Tenskwatawa is a prophet among the Indians who claims to have died and ascended above whereby he received a vision from his creator who seems to be angered with their acts of abandoning their culture and their ways of life to engulf the white man’s way of life, hence wants to bring a punishment to them. From his creator, he has been told to remind the people of the way they were given resources by their creator and never begged for anything. He, therefore, brings a message of warning and reminding on the consequences awaiting them if they will not retrieve their ways of life. He, therefore, tells them, unless they change their ways they will be punished. Tenskwatawa has a negative view towards the American culture. This is distinctly seen in the manner he is talking about the American and French commodities that they used to batter trade long time ago. He says that they used to exchange their fur for the blankets and wools, their guns and iron for the steal, axes and needle for beads and mirrors, however, in his final statement we see him regretting a lot for having done that since it was a sign of foolishness. He goes forward to say that he has discovered that the things of the white men have corrupted his community, and made them needful and weak at the same time. He views the American culture to be a curse in their community which has wasted the time of women by looking at the mirror; the culture has also made the people forget the ways in which they looked for food hence
By 1860, there were 60 missionary schools which were not known for most American societies because they were not mentioned in the U.S. history, and there were 6200 Native Americans children in it. Cultural assimilation is the process of taking in, fully understanding and absorbing information or ideas. There are two factors which hindered Zitkala-Sa assimilation to the European American culture. The first factor is how people from different cultures inhabit different nonverbal sensory worlds, and the second one is judging people based on their own culture and standards. The story of the song “ten little Indians” started in a missionary school in the U.S. where Zitkala-Sa choose to study at. She was a writer, teacher, violinist, and activist for Native American rights. She was one of the Native American who suffered through her childhood in the missionary school, and she was treated badly from European American in a forcing way to accept the new culture and do what they told her to do. However, the text was categorized in three main sections each of which is describing her life in the missionary school. Overall, Zitkala-Sa did not assimilate completely to European American culture because of misinterpreting of non-verbal signs and symbols and having the tendency to evaluate.
When the narrator says “I wish you had taken something from our culture” (pg.447,Dan George ) he is saying that if we had learned about our ancestors’ traditions,then North America might have turned out better. Another quote from this passage that helps prove this point is the quote “It is also hard for me to understand the deep hate that exists among people (pg. 446 Dan George). In the Native American culture they learn to respect all life. If we had learned about their culture and how they respect life, then there may not be as many endangered animals as there are now. The last quote from “I am a Native of North America” is “I see him throw poison in the water,indifferent to the life he kills there” (pg 446,Dan George). There are many businesses that throw harmful pollution into our lake,rivers,and oceans. Our ancestors believed that we should not pollute the environment. If we had learn from our ancestors our world wouldn’t be such a
The American desire to culturally assimilate Native American people into establishing American customs went down in history during the 1700s. Famous author Zitkala-Sa, tells her brave experience of Americanization as a child through a series of stories in “Impressions of an Indian Childhood.” Zitkala-Sa, described her journey into an American missionary where they cleansed her of her identity. In “Impressions of an Indian Childhood,” Zitkala-Sa uses imagery in order to convey the cruel nature of early American cultural transformation among Indian individuals.
Before Tenskwatawa had visions about the Master of Life, he assimilated into the white man’s culture through alcoholism in order to forget about his problems (Nash, 248). Tenskwatawa was not the only one to succumb to the temptations of whiskey. “Unfortunately, many of the tribe’s shrinking resources were squandered on alcohol” (Edmunds, 72). The Shawnee tribe’s dependence on alcohol became a problem to the Prophet due to the fact that alcohol was a part of the white culture. He also believed that Native Americans should not depend on guns, iron cookware, and glass beads because all of those items represent the gradual assimilation into the white culture and practices. The Prophet claimed that the Master of Life saw the Native American practices of white society as one of the greatest sins of all. “In either case, all Indians who followed the white man’s road were the objects of Tenskwatawa’s suspicion” (Edmunds, 75). His beliefs not only spread out among the Shawnee, but among many other tribes as well. Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh carried messages south to the Cherokee and the Creek. Their messages were based on Tenskwatawa’s teachings and the overall belief that white men were evil (Nash, 248). Their messages influenced over 1,000 men who were prepared to battle at
In chapter 2 of the book, A Different Mirror, written by Ronald Takaki, the culture being represented are the Indians. While in chapter 3 of the book, Takkaki mainly discusses the cultures of the African American and English settlers of early America. Furthermore, in chapter 6 of the book, Takkaki explains the culture of the Irish and their migration to the United States. In a relevant lecture, which includes keywords such as: privilege, marginalization, and minoritization. In chapter 2, the material Takkaki discusses shows examples of how the Indians have shaped America into what it is today. In this chapter, Takkaki discusses how the English forced the Indians off their land and killing them in the process. While doing this, the English learned
Rereading America begins by discussing the obstacles that students will face when entering college, and how cultural myths play a significant role in the way we think, and how we react to situations in our environment. In order to be a successful, intellectually-minded college student, one must engage in critical thinking in their academic work. Critical thinking involves the examination or consideration of various perspectives, realizing that what is commonly appeared to be “normal” or “crystal clear” is not from analysis, but rather from the cultural myths unconsciously embedded in our lives. While it can be argued that cultural myths provide social order in society, they also discourage individuals from forming their own beliefs after thinking
