Amy Sanders

29 April 2004

The Reality of Reservations

Introduction

When I first set out to learn about Native American Reservations and the part they played in the Native Americans’ struggle between loss and survival, I was just expecting to learn about the history and purpose of reservations. However, what I found in my search was much more. I discovered the theft, death, corruption, and cultural depletion that accompanied the establishment and on-going existence of reservations. I searched through many websites and several books to discover the history of reservations. I figured that the way reservations were first established would help me to discover how they contributed to the loss of the Native American culture. I also reviewed several websites containing information on Native Americans and reservations. These sites, along with some articles, helped me to find some of the current problems with Native American reservations. When I read some of these websites and articles, I couldn’t believe the conditions that Native Americans were subjected to. One of the most important and insightful parts of my journal, I think, is the book review and poetry/song review that I did. I reviewed a book called Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie that showed the Native Americans’ perspective of reservations, and the everyday struggles they dealt with. The songs in the book also enlightened me and gave me a deeper look into the struggles of the Native Americans. The particular song that I reviewed was the one that touched me the most. Reading about Native American reservations from a Native American’s perspective, really showed me the pain and hardships they had. The literature by Native Americans draws readers into their experience, and their losses. The literature depicts the things that they have sacrificed, as well as the few things they were able to hold on to. In my search, I discovered that most of my ideas about reservations were wrong. The nice tourists’ perspective of reservations is far different when viewed from the eyes of the residents on the reservations. Although one might think that reservations were made to preserve the Native American culture, they were really created to confine the Native American culture. It is mainly through their literature that we can hear their voice, understand their loss, and appreciate their survival.

History

The history of Native American reservations begins with a history of violence and force bestowed upon the Native American people. White settlers tried to do everything in their power to oppress the Native Americans and their culture, while the Native Americans tried to hold on. In the 1820s, some members of the Cherokees developed their own constitution to maintain ownership over their territory. In response, some states made it “illegal for a Native American to bring legal action against a white man” (Indian Reservation 1). Some political leaders of the United States thought that it would be in the best interest of the country to place all Native Americans into one designated area. Andrew Jackson was the first political leader to suggest an Indian reservation. After much influence and persuasion, he got congress to pass the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Although many people believe that reservations were created out of sympathies for the Native Americans, they are wrong. I knew that white settlers stole the Native Americans’ land, and I always thought reservations were a way to apologize to the Native Americans for what they took from them. However, they were really created to confine the Native American culture in hopes of assimilating Native Americans into the American way of life. In one speech, Andrew Jackson said that reservations “will separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of white; enable them to pursue happiness in their own way and under their own rude institutions; will retard the progress of decay, which is lessening their numbers, and perhaps cause them gradually, under the protection of the government and through the influence of good counsels, to cast off their savage habits and become an interesting, civilized, and Christian community” (American Indians 1). I guess they thought that the Native Americans should have been grateful that they left something for them. And if that was not a great enough insult to their culture, Andrew Jackson further proposed to remove them from all “good” farmland. After that, the trend to remove Native Americans from their own land onto reservations increased. In fact, “in October 1838 about 15,000 Cherokees began what was later to be known as the Trail of Tears” (Indian Reservations 1). During the 800 mile journey, they suffered serious injuries and about 4,000 Native Americans died. It is even believed that the Federal Agents who guided them on their journey made some mistakes, which made their journey even more horrendous and deadly. Once the Native Americans were placed on reservations, the government did send them food and supplies, but it was only the basics needed for survival. Over the years many more battles between Native Americans and white settlers ensued, and many more Native Americans were forced onto reservations. From this research, I found that reservations were never meant to help the Native Americans. Instead, they were created as a pen to keep the Native Americans out of the way. They hoped that if they stayed there long enough in deplorable situations, they would want to assimilate into the dominant culture. The history of reservations definitely fits into the concept of “voiceless and choiceless.” The Native Americans had no voice in deciding their fate, and they had no choice in a government that overlooked them.

