LITR 4333: American
Immigrant Literature
Student Poetry Presentation 2006
Chrystos
(Lieve Snellings), www.thegully.com/essays/gaymundo/
020313_chrystos_native_gay.html
14 February 2006
Chrystos,
“I Have Not Signed a Treaty with the United
States Government,” UA 304
Reader:
Theresa Mullins
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
fathers ancestry instead of her mothers. 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
3: American Dream vs. American
Nightmare
§
Differences between immigrants and minorities
Chrystos uses this poem as a
voice for the Native American people to show how, as minorities, they will
continue to fight the forced assimilation into the “American Dream”.
§”social
contracts”
Throughout this poem Chrystos
points out that they (Native American people) do not want any part of the
“social contract”, meaning the “Declaration of Independence”, that they
have been forced on them.
§
similarities between immigrants and minorities
Chrystos reflects how since the
time of her earliest ancestors, her people have suffered from racial and
cultural discrimination by the dominant culture.
This type of experience can definitely be found in the lives of
immigrants.
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 address 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
countries 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 is the intended meaning behind these lines?
“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.
How would you judge the effectiveness of
the author's style?
Bibliography:
http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Bios/entries/chrystos.html
The Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin:
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