He despised American Culture. Tenskwatawa believed that the Creator put the Indians on the vast, rich, and nurturing land for a purpose. He reminisces on how the Indians were free to go where they wanted without any dangers, how they did not have to beg for anything, and how they lived for long periods of time free from diseases. He ultimately believed that the whites had corrupted his people and their civilization in all ways. Tenskwatawa gave a series of rules that the Indians and whites should abide by. He believed the creator was using him as a vessel to speak to the people. He warned that the Indians should not consume liquor, or they would be forced to have hot lead poured down their mouth. He also warned that the Indian male, if single, should not chase after many women. Tenskwatawa advised that all Indian women, if they lived with a white male, return to the native lands and leave her children with the husband, so that the Indian bloodline could become pure
At a time when the Indians were being driven from their home lands and food sources were scarce a Shawnee Indian named Tecumseh emerged as a leader and later became a War Chief. The Americans were encroaching on the Indians lands and disregarding the treaties that were in place. In addition, some tribes were selling off their land to the Americans. This book discusses his life and his journey to get all of the Indians to join forces to become an Indian Confederacy. It addition, his brother Tenskwatawa life. He wasn’t the bravest or a good hunter, he was an alcoholic, who later started having visions and changed his life. He became known as The Prophet and medicine man. Many Indians from different tribes agreed with their movement and
In the third grade, I remember bringing noodles to lunch, and all of my white classmates looking at me strangely. Little did I know, Americans did not bring noodles to lunch, but rather simpler things, such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lunchables. Although my introduction to the western culture was nothing as close to the Ibo people’s introduction to the western culture, it is clear that different cultures often have a hard time understanding the customs of another culture. Okonkwo’s response to new western influences spreading through his clan depicts how the introduction of different cultures can lead to disagreement because of contrasting religious values and customs.
In consequence, the need to survive opens up their mind to the idea that they alone may not be able to make a difference, but as a team, there is a greater chance for opportunity and change. From all the negative acts that the white people have inflicted upon them, Tecumseh addresses them in a unique way. He views them as “poisonous serpents” and explains how they only “wish to kill [them], or drive [them] back, as they would wolves and panthers” (Tecumseh 232). His beliefs and descriptions of the suffering inflicted by the white people reach out to the other Indians because it is something that is proven already to be true in the community. The white people strive to get what they want and nothing will satisfy them till they have what they want, even if it means violence against others. These acts of murder, abuse and torture can cause much pain toward any human being and when there are other people who share the same beliefs and feelings, it brings a sense of comfort knowing that there is someone else who can relate. Besides the fact that the two nations are intertwined by their history, their sadness and pains also connect them through the Great
Another literary device Kurt Vonnegut uses is jokes and events which are often sexual or racist in nature. Before reaching this time, there were many civil right movements which won many minorities their rights, however within PM America, there was still a huge problem with sexism and racism. Vonnegut also uses many jokes in the story to capture and criticize American Culture. At one point of the story, Vonnegut starts talking about the “dick sizes” (example?) of the characters, and then he starts comparing them nonchalantly. He does this as well with the female characters, but instead of comparing the sizes of their phalluses, he compares their bust, waist and hip ratio (example?). The “dick sizes” and body ratio were randomly thrown in there; they further
American Character is defined as “mental and moral qualities distinctive to an American individual” (Suarez, Different Mirror Lecture). Ronald Takaki is a prime individual that demonstrates American character. Through the development of ethnic studies that was led by him, he acknowledges that American society was built by a diverse group of settlers, from the black slaves that were present before the European settlers, black cowboys, and Chinese settlers who came to mine for gold that were prevalent in towns throughout the Wild West. Takaki also develops the theory of the Master Narrative, that states that America was settled and created by European whites, and this narrative is ultimately what circulates around our country even in present day modern America. Despite the fact that America history also includes a range of groups from the Native Americans who were
Based on the book, we can notice that the transformation of the West affected the Native Americans' life , especially the Indian way of life in different aspects. Besides the fact that a great diversity of Native Americans called the Plains Indians started to live in the same areas,for some them, their conditions of live worsened. Their meat rations were reduced and they were restricted to hunt. Considerable Plains Indians not only flourished among the Plains people but also customs varied even between subdivisions of the same tribe. For the Native Americans, West meant fullness (Hell or a massacre). For example, due to their unfair or worse conditions of life, desperate,the Native people turned to Wovoka. Based on the book, Wovoka was a visionary
Dr. Veraswami describes U Po Kyin in the same way as the native’s describe the British merchants, “You do not realism the influence of that man in the district. No one dare speak against him.” (149) This fear that Dr. Veraswami has is because he is a victim of British imperialism involving racism by both Ellis and U Po Kyin. This influence of demining other people just because of their heritage was one bad quality of British imperialism at influence U Po Kyin.
American Day was held in the last day of September. Students and teachers were asked to dress up in red, blue, or white, which represent the color of the Star-Spangled Banner. In the morning, teachers told the students about unique American cultures such as Hip-Hop music, American football, fast food industry and so on. All these topics are the absolute pinnacles of American culture. The most exciting part for students was group games. Each teacher organized a small group of students to play games on the playground which emphases the importance of teamwork and the ability to respond in a short time. In the afternoon, students chose from highly recommended American movies by the teachers: Pirates of the Caribbean, The Imitation Game, The Secret