Ceremony By Leslie Marmon Silko: Summary

Throughout the events that transpire in the novel “Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko. We are granted a glimpse into the life of a native American from the Laguna tribe named Tayo. We witness Tayo’s recovery from Battle Fatigue; now known as PTSD, which he contracted while fighting in WW2. throughout the novel, we witness Tayo’s interactions with the people around him, as he tries to cope with his demons. Through these interactions we also get a feel about how Tayo fits in with his community. Tayo may be a damaged man, however there are people, who he becomes close to, that help him work through his problems and enable him to be restored to his former self.
Throughout the novel, we are greeted with the kind and gentle people who Tayo is able

to form a bond with. One of the most prominent is his uncle Josiah. Josiah a farm hand by all accounts was an honest, and hard-working man. As a way to benefit his family and his tribe Josiah decided to purchase a batch of Mexican cattle from a relative of the night swan, who he was seeing at the time. To Tayo, Josiah is a friend, a teacher, and a father figure who Tayo looks up to and admires. While Tayo was off fighting in the pacific theater during the war Josiah passes away. this leaves Tayo devastated, because before Tayo left Josiah had something he wanted to tell him, though he never learned what. Tayo feels that he has let Josiah down, because while he wasn’t able to help either from the war or his recovery. The cattle that Josiah spent is life savings on had managed to disappear and no one has been able to find them. Though toward the end of the novel Tayo is able to locate them; and after he releases them from their captivity on Floyd Lee’s land. Now that Tayo has recovered the cattle that meant so much to Josiah, he feels that Josiah is proud and he can finally rest.
Another person who is close to Tayo is his other uncle Robert. Robert like Josiah was a farm hand and also an honest-hardworking man. Robert is the one who takes Tayo to see old Betonie after he decides he wants to be cured. Robert also helps Josiah to take care of the cattle until they disappear, then later help Tayo with them after they are recovered. Robert also helps warn Tayo toward the end of the novel that Emo has been shooting his mouth off claiming that Tayo is insane; which leads to some white men trying to find Tayo to take him back to the hospital. Because of Roberts warning Tayo is able to sneak away from the cabin before they show up. Robert appears to be rather gruff but he cares for Tayo and at times seems to treat him as a son of his own.
Ts’eh who we encounter only a few times during the book is another of the characters who Tayo bonds with.

Tayo first meets Ts’eh by following the stars that Betonie tells Tayo to watch for. Tayo first meets Ts’eh at her home at the foot of the mountain. She sees Tayo approach and is wary at first; asking him what his intentions were and why he was there. After Tayo explains the ceremony, he is following and his desire to get his cattle back. The woman starts to warm to him and invites him in for dinner. They end up spending the night in each other’s company, then in the morning Tayo leaves and begins to venture up one of the narrow mountain trails. We wouldn’t see the woman again until after Tayo found the cattle. After the cattle are set free, and Tayo is able to move again, Tayo starts to make his way back down the hill. After a while Tayo starts to hear a Laguna hunting song. a few minutes later Tayo finds the hunter who is singing the song even though he isn’t of the Laguna Tribe. They travel down the mountain back to the cabin were Tayo spent the night with Ts’eh. Tayo is embarrassed thinking that he slept with another man’s wife, but to set him at ease the hunter brings up that Ts’eh has his cattle. Tayo is lead to the pen where they have the cattle trapped, Tayo notices some missing hair on some of the cattle, and Ts’eh mentions that they were being used for rodeo events by the white men. Tayo leaves Ts’eh stating that he would come back soon in order to collect the

cattle. However, When Tayo and Robert return to the house they find it empty and abandoned, but the cattle have been properly fed. Although Ts’eh been seen for a while Tayo cannot stop dreaming about her, this is a good sign for Tayo because the unpleasant dreams that used to keep him awake have now been replaced with pleasant dreams about a woman he cares about. While Tayo is back at the ranch, he wanders up into the mountains, where he finds Ts’eh camping out. Ts’eh and Tayo spend their days together, Tayo caring for the cattle, and Ts’eh gathering, and teaching Tayo about the plants in the area that will be important to their ceremony. Although there is one plant that Ts’eh says is not ready yet. She shows Tayo the plant and explains what to do with the plant: just in case she is unable to take care of it herself. Eventually the time comes when Ts’eh has to leave, this of course upsets Tayo because he has grown fond of her, but he knows that he has to let her go. Ts’eh is probably one of the most helpful when it comes to curing Tayo: she fills him with positive, and pleasant thoughts, instead of dread and despair.
Finally, we have the medicine man old Betonie.

Betonie lives in Gallup; and like Tayo has green eyes, due to being half Mexican. Tayo listens to what Betonie has to say, he also notes that the cure Betonie wishes to use is exactly what the white doctors in California said to avoid. Tayo is warry of Betonie, but starts to warm up to him as they talk. Tayo agrees to let Betonie perform his ceremony. They travel up into the hills up to the site where Betonie says they will hold the first part of the ceremony. Betonie performs the ceremony for Tayo, then after words they talk, and Betonie tells Tayo about the stars he must follow, the woman he must meat, and the mountain he must climb in order to find Josiah’s cattle and be cured. Betonie gives Tayo the guidance he needs to see that he gets better. Without Betonie giving him a task to complete Tayo might not have recovered from the despair that was haunting

him.
Throughout Tayo’s Journey he encountered plenty of people who were optimistic, and allowed him to seek help. The people Tayo encountered include: Josiah, Robert, Ts’eh, and old Betonie. In their own way they allowed him to be the man he was always meant to be, and helped him to get through a difficult time in his life. Without them who is to say that Tayo wouldn’t have succumbed to the evil witchery that was plaguing the land.