A Six-Chair night contains the following lesson: you can avoid paying for a cord of wood by throwing derelict chairs into the fire. As you recall an aspect of oral tradition is that the listener learn "how-to" do something from the story. Of course there are untold rules at play here, that the chairs are brought to the elder because that is the job of all younger tribal members, to always make sure that elders have everything they need. Big Red is fulfilling his duty to the elders. As you've noticed, Ruby never gives him gas money or pays him for delivering the chairs, he just does it because that's how the culture is set up - stratification by age. And Indian children are taught from birth to take care of the elders.
Curbside Phoenix was the story of Big Red going "junking" at 2am in the city. Through this narrative we learn how to go junking and the history of Big Red's junking exploits. And, wow, he found a Mercury coat rack and brought it back to life - since we are spared metaphors here, we don't have to worry about what the god Mercury means within the context of the narrative or anything like that - it functions to acquaint the reader with poverty and it's inner-workings on the Onandaga Rez. The snow plow also brought to bear the aspect of poverty and how the community plays roles to bring relief to one another. By plowing people's driveways, Big Red saves them from hours of back-breaking work. The people did not pay him for each time he swept out their driveways, but remembered him for the holidays and showered his family with food and gifts. One gift was the refurbished pea coat from which we learned how to rip out the old lining, stuff with down, and sew in another lining to produce a thrift store phoenix:)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What I found interesting about this last weeks reading was that the older tribal folks would not attend Mason Rollins party. Knowing what I now know about Indian society, I can see why. Out of respect for tradition and clan elders, the older generation (who still followed the older traditions) did not want to offend the clan chief, who was an elder. But another aspect was introduced that I hadn’t thought of until I went back to review it, the other reason why many didn’t come was because of what they stood to lose. Just like Fiction had her power shut off because she isn’t of her father’s clan, so this can happen to others. Those who aren’t Tuscarora, yet live on the tribal lands have something to lose, as well as those who are of the tribe should they have attended the party. One Indian said the main attendee’s of the party were not Tuscarora, they were not on the books and therefore had little to lose. But those on the books had a lot to lose should they cross the chief and the council.
ReplyDeleteThis leads me to my second point of interest: the suppression of anyone on the Rez who is not Tuscarora, like Fiction. Fiction was not allowed to inherit land that was left for her, specifically by name, because her mother was not Tuscarora, which seems rather ridiculous, since her father is the Chief. This seems so opposite of what it is in most cultures, where you are considered your father’s child—women take the last name of their father and then their husband, even if the wife keeps her maiden name or the parents get a divorce, the child is still called by the father’s last name.
In this segment the conflict within the Nation has escalated from verbal intimidation to overt violence and sabotage. Although Bud supposedly aims to uphold the integrity of the Tuscarora line, the only non-Tuscarora he persecutes is his own daughter as he tries to absolve his irresponsibility and remove the spot of racial impurity he himself contributed to the Nation. Living in a lavish house with a US government-dug well, Bud underestimates the tenacity that Fiction has had to develop in order to survive, the resolve that overcomes her fear. She has seen her mother ignored by the man who impregnated her, suffer a slow death due to the Chief’s decision to ban city water, and has had to fend for herself working at a bar. Bud doesn’t fully understand her strength, or the sense of anger and injustice driving her actions. And although Bud sees her as the opposition, she uses beading- the “old ways”- to defend herself at the dinner, showing she cares about the Nation’s traditions (probably more than he does, getting a new car every two years).
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I thought was interesting is that The Hunt symbolizes the essential conflict of the story, the old versus the young. Rollins doesn’t see Bud’s shot at felling the deer as essential, in the same way he feels he can do a better job in helping the Nation thrive than the Chief can. Similarly, Two-Step is not old enough to participate in The Hunt, nor does he perceive the divide on the reservation (at least not at the beginning of the section) as is illustrated by his protests that all of the driveways on the reservation should be plowed.
I believe that conflict between Rollins and Bud is a pure contrast of new vs. traditional values and ways. For Rollins his new approach is a way of change for the people on the reservation. He believes less in the traditional values as much as helping his people. He also attempts to tie his action to the tribal leaders of the past when he describes that they too once had to adapt to change for the betterment of their people. Bud on the other hand is strictly set in his old ways from what had happened to his father in the past. When his father tried to adopt new partnerships and values they were taken advantage of by the state. This follows Bud’s character that he is living in the house built and furnished by the money that was given to them by the state, showing how hypocritical he is. The contrast between new and old is seen in the hunt as well, with all of the younger men being dressed in the new cloths and equipment that Rollins bought them. Bud also understands the threat that Rollins imposes on him. He has now even resorted to sabotage when he shot out the transformer to Rollins’ new shop and recreation center. I am curious to see if Fiction will stand up for Rollins and support the new ideas he presents of keep everything suppressed like she has done her whole life following the old ways.
ReplyDeleteSo far, the most interesting aspect of the story for me has been the relationship between Bud and Fiction. It was difficult at first to accept the way that he treated her, and I found myself struggling to see Bud as a believable character. Now, after this latest reading assignment I am able to better understand how and why they treat each other the way that they do. As was mentioned before, the hunt really stuck out as an excellent analogy for the "old vs. young" or "traditional vs. new" theme in the story. Fiction's affiliation with the more revolutionary members of the tribe (especially Mason) makes her an immediate enemy to Bud and his traditional values. The fact that the older members crashed Mason's party shows that they are not afraid to take matters into their own hands, much like Bud did with Fiction when he attacked her. This opens up a new realm of consequences, as well as an opportunity for retaliation. The fight is no longer between just Bud and Fiction or Bud and Mason. There are much larger entities at war here, and it is clear that there is a divide forming among the people.
