MY NATiVE AMERiCAN STORY

Zitkala-Sa. The Soft-Hearted Sioux

Wearing a foreigner's dress, I walked, a stranger, into my father's village. Asking my way, for I had not forgotten my native tongue, an old man led me toward the tepee where my father lay. From my old companion I learned that my father had been sick many moons. As we drew near the tepee, I heard the chanting of a medicine-man within it. At once I wished to enter in and drive from my home the sorcerer of the plains, but the old warrior checked me. "Ho, wait outside until the medicine-man leaves your father," he said. While talking he scanned me from head to feet. Then he retraced his steps toward the heart of the camping-ground. My father's dwelling was on the outer limits of the round-faced village. With every heart-throb I grew more impatient to enter the wigwam. While I turned the leaves of my Bible with nervous fingers, the medicine-man came forth from the dwelling and walked hurriedly away. His head and face were closely covered with the loose robe which draped his entire figure. He was tall and large. His long strides I have never forgot. They seemed to me then as the uncanny gait of eternal death. Quickly pocketing my Bible, I went into the tepee.

Zitkala-Sa. "The Soft Hearted Sioux". 20 Mar. 2008. Ed. Boss, Judy <http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccernew2es/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=2&division=div1>

Reflection: When searching for stories this one caught my eye because it showed a young boy, who happened to be quiet independent, and how he gained respect from others and how he had the strength to go out his own to accomplish the goals his family trust him to carry out. I chose this because I have a passion for young people and how they are independent, since independence is one of the things that I strive to have. As far my every day life this excert from this story gives me the extra boost I need to believe that I can do anything that I put my mind to.


Dear Diary,

When we reached the new world and got off of the ship I was amazed at what I saw, especially as I began traveling. As I traveled I ran into a an tribe of people, when I questioned them who they were they claimed to be Sioux Indians. These so called Indians turned out to be great people who welcomed me with open arms. Which was very surprising because I have heard stories that the natives of this land where the type to open up to outsiders, and when they did just that I was blown away.

In particularly there was one teen age boy who I took liking to. His name was Zitkala-Sa, he was very helpful when it came down to me getting settled and getting use to this new way of life. While I was staying with the Indians I learned many things about their way of life. Zitkala-Sa was not home even though he seemed so comfortable, he had been sent out by his family hunt. When the to of us spent time alone he would tell me all about his family and that tales that have been past down from generation to generation. Since Zitkala-Sa and I had become such great pals he asked me if i would return home with him to meet his family. Of course I said yes and the next day we were off.

Another important thing that became noticeable when we reached the boys home is that the tribe had very different beliefs and customs than where Zitkala-Sa now live. But even though he had been away from his home for so long he had not forgotten his native tongue ad began to fit in as if he had never left. When we reached his home Zikala-Sa had told me that a friend told him that his father was really sick and when we reached there the medicine-man happened to be treating him so we had to wait out side. I could tell by the look in the boys eyes that he was not comfortable even once we reached inside he sat with a anxious look on his face and I had no clue what to think. But the strangest thing happened, when the medicine man returned to check on his father the boy sent him a way, he wanted to help his father by practicing what he had picked up on. Zitkala-Sa'a father was puzzled by his sons actions and felt as though he was in the wrong and the medicine man was need to cure him.

Danielle Rene

Essential Question: In a country where the American Dream is "Free" to all, how is community affected when all cannot achieve the "dream"?
Although the Native Americans are the true Americans therir dream is not the considered the American Dream. The white mans dream is and to these Natives it has become their nightmare.

One of the events that took place is when the mayflower arrived to this place we call America. These people came here for a new start, new land and a new life, which is exactly what they got. Even though they encountered some problems they still found what they where in search for. But the one thing that they did not expect was there to people already here, who where know as the native Americans or Indians. In this political cartoon the Indians are saying "Okay, I'll be nice, but they'd better not stay long", which shows that when these people came over on the mayflower may the natives were not so open to having new people on their land. This also implies that maybe the Indians were not happy when these new people decided to stay for longer than anticipated. Furthermore this maybe the reason there is such animosity about immigrants. In any event if this is true this really proves that things that happen in the past may occur in the future.