, however, that he didn't mince words about reservations being concentration camps, about the curse of alcohol, etc. I look forward to one more quick read.
I have to admit that Pat's deep thinking made me feel like a lightweight! And it shows the value, too, of not just reading a book, but reflecting on its message and application to my life. I never thought about how this life presents us with our own "reservation" experiences! Very interesting thing to ponder. What is it in our lifestyle that is holding us back? So often we think that we can withstand temptation rather than fleeing it!
Like Pat, I appreciated the author's description of the positive aspects of the Native culture. I wonder if Alexie is saying that the only hope is to leave the reservation? Some believe their life's calling is to work to improve life there...not to flee it. I wonder, how does one retain the glorious aspects of one's culture and language if one leaves the tribe? Does one transplant it within a larger culture? And how often does the dominant culture choke out and persecute the transplanted ones? I keep thinking about the safety and security of the family unit, and how Native people view the family unit as much larger than we traditionally have viewed it...It's a wonderful wide web of aunties and cousins and adopted-in members, and everyone is connected. I know I am viewing this through my own limited lens, but it seems generous and open in a way that sometimes our dominant white European nuclear families are not. I love how the richness of the Native culture (and I realize there is not just one) has been opened up to me and enriched my thinking and life. I know my view is limited by my own culture, so I'm very grateful to the patient teachers who have helped me understand my limitations. Grateful, too, for honest authors who will give us an intimate view...
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Collected Wisdom and Seventh Generation: Native Students Speak About Finding the Good Path
South Dakota Teach For America uses two books to help orient their new teachers to life and school on our American Indian reservations. Collected Wisdom is teachers' voices, and Seventh Generation: Native Students Speak About Finding the Good Path has students' stories. Both of these books have helped me understand on a small scale the struggle and the pain of life as an American Indian today. There is also great hope and wisdom here! The hope comes from promising practices like supporting and honoring native languages and customs. These are both rich resources for anyone working in schools in South Dakota, whether or not they are located on a reservation. Both books helped me understand why there is such an urgency about preserving the Lakota Language and culture.
I read these books in the Spring of 2008, and in the intervening years have verified that these are accurate and hopeful resources for anyone wanting to understand better what they see on reservations.
I read these books in the Spring of 2008, and in the intervening years have verified that these are accurate and hopeful resources for anyone wanting to understand better what they see on reservations.
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