ReplyDeleteRuby says in the beginning of last week's readings, "If you don't protect the roots of your ways...the surface may look fine, but all the connections have rotted, and it is just a matter of time before the whole thing falls in on itself." This statement relates to the concept of tradition within the American Indian culture and lifestyle. As Professor Weaskus discusses in her blog, these two chapters are filled with the idea of respect for elders and overall tradition. This specific tradition is in fact oral tradition and it is necessary for the "roots" and the "connections" to be upheld in order for this tradition to survive. The first chapter "Six Chair Night," also explains the disputes between Tuscaroras and non-Tuscaroras on this particular reservation. This dispute is also a matter of oral tradition which began with a "two-hundred-year-old, short-sighted decision" and has survived through the passing down of the outcomes and lessons learned from this decision through several generations. Fiction discusses this dispute by saying, "But we are fond of tradition, and this circle of bad treatment seems to be as sturdy as the beads that now roll away from me in all directions..." This dispute is thus seen as being upheld not through careful consideration but through tradition which is of the greatest importance.
ReplyDeletePoverty within the second chapter, "Curbside Phoenix," is not only seen through Big Red's junking and snowplowing but also through the contamination of the water. Throughout the novel, it seems as if this poverty is being solved or lessened through Mason Rollins' business exploits and the merging of the reservation with outside forces. Mason's supplying Big Red with a new truck in order to better plow the driveways on the reservation, Mason's offering of clean water for the reservation, his offering of employment to people, and his overall increase in income all show a lessening of poverty (at least for a few). This is interesting in that Mason's business is seen as disrespectful to the old ways and tradition; however, his aspirations seem to be helping the people that accept his business' presence.
After reading quite a bit of Sherman Alexie's work, I always try to look for analogies that may be purposefully subtle or accidental altogether. Consider the way Fiction clings to sawed-off lacrosse sticks to protect herself. It might be a stretch, but consider this.
ReplyDeleteWhy sawed-off lacrosse sticks? Does Fiction have limited access to a real weapon? Why does she need an altered implement from the white world? Perhaps there IS a shortage of real weapons on the reservation, but consider why she requires protection. Her own father beats the shit out of her. She needs protection from her own blood and the resources necessary to prohibit future confrontation are not easily accessible.
Perhaps this is a greater commentary for life on the reservation as a whole. The reservation lacks original resources to protect its own people from potentially their greatest oppressors; themselves. So instead the populace is forced to make do with what they can access which is apparently very little.
A few pages later, Fiction describes the walk home..."The black roads go on forever, some evenings, their dull, frigid surfaces absorbing whatever faint life comes from distant porch lights and offering nothing more."
Keeping in mind that Gansworth is a poet, perhaps the above description IS meant to be a greater commentary on reservation life. The roads go on forever but clearly do not lead to a better life otherwise everyone would leave. Or maybe instead the road is meant to represent Fiction's life. Cold and dark whenever she is alone, with nothing more than softly beamed porch light occasionally illuminating her path.
I find it interesting that the society is based on tradition and respecting the elders and those around you, however in this tribe it almost seems as though everyone is in competition. Underneath the surface, there is a lingering anger towards each other. It seems like tradition is only used when beneficial.
ReplyDeleteMason is bringing in money to the area and creating jobs. He also plans to help clean the water. His ways of doing this are against tradition. Even though people are not happy about it, they still are not trying to stop him because there is a benefit.
There is a lot of corruption in this society. Tradition and oral tradition could be a contributor. Oral tradition does teach beneficial trades, however it can cause conflict as well. This is keeping the different people of the tribe separated and making competition. Tradition also is creating competition between the 'young' and 'old'.
I think that anyone can relate to the characters of this story. These two chapters show how a Native American society works and goes more in depth with tradition and culture. (=
After doing both of the readings this week, I found out that there are many similarities between the two. Each of the books have characters that are trying to help out their respective tribes but are met with resistance. In the first book the character is Mason and in the second book it is Sterling. Both of these men are trying to help their people but are having difficulties.
ReplyDeleteMason is trying to secure safe running water for his tribe, but is being confronted by Bud who does not like him. Others in the tribe are not always fond of Mason due to his personality, but because of the potential upside to this movement, they do not bother Mason much. Sterling on the other hand tries to help his people by accepting a position to watch the movie cast and crew, since he has had the most contact with the whites. During that time, the people of the tribe get angry and look for things that Sterling did wrong. In the end, Sterling was kicked out of his tribe for trying to help his tribe by doing a job that he did not have to accept.
In the other reading there is something that I thought was very interesting. This is the reversal of roles that people of the US tend to make with whites and Native Americans. Most people believe that Indians are drunkards who really do not do much, but in this book, Marmon has Sterling being pretty well educated and has a love for learning and enjoys working. The other character we learn a lot about is Seese. Seese is a white female who is a addicted to all sorts of drugs, alcohol, and really does not have much going for her. I think what Marmon is trying to do here is show that there are exceptions to the stereotypes and not always believe what you are taught.
It should be noted that I am not an English major, so my literature vocabulary is pretty limited. As far as storytelling techniques go, in Smoke Dancing it seems that Gansworth just kind of pulls the reader along through a good story, based on the thoughts of various characters, but then with just a few simple sentences can say so much about contemporary reservation life and Native American contemporary issues.
ReplyDeleteI believe it’s in Big Red’s “Curbside Pheonix” – Mason Rollins’ Smoke Shop is described as having ballooned so much that people off the reservation were travelling there to “see the real Indians.” This sentence, like many others in the story, is so simple but seems to say so much. It seems as there is a destination for non-Native Americans to visit on the reservation it is assumed that that destination is “legit.”
However, as we learn in the story there is unending conflict between Mason Rollins’ and the tribe’s chief Bud Tunny (and, therefore, all those on the reservation who believe and follow that type of tradition) all centered around the basic purpose of the Smoke Shop and its possible role on that reservation. Just from that one, tiny sentence, the reader can get a real understanding of how out of touch many non-Native Americans are of tribal issues and politics; how something so “legit” can be, as in this case, under serious contention as either the most shameful or most beneficial aspect of the tribe.
Out of many intriguing storytelling aspects of the story, this one caught my eye most when reading. The sentences and references are so smoothly woven into the story that it’s almost difficult to point them out.
It is really impressive how Gansworth wove so many different viewpoints together, each one providing a new outlook on the history and events going on in the story--each one offering a deep insight into the tribe, especially through those sentences that are so small, yet say so much.
ReplyDeleteThe use of the photos in the chapter "Snap shots" is an indicator of fading times. I see it this way because the camera is what Bert used to capture old traditions that were slowly fading. She took pictures of people at the Rez while they met to dance secretly, but eventually her photos became popular enough because they captured the old ways and people wanted to remember.
