When reading the introduction to American Indian Rhetorics of
Survivance, I continually question how I would be able to comprehend this book
(which is what I am going to go on about in this post). We briefly discussed in
class how Native American history, story, literature and so forth, does not get
enough attention in schools. During the discussion and when reading this
introduction I keep thinking that coming from Europe I basically do not know
anything. (This is going to sound kind of bad), But up until a year ago I
thought of Native American as something that was lost in history and was well
represented by Hollywood movies. A year ago I took Introduction to American
Literature, where they made us read some of Zitkala-Sa´s short stories; I then
started to understand how little I knew and how much of it was wrong.
In Resa Crane Bizzaro review, she talked about external and internal
rhetoric, and how they are either "the attempt [by Native Americans] to
find ways to communicate with non-Native people" (Bizzaro, 421) or a text
which does not care whether it is understood or approved by non-Indian
audiences (421). In other words some of the essays are intentionally not
including non-Indians, while some will try to explain it. Bizzaro also points
out how the book “have provided excellent material upon which other scholars of
Native rhetoric can build” (424). The summation of not really knowing, internal
rhetoric, it being a good text for scholars who has a lot of knowledge, and
sentences like “While most students of American History” (Stormberg, 9), make
me question how much I will be able to understand of American Indian rhetorics.
Emma,
ReplyDeleteThis post is very interesting to me as it is in a way an outsider to an outsider. Most of us (in class and white Americans) as an audience are outsiders of this rhetoric, and as you pointed out we are sometimes outside of it intentionally and sometimes we are attempted to be brought into it by the author. However, even if the author attempts to bring us in, we will never truly be able to understand Native culture. It is interesting to me that in some ways, you feel as an outsider within our classroom rhetoric of Native Americans. Funny the layers of rhetoric.
I am right there with you. I am from California, where we didn't learn much about Native Americans. I'm finding it really interesting because I didn't understand the extent to which we screwed over the Native Americans. I'm also learning about how rhetoric is a reflection of the intentions and history of a culture. Even if they aren't stated outright, the intent of a culture is reflected in their culture. It's really interesting to see how rhetoric is used within a minority, and it is really making me realize and reflect on my inherent racism as a white person. Don't feel intimidated or left out! I think this section can teach us a lot about larger issues and considerations.
ReplyDeleteI am right there with you. I am from California, where we didn't learn much about Native Americans. I'm finding it really interesting because I didn't understand the extent to which we screwed over the Native Americans. I'm also learning about how rhetoric is a reflection of the intentions and history of a culture. Even if they aren't stated outright, the intent of a culture is reflected in their culture. It's really interesting to see how rhetoric is used within a minority, and it is really making me realize and reflect on my inherent racism as a white person. Don't feel intimidated or left out! I think this section can teach us a lot about larger issues and considerations.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your perspective, Emma. Its definitely not just being from Europe that causes a lack of knowledge or understanding about Indians. Yes, I said Indians, because frankly they don't usually refer to themselves as Native Americans, at least not nation I grew up around. Its either, Indian, NDN, or Native. My mother is part Native and I'm enough to receive all the government benefits (if you can really call them that) given to Natives, but my family declined to be on the rolls a long time ago for various reasons. Your experience with not really knowing and thinking you may not be able to understand actually sets you up for more understanding in my opinion as a lot of people in the US think they understand but don't really have a clue. Even I don't understand fully and I grew up around the culture.
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