Long Standing Woman Summary

Winona LaDuke is a famous social activist who majorly fights for indigenous rights. In 2000 and 1996, she acted as the vice-presidential contender on the Green Party label led by Ralph Nader. Her White Earth reservation work encompasses creating community-based organizations, as well as engaging in court cases. Noteworthy, she writes both fiction and non-fiction. Long Standing Woman, published in 1997, is among her best-known works. The book traces seven Anishinaabe generations’ lives.

Women and Religion

Religion infiltrated each part of women’s lives. The beliefs the women held had a great influence on the way they viewed themselves and the world. It implies that religion had an effect on every role and thing that was connected to women’s

lives. It was because of the religion that women associated people, dreams, animals and plants with a deeper meaning. Their religion brought unique meaning to all the things that they encountered each day. Often, women participated in different ceremonies, which made them be associated with the importance they held (LaDuke 19). Moreover, it was a devout lifestyle to participate in religious rituals. These included the Pow Wow, Sunrise ceremony, Shake Tent ceremony, fasting vision quests, as well as the rite of passage or initiation ceremonies.
In a bid to demonstrate their honesty, women had the tendency of using tobacco.

It was believed that tobacco went before a question, prayer, or request that was to be received peacefully. Whenever the women were making a request, tobacco was used and this was seen as the most respectful and honorable way of presenting requests. Considering that religion made the native people to treat all things with high regard, the women placed spiritual significance on various animals including the eagle. However, there is a need to emphasize that women were only being obedient to the way of life as opposed to being bound by religion. They were a nature element. They were at the forefront of advocating for animals and birds’ rights. Essentially, the role religion played among the native women changed significantly after the Christians, missionaries and other visitors arrived. In page 75, Charlotte rocks her sister while softly singing a hymn she had learnt from Agwajiing’s religious instruction. This is an indication that the women were very serious on religion and it permeated many aspects of their

lives.
Basic Functions of Women
Based on the book, the stories of the women are notably remarkable when compared to the American women’s role in public life.

The White Earth Anishanaabe women singers embodied a vision of solid leadership. Regardless of the fact that the lead singer in all the performances was a man, the women in the singing group were required to stand, as well as make public addresses in community gatherings and wakes. Clearly, women were more active in ensuring that all the Camp Justice work was progressing well (Driscoll 23). These women also had to spend several nights in jail because of civil disobedience cases. Essentially, the women’s basic functions were supported fully by the older men who offered their support from the sidelines. Because of the significance of the women’s basic functions, they were valued highly as successful leaders in the cultural, political, as well as spiritual arenas (Salaita 34). It was the role of the women to care for the ailing ones. For example, ‘Charlotte gathered her sibling closer now, rocking, rocking, kissing her head’ (LaDuke

73).

How the Introduction of Christianity and Missionaries Affected the Women
Following the arrival of the Christians and missionaries, hymn-singing groups appeared. Women played a central role in these groups. Consistent with the wider cultural folklorized critique, the White Earth Anishanaabe women have always been deliberate in attempting to address the divisive religion boundaries in their lives, as well as through their music (Salaita 29). One of the divisive social life axes among these women has been the observed restrictions between religious traditions. After the arrival of the missionaries and Christians, there are both ardent non-Christians as well as Christians; some of these can be characterized as the traditional religion practitioners. A majority of the women became Protestant Episcopalians or Roman Catholics. There are also women who departed from the historical affiliations and became part of the Pentecostal fellowships, Missionary Alliance, and Seventh-Day Adventists. By joining these religions, women became detached from the strict religion view and started practicing what the missionaries and Christians were doings. While this caused criticism from the traditional elders, the women were comfortable with their new way of life. In page 69 and 70, there is a narration between the white people and the locals. Evidently, the locals are irritated with the whites as they are ruling them forcefully and confiscating what they own. The local women are therefore afraid of carrying out their normal activities as usual because of fear.
The Meaning of the Book’s Title to the Women
The book’s title is powerful and through it, the lives of 7 Anishinaabe generations has been presented. There is a lot of information beginning from the first contact they had with the Whites during the 1860s until the amazingly utopian climax during the early next century’s conditions. The title, Last Standing Woman, portrays the significance women had in the society. The women characters in this book are as fully realized and vital as those in Louise Erdrich’s novel. However, these characters do not dwell in the quiet desperation life presents to them and as Erdrich views it. Instead, LaDuke, through the powerful title, finds ways for the women to surmount the circumstances in which they live and provide support for each other. Following a presentation on the lives of different women mentioned in Last Standing Woman, the chronicle by LaDuke moves to the drums beat symbolizing Native culture, as well as its survival regardless of the odds (Biegert 54).
Many people take it that through this narration, the author is advocating for and supporting the vital role that women have in this society. After reading the book, women would themselves feel encouraged to survive, adapt, and overcome despite the challenges they face daily. The women characters in the book are incredibly strong since they have the ability to overcome alcoholism, death of the loved ones, diabetes, starvation, abuse, and adversity among others. The book is clear on highlighting the strength and history of the Anishinaabe, as well as the adversity they experience as opposed to the loss and sadness.
Conclusion
Concisely, Long Standing Woman followed the 7 generations in order to show the gradual changes that the people had experienced, particularly after the arrival of the missionaries, Christians and other visitors. At the start, the strong affirmation women had to religion and their basic functions is evident. However, people started embracing the foreigners’ way of life gradually until they were left with literally no solid identity. The Native Americans were teased and tricked by the White settlers out of their cultural land and methodically set out to ruin their culture. In this book, LaDuke takes the readers on the journey from tribulations to sovereignty as the nation attempts to keep its culture, land and tribal rights. In the author’s note, LaDuke mentions that there are some characters that are true and, therefore, the reader can actually connect the story to lives of these women. Essentially, the book can be seen as commanding narrative of the people’s heritage. Moreover, the reader can clearly gain an insight regarding the native women’s strength to survive, overcome and adapt. People have a lot to learn from reading this book.