Reinventing the Enemy's Language - Contemporary Women's Writings of North America, edited by Joy Harjo and Gloria Bird. W. W. Norton, New York, London. 1997.
The blurb includes:
Setting the stage
I will begin by giving a general introduction to the background of the writers by providing a few links to Wikis that could be relevant. If you already know a bit about concepts like First Nations, Native American, tribe and Indian reservation, I would move over that quickly and get to the comments where I have picked out ten short stories. For the sake of structure and to make navigation easier, the stories have a number. I did not read all short stories, and hardly any of the poems. I don't think you need to read them all to learn something. Every story is selfcontained, although the editors have attempted to organize them in a few themes. There was no system in the reading except letting curiosity be the guide. After reading, I listed a few stories, which then became the seed for the post.
The background of the writers
The book would fall within the genre of Native American literature (US) and First Nations literature (Canada). More well known contributors to the anthology might appear in the List of writers from peoples indigenous to the Americas.
The writers of the book are associated with various groups that form a subset of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. These categories of groups are named differently in Canada and the US.
The Wiki with List of First Nations peoples mentions:
Many stories have a setting related to an Indian reservation
A few stories with comments
Having set the stage, below are a number of authors, their names, affiliation, the title of their short story, tthe page number in the hard cover edition from 1997.
1. Janet Campbell Hale, Coeur D'Alene: The Only Good Indian, p. 123
The family of the writer descended from the founder of Fort Vancouver, John McLoughlin, in what is now British Columbia, perhaps better known as the "Father of Oregon",
Since I have been to Vancouver, and stayed in the area for a few months, this story was like coming full circle, and learn something new about what went on before in a location, I had visited. Perhaps it was even more than one circle, considering that the inspiration of the book began in Vancouver: Joy Harjo writes in the beginning:
2. Velma Walls, Athabascan: Two Old Women, p 190
In the far North, two women, no longer able to match the pace of their band, are left by their people to fend for themselves in the bitter cold of winter. This story follows them through the first night, where they managed to catch a hare, and the morning where they wake up to reflect on their past and on their present options. At the end, they decide not to give up but to try to carry on. It may not last so long, but they have overcome resentment, selfpity and that gives them new energy. Here is the last paragraph:
3. Leslie Marmon Silko, Laguna: Angelita La Escapia Explains Engels and Marx, p. 195
This is an interesting title, but what I will remember more, is what I found about the concept of time, when I looked up her Wiki:
4. Elizabeth Cook Lynn, Crow Creek Sioux: Aurelia, p. 222
The main character is a young woman, whose grandmother Aurelia passes away. Aurelia's maternal grandfather was clever, but he also made choices that benefitted himself more than his wife or his people. The results were not good, and they followed his descendants. At the funeral the granddaughter of Aurelia is disturbed by the behavior of her relatives and:
Another story to illustrate the influences from beyond is from Elsa Barker, who wrote Letters from a Living Dead Man (1914) and is mentioned in the "Stainton Moses"and the 'Descriptions of the "afterlife" threads. In her later book, Last Letters From the Living Dead Man (1919), there is a story, Letter XVI, "A council in the forest". The storyteller relates how he meets a band of American Indians in the afterlife, gathering energies to inspire people to create destruction. Both the story from Wickland and Barker are most likely screens for an even more complex situation, since none of them mention the dynamics of STS and STO etc.
Weaved into the story by Barker, there is an analysis of the situation between American Indians and settler and steps in the direction of resolution is indicated. Also the book by Wickland has something to offer in this respect. One of the spirts that protects their work is claimed to be an Indian American spirit, Silver Star, Chippewa (Ojibwe). Another guardian spirit, actually a couple, had lived in Greenland. Even if you take these stories as fiction, there are still ideas that can form basis for discussion, but as their understandings of Christianity were different from many mainstream teachings, the circulation of the books by Barker and Wickland has probably been limited.
5. Arlene Fire, Dakota: Hard-to-Kill-Woman, p. 301
This is like an autobiographical account of her first Vision Quest in 1986. She mentions the interactions she had with her ancestors, at least that was her impression. I wondered if her experiences with ancestors, could be how it might have been for more people in the past also in other places. She writes at the end:
6. Luca Tapahonso, Navajo: All the Colors of Sunset, p. 318
This story is about loosing a grandchild and healing the resulting trauma.
