The Theme of Silko's Ceremony Essay

Since each chapter in this book is based upon a new era or new transformation of the Native culture, he tends to draw mini-conclusions at the end of most sections. For example, in Chapter 1, Richter discusses the Five Nations and its origin and most important principles. At the end of the chapter he states, “For the Five Nations, themes of reciprocity and exchange, war and peace, and alliance and spiritual power entwined to define most relationship among persons, kin groups, and villages” (29). He also illustrates the Indian’s later trials and tribulations with their European colonizers when he discusses when the Europeans began invading the Northeast in the 16th century. When discussing this time in history, he writes, “the Five Nations were being cut off from sources to materials they highly prized by hostile foes” (53).

Around page Tayo is trying to get help from an old medecine man named Betonie. This

“This is where the white people and their promises had left the Indians.”Indians wake up every morning of their lives to see the land which was stolen… its theft being flaunted.” Tayo’s interaction with Betonie really set this theme in the novel into focus and as the novel progressed, further events and characters strengthened this idea.

His curiosity leads to a conclusion: “He knew then he had learned the lie by heart—the lie which they had wanted him to learn: only brown-skinned people were thieves; white people didn’t steal, because they always had the money to buy whatever they wanted” (177). Tayo believes they—as in white society—tricked him into believing a lie related to natives and white people. The unjust generalization of natives as thieves supports Tayo’s belief that racism still occurs against natives. The realization of the “lie” is made possible because of Tayo’s mixed heritage. Full-blood Native Americans are less aware of the intentions of white society as compared to Tayo, who actively seeks and eventually understands how he fits in the hegemonic white culture.

Tayo finally feels cured as he is walking back to his reservation with the cattle by his side. Tayo also meets a very significant woman at the end of the novel named Ts’eh. The woman taught Tayo how to love and move forward in life. Ts'eh appears at three moments in Tayo's journey to help him with the cattle and to teach him about wild herbs, love, and evading his pursuers. Ts’eh, a very sacred figure in Tayo’s life, is able to distract Tayo from his negative past life, and focus on the healing of his future. Silko says, “He needed to rest for a while, and not think about the story or the ceremony. Otherwise, it would make him crazy and suspicious of his friends; and without friends he didn’t have a chance of completing the ceremony” (224). Without Ts’eh’s encouragement and support towards Tayo, Tayo would never be able to complete the

Ku’oosh referred Tayo to Betonie because Betonie practices evolving ceremonies. These ceremonies carry on the traditions but are more applicable to present day. Betonie, a half-breed like Tayo, lives atop a cliff overlooking a run-down white town. Initially Tayo questions Betonie’s surroundings and wonders if this medicine man will help him. Betonie explains to Tayo his different approach to performing ceremonies. He tells him that some think the ceremonies must be performed exactly the same as they had been for many years, but rather the ceremonies must evolve over time or else become ineffective. Betonie said, “But after the white people came, elements in this world began to shift; and it became necessary to create new ceremonies…only this growth keeps the ceremonies strong” (126). Betonie stresses that the white world has affected the Indian too much for the old rituals and chants to be effective. Betonie also believes that in order to cure Tayo he must combine

She teaches him the importance of certain plants, flowers, and ceremonies and how they are significant to Indian culture and survival. Tayo falls in love with her, and through his love, he begins to feel alive again. He realizes that he does have a place and that he is not invisible to everyone and

In order to rid him of the physical and mental sickness that the war and the racial issues brought Tayo, Betonie takes him through a ceremony.  In order to complete the ceremony, Betonie tells him to find a woman, stars, cattle, and a mountain.  The woman he meets knew beforehand that Tayo would come to see her.

