My Life History Project: Nilda's Story

Everyone inherits something during life, whether it be money from a recently deceased relative or physical features from parents. Throughout the poem “Heritage” by Linda Hogan, the narrator remembers all the traits and lessons that she has garnered from her kin. A superficial reader of the poem might assume that the narrator is simply reflecting on said traits and lessons, but in reality she is actually attempting to illuminate and reconcile the differences in her life.

Traditions and old teachings are essential to Native American culture; however growing up in the modern west creates a distance and ignorance about one’s identity. In the beginning, the narrator is in the hospital while as his father lies on his death bed, when he than encounters fellow Native Americans. One of these men talks about an elderly Indian Scholar who paradoxically discussed identity, “She had taken nostalgia as her false idol-her thin blanket-and it was murdering her” (6). The nostalgia represents the old Native American ways. The woman can’t seem to let go of the past, which in turn creates confusion for the man to why she can’t let it go because she was lecturing “…separate indigenous literary identity which was ironic considering that she was speaking English in a room full of white professors”(6). The man’s ignorance with the elderly woman’s message creates a further cultural identity struggle. Once more in the hospital, the narrator talks to another Native American man who similarly feels a divide with his culture. “The Indian world is filled with charlatan, men and women who pretend…”

In the memoir, “The Distance Between Us,” by Reyna Grande, Natalio makes a decision which cost him to lose everything he once had. Natalio leaves Juana and his three kids to make money in El Otro Lado to build his dream house in Mexico. Since he couldn’t make enough money on his own, he takes the mother of his three kids as well. This decision creates a distance between all of them, because no matter how close by they are in Los Angeles after they migrated to the United States the harmony amongst his family is never established. Mago, Carlos, and Reyna get humiliated as they are left with their wicked grandmother Evila. They are looked down on as orphans. Their economic status in Mexico makes them want to give up on school. As the father dreams

Another biography I did was about my grandmother. Her name is Tommie Kay Funderburk- Lockett. She was born and raised in Decatur Tennessee just like my mom. Her birthday is April 6th, 1955. When she grew up in the south her family had to live in shacks. They were old houses that didn’t have running water and a bathroom. Her and her sister had to walk a mile to a well and carry buckets of water everyday. They always had to walk back and forth to do it. They had an outhouse outside where they would use the toilet everyday. During her childhood, her and her sibling could stay outside for as long as they want. When it had got dark they had to come back inside. She had thirteen sibling but nine are living. She is the third from the last sibling.

Maria Isabel and Enrique decide to leave their daughter Jasmín in Honduras. Jasmín will be left in Honduras while they are in America. Maria Isabel and Enrique feel that they made the best choice. The family hopes to reunite in the future. They are continuing the same cycle that Enrique was left in.

The two short stories that I will use for this essay are “Three Generations of Native American’s Birth Experience” by Joy Harjo and “Black Mountatin, 1977” by Donald Antrim. In “Black Mountain, 1977”, the story is about a grandson and grandfather that try to keep a relationship even when the grandfather’s daughter doesn’t want them to have a relationship. The grandson would stay with his grandparents and found a way to keep their relationship strong even with some of the problems that happened along the way. In “Three Generations of Native American Women’s Birth Experience”, the story starts out with a girl as a pregnant teenager about to give birth on a reservation in a hospital that gave her free care but was not a pleasant place. Then goes on to tell about her next child’s birth and other women in her family about how different their birthing experiences were. Despite “Black Mountain, 1977” telling a story about a dysfunctional family, “Three Generations of Native American Women’s Birth Experience”, tells the growth of a family through hardships.

There is an old African saying, “When an elder dies, it is as if an entire library has burned to the ground.” This happens to be the case when it comes to my family history. Unfortunately, my grandparents' on both sides of my family have passed away and the rest live across the world which can be difficult to contact. My parent’s are going to be my sources for this assignment. They both have provided me with information about their childhood and the lives of my grandparent’s. By using the stories provided from Deborah A. Miranda’s book Bad Indians, I will compare and contrast the lives of my family to hers.

Griselda Blanco was born on February 15, 1943 in Cartagena, Colombia. As a little girl her mother Ana Lucia Restrepo raised her in a city called Medellin in which is located in Colombia. At age 11 Griselda, allegedly kidnapped, tried to ransom, and eventually shot a child from an upscale flatland neighborhood near her own slum neighborhood. At age 14 she was reported to have run away from home and she stated that her mother was physically abusive. Since she run away from home at an early age she resorted to prostitution. Around the age of 20 she meet Carlos Trujillo and had three sons Dixon, Uber, and Osvaldo. Later on she remarried and had a fourth son with Alberto Bravo who then decided to move to the United States. Around the 1970s and

In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, Maggie demonstrates when one appreciates her past and family, it leads to a meaningful life. Maggie has been demonstrated to show you need to know about your family. Maggie’s love for past down traditions have made her act more considerate and her mother quotes, “‘ She can always make some more’ I said. ‘ Maggie knows how to quilt’”(Walker 7). Maggie’s knowledge and understanding of her heritage are illustrated in this quote. Her mother and she have a special relationship because she’s more into knowing her family and is curious about it. In addition to, when you appreciate your family, most likely you can comprehend how to make certain items/know what your family history is. Additionally, Walker uses Maggie

Discuss Ruth McBride 's refusal to reveal her past and how that influenced her children 's sense of themselves and their place in the world. Why was she reluctant to tell her children about her background? How has your knowledge—or lack thereof—about your family background shaped your own self-image?

Many individuals were born into a life that their past generations had left for them. Some were born into slavery and forced to work in cotton fields because they had no equal rights as the white individuals. Having gone through the mistreatment, humiliation, and the discrimination done by the white individuals, not many had the opportunity o create the life they desired. This was presented in “The Last Member of the Boela Tribe “ written by Cathy Day in which four generations , Bascomb, Gordon,Verna, and Chicky, were left with a past and present that they could not escape from unable to move forward to create new identities for themselves that is expressed through the use of characterization and symbolism.

Our subject is an African American female. The historical roots of the African American family are in Africa and as a result the family can trace its origin to a distinct culture and society.

As I embarked on this assignment I was unsure how to begin and what stories to tell. I did not know if I should commence with how my family came to America, my family tree, or a fascinating story about how my grandparents met. In order to complete this assignment I convened with my grandfather, Earl W. Stafford Sr., who knows a lot about our family history, to learn as much as I could.

Living in Mexico throughout her teen years was very rough. Unlike other teenagers where their parents constantly provide for their children, Marisela’s life was a lot different than the usual parent- child relationship. She lived with her Abuela ( Grandma) Lupe, along with her 3 brothers and sister. She constantly had to take care of her brothers and sister at such a young age, that she became the mother-like figure of the

     “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens” touches mainly upon family heritage and the way her heritage was created. In