7. Beth Bran, Mohawk: Stillborn Night, p. 353.
Describes the trauma relating to a giving birth to a stillborn child.
This story is perhaps even more relevant now, than it was when the book was published. Here are a few headlines showing the topic of stillborn children has become more common, though I begin with those that deny it:
Fact check: COVID-19 vaccines are not causing a rise in stillbirths in Canada from November 25, 2021
Perhaps in response to:
VAERS Data Shows Dozens of Miscarriages, Stillbirths After COVID-19 Vaccination, Link Unconfirmed By Steven Li, MD ｜ March 8, 2021
But then in December there was this article:
Areas of Canada with high covid “vaccine” uptake see 28X increase in stillbirths from Sunday, December 12, 2021
Of couse the Native American and First Nations are not excluded from such risks.
In Canada for instance, the Assembly of First Nations was enrolled to promote what was expected:
Listen to insights from First Nations women, youth, Elders and Knowledge Keepers as they reflect on the past year and share hope for the future during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the US it was allegedly also easy:
Covid-19: How Native Americans led the way in the US vaccination effort
Despite obstacles, Native Americans have the nation's highest COVID-19 vaccination rate
However, a search engine preview of what takes place behind the paywall of the New York Times shows White Evangelical Resistance Is Obstacle in Vaccination Effort
At least one Native American people share the position of the White Evangelicals:
On One Native American Reservation, Vaccine Hesitancy Has Long Historical Roots
8. Emma LaRocque, Plains Cree and Metis: Tides, Towns and Trains, p. 361
In this autobiographical account, the writer describes how society and life has changed for her and her family. She is an activist too, or became one. When I read her story, I wondered if research an activism around the First Nations Peoples community has helped or been helped to fuel the multicultural, postmodern movement where self-asserted identity supersedes objective reality in places like Canada? It would be a development easy to understand, since the Canadian government has often been far from gentle in its policies toward First Nations, until at least the 1960ies. This brings us up to the present time, as the treatment of First Nations can find a reflection in the heavy-handed management of the Covid lockdowns, forced isolation, travel restrictions, mask mandates, strongly forced vaccination campaign and a demand for health passports in many countries. Or is that the story of "what goes around, comes around."?
9. Wilma Mankiller, Cherokee: Keeping Pace with the Rest of the World, p. 398
Grandmother Ahniwake is old and ill. All her life she has been treated by natural medicine. Now however, it is really bad and the old man of medicine is no longer, so she is taken to hospital. At the hospital it turns out, it is indeed bad, and they want to keep her for more testing, but she wants to go home and never come back to the place. Here is a passage from the beginning, which indicates learning tradtional medicine involved:
In the excerpt there is also a sentiment of nostalgia, a longing for the old days. It would be easy if the old days were all good, which is not true, and is a rejection of the present in favour of a dream of the past helpful? I am reminded of the saying of the Cs that Life is relgion:
10. Anne Lee Walker, Pawnee: Buffalo Wallow Woman, p. 533
Buffalo Wallow Woman is the story of Mrs. Smith, who, because she thinks she is Buffalo Wallow Woman goes in and out of mental hospitals. It turns out there is a reason, but few care to listen. This story was for me very moving, and there is a part that expresses an element of holistic mental health care.
The blurb includes:
Here is an image of the book:
Setting the stage
I will begin by giving a general introduction to the background of the writers by providing a few links to Wikis that could be relevant. If you already know a bit about concepts like First Nations, Native American, tribe and Indian reservation, I would move over that quickly and get to the comments where I have picked out ten short stories. For the sake of structure and to make navigation easier, the stories have a number. I did not read all short stories, and hardly any of the poems. I don't think you need to read them all to learn something. Every story is selfcontained, although the editors have attempted to organize them in a few themes. There was no system in the reading except letting curiosity be the guide. After reading, I listed a few stories, which then became the seed for the post.
The background of the writers
The book would fall within the genre of Native American literature (US) and First Nations literature (Canada). More well known contributors to the anthology might appear in the List of writers from peoples indigenous to the Americas.
The writers of the book are associated with various groups that form a subset of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. These categories of groups are named differently in Canada and the US.
