In Joshua Whitehead's novel "Jonny Appleseed," Jonny's journey unfolds as a poignant exploration of identity within the Indigenous reserve, marked by the pervasive anti-queer violence rooted in colonial oppression. Through his bond with Kokum, Jonny discovers a sanctuary of acceptance and wisdom amidst the discrimination he faces for his Queer identity. This dynamic underscores the intricate interplay of gender, sexuality, and colonial violence in shaping Jonny's experiences. As Jonny navigates his queer identity in a hostile environment, Kokum's support serves as a beacon of comfort and guidance, illuminating the complex dynamics of Indigenous reserve life. Despite the trauma of colonialism, Jonny finds solace and space for authentic self-expression …show more content…
Specifically, colonial violence imposed heteronormative standards on Indigenous understandings of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, leading to their marginalization and erasure. According to an excerpt from Manuela L. Picq and Josi Tikuna's Sexuality and Translation in Word Politics, colonists struggled to understand and accept Indigenous concepts of sexuality and gender identity. This difficulty arose because these concepts are fundamentally related to each Indigenous community's cultural traditions and perspectives, which went beyond colonialists' simplistic understanding of gender as binary. This sentiment is further emphasized in a quote from the text, stating that "The spectrum of Indigenous sexualities does not fit the confined Western registries of gender binaries, heterosexuality, or LGBT codification." Consequently, colonialism has perpetuated stigma and prejudice against Queer Indigenous individuals within their own native communities. As a result, individuals like Jonny often face a struggle between enduring the consequences of colonial oppression while attempting to assert and express their authentic selves within their communities. In summary, colonial violence imposed heteronormative standards on Indigenous communities, erasing diverse gender identities and sexual …show more content…
For Jonny, much of the discrimination he faces is from the other children and adults on the reservation. The other children routinely harass Jonny for his queerness, including an instance in which they collectively urinate on Jonny (Whitehead, 92–93). The teasing of Jonny by other children reflects a cycle of colonial ideas within Indigenous communities. These children learn these behaviors from the adults in their lives, who themselves inherited these beliefs, causing them to unknowingly perpetuate colonial power dynamics. Another instance of exclusion is when Jonny attempts to visit a traditional Cree sweat lodge with his kokum while wearing a traditional Cree skirt. Jonny is denied entry by an elder because of his skirt and told to replace it with a pair of pants for modesty. This example underscores a form of hypocrisy within Jonny's Indigenous community, as despite attempting to participate in a gathering that celebrates Indigenous culture, Jonny is denied entry for wearing Indigenous clothing that does not align with colonial ideals. This contradiction reflects the community's internalized belief that colonial standards define their cultural authenticity. Ultimately, this discrimination prompted Jonny to leave for Winnipeg in search of greater acceptance. Jonny's experiences reflect a larger goal of colonization: to harm Indigenous
Thomas King uses an oral story-telling style of writing mingled with western narrative in his article “You’re Not the Indian I Had in Mind” to explain that Indians are not on the brink of extinction. Through this article in the Racism, Colonialism, and Indigeneity in Canada textbook, King also brings some focus to the topic of what it means to be “Indian” through the eyes of an actual Aboriginal versus how Aboriginals are viewed by other races of people. With his unique style of writing, King is able to bring the reader into the situations he describes because he writes about it like a story he is telling.
Aboriginal people are struggling to improve their lives while re-discovering their traditional values after years of oppression. In the graphic novel, The Outside Circle, author Patti Laboucane-Benson grapples with the ramifications of government abuses. Laboucane-Benson craftsmanship paints the picture of racial inferiority among First Nations through the residential school trauma, causing readers to ponder the difficult questions of race. Readers observe the novel through Pete’s eyes and follow along on his journey of an identity crisis and self-discovery. The powerful and deeply moving graphic novel reflects the widespread reality regarding manifestation of urban poverty for the First Nations culture through the representation of the injustices
Trauma, abuse, displacement, and feelings of alienation have, and is still plaguing the Aboriginal community. Author Eden Robinson and playwright Constance Lindsay Skinner address the displacement, mistreatment, and abuse the indigenous population has faced, and still faces, in Monkey Beach and Birthright. Both Eden Robinson's novel Monkey Beach, and playwright Constance Lindsay Skinner's Birthright deals with characters who are struggling with trauma and haunted with scars from the past. The authors detail these events and bring the reader into the “shoes” of the characters through characterization, imagery, dialogue, and through revealing intimate memories of the characters. These literary techniques enable the reader to see the parallel between the cyclical, ambiguous state of nature, and the ambiguity in humans and how there is a perpetuating, intergenerational cycle of violence caused by abuse and the mistreatment of the Aboriginal.
The fundamental characteristic of magical realism is its duality, which enables the reader to experience both the character’s past and the present. In the novel, Monkey Beach, Eden Robinson uses this literary device to address the the trauma and mistreatment of the Haisla community in Canada by unveiling the intimate memories of the protagonist, Lisamarie, and the resulting consequences of this oppression. Monkey Beach illustrates how abuse in the past leads to another form of self-medication in the future - a neverending, vicious cycle for the members of the Haisla community. Many characters in Monkey Beach are scarred from childhood sexual abuse and family neglect, and resort to drug and alcohol abuse as a coping mechanism. These appalling memories are an account of the impact of colonization on the Haisla territory which continues to haunt the Aboriginal community throughout generations.
