Native American History and Heritage
Most of the stories in the anthology present different glimpses of the Native American tradition and the importance of passing it down from generation to generation. There are many ways in which this tradition continues; primarily it is spoken, and it is also portrayed through the arts and crafts that have also been passed down through the women of the tribe. The tradition emphasizes respect for the dead and listening to the spirits and what they are trying to tell us.
One of Zitkala-Sa's favorite memories is of the evenings spent around the fire listening to the elders talking of times gone by and of the ancient ancestors; she calls these elders her "legends" and she thinks about them every night before she goes to sleep. The stories are important lessons and they also teach respect for the tribe which is very important in continuing the traditions.
Abuse of the Tribe
The missionary "invasion" of tribal lands and the deliberate drive to wipe out all traces of their heritage form the tribe's children was a horrible abuse against the Native American people and of their culture as a whole. The missionaries had absolutely no respect for the tribal people or their traditions and believed that their way and their beliefs were superior. Rather than trying to incorporate both cultures together, they were determined to eradicate the culture all together. The memories of her time in the missionary-run school are traumatic and unpleasant, and this also shows the cruelty of the missionaries and the abuses they perpetrated.
Power of Women
The most powerful characters in the novel are women. From the first story, "Mother", we meet a woman who is providing for her family and keeping them together the best she can. The work is hard and manual but she does it without complaint about the work itself, her only complaints are about the palefaces who take away everything that the tribe have worked for.
From the outset it is clear that Zitkala-sa herself is very feisty and willful. She likes adventure and she wants to be grown so the she can have more experiences but at the same time so that she can take on some of the load from her mother. She loves and respects her mother and her aunt and it is they she misses the most when she is at school in the east. The females of the tribe are inspirational and carry on the traditions of the tribe itself.