The Wiki with List of First Nations peoples mentions:
And for the US there is List of federally recognized tribes in the United States
See also: Tribe (Native American) which has:
There can be disagreement on the name, so there is: Native American name controversy
The article, Native Americans in the United States, mentions:
Still one consideration might be a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood
In the above description, 1/4 would correspond to the equivalent of one grandparent, while 1/16 would be one great-great-grandparent.
Many stories have a setting related to an Indian reservation
A few stories with comments
Having set the stage, below are a number of authors, their names, affiliation, the title of their short story, tthe page number in the hard cover edition from 1997.
1. Janet Campbell Hale, Coeur D'Alene: The Only Good Indian, p. 123
The family of the writer descended from the founder of Fort Vancouver, John McLoughlin, in what is now British Columbia, perhaps better known as the "Father of Oregon",
Since I have been to Vancouver, and stayed in the area for a few months, this story was like coming full circle, and learn something new about what went on before in a location, I had visited. Perhaps it was even more than one circle, considering that the inspiration of the book began in Vancouver: Joy Harjo writes in the beginning:
2. Velma Walls, Athabascan: Two Old Women, p 190
In the far North, two women, no longer able to match the pace of their band, are left by their people to fend for themselves in the bitter cold of winter. This story follows them through the first night, where they managed to catch a hare, and the morning where they wake up to reflect on their past and on their present options. At the end, they decide not to give up but to try to carry on. It may not last so long, but they have overcome resentment, selfpity and that gives them new energy. Here is the last paragraph:
3. Leslie Marmon Silko, Laguna: Angelita La Escapia Explains Engels and Marx, p. 195
This is an interesting title, but what I will remember more, is what I found about the concept of time, when I looked up her Wiki:
4. Elizabeth Cook Lynn, Crow Creek Sioux: Aurelia, p. 222
The main character is a young woman, whose grandmother Aurelia passes away. Aurelia's maternal grandfather was clever, but he also made choices that benefitted himself more than his wife or his people. The results were not good, and they followed his descendants. At the funeral the granddaughter of Aurelia is disturbed by the behavior of her relatives and:
Another story that also deals with the topic of a cursed family is Susan Power, Yanktonnai Sioux: Beaded Soles, p. 375. This story has an even more sad ending, but conveys a point that past wrongs or the feelings of guilt associated with these wrongs can influence the future of the descendants negatively. Thinking about how this influencing might happen, made me recall the chapter in 30 Years Among the Dead by Carl Wickland that discusses spirits and crime.
Another story to illustrate the influences from beyond is from Elsa Barker, who wrote Letters from a Living Dead Man (1914) and is mentioned in the "Stainton Moses"and the 'Descriptions of the "afterlife" threads. In her later book, Last Letters From the Living Dead Man (1919), there is a story, Letter XVI, "A council in the forest". The storyteller relates how he meets a band of American Indians in the afterlife, gathering energies to inspire people to create destruction. Both the story from Wickland and Barker are most likely screens for an even more complex situation, since none of them mention the dynamics of STS and STO etc.
Weaved into the story by Barker, there is an analysis of the situation between American Indians and settler and steps in the direction of resolution is indicated. Also the book by Wickland has something to offer in this respect. One of the spirts that protects their work is claimed to be an Indian American spirit, Silver Star, Chippewa (Ojibwe). Another guardian spirit, actually a couple, had lived in Greenland. Even if you take these stories as fiction, there are still ideas that can form basis for discussion, but as their understandings of Christianity were different from many mainstream teachings, the circulation of the books by Barker and Wickland has probably been limited.
5. Arlene Fire, Dakota: Hard-to-Kill-Woman, p. 301
This is like an autobiographical account of her first Vision Quest in 1986. She mentions the interactions she had with her ancestors, at least that was her impression. I wondered if her experiences with ancestors, could be how it might have been for more people in the past also in other places. She writes at the end:
The author is actually very careful during her quest and remains rational. From the description alone, it can be difficult to see what exactly is taking place, how much is her, how much are good guides, and how clear the communication is from negative forces. A shift to New Age COINTELPRO, does not seem to be far away. While she tells her story, she does not encourage others. In the second paragraph of the short story, there is:
6. Luca Tapahonso, Navajo: All the Colors of Sunset, p. 318
This story is about loosing a grandchild and healing the resulting trauma.