In the same way, Big Red used a camera to capture his wife and son. The camera being faulty and only capturing blurry images (while highlighting the changing times--items such as cars, etc) shows how hard it is to capture and hold the past.
Another thing I saw the photos as representing is how the past for the Indians (as we learned in class) is always in the present. They remember everything. Yet, because some of the photos are blurry or (Bert's early ones) not very good, it shows how history can never be fully captured and as close as it may seem, it is still very far away and not fully tangible. The blurriness shows that not all stories are fully acurate, that they fade in time, as all photos do.
Written from the perspective of a trucker filling up at Mason Rollins’ Smoke Ring.
ReplyDeleteI look through the selection of chips at the Smoke Ring trying to determine whether it was the Cool Ranch Doritos or the Fire Hot Chettos that I wanted to go with my bag of Spitz Sunflower Seed’s and the 12 oz bottle of Mountain Dew. My Rig was fill’n up out at diesel pump 3, which I tell the attendant at the counter as I put down my snack for her to ring up. “That will be $257.75” she says as I stare at her name tag “Patricia” and tits.
As I walk out the store I think “at $2.54 a gallon the extra 10 mile trip down Clarksville Pass was worth it…” looking up “what the fuck are these crazy Indians doing now”. Blue and red light faintly flickers against the Gas Island in the high noon sunlight, to my left are a bunch of Indians protesting in front of an old rundown trailer, rising signs that say ‘Tuscarora Sovereignty’ and ‘WWJD’. In front of me on the stone cobbled pad cops are fighting some of the Smoke Ring employees, a young boy lay between the legs of an older heavy weight man, and getting the shit beat out of him. The attendant that rung me up not 30 seconds ago brushes past me in a blur toward the boy and strikes the man on the head as hard as she can. As he falls to the wayside, she picks up the boy; face bloody. It takes not two seconds and the cops have grabbed a hold of the boy and thrown her to the ground, cuffing her with the plastic zip ties used when there are too many criminals to arrest with the standard chrome metal ones. I skirt the side of this scuffle, jump into my big-rig and get the hell outta there. The 10 mile trip down Clarksville Pass seems more like a journey back 100 years. Has nothing changed? I know they always say that history repeats itself, but seriously. Time might march on but it doesn’t seem that we learn much from it.
The conclusion of the book was an interesting way to tie up all of the loose ends. Ruby’s death also ultimately caused the forced step down of Bud. This was her problem that she ended up solving her own way. Red became the intermediary he had been hinting at the entire book and didn’t give Bud the satisfaction of digging the grave of Ruby instead took the power away Bud and did it himself. He also became a mediator for Mason and the tribe which was necessary for the tribe’s survival. Bud finally went crazy and had an outburst that got him in more serious trouble than he would have been with just the death of Ruby on the minds of his people. Fiction, or should I say Trish, was forced to move on from all the bad memories that the fire took away. She started Ruby’s old personal job of documenting everything that went on with her people. Mason began to take his ideas to the counsel so that the whole nation would be have their voice heard, and benefit from his progress. The nation seems to be getting in to order and has a bright future ahead of it self with the young Two-Step starting to fit in to the shoes of a chief.
ReplyDeleteI really have enjoyed the book written by Eric Gansworth. His way of writing is intriguing and keeps you on your toes. I like how he has portrayed the characters in a poetic and realistic way. I almost forget that the author is a man when reading the perspective of a man, especially when it comes to reading the perspective of Fiction. I think it he has brought the Native American traditions and ways of living into a way that a non-citizen of the society can understand and relate to. As the book goes on I have found myself more invested in the characters of the story.
ReplyDeleteI was happy to have seen Fiction stand up for herself in the meeting, however I was upset to learn that her speech had no impact, and her power being turned on had nothing to do with what she said. I also am interested in the ‘junking’. I have grabbed desks and other things laying next to dumpsters in the summer when school gets out. Many students leave behind very nice furniture. (= It was something in the book I can relate to, however I have never actually gone into a dumpster or collected anything other than furniture.
I would love to meet this author and ask him how he was able to portray the many different characters so realistically. I would like to know if he interviewed women, or just took his point of view of how he would feel if he was Fiction.
What I found interesting about A Yellow Raft In Blue Waters was the strained relationship between family. Is this a running theme with Indian Literature? Is it a depiction of the actually families? Because if so, then their family's are really broken. Which is surprising to me, considering how much value they put on oral tradition and sharing wisdom through story with one another. I thought that with so much shared wisdom that comes from years of stories, they would know how to be a family and care for one another. Yet, here again, for the third book in a row, the relationships are broken and strained. It doesn't seem any of their relationships are functional and not based off of what someone else can give them. The only somewhat functional relationship so far was between Evelyn and Sky, a white couple--which even then, Rayona sees their relationship as disfunctional.
ReplyDeleteAll of the books we've read focus on relationships, regardless of the ethnicity, gender, or race, of the individual. And ALL of them showed dysfuncional relationships. Whether it is Fiction's relationship with her father, or Lecha's relationship with her son, or Rayona's with her mom and dad. Are these authors trying to say every relationship is broken and dysfunctional?
Why is this theme prevalent in all the literature we've read so far? Is it just an aspect of Indian Literature? Are all Indian families this damaged and broken in heir relationships? Because the Literature we've been reading seems to say so and is developing stereotypes.
