american indian
It was approaching dusk as the conspicuous line of dark vans entered the reservation. These vehicles served the purpose of furnishing transportation for about 30 members of a Cleveland area youth group, whose mission was "to bring good news to the badlands". In short, the group was ministering to the Indian children of the Pine Ridge Reservation, which was in close vicinity to the natural wonder found in the foothills of "the badlands". The trip became a tradition for my church and I traveled there on three separate occasions. Each year, the team received a welcoming that could be described as anything but inviting. In fact, the first year the trip fell on the Fourth of July and as we drove in, our vehicles were bombarded with fireworks. I could never really grasp why we were so despised. After all, our intentions were commendable. The matter became clearer after I read Zitkala-sa's "American Indian Stories". Within this text, a Native American expresses her beliefs that actions similar to ours serve merely in altering culture. The main character's civilization had religious beliefs long before the white man presented his ideas. Essentially, the Sioux religion was based on nature. It is difficult to pinpoint the
With the introduction of the "paleface" into the Indian culture, he brought with him different ideas about religion, which undoubtedly created tension. Vividly this is portrayed in the text as, "Even nature seemed to have no place for me. This deporable situation was the effect of my brief course in the East. Thus, the people receive refreshment of the soul through companionship with the outdoors. Moreover, the Quakers undoubtedly forced observance of their religion, being that it consumed such a large portion of their culture. If such were her intentions, she was quite successful in expressing her convictions. Such was my initial response to their actions with the reading of this book. She is happy and wants her daughter to enjoy a similar vitality. Zitkala-Sa was neither Native American nor White. All of these elements accumulate to transform her identity. Because of the Quaker's actions, innocent people had to make numerous sacrifices and deal with senseless hardships. She made efforts to break free, but the opposing force was too strong. (75) The influence of the white culture had clearly effected the developing Indian girl. Throughout the "School Days" section of the text, the main character expresses her feelings relative to going east and encountering a new culture.
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,
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