Online Socratic Seminar #2 (Question 1)
This was not so much a religious ceremony because he was sick and began to hallucinate, or what the tribe would call a "vision". I do not feel as though this is betraying the Native Americans because this was not a religious ceremony. He was only telling them his "vision" of what he had seen when he fell ill. He may have chosen to share this story with outsiders because he wanted them to understand that there are different importances to different groups of people. He said at the end of his chapter, "I was alone on a broad plain now with my feet upon the earth, alone but for the spotted eagle guarding me." This is why I believe he shared this story, an eagle itself would have meant nothing to a white person but to his it meant everything because he knew he was safe, this is the difference of importance between the two.
I agree that it is not betraying the Native Americans. I actually didn't think of it the way you did but I thought it was his way of spreading the culture. I think this was a way of making the Native American culture known again instead of isolating themselves until they eventually die out. I also agree that he wanted them to understand the differences to other people. Sometimes people tend to judge things based on what they have heard or seen but by actually experiencing it, the non-Natives can have a chance to see it in a new light than what they have been told growing up.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you say that this is not a betrayal. He is simply telling the story so those in further generations will have it known to them. It is important to keep their culture alive therefore he finds a way to do so. The eagle symbol is also important I agree with you on that. It could mean nothing to a white man but means everything to Native.
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