I really like a Yellow Raft in Blue Water because i feel that Rayona is a very interesting character.. You can tell that on the outside she seems very mature and people treat her that way. This comes through when she decided to not go back to Seattle and stay at Bear Claw Lake instead and work as a grounds keeper. This shows that she is very independent and knows how to take care of herself on her own. However, when she finds the letter that reminds her of her mother, her dependent side comes out. She expresses how she misses her mother and she is not as solid as she appears. This comes out again when she lets the owners of the park take her in, and then take her back to the reservation. I think that Rayonna is actually hurting inside and misses having her mother in her life, even though her mother is very childlike herself. I also think that she wants to go away forever, and create a new life for herself. Although she seems very independent, she seems to just follow what people tell her to do such as with Tom and the people owning the lake. This means that she is not actually all that independent, but it is just a hard exterior that she puts on. I am curious to see where her relationship with her mother goes in the end and how it effects Rayonna's attitude in general.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting part of this story is the fact that Rayonna hasn't heard from her mother since she left Rayonna at her Grandma's. This is interesting because most mothers would worry about their children, especially if they knew that they were missing. I also find it weird that her mother simply left her at her Grandmmother's. While I am not a mother, i have heard that you develop an intense motherly bond with your child, so I find it odd that she just ignores her daughter and seems to forget about her. This aspect of the story comes through again when Rayonna comes back to the reservation and end up riding Dalton's horse in the rodeo which leads her to her mother in the end. Her mother then gets upset that Rayonna went missing. I personally think that this is bogus because Rayonna's mother was the one to run away. Although Rayonna should be upset about this, she simply accepts it from her mother and they proceed to spend time together inside. This, once again proves that Rayonna misses her mother and craves for motherly attention, just as any 15 year old should. I am now curious to see if Dalton will take on a fatherly roll in Rayonna's life, or if he will just cast her off as nothing. I am also very curious about how he treats her mother and what his story is. I hope that the story will continue to show more about Dalton and Rayonna's mother, and their relationship with each other and with Rayonna. I am also very interested to know what everyone else on the reservations view of them is.
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying reading A Yellow Raft in Blue Water. I really like the character of Rayonna. I admire her strength and courage especially since she is only fifteen years old. I can not imagine what it would be like to have no mom at that age and to be basically on your own. I find it interesting how the author is portraying mothers in this book. One example is that the grandmother will not let anyone call her that.
ReplyDeleteI also really enjoy this book because it talks about places I am familiar with. I am from the Seattle area. It was nice to hear a place and not have to imagine what it would be like. I already know what it is like.
I also was glad that the author shoed that Rayonna still does miss her mother and wishes she was around. I think most people are surprised by this. However I understand that when a parent is gone because of choice, it is still hard to forget about them because of the forever bond you share with your parents.
This book is great so far and I am excited to see what happens next (=
In A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, the character of Rayona is a strong willed girl who has been dealing with being different her entire life. She was put in to a situation where her mother Christine used her as an outlet for everything wrong in her life. This wasn’t through anything harmful to Ray but Christine saw Ray as something that would bring stability and happiness to her complicated life. When this did not go as planed the relationship between Ray and her mom started to deteriorate. Ray is consistently shoved in to situations where she is forced to fend for herself. Situations like being dropped off on the rez, ditched by Father Tom, and being shoved in to the rodeo. Her hard will and spirit keep her afloat. Being mixed race doesn’t help her win any friends along the way and the only way she seems to make friends is by proving her worth. After finishing the book I saw how much family resemblance there is in personality handed down through the generations through Ida to Christine and down to Ray.
ReplyDelete(TWO DIFFERENT RESPONSES--written as two 250+ word parts)
ReplyDelete(Part 1)
I don’t understand why Christine has such a huge problem with Aunt Ida; it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Christine talks to Aunt Ida as if she was the worst mother in the world. At first, it kinda made sense, since she didn’t want to be called “mother,” it seemed like a rejection of her children (which is what made me think that at least Christine wasn’t hers). But even with having Christine and Lee call her Aunt Ida, she never seemed to give either of them a reason to hate her. She cared for both of them and was very fair, she didn’t let her real son call her “mom” and make a distinction, in fact, she never told either of them who their parents were and allowed them to assume they had the same father. She never told Christine she wasn’t her mother, but treated Christine like a daughter.
Aunt Ida was fair, even Lee tried to make the claim that Christine was favored—and Christine tried to do the same—but Aunt Ida simply gave Lee a look, and he knew it wasn’t true. She was fair, she spoiled both of them. She brought in modern technologies (toilet, lights, tv, etc.) to enrich their lives and provide them with the best she could afford. She protected them from truths that may have hurt them (such as Christine’s conception story) and allowed them enough freedom to learn wisdom on their own. Through everything Aunt Ida did, she was looking out for Lee and Christine. For Christine to ignore everything Aunt Ida did for her and think she was unloved seems ridiculous.
(Part 2)
Aunt Ida seems to me to be someone who cares enough about the people around her that she places herself at risk and would ruin her own reputation for them. She is always being taken advantage of by those in authority and only recognized it as she grew up. Her sacrifices were hard ones, but she decided she wanted the best—not the second best. Even when Willard Pretty Dog was going to stay with her, she decided she didn’t want him because he didn’t think she was beautiful and because she knew he could find someone better suited for him (or at least his looks). Aunt Ida is a complex woman who always seemed to get the short end of the stick, and I enjoyed her story more than the others we’ve read, because in spite of it all, she still carries herself as a strong woman who has made and learned from many mistakes.
Personally, I thought Aunt Ida was an amazing woman who had been through so much and deserved a break and happiness. What she carried was a lot for a woman to carry and I hope she did tell Rayona, because I think that not only would Rayona be able to handle it, but it would be a chance to build relationship and pass on the truth to someone who could carry it. Furthermore, if she doesn’t tell someone, then the truth would die out when Aunt Ida, Willard Pretty Dog, and Father Hurlburt, pass on. Plus, I Rayona would learn from the story, especially about her heritage.
Two connected responses = 500+ words
ReplyDelete(Part 1= 250+ words)
I really liked the book Two Old Women, because it seemed to follow oral tradition more than some of rthe other books we’ve read, and seemed more like legend/myth than fiction. As a myth or orally told story, it contained a lot of guidelines/messages within it for the generations.
For instance, respect and take care of your elders—when the others abandoned the two old women to fend for themselves, they disregarded the two old women’s place in their tribe, forgot everything these two women had given to the tribe: their hard work through the years and their wisdom. By leaving them to die, the clan erased the wisdom of age (though admittedly, the old women seemed to only complain) from their tribe and thereby lost something of irreplaceable value.
Another lesson to be learned (this one for the old, rather than the young) is that the place of the elders is to share wisdom and knowledge gained from years of experience. When the old women complained, they offered no wisdom or knowledge, instead they became a burden and a constant nagging reminder of the tribes suffering. However, when they worked for their living and began to share their wisdom and knowledge gained from experience, they became well-loved and indispensable to the tribe as a whole. People began to come to them to hear their wisdom and seek answers for their problems. In sharing their knowledge and wisdom, they provided for the tribe the voice of reason, logic, and experience. They learned to stop being a problem and begin being a solution.