I don't know what a psychologist would say to this story, but if it worked.
7. Beth Bran, Mohawk: Stillborn Night, p. 353.
Describes the trauma relating to a giving birth to a stillborn child.
This story is perhaps even more relevant now, than it was when the book was published. Here are a few headlines showing the topic of stillborn children has become more common, though I begin with those that deny it:
Fact check: COVID-19 vaccines are not causing a rise in stillbirths in Canada from November 25, 2021
Perhaps in response to:
VAERS Data Shows Dozens of Miscarriages, Stillbirths After COVID-19 Vaccination, Link Unconfirmed By Steven Li, MD ｜ March 8, 2021
But then in December there was this article:
Areas of Canada with high covid “vaccine” uptake see 28X increase in stillbirths from Sunday, December 12, 2021
Of couse the Native American and First Nations are not excluded from such risks.
In Canada for instance, the Assembly of First Nations was enrolled to promote what was expected:
Listen to insights from First Nations women, youth, Elders and Knowledge Keepers as they reflect on the past year and share hope for the future during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the US it was allegedly also easy:
Covid-19: How Native Americans led the way in the US vaccination effort
Despite obstacles, Native Americans have the nation's highest COVID-19 vaccination rate
However, a search engine preview of what takes place behind the paywall of the New York Times shows White Evangelical Resistance Is Obstacle in Vaccination Effort
At least one Native American people share the position of the White Evangelicals:
On One Native American Reservation, Vaccine Hesitancy Has Long Historical Roots
Above, I inserted two links to explain the location and the group of people, they were not there in the original.
8. Emma LaRocque, Plains Cree and Metis: Tides, Towns and Trains, p. 361
In this autobiographical account, the writer describes how society and life has changed for her and her family. She is an activist too, or became one. When I read her story, I wondered if research an activism around the First Nations Peoples community has helped or been helped to fuel the multicultural, postmodern movement where self-asserted identity supersedes objective reality in places like Canada? It would be a development easy to understand, since the Canadian government has often been far from gentle in its policies toward First Nations, until at least the 1960ies. This brings us up to the present time, as the treatment of First Nations can find a reflection in the heavy-handed management of the Covid lockdowns, forced isolation, travel restrictions, mask mandates, strongly forced vaccination campaign and a demand for health passports in many countries. Or is that the story of "what goes around, comes around."?
9. Wilma Mankiller, Cherokee: Keeping Pace with the Rest of the World, p. 398
Grandmother Ahniwake is old and ill. All her life she has been treated by natural medicine. Now however, it is really bad and the old man of medicine is no longer, so she is taken to hospital. At the hospital it turns out, it is indeed bad, and they want to keep her for more testing, but she wants to go home and never come back to the place. Here is a passage from the beginning, which indicates learning tradtional medicine involved:
The above excerpt resonates with the story of an older herbalist, I met in another part of the world. I asked him how he had learned herbal medicine. He referred to a tradition in his family and mentioned that his grandmother appeared in dreams and showed him herbs and what they were used for.
In the excerpt there is also a sentiment of nostalgia, a longing for the old days. It would be easy if the old days were all good, which is not true, and is a rejection of the present in favour of a dream of the past helpful? I am reminded of the saying of the Cs that Life is relgion:
Near the end, of the short story, there is the following passage, that illustrates how fire might serve a function beyond heating and bringing light for those who like Anhiwake's grandaughter had a gift. It is called fire scrying, derived from scry, when she, settled in front of the fire, and with fire as the medium, receives a vision and a message:
10. Anne Lee Walker, Pawnee: Buffalo Wallow Woman, p. 533
Buffalo Wallow Woman is the story of Mrs. Smith, who, because she thinks she is Buffalo Wallow Woman goes in and out of mental hospitals. It turns out there is a reason, but few care to listen. This story was for me very moving, and there is a part that expresses an element of holistic mental health care.
Many professions are guided by regulations, methods and "best practices", also professions that involve taking care of people. Proven methods and procedures have many advantageous, but what about the element of the spirit. Is there place for a question like: "Do you come with prayers?"