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Zitkala Sa

During the time of western development in the 19th century of American

history, the Sioux Nation was at the forefront of political aggression.

Already forcing the Native American people onto cramped lands, the dominant

white man began to turn to new solutions in order to kill the salvage and

westernize the Indians. While it was obvious for the most part it is hard to

school an elder and force him/her to repent their ways, the best possible

solution was to disconnect the future generations from their heritage and

exploit their innocence and purity. Methods such as cutting each natives

hair in order to separate them from their former people, banning the young

Indians from making snow angels which in turn reminded each who they really

are, installing proper eating habits and not tolerating any language except

English to be spoken by every native even if he/she did not know how. Call

these methods culture shock, trauma schooling or whatever you must they

slowly helped minimize the Native American culture. If it was not for those

wise enough to cherish their heritage, it is quite possible the culture would

have been lost for ever. Zitkala-Sa was one of those people. Capturing a

. . .

American

Indian Stories, which was written by Zitkala-Sa about her life and about the

stories she once heard, is now a staple of American literary curriculum.

Her works and messages were being recognized.

If only her mother truly knew at the time of Zitkala-Sa's youth of what

impact she would have then the words that were spoken and the judgments that

followed would have never taken place. She was compelled to "become the literary

counterpart of the oral storytellers of her tribe because she felt compelled

to live up to the critical expectations of her white audience. To Zitkala-Sa's mother, the

missionaries work was no more then to kill the salvage. It was the white man who killed her brother

and daughter. Even more fearful of the white man's effect on her

daughter she accuses her of "trading her faith in the Great Spirit for the

white man's meaningless paper (pg 97). Although threatened by their acts of talking

with the white settlers, she saw them content with where they were expected

to stay. " Zitkala-Sa was evidently a very down to earth

person. In a way she is

unable to see her rebellious nature and individualism was passed down to her

daughter in a fire greater then the brave warriors of their stories. One of those magazines called Harper's

Bazaar wrote, "A young Indian girl, who is attracting much attention in

Eastern cities on account of her beauty and many talents, is Zitkala-Sa. She

is of the Sioux tribe of Dakota and until her ninth year was a veritable

little savage, running wild over the prairie and speaking no language but her

own. She has also published lately a series of articles in a leading

magazine which display a rare command of English and much artistic feeling

(Foreword vii). "

Though long past her time now there is still much evidence of her impact

and gift to the white man's world as well the gift to her mother's world. Fearful of her lost heritage and disobedience of the Great

Spirit, her mother has not yet accepted her daughters wishes to further

herself instead of being content where the white man wished her to be.

Approximate Word count = 1878
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

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