(Part 2=250+ words)
Another thing to be taken from the narrative is to make due with what you’ve got. The two old women looked at their circumstance and what they had as possessions and worked from it. Their attitude of positive thinking—recognizing what they had and being grateful for it—helped them to do what was necessary and got them out of bed every morning to work, thankful they were still alive and able to do the work. They used what few supplies they had and began trapping rabbits and even killed a squirrel with the hatchet. They wove baskets for gathering (softened the sticks by soaking them in water), used fish gut to carry/store water, used their animal skins as sleds, the fur of rabbits to make mittens, hats, etc. The two women were not daunted by what they lacked, instead they focused on what they had and what was around them to make their circumstances better.
Lastly, the wisdom to take from the novel is that no matter what your age is, there is always something to contribute to the family/tribe. Whether one’s role is to share wisdom, knowledge, and experience (like the two old women), to be a voice of reason (as Sa tried to be when she was a child and they were going to abandon an old woman), to be a learner and take in all the wisdom that is offered in order to live it out (as Shruh Zhuu and others did when they came to listen to the elders), or to take care of those who need help (as Shruh Zhuu did for his grandmother and Sa). Everyone has a responsibility and a role to play in the family/tribe, it is our job to find it out and live it.
At first this story was difficult for me to follow because it was not all that clear about what was going on. But the further I read, the more enjoyable I found it. It managed to make me very curious about what is to come in this tale. I felt that the narrator in chapter one, The Last Dance, is a very strong person. She seemed to hold true to her values and have opinions about the people around her. While I still don't have a feel on what those opinions are, they are clearly strong. Fiction Tunny seems very aware of the world around her and how people act and react to their surroundings. This leads me to believe that there will likely be some sort of confrontation with another person as some point. Possibly dealing with Mason, who seems rather interested in her. Whether this is purely a sexual interest as she seemed to feel, or more to him is still up in the air. i look forward to seeing the outcome of their relationship.
ReplyDeleteI think that all of the characters in A Yellow Raft in Blue Water are weird, with Rayonna being the least weird. I say this because I cannot imagine myself, or anyone I know acting the way they do. They seem to dismiss major points of life, such as true love, and having children. While people are constantly in relationships, they all seem to be based on looks or prestige. The weirdness is also evident when Ida sends Clara away to have her baby, and they Ida insists on adopting the baby (Christine). I feel that since it is Clara’s baby, she should have had more say on Christine’s life. Most of society today does not act in these ways. When looking for a relationship, while we may be attracted to good looks or money, overall we look for a real connection. As far as Ida, Clara, and baby Christine, I can understand why Ida would send Clara away to protect the reputation of her family, but when she insists on adopting her, and then having a rocky relationship with Christine I get upset. As seen on the MTV show 16 and Pregnant, it is a difficult decision to give your baby up for adoption, and if you are the one giving birth, it is your right to choose. I feel that Clara should have been able to choose adoption, and this would not have affected Ida. This makes me think that maybe she is just selfish, as she seems to be very rude with Christine in other parts of the book. I think Ida is very close minded and this pushes people away.
ReplyDeleteI am curious to know more about the lives of Ida, Christine, and Rayonna. The book only goes so far into the intricacies of their individual lives. I feel that the author simply wrote what happened, and did not divulge into the emotions of any of the characters. This was a bit irritating because in the end I saw the characters as cold and heartless in a way. I wish there had been more emotion, as I was not able to relate to the characters as actual people. It was as if they were just objects moving around the world, rather than human beings with individual minds. This was evident when Christine left Rayonna at Aunt Ida’s and Rayonna didn’t seem to have many thoughts on the fact that her mother just abandoned her. If this has happened to me, I would be livid with my mother and I would not be okay with just staying with my grandmother. This just seems odd to me. I also find it weird that the only emotion that is ever really portrayed is when Christine is upset with Rayonna for “running away”. This is ridiculous because Christine did the exact same thing. Why is that the only emotion shown in the book at all is sadness or anger? While I enjoyed reading the book and it kept me interested, I do not like it overall for this factor alone. The characters appear to live a depressing life based off the story on the pages. I hope that there is more to them than what is written in the book.
ReplyDeleteIn A Yellow Raft in Blue Water the character of Christine is selfish character. Through her entire life she exhibits signs of only caring for her self. When she is young she wants her brother all for her self and when Dayton, her brothers friend, comes in between them she guilt’s her brother in to joining the army. Her selfishness in this case means her brothers life. After this she wouldn’t take responsibility for what happened and her selfishness pushes her away from her “mother” Ida. Later on in her life Christine is selfish in attempting to end her life and leave Rayona, her daughter, alone. Again on the reservation she leaves Rayona with Ida and runs off because she can’t let herself be belittled by Ida. Her life has essentially revolved around only her and trying to get her way, most times this has negative consequences.
ReplyDeleteIn A Yellow Raft in Blue Water the character of Ida is the most interesting one of the family. Her choice early on in her life to take Christine as her own child from her aunt and father is the influence of the entire book. Ida holds resentment towards Christine because her life was taken away from her, yet views Christine as her only real position that is left of hers after Lee died. Ida tried to have a relationship and when she won over the man she thought she wanted she pushed him away. It seems that as soon as something got easy for Ida she wouldn’t know how to deal with things and thus had to mess them up. She has always been someone that people talk about, and has come to take that roll as something personal. This looks to have been passed on to Christine and Rayona. All of the girls take hold of the lone wolf mentality and understanding that they are unique and don’t care what anyone else thinks. Ida never really focused on Rayona and saw her as an inconvenience when she had to take care of her. Ida seems to hold all the characteristics of her daughter and granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteIn the book Two Old Women, the woman by the name of Ch’idzigyaak was one of the two women cast out by the tribe. She had to watch her daughter and grandson leave with the rest of the tribe. The grandson, however, left his hatchet with them to give them a fighting chance. Throughout the book she seems to draw strength from her companion Sa’. Sa’ did not have family with the tribe left but still felt great resentment towards those who left them their. Sa’ was 5 years younger than her companion. Both however, relearned all their old ways of being productive and proved to themselves that they were not useless yet. Using their years of wisdom they ventured forth to the river so that they could set of camp and survive the winter. As the old women drew strength from the resentment they had, the tribe who left them were no better off without the women. And when the tribe came back the next year and eventually found the women, the tribe had to ask for help from the women just to survive. This showed that the elders were more resourceful with their wisdom than the chief who now more than ever appreciated the women.
