Week One!

This first week had some very interesting readings. in particular, I found the Boudinot readings very interesting. This man seems to be shrouded in controversy. Many members of our class were vocal about him being a traitor to his people, selling them down the river for the sake of white acceptance.

I would have to disagree. While I do not defend him, I do see that his actions as very survival oriented and with a minimal amount of resistance. For the vast majority of the address, Boudinot does frequently put down his own people in favor of the white way of living and Christianity. These can be perceived as cowardly and perhaps are, but it's difficult to judge someone who acts when they are in the face of danger or when their security is at risk. Who is to say that we wouldn't react the same way? I feel like I would not, but then again I have never been placed in that difficult situation. His actions struck me as somewhat panic stricken. I can only imagine that he had heard of the horror stories of what the whites did to other natives that refused to comply. And he does exhibit some minimal resistance when he briefly defends his people by explaining, "But here let me say, that however guilty these unhappy nations were, yet many and unreasonable were the wrongs they suffered..." (70) But he then quickly returns to praising whites. I found one class mates comment that his actions may have been driven by his own personal desire to be accepted. I had not considered this direction of psychological impact and it emphasizes the exclusivity of whiteness, something that even today's society is indicative of prestige, wealth and power.

I also found the Lucy Thompson reading very interesting. For what we've read in class so far, the book does not seem to be so much of a biography as it is documentation of tradition. I see her work as very much a work of survivance. Even though she is married to a white man, she does not hesitate to openly criticize whites. And just having documented these traditions is a strong statement of longevity and survival. She also brought up some interesting points about her tribe. She explains that there were/ is a social hierarchy. In addition, there was private property ownership. These things I have commonly associated with European societies. There is also a point in the book where she discusses when Indian doctors argue over who is the best/better doctor. This kind of boastfulness seems to go against the humble teachings of the Popol Vuh. Then again, many people act contrary to religious text across many religions.

Testing,Testing 1 2 3

I chose the the title "Earth, Sky and everything in Between" because I feel like organic elements will be a huge part of the Native American literature we will explore this quarter. More over, after having read parts of the Popol Vuh, I realized just how integral these elements are in everyday life and how they are given meaning and life in these creationist stories. But perhaps, the title also revels some of my biases or misunderstanding of native American culture. It is often perceived as natural, unchanging and always at one with the earth. My perception of Native culture has been shaped by media depictions and the brief chunks of history that I've picked up in school throughout the years. I look forward to seeing how my notions will measure up to reality.

This week, I found the lessons emphasized in the Popol Vuh particularly interesting. There are many messages of humbleness sprinkled throughout the text. Often we see characters with inflated hubrises and greed that often meet less than ideal ends. At first the concept of this "underworld" was a bit difficult for me to grasp, but the more I read, I soon came to just accept it. Throughout the passages, there is extensive interaction and communication between the beings and animals. This perhaps shows the connection and closeness that Natives have towards animals and the earth. Also, the animals are often clever and are capable of outsmarting each other and even the beings. I think that this encourages respect for animals because they are also thoughtful creatures.