Native Americans - Zitkala -Sa

The first 200 words of this essay...

Effie Rozanitis

Hist 160D/Goudsouzian

Native Americans

February 3, 2003

Zitkala -Sa

Zitkala -Sa's talents and contributions in the worlds of literature and education challenge long-standing beliefs in the white man's culture as good, and Native Americans as sinful savages. She aimed at creating understanding between the dominant white and Native American cultures. As a woman of mixed white and Native American ancestry, she embodied the need for the two cultures to live having a mutual understanding of both cultures within the same body of land.

Zitkala -Sa faces various conflicting instances in her autobiographical essays. Her early childhood consisted of a very simple and loving upbringing from her mother and other surrounding family members. Zitkala-Sa and her mother were very close. Both Zitkala-Sa and mother performed various chores together and the occasional beading, an Indian tradition. Like many women during that time Zitkala-Sa's mother could not adapt to white culture nor did she want to. "The paleface has stolen our lands and driven us hither. Having defrauded us of our land, the paleface forced us away" (10). You can tell from her mother's comments that she and the white