"Travels in the South" by Simon J. Ortiz

Reader: Dennis Clifford

Respondent: Jennifer Carnes

Recorder: Dianna Ruiz

Simon Ortiz was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and raised in the Acoma village of McCarty's in an Acoma-speaking family. Ortiz attended Fort Lewis College (1962-63), the University of New Mexico (1966-68), and the University of Iowa (1968-69). His career includes teaching at San Diego State, the Institute of American Indian Arts, Navajo Community College, the College of Marin, the University of New Mexico, and the Sinte GleskaCollege. Ortiz also served as lieutenant governor of the Pueblo of Acoma and consulting editor of the Pueblo of Acoma Press.

A peculiar aspect of Ortiz’s upbringing is that he learned English as a second language. Until the age of seven he spoke only in his native tongue of Acoma. As he was learning English, his teachers at the BIA school would reprimand students with a ruler across the knuckles if they were heard speaking their native language.

Someone once said that Ortiz is not just a Native-American writer but the Native American writer. While I originally believed this to be a comment with Pan-Indian tones, further research brought me to the conclusion that the comment was probably a figurative one in which emphasis on his tremendous amount of published work was the intention. Objectives 3b "loss and survival"; 4 "assimilation and resistance" 5e "the use of common devices of language to make poetry.."

Karen: Resistance is shown in the last four lines. The bird not wanting to accept the bread is like the Native Americans not wanting to accept what the bureau of Indian Affairs wanted to offer.

Amanda: Native Americans gain strength from nature. Trees symbolize nature. He hugs the tree as if to gain strength from nature. The sign said to pull over in case of emergency, and to him, needing strength before going further was an emergency.

(Person in front row): Keeping his hair past his ears like his grandfather is a symbol of resistance. He is holding on to his roots.

Jennifer: The title hints towards discrimination. The fact that he mentions George Wallace is significant because George Wallace was responsible for segregation. He would not allow Black Americans to integrate into the schools.

[Dr. White adds, Wallace was a white populist (1974)].

The opponent in the political run was not mentioned because it didn't matter -- George Wallace was guaranteed to win no matter what.

Kenny: The curse word on page 279 is valid because it represents assimilation in language. It shows that the dominant culture has already influenced him.

Claudine: There are lines in the poem, such as the mention of Caddo Lake, that would indicate American Indian territory, but he can't find one person who knows who they are.

Ginger: The American government outlawed American Indian ceremonies to deny connection with culture.

Charley: The terrapin on page 278 is a turtle. Turtles are sacred to many tribes. The black women in the poem said they won't let go until sundown, and that is true of the water turtle.