Ed Barker's Experience In Contemporary America

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There are many aspects of Ed Barker’s experience that are similar to Native American experiences in contemporary America. Ed is a second generation Native American who was raised and lived outside of a reservation. He was not taught his heritage, customs or tribal language which is what has been experienced by Native Americans over the last 150 years (McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Preto, 2005). His grandmother left the reservation because there was no future on the reservation (poor economic conditions and poor survival conditions related to lack of (promised support) from the Federal Government (McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Preto, 2005)). He learned many Native American values from his father, even though his father did not share the heritage. He learned the importance of honor, decency, respect, …show more content…

Ed Barker did not know much of his own heritage and culture since his father thought it was better from him not to go down that road (Garzon Interview A, 5:45). This is different because Native Americans value heritage and culture and teach and share these with their children. Much of his heritage was kept from him and he was not allowed to follow or find a tribal identification (Garzon Interview A, 1:35). Since his grandmother had left the reservation and they did not identify themselves as Native American to avoid being stigmatized, stereotyped, and limited, he had no experience of the larger extended family that is part of that culture (McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Preto, 2005). Displaying a pantraditional inclination, he had a desire to find out who he was even though his family would not tell him, eventually finding out more information when his father passed (Garzon Interview A, 4:40). Though his father seemed accultured and assimilated, he chose not to share the heritage he knew, which is different from contemporary Native American

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