Acts Passed

With the establishment of reservations, several different acts were passed by congress. The acts that were passed by congress not only invaded the territory of Native Americans, but showed them that their way of life was not a concern to the United States. From 1816-1846 the Indian Removal Act was in place, which forced Native Americans to move west of the Mississippi. Some of the Native Americans relocated through treaties, but many were removed through deceit or violence. As the white settlers took over more and more land, the government was running out of room to move the Native Americans to. As a result, they were forced onto reservations like animals being herded. At this point, I had stop and ask myself, how is it that people who resided on the land first, were now reduced to a small section of land controlled by their captors? I guess this was just one more loss to the Native Americans’ way of life. Reservations continued to thrive from 1865-1890. Most of the reservations were established by Native Americans agreeing to give up their land for money and other goods. Some may say that it was their choice, but really they hand no choice. The dominant culture was going to gain control of them no matter what they did. They were just trying to survive under the pressure and force of the government. In 1853, the commissioner of Indian Affair’s passed the Allotment Act, which was created to weaken “tribal power to control large blocks of land and allow as much white settlement of tribal lands as possible” (Treaty Rights 1). Then the Native Americans went through the “termination period” from 1944-1958. During this time, the government decided to persistently force Native Americans to assimilate into the dominant culture. The government tried to encourage Native Americans to leave the reservations by ignoring economic development on reservations. In fact, the BIA assisted in training Native Americans so they could find jobs off the reservations. It may have seemed like they were trying to help the Native Americans, but they were not even thinking of them. They were thinking of how they could con the Native Americans into leaving behind their “savage” culture and adopting the culture of “civilized” peoples. The approach that has generally been practiced with Native Americans from 1961-present is the idea of self-determination. This is the idea that “Indigenous Nations are basic governmental units and that Indigenous nations possess certain sovereign powers to exercise government, enter into agreements, and develop and protect natural resources” (Treaty Rights 2). The only problem is that reservations remain in a deplorable condition, and the Native Americans’ needs continue to be ignored.

Website Review

I reviewed two different websites that have an abundance of information pertaining to the life and culture of Native Americans. These are very informative sites that should give people an insight into Native American culture. One of the sites also offers some information about reservations. These sites are great for anybody to visit, and offer a wide range of knowledge for all people.

www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/reservations/

This site is full of information and links regarding Native American reservations and Native American ancestry. There is one link called “Reservation history” that offers a brief account of the establishment of reservations. There is also another link titled “Reservations as of 2003.” This link offers a list of reservations, by state, that are in the United States. Closer to the top of the web page are links titled “1900 Indian Territory Census,” and “Dawes Commission Index, 1898-1914.” Dawes Commission index is a database that has a significant amount of records available for Native Americans. Among these records are death and birth certificates, marriage licenses, and decisions made by Dawes Commission. This is a great link for Native Americans who are searching for some record or part of their past or ancestry. On the right-hand side of the web page is a list of many different helpful links to go to. Some of the links describe different Tribal Rolls, and chiefs and leaders of Native Americans. One of the links even provides a list of online books available for people to read. There is also a link that connects to a list of different Native American nations. Towards the bottom, on the right-hand side is a list of different books, DVDs, and videos pertaining to Native Americans. I think this would be a great site for teachers to find reading and viewing material for their classes. Also, the fact that the website offers records of past events and ancestry can be really helpful to Native Americans. Things that were once part of their oral tradition can now be viewed in a written format.

www.thewildwest.org/native_american/

Another website that I reviewed offered a variety of information on the Native American culture. I actually enjoyed this website a little more than the first. This website seems to be easier to follow, and offers a wider range of information about Native Americans. When the website first pops up, it has several different topics that you can click on to get information. Along with the topics, are colorful icons associated with the subject. One of the topics is called “faces.” This link lists some famous figures in the Native American culture, and also discusses the way the Native American culture has been romanticized instead of appreciated. There is also a link titled “society,” which describes the different Indian tribes. Another link is called “wisdom,” which offers many different quotes and sayings from different tribes. This link allows people to see some of the perspectives and feelings of the Native Americans. There are also links titled “legends” and “art,” which tells some of the legends pertaining to Native Americans, and describes different Native American art. Another link on the website, which is called “places,” offers a list of the dates and locations for different pow wows in the United States. This could be very helpful for people looking to experience some of the Native American’s culture. I really liked this website because the information is direct and simple, so everyday people can grasp part of the Native American culture. The website would be a great site for someone to go to in order to get a quick overview of the culture.