Encountering struggles in life defines one’s character and speaks volumes about their strength, ambition, and flexibility. Through struggles, sacrifice, and tragedy, Junior in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, adapts to survive difficult situations and faces his problems head-on. As he makes life changing decisions, adapts to an unfamiliar culture, and finds himself amongst misery and heartbreak, Junior demonstrates resilience to overcome adversity and struggles.
When an individual belongs to two different disadvantaged classes, the risk of abuse and discrimination multiplies. Thus, Native American women are at a very high risk of violence and sexual abuse. As of 2007, “One in three Native American women will be raped at some point in their lives, a rate that is more than double that for non-Indian women, according to a new report by Amnesty International” (Fears and Lydersen 1). This is exemplified in the novel in the rape, murder and mutilation of Evelyn Rose McCrae and Madeline Jeanette Lavoix. There was the possibility of a third assault and it occurs in front of the two brothers on New Year’s Eve. A car full of white men, one of which Jeremiah believes to be in his history class, pulls up in front of a young pregnant woman whom the young men jeer and proposition. All three women were Native American and in seedy neighbourhoods at the time that they were offered a ‘good time’, and the two were assaulted and murdered. The two assaults and murders were perpetrated by young men, and to be assumed as young white men. Through these encounters we can see how Native women were treated in the city as a twofold minority. In the setting of the city, Native American women are treated as lowly sex objects by the young men in all three instances. They had a lower social status as being both women and Native...
Into the wild is a non-fiction book which expanded from the nine-thousand-word article by Jon Krakauer. This article ran in the January 1993 issue of the magazine Outside. Jon Krakauer was very much drawn toward the tale of McCandless and decided to write his story. He spent more than a year tracking down the details of the boy’s tramp. Then he used matter-of-fact tones to narrate what he chased on the path about the boy. The framework presented in this book can be separated into three parts: (1) retracing, including the interview with most of the important people who once kept company with Chris; (2) wildness, presenting mails generated from readers and several idealists that were in the similar situation with Chris; (3) affection, including the memory of parents, sister and friends.
In the publication Black Sexual Politics: African Americans, Gender, and the New Racism, author Patricia Hill Collins, she discusses sexism, gender and the new racism. Collins discusses that heterosexuality operates as a hegemonic ideology that influences human sexuality, racism, and psychological processes (Collins 2004 p.37). This placement of heterosexuality at the top, positions it as the basis of understanding sexuality. For example Collins illustrates that the term sexuality itself is used so synonymously with heterosexuality that schools, churches, and other social institutions treat heterosexuality as natural, normal, and inevitable (Collins 2004 p.37). This in turn facilitates stigmatization of individuals who engage
The systematic racism and discrimination in America has long lasting effects that began back when Europeans first stepped foot on American soil is still visible today but only not written into the law. This racism has lead to very specific consequences on the Native people in today’s modern world, and while the racism is maybe not as obvious it is still very present. These modern Native peoples fight against the feeling of community as a Native person, and feeling entirely alone and not a part of it. The poem “The Reservation” by Susan Cloud and “The Real Indian Leans Against” by Chrystos examine the different effects and different settings of how their cultures survived but also how so much was lost for them within their own identity.
When a native author Greg Sams said that the reservations are just “red ghettos”, the author David disagree with that. He thinks there must be something else beyond that point. After his grandfather died, he somehow changed his mind. Because he could not think anything e...
Growing up on a reservation where failing was welcomed and even somewhat encouraged, Alexie was pressured to conform to the stereotype and be just another average Indian. Instead, he refused to listen to anyone telling him how to act, and pursued his own interests in reading and writing at a young age. He looks back on his childhood, explaining about himself, “If he'd been anything but an Indian boy living on the reservation, he might have been called a prodigy. But he is an Indian boy living on the reservation and is simply an oddity” (17). Alexie compares the life and treatment of an Indian to life as a more privileged child. This side-by-side comparison furthers his point that
Through these storytelling techniques, King critiques the glorification of colonial figures and events, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging Indigenous perspectives and experiences. The story's use of humor and irony not only engages the reader but also prompts a critical reevaluation of historical documents, highlighting the absurdity and often tragic consequences of the past colonization process. King's approach contributes significantly to challenging and reassessing historical narratives, especially if they relate to Indigenous history and storytelling. By prioritizing Indigenous voices and perspectives, King's narrative endeavors to decolonize history, presenting alternative perspectives that have long been marginalized or silenced. This method of storytelling not only affirms the resilience and adaptability of indigenous cultures but also serves as a poignant reminder of the need for inclusion and respect in historical
Through these storytelling techniques, King critiques the glorification of colonial figures and events, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging Indigenous perspectives and experiences. The story's use of humor and irony not only engages the reader but also prompts a critical reevaluation of historical documents, highlighting the absurdity and often tragic consequences of the past colonization process. King's approach contributes significantly to challenging and reassessing historical narratives, especially if they relate to Indigenous history and storytelling. By prioritizing Indigenous voices and perspectives, King's narrative endeavors to decolonize history, presenting alternative perspectives that have long been marginalized or silenced. This method of storytelling not only affirms the resilience and adaptability of indigenous cultures but also serves as a poignant reminder of the need for inclusion and respect in historical
Many Aboriginal children across Canada are distressed as most of them have difficulty finding their inner quality and enhancements in life. This is visible in the life of Saul Indian Horse, the main protagonist in Richard Wagamese’s “Indian Horse”. Saul has many struggles in his life that he had to overcome, He could have come down a negative path, but instead learns from them. Saul’s personal growth is a result of overcoming racism, surviving residential school and his passion for hockey.