ReplyDeleteTwo Old Women: A Review in Six Parts
ReplyDeletePart One: Preface
Let me preface this posting series by stating that the reason I am breaking down only Two Old Women is because it is the text that I really immersed myself into. I was intrigued by the numerous facets in this book that I finished it in two hours; which for me, is amazing. I happen to be a slow reader, but I tore through the pages with fervor. I am not sure there was just one thing that drew me in as I read the novel. Was it the fact that it the novel was one fluid story? Was it that it was a legend? Was it that it had morals and lessons to be learned? I suppose all of these are reasons I liked the book so much. It also doesn’t hurt that the novel was only 140 pages long… not bad for a required text. Like I said, I do not think it was just one thing that drew me in; but whatever combination of factors that it may have been, it was my favorite read so far. The characters, the lessons to be learned and the emotions weaved within the story are so poignant, that it is no wonder it was an assigned text for Native American Literature. All these reasons are why I will be posting another five sections to this post and solely focus on Two Old Women by Velma Wallis.
Part Two: A Legend is Written
ReplyDeleteIn the dedication, acknowledgements and the introduction, Velma Wallis acknowledges the woman who made this novel possible: her mother, Mae P. Wallis. Two Old Women was not a story concocted from an author’s dream, imagination or from an author’s talent of thinking outside of the box. This story was made possible because of oral tradition and classic story telling skills of mothers and grandmothers. Velma Wallis told of how her mother would still tell bedtimes stories after long days of cutting wood. Her mother told her a story of “two old women and their journey through hardship (Wallis, xi).” This would be the first time that Velma would hear the story.
But what makes this story a legend and not just another story passed down through oral tradition? Legends often become forms of “how-to-guides.” They serve as a purposeful tales for select groups to entertain, but also to educate. Wallis tells how this particular story, or legend, taught her mother, her mother’s mother and other elders to work until physically incapable to do so. As I will discuss later the many ways that this story is also a “how to guide,” the important thing to take away from this section, is that it is a legend because the story simply still lives in the minds and actions of others. If you look up “legend” on dictionary.com, one of the definitions listed is, “a collection of stories about an admirable person (dictionary.com).” Are the two main characters not admirable? Most would agree that they are in fact very admirable. So based on my definition and that of those available on line, it seems we have a match with Two Old Women.
Part Three: A How-To-Guide
ReplyDeleteOne might look at the story of Ch’idzigyaak and Sa and say that the real focus is their character and/or the lessons to be learned from their journey. While both their characters and their journey is extremely important (and will be discussed in other parts of this post), there is another important aspect of this story. As with most legends, and as mentioned in part two, they serve as a means to tell others how to make the most of life, or how to do certain things; especially how to survive certain trials and tribulations. With this particular legend, Sa and Ch’ almost seem to relearn life skills they threw to the side. They thought that because they were older, they could essentially stop working. Once they were abandoned by their tribe, they discovered that in order to live, they were going to have to rely on themselves. So Sa and Ch’ become resourceful once again.
Sewing, hunting, making snares for rabbits, creating bed shelters in the snow, making snow shoes, erecting a tent with skins and wood and feeding themselves off the broth of animals are just some of the few things any reader can learn how to do with hatchets, available twine and wood. While it is not broken down in exact instructions, any reader can gather enough information and know how to do some of these things. While I am not willing to test my knowledge based solely on this book, I now know that if I want to kill a squirrel running up a tree, I must aim a foot higher than the current position of the squirrel.
Part Four: Characters of Substance
ReplyDeleteSa and Ch’idzigyaak start out as women who are deemed as dead weight for a traveling band of Natives in Alaska. And in all honesty, it is not hard to see why. With all their complaining, whining and lack of serious contribution to their tribe, even they come to terms with their banishment with a certain understanding that their behavior did not help their case. But it is within their everlasting perseverance that these two old women revert back to being just two women; their age becoming something of the past. I do not feel they change, so much as they become the women they had been before: strong and capable, wise and cunning.
While Sa is more positive than Ch’, both rely on the other to face the following day. Of course both face moments weakness. How can they not? They have been left behind by their tribe, by family, and they are forced to fend for themselves in the bitter cold and unforgiving wilderness. But as Sa continually says to Ch’, and what becomes their motto, “Let us die trying.” And as they kept trying, they began to start doing. And in the end, they did more than they ever thought was possible: they didn’t just survive in the wilderness, they thrived.
Part Five: A Transformative Journey and Story
ReplyDeleteImagine that you are 60 or 70 years old. You are wrinkled and weathered with age. Your bones are tired and your muscles are achy. Now imagine you are in the middle of an Alaskan winter. Your finger tips are cold and are becoming numb. The tip of your nose is red, runny and also icy. On top of that, you are hungry and have no food to eat. If you really reflect hard and imagine yourself in these conditions, it becomes easy to sympathize with Sa and Ch’, despite their previous acts of whining. The story begins with Sa and Ch’ being abandoned by their tribe and being left for dead. The tribe knew what the consequences would be for abandoning them, and while it did not sit well with the Chief and Ch’idzigyaak’s family, they still were left to die in the Alaskan winter.
However, after what only seemed like minutes, they decided they were not going to leave the Earth without a fight. Thus Sa and Ch’ began their motto of “Let us die trying”.
After weeks of bone shivering, muscle cramping, biting cold and bitterness edged with determination, Sa and Ch’ finally reach their destination. They go back to a fishing camp they knew in their younger years. It is there that they find success and become more and more transformed into their old selves. After surviving such hardship, they become more successful and resourceful than they imagined. And in the end, they are the saving grace for their sorrowful people. Though some of their people already were remorseful, all of Sa’s and Ch’idzigyaak’s learn never to abandon hope in their elders.