Book Review

In order to truly get the Native Americans’ perspective on reservations I read a book written by a Native American male named Sherman Alexie. The story he tells is from the Native Americans’ perspective, and he uses dry, sarcastic humor to reveal the hardships the Native Americans had to deal with on reservations. The book, titled Reservation Blues, centers around several young adults living on a reservation. The main characters are Thomas Builds-the-Fire, Victor, Junior Polatkin, Chess, and Checkers. Fed up with the dead-end, oppressed life of the reservation, they decide to form a band called Coyote Springs. Also, Thomas receives a guitar that seems to follow him wherever he goes. Throughout the book, the guitar takes on a life of its own and speaks to Thomas. Through their music, the band tries to console themselves and the other Native Americans on the reservation. However, the Native Americans seem to shun the group when they leave for New York. Thomas looks at the reservation as a cage, keeping him from ever being happy. Alexie says, “Thomas thought about all the dreams that were murdered here, and the bones buried quickly just inches below the surface, all waiting to break through the foundations of those government houses built by the Department of Housing and Urban Development” (Alexie 7). This statement really reveals the loss of the Native American people. It describes how many Native Americans fought and died to save their culture, only for their family to be confined to a reservation. It also seems to show the resentment of the Native Americans towards government assistance. The book really offers a heart-breaking account of Native American reservations. It shows the many losses and struggles that the Native Americans deal with on a daily basis. Alcohol, suicide, unemployment, and poverty are a common part of the reservation. However, Alexie doesn’t seem to harp on the condition of the reservation, but instead, subtly drops details that one can’t help to notice. In the book, the people on the reservation seem to be so use to the hardships described that they are indifferent to them. Alexie says, “the reservation tugged at the lives of its Indians, stole from them in the middle of the night, watched impassively as the horses and salmon disappeared” (Alexie 97). In this statement, Alexie describes how the reservation has sucked the life out of the Native Americans. It is suppose to help them, but it just destroys them. Instead of preserving some of the Native American culture, the reservation is depleting the culture. The residents of the reservation become victims of the environment. There is no more salmon, no more horses; the old way of life has become lost. Yes, some of the Native Americans are surviving, but their souls and culture are dying. This book is a really great book to read to better understand the Native Americans’ perspective of reservations. It also gives a personal insight into the Native Americans’ struggle between loss and survival.

Poetry/Lyric Review

As I mentioned earlier, Reservation Blues contained several different songs or poems written by Sherman Alexie. In the book, the poems served as songs that Thomas was writing for the band to perform. However, looking at the songs more closely, one can see that the songs have so much to offer in themselves. Although I really enjoyed the book, the songs just really jumped out at me. The meaning and depth of feelings really showed the loss of the Native Americans. The lyrics in the songs described the horror of the Native American experience. Yet, even with all the horror, one can still hear the beat of the Native Americans’ drums in the rhythm. The following is just one of the many songs in the book that I thought would be important to share:

Small World

Indian boy takes a drink of everything that killed his brother

Indian boy drives a car through the rail, over the shoulder

Off the road, on the rez, where survivors are forced to gather

All his bones, all his blood, while the dead watch the world shatter

Chorus:

But it’s a small world

You don’t have to pay attention

It’s the reservation

The news don’t give it a mention

Yeah, it’s a small world

Getting smaller and smaller and smaller

Indian girl disappeared while hitchhiking on the old highway

Indian girl left the road and some white wolf ate her heart away

Indian girl found naked by the river, shot twice in the head

One more gone, one more gone, and our world fills with all of our dead

(repeat chorus)

                                                                                                (Alexie 245-246).

