LITR 4332: American Minority
Literature
Student Poetry Presentation 2005
Chrystos
(Lieve Snellings), www.thegully.com/essays/gaymundo/
020313_chrystos_native_gay.html
Chrystos,
“I Have Not Signed a Treaty with the United
States Government,” UA 304
Reader:
Theresa Mullins
Respondent:
Jennifer Nall
Biographical
Information:
Chrystos, a Menominee poet and self-educated writer, was born November 7,
1946 in San Francisco, CA. As a Lesbian of mixed-blood ancestry, Menominee
(father) and Lithuanian/Alsace Lorraine (mother), Chrystos identifies with her
father's ancestry instead of her mother's. She was raised in the city within a
mixed cultural setting and identifies herself as an Urban Indian. The works of
Chrystos are considered very outspoken by many because of her strong political
viewpoints as a Native land and treaty rights activist and personal experiences.
“Her political poems fight against invisibility and silence of Native
Americans as well as their abuse by dominant culture.”
The works of Chrystos include five books of poetry: Dream
On, Not Vanishing, Fugitive
Colors, In Her I Am and Fire Power.
As a recipient of the “1991 Lannan Literary Award for Poetry”, the
work of Chrystos has also appeared in numerous anthologies including This
Bridge Called My Back and Making
Face/Making Soul.
Literary
Objectives:
Objective
1b: “Voiceless & Choiceless;
Voice = Choice
Chrystos
uses this poem to clarify that the Native American people still have a voice as
well as rights, despite the injustices of the past.
Objective
4: To register the minority dilemma
of assimilation or resistance.
The
Native American people want to disown the ideals of the US and its Declaration
of Independence because it does not fairly represent their cultural values.
Objective 5a:
To discover the power of poetry . . . .
to help “others” hear the minority voice and vicariously share the
minority experience.
Words are a powerful tool and Chrystos uses this avenue of expression, as
a powerful political activist, to speak against society’s dominant cultures
treatment of the Native American minorities.
Interpretation
from Previous Student:
Chrystos's work as Native Land and treaty rights activist definitely
speaks out in this poem. This poem depicts unhappiness, resistance toward
assimilation, and a total disregard for the “American Dream.” The title and
the first three stanzas acknowledge how her ancestors were not contributors to
the United States and its treaties regarding the American Indians which focus on
Obj. 1b. Chrystos also disregards the idea of being considered a United States
due to the exiling suffered from American Indians due to the establishment of
Indian reservation (Obj. 4) Therefore, Chrystos considers the “American
Dream” an “illusion” a “nightmare.” DC
My
Personal Interpretation:
Within the lines of this powerful and unconventional poetry, Chrystos
gives a voice to Native American people forced into assimilation throughout the
years. The struggles Chrystos addresses begin with the rules and values imposed
on their culture by the Declaration of Independence and other treaties. Chrystos
points out that her ancestors were not part of these agreements and they do not
represent their cultural values or heritage. The words throughout this poem reflect strong feelings of
resentment brought about by years of discrimination of Native American people
being treated as uncivilized and inferior race.
Perhaps one of the main points that Chrystos makes in this poem is that
Native American people are still an important part of this country's heritage
and their voice counts. The Native
American people have their own dream and should not be forced to assimilate to
the dominate culture’s American Dream.
Questions:
1. The
overall tone of this poem is one of defiance and resistance toward assimilation.
What do you think is the meaning of these lines and what is its
importance in the poem?
“We revoke your immigration
papers your assimilation soap
suds your stories are not
good your colors hurt our
feet our eyes are sore our bellies are tied in sour knots”
2. Do
you think that Chrystos’s poetic style or lack thereof is her form of a
political statement against reform? What
are some examples of this within the poem?
3. How
would you judge the effectiveness of this poem and its message?
What aspects won you over or didn’t, to her cause?
Bibliography:
http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Bios/entries/chrystos.html
The Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin:
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