Part Six: The Moral of the Story (Or Should we Say Morals?)
ReplyDeleteMoral number one: NEVER give up! Not even for a moment. There is a quote that says something like, “heroes are no braver than other men, only brave for five minutes more”. Obviously I cannot remember the quote exactly, but either way, it pertains to Two Old Women. While Sa and Ch’ are extraordinary women, they acted out of necessity. They were essentially braver for five extra minutes and became heroes to their tribe. So always KEEP MOVING FORWARD!
Moral number two: quit your bitching! While I do not believe in victim blaming, it can be said that this story resounds with elders to not just laze away until death comes for you. If you are going to live in a community that can only survive if everyone pitches in, perhaps you should stop your complaining and help out. It would be understandable if they really were not physically capable to help as much as the others; however, they really were just old women who made a show of complaining. With this story, everyone can remember that life does not end when you are old.
And finally: follow your gut instinct. The Chief knew that it was wrong to leave the two women behind. He felt horrible about it. If he had followed his gut instinct; the women would have never had to face such hardship. Granted the women would have not had the same transformative journey, there could have been other ways for them to learn the valuable lessons that they did.
While there are many other morals, these were some I picked up on and took to heart. All in all… Two Old Women is chalk full of amazing aspects of human life, perseverance and ability to keep moving forward.
In the book "Two Old Women", there are many morals to learn. One is to stand by your elders and not push them away. In the book the elders were the ones who were the most knowledgeable and could withstand any situation much better than the others.
ReplyDeleteI also learned much about how to survive in the woods and how to endure harsh winters. I enjoyed this book a lot because the stories were compelling and kept my attention.
I find it strange that the people of the tribe in Alaska would usually be mad about the elder woman complaining about their aches and pains. I know that they focus on being strong and fighting to survive the wilderness, but I think that two older woman would have legitimate aches and pains to complain about. I complain after five minute walks through the snow to class, so I could not imagine actually living in it.
ReplyDeleteI can not believe that they would kick people out of the group just for being old. I feel that the women have earned their keep in the group throughout their life and it is sad that the people could just ignore all of the things the elders have done and just leave them there alone. I think that if they had worked together they could have survived as one.
I can not imagine the betrayal the elders must have felt when being abandoned by their tribe. They were left to die with nothing to eat, and no supplies that were beneficial. They chased a moose, taught how to hunt squirrels, and even remembered how to get to a place they went fishing when they were young. They survived the harsh winter by themselves. This is something that not even the tribe that left them could do.
ReplyDeleteThe women learned that instead of complaining, act upon the complaint and it will get better. Complaining would have left them dead in the winter, but they embraced the hardship and succeeded.
The lesson that the younger tribe people learned is a valuable lesson to any person. Had the people stayed with the elders, they would have the benefit of wisdom, a very influential part in surviving in the wilderness. However, they were quick to abandon and underestimate them.
ReplyDeleteI think that a lot of us do this when our parents or grandparents give advice. Many people underestimate the life experiences of their elders and shrug them off. I have gained great knowledge (not about wilderness, but about surviving the "real world") from my elders. There are many things that would have gone very wrong had I not listened to their advice and trusted in them. Very rarely do elders quit on you, so you should never quit on them.
Throughout this semester I have noticed a recurring theme. Each book has shown that family may not always be perfect, and there will be problems, but we need each other to get by.
ReplyDeleteAnother theme I have seen is the strength of women. From Fiction standing up to the people, to Ida caring for a child that is not hers, to the old women surviving together, they all had strength. None of them gave up and in the end it is worth it.
I really enjoyed each book and learned valuable lessons about each one. These books were great at portraying real world situations and the morals can relate to many situations I will endure in the future.
In "A Yellow Raft in Blue Water" readers are introduced to a variety of themes, however, that of generational acts and their consequences is one I find particularly interesting. Ida, Christine and Rayona are all examples of how one generation can affect another greatly. Ida's secrets about the aspects of Christine's birth and adoption affect she and Christine's relationship as well as Christine's relationship with her daugher Rayona. Misunderstandings sprout from these secrets and it demonstrated how, as we discussed in class, if older generations make poor decisions and act wrongly, it affects everyone who comes after them, whether they think it will or not.
ReplyDeleteI was very interested in the book Two Old Women because it was about survival. I have always loved reading tales of how people survive in the wild. This is because I have always camped with my family and have loved the outdoors. I also enjoyed this book because there was a story of family and how in the end, you will always count on your family to pull you through. This made the entire story mean more because the two old women were reunited with their family in the end.
ReplyDeleteIn A Yellow Raft in Blue Water's most interesting character to me is Rayonna. This could be for several reasons, one of which being that her point of view was in part one. I thought that she was most interesting because she is so self sufficient and independent. This is because her mother has pushed her away so much and has not been a good mother in my opinion. This makes for a very interesting character because you see the battle between her wanting her mother, and her being independent and trying to hide that fact that she misses her mother. I wish i had gotten to know Rayonna's personality better. All that i got from the story was that she is fairly independent but still feels some emotions towards her mother, but it feels like her emotions towards other people are mixed emotions and are under developed because Rayonna doesn't really know how to let them develop. This is probably because her mother was so bad at holding steady relationships.