I think that this song is so powerful, and it seems to sum up the Native American experience. There is not much to do on the reservation, so they turn to alcohol or death. Many girls end up the victims of white men, but nobody outside the reservation seems to notice. In fact, the news seems to overlook the alcoholism, suicide, rape, and murder that go on in the reservation. The reservation is a small world that no one notices, but it is their world. It is the place that they can call home. Alexie points out that the world is “getting smaller and smaller.” Most of the Native Americans seem to be dying or assimilating into the dominant culture. The reservation has been corrupted so much that they either have to leave or suffer. This poem really outlines the life of the Native Americans, and I would recommend reading all of the poems or songs in the book.

Conclusion 

During my search for the connection of Native American reservations with the Native Americans’ struggle between loss and survival, I discovered some eye opening information. In the beginning of my search, I had no idea what the history of reservations was. As I uncovered more information about the history, I became more aware of the horror of reservations. They were not established to help the Native American people, but were established to hinder their way of life. Along with the history of Native American reservations, I also learned about the different acts passed against the Native Americans. The acts passed had no regard or respect for the Native American culture. Native Americans not only suffered great loss because the white settlers took their land, but also because they crammed them into reservations and greatly changed their lifestyle. As a result of their loss, many Native Americans turned to alcohol, suicide, and violence. To the Native Americans, the reservation is a constant reminder of what they lost. The book review and song review really gave me an insight into the feelings of Native Americans. Alexie was really able to capture the feelings that Native Americans had of the reservations they lived on. Although he is often sarcastic, he allows the reader to see inside the characters and see their pain. I really started to understand the pain and loss of the Native Americans. In fact, Alexie’s account of reservations made me regret the lack of recognition that I had previously given to the Native Americans. I kind of viewed reservations as a separate world from our own. However, the dominant culture should be responsible for the condition of the reservations, and do something to improve them. The songs that I spoke of really did contribute to the meaning of the book, but they were also very touching and important by themselves. I did not feel that I would be doing Alexie’s portrayal of reservations or my own feeling justice, if I did not include in my journal one of the songs he wrote. I thought it would give people even more of an insight into the loss of the Native Americans. Through all my research, I learned that the Native American people have lost so much, physically and emotionally, over the years. Their land was taken from them, but even more heart-wrenching, their culture was taken away. The establishment of reservations was never intended to right the wrongs done to the Native Americans. In fact, the dominant culture tried their best to assimilate the Native Americans into society. The conditions of the reservations further contributed to the initial loss of the Native Americans. They are forced to live in poverty, and they lack many resources available to society outside of the reservation. Even though they cannot fully resume their way of life, they continue to survive as best as they can. I do not think that people could even begin to understand the trials that Native Americans have been through, if it wasn’t for literature. Native American authors allow people to see their world and hear their experience. I learned so much about the history of reservations and the Native Americans’ perspective of reservations. Before, I never even thought about the conditions and loss that the Native Americans deal with, and now I don’t think I could ever forget. 

Works Cited

Alexie, Sherman. Reservation Blues. Atlantic Monthly Press: New York, 1995.

American Indians. Civil Rights-Law and History/American Indians. 9 January 2002.

www.usdoj.gov/kidspage/crt/indian.htm

Bartlett, Donald, Steele, James, (2002). “Wheel of Misfortune.” Time, 160 (25), 44-49.

Daly, Dan. Housing Remains Tight in Indian Country. Rapid City Journal. Our Way of Life. 3 March 2002.

www.rapidcityjournal.com/census2002/story07.htm

Frantz, Klaus. Indian Reservations in the United States. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1999.

Gough, Robert. Comments on Climate Changes Initiatives and Indian Tribes. 16 October 2002.

www.umac.org/climate/Papers/pg88-91.html

History and Facts about Indian Education. American Indian Education Foundation. 5 January 2004. www.aiefprograms.org/history_facts/history.html

Indian Reservation History. 1 January 2004.

www.accessgenalogy.com/native/tribes/reservations/rezhistory.htm

Indian Wars. Skyhawks Native American Dedication. 5 January 2001.

www.gbso.net/skyhawk/indianwa.htm

Round Valley Indian Reservation History. Covelo.net. 1 November 2003. www.covelo.net/tribes/pages/tribes_history.shtml

Spanger, George. Treaty Rights-Understanding the Conflict. 17 February 1997.

www.fw.umn.edu/Indigenous/history.htm