When the first colonists landed in the territories of the new world, they encountered a people and a culture that no European before them had ever seen. As the first of the settlers attempted to survive in a truly foreign part of the world, their written accounts would soon become popular with those curious of this “new” world, and those who already lived and survived in this seemingly inhospitable environment, Native American Indian. Through these personal accounts, the Native Indian soon became cemented in the American narrative, playing an important role in much of the literature of the era. As one would expect though, the representation of the Native Americans and their relationship with European Americans varies in the written works of the people of the time, with the defining difference in these works being the motives behind the writing. These differences and similarities can be seen in two similar works from two rather different authors, John Smith, and Mary Rowlandson.

When examining early American history it is commonplace, besides in higher academia, to avoid the nuances of native and colonizer relations. The narrative becomes one of defeat wherein the only interaction to occur is one of native American’s constant loss to white colonizers. It is not to say that the European colonizers didn’t commit genocide, destroy the land and fabric of countless cultures, but rather when looking at history it is important to take a bottom’s up approach to storytelling. We must examine in what ways the native Americans fought English colonization, not just through war, but also through the legal system that was established after the area was colonized.

Native Americans have existed in the different regions-the plains, mountains, marshes- of the North American continent- long before the United States existed. Yet, most were not treated with the respect and dignity that the white American settlers were given. Viewed as outlandish and savage by white settlers, series of negotiations to “correct” the Indian way of life were implemented- through forced relocation, war, and assimilation into white culture. Those who stood up against the American government were viewed as beacons of hope by their fellow Native Americans. Many Native American traditions still exist today, but unfortunately most of them have been lost along with their people.

Soon after, Victor becomes irritated with Thomas telling more of his stories and asks him if he even knows how to be a real Indian. An unsure “I guess not,” is Thomas’ response, to which Victor states that he will just have to teach Thomas how to be one. Victor then explains that an Indian must remain stoic and mean like a warrior to receive any respect from others. Victor’s beliefs on what an Indian should act like probably originate from the knowledge and stories of Indians from the nineteenth century passed down over the years through both written and oral records. Victor sternly deciding to actively follow the example of the tribe’s ancestors was probably made in response to his treatment from and the behavior of his father. Choosing to abide by the beliefs and traditions of his tribes allows Victor to cope with or simply avoid his past by both renewing and strengthening his identity as a member of his tribe’s society. However, soon after telling Thomas of his beliefs, Victor’s “warrior act” fails to elicit any respect from two rude gentlemen who take the two Indians’ bus seats during a

“My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain...There was a time when our people covered the land as the waves of a wind-ruffled sea cover its shell-paved floor, but that time long since passed away with the greatness of tribes that are now but a mournful memory.,” Chief Seattle Speech of 1854. The culture of the Native American people has been deteriorating ever since the Europeans arrived in the Americas. The impactful and immense loss of lifestyle that they faced is one that can never be recovered, what the United States has given them are generations of trauma and blatant suffering. However, the U.S. did not stop there, a multitude of cultures have been broken to help keep America pure. For instance, one of the most significant cultures that have been dismantled by the U.S. other than the Natives and their music were the languages and music of the African slaves. The apparent likeness of these two cultures in the ways in which their deconstruction impacted them is in more of an abundance, such as the dominating influence of the Christian religion and the gravely vital role of maintaining what little heritage they could through language. In contrast to this, the two groups had an opposing difference pertaining to how the Natives and slaves tried to compensate the immense loss of their culture through the generations.

The long history between Native American and Europeans are a strained and bloody one. For the time of Columbus’s subsequent visits to the new world, native culture has

Oral tradition is important because it molds Native American culture and offers listeners a chance to go back in time. First, oral tradition is the foundation of Native American tribes’ culture and values. For example, “No Moccasins” teaches the value of courage and humility. As discussed in the introduction to this tale, some modern Native Americans do not have access to common means of communication such as radios or televisions. This means that lessons had to be learned from within the community. Since Native Americans did not develop their own written language, the retelling of old stories is a great way to achieve this. Next, oral tradition presents people with an opportunity to experience a different time period. This is particularly true of origin myths. In origin myths listeners can travel to a timer before anyone existed. Stories told orally give this opportunity to anyone who can listen. It is necessary for people, especially for those in a tribe, to understand their own