ReplyDeleteI felt that Christine was a selfish character in A Yellow Raft in Blue Water. She was a selfish mother, who appeared to act like a mother for the title, rather than the actual connection with her daughter. While she kept telling Rayonna that she was doing things for her like crashing the car, she seems like she is more interested in the attention she gets from acting out or from her reputation as a heavy drinker. This is evident when Ida yells at her to leave and she doesn't take Rayonna with her, she just leaves her in the driveway as she runs away. A true mother would never leave her daughter, no matter what the situation. I could not get over this throughout the entire story. It is also wrong when Christine yells at Rayonna for running away. As a mom, Christine was not doing her job and Rayonna had every right to run away. This is where in independent nature came into play because she was able to take care of herself while away from the reservation. Christine should be the one being yelled at.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting and I think, complex characters in "A Yellow Raft in Blue Water" is that of Christine. Throughout her life, her personality undergo's many shifts. First, she is considered brazen and courageous, then she turns to religion and becomes very devout. However, her final stage is that of negligence and irresponsibility. Even when she has a child, she fails to 'grow-up'. Actions such as taking Rayona to bars with her when she is unable to find child care is demonstrative of her failed shift into maturity. Christine's biggest flaw however, is not her immature ways. Her biggest downfall as a mother and citizen is her inability to transform her thoughts into actions. We can see this in the novel in she and Rayona's relationship. Rayona who judges people solely on their actions, obviously feels resentment toward her mother whose actions are much less than maternal. However, readers discover a different side to Christine when she is allowed to tell her story. When Christine begins dying, she steps up and becomes the mother Rayona so desperately needed as well as the person she was on the inside all along
ReplyDeleteThe story "Two Old Women" has several themes, but one I find very interesting is mans (or woman's in this case) ability to overcome pre-conceived physical limitations. Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’ were both elderly women, deemed too feeble to contribute anything of value to the tribe. They were left for dead by their tribe and their family members in the Alaskan wilderness.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the women were thought to be helpless because of the persona's they directed toward the tribe members. The two women walked with cane's and constantly complained about their situations to anyone who would listen. Whether this is how elders behaved when they were younger is not explained, but these attitudes certainly led to the tribes decision to abandon them. After the tribe left them and the days progressed, the women discovered a physical skills/strengths they thought were long gone. They hiked across the Yukon, albeit slowly with nothing more than rabbit broth and occasional meat to sustain them. Hunting and camping skills long since used came back to them and they managed to work through the aches and pains of their daily tasks and find their destination. The two women learned they were tougher than they, or any of the tribe members gave them credit for.
One aspect of "Two Old Women" I enjoyed was how hard times can bring people together. Although both elders of the same tribe, Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’weren't friends at the time of their abandonment. However, through time and turmoil, they eventually opened up to one another. When they open up to each other about stories of elder abandonment and unusual upbringing, readers experience, with the women, a sense of closeness not present in the earlier text. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful scenes in the book. The two women show each other as well as readers, that physical sustenance alone is not the only part of survival. The condition of the women's spirits are every bit as important as the condition of their bodies if they are to survive. Gradually, they become better friends and become more considerate of one another. This is shown as they begin to make each other gifts from rabbit skins. Although they miss their families, especially Sa', they know they have each other and that companionship is just as vital to their survival as any shelter or game they are able to snare.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I understand cultural differences are at play in the story "Two Old Women", I have difficulty accepting that Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’ were left behind to die. Not only were they left behind, they were left with no provisions, save what Sa''s daughter left behind, at great personal risk. It genuinely boils down to a sincere lack of gratitude and respect for one's elders. If they had any true love for the two old women, their knowledge would have been sought and perhaps the tribe would have not suffered so greatly. In the end, the tribe did understand how undervalued the women were, but they shouldn't have had to prove it to begin with. The knowledge these old women had was worth much more than the small amount of food and supplies they required to live.
ReplyDeleteThere are many lessons found in "Two Old Women" and I think one of the most valuable ones is that everything happens for a reason. It is awful that the women had to go through such difficult times, but it showed them how strong they were. They believed themselves feeble, and it's no surprise that tribe members did too. The old women had poor attitudes and often reflected on how much they had complained even when everything was done for them.
ReplyDeleteIf the chief hadn't felt terrible about leaving the old women to begin with, he never would have returned to the site of their abandonment. When he discovered there were no bones there, he sent a search party out to look for the women. What that party found ended up being the salvation of the tribe as a whole. Their physical and emotional health was vastly improved after finding the old women. This is especially true for Sa''s daughter and grandson. Their bond as a family grew stronger after the affair and each generation learned to value their members more.
In Two Old Women, like in many Native American stories, there is an aspect of learning things from the stories that are told. In this book many lessons that are taught to the reader without really trying are that of survival in the wild. Some of the things that I learned from this book ranged from catching animals to throwing people off your trail if you want to be hidden. Some specifics that I remember are that to kill a squirrel with a hatchet on a tree, to aim a foot above the squirrel because he will run up the tree. I also learned that if you are starving and come across food to slowing introduce food in to your diet or you will get sick. The book also showed how to make snow shoes and rabbit traps. This is a great aspect of the oral tradition of Native Americans because so much is taught through simple stories.
ReplyDeleteIn Prison Writings, by Leonard Peltier, Peltier describes his life in Leavenworth state penitentiary, serving time for a crime he says he didn’t commit. The most interesting thing about Peltier is that out of everyone picked up for the murder of the 2 FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Rez, he is the only one who was found guilty. The tactics that the FBI used to falsify a witness, and to put fear in to the jury are unconstitutional at best. Peltier seems to be a martyr for his people, especially those who were involved with the Pine Ridge Rez. Peltier is well spoken in this book and uses such a personal writing style that it feels like I’m having a conversation with him. The true gritty and demeaning side of prison life he describes is painted in a picture so real that it’s haunting. I find it sad that with the evidence that has popped up in recent years that Peltier is most likely innocent, that he has not been granted another trial. The FBI wanted someone guilty and Peltier is the one they got. He is a strong spirit and continues to help his people through what charity he can do from his position
ReplyDeleteIn Two Old Women, I enjoyed the hell out of the old codgers not merely surviving but being able to last to the point of utter redemption. Their wisdom and determination empowered them with the opportunity to prove the new age faulty and misguided. The story presented a vast number of convenient lessons regarding work ethic, respect for elders and how “old” is a state of mind more than a pesky state of being.
ReplyDeleteI do question the wisdom of anyone in any physical condition who chases a moose anywhere. General rule of thumb is to keep a safe distance from a moose unless you have some serious firepower to protect yourself from the beast. I have to believe in the Arctic wilderness, the margin for error is significantly lower than most places on Earth. As a result of this belief; I struggle with accepting the extent of their survival. To survive would have been impressive and made one hell of a story, but to thrive in that type of situation? Unbelievable.
Having used snares in my life and being taught this disappearing art by my grand father, I’m impressed by the author’s knowledge of the discipline. The other hunting aspects of the story seem like quite a stretch for anyone (including Bear Grylls) to accomplish. But on a whole, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It was well written and interesting from cover to cover. I also appreciated not being overwhelmed by the amount of text between the two covers.