“My People the Sioux” is a fine literary piece published in 1928. Some people feel this book leaves an unforgettable impact since it increases one’s empathy for Native Americans. Luther Standing Bear, better known as Plenty Kill, depicts the dramatic and traumatic changes affecting the Sioux nation during their traditional way of life.
It starts off with the white man’s perspective then switches to the Sioux point of view. The book does an amazing job at describing what happened to the Sioux people when the white man came into their land. It is a story that needs to be read by everyone.
Many tragedies occurred during this time such as, the massacre at Wounded Knee and the Battle of Little Big Horn. The book does an excellent job at explaining how these events unfolded from the Native Americans’ perspective. It is clear that the white man did not have any respect for the Sioux way of life and culture. All they wanted was to take their land and resources without any regard for the people who lived there.
Luther’s experiences as a young boy caught in the middle of battle between his people and the whites are vividly recounted in this autobiography. It is an invaluable resource that helps us to understand what life was really like during those turbulent times. Luther said something very memorable which has stuck with me since reading it:
“My people the Sioux will never forget what the white man has done to us. We will never give up our fight until we get our land back.” This book is a great way to educate people on the past and how some things haven’t changed much, even today.
The first two lines read: “We didn’t think of the magnificent open prairies, breathtaking rolling hills, and winding streams with entwined greenery as “wild.” Only to the white man was nature a “wilderness” and only to him was land “infested” with “roguish” animals and “savage” people. It was familiar to us. The Earth was generous, and we were surrounded by the blessings of the Great Mystery. It wasn’t until a hairy individual from the east arrived with brutal rage and heaped wrongs upon us and our families that it became “wild” for us.
When the very animals of the forest began fleeing from his approach, then it was that for us the “Wild West” began.”
It is from a book called “My People the Sioux” and it is about how white people’s perception of what is “wild” changed the landscape for Native Americans. Originally, the land was full of life and blessings from the Great Mystery. But when white people came, they brought with them a sense of violence and destruction. The animals fled and the Native Americans were left with a feeling of loss.
This telegraph dispatch was made many months later, and it tells of the time around May 1885 when the famous figure of today’s tale emerged. But because he had no weapons with which to defend himself, his thirst for hunting soon drove him into a furious battle with two fierce Indian braves. He fled down a narrow ravine and into another forested area where he struck camp in order to refresh himself. When
When the first white men entered the land of the Sioux, they were met with much hostility. The Sioux had no problem killing these men, as they saw them as a threat to their way of life. The white men were seen as nothing more than greedy invaders who wanted nothing more than to take the Sioux land and resources.
This animosity between the two groups continued for many years, and was only exacerbated by the actions of the US government. The government implemented various policies that favored the white settlers while discriminating against the Native Americans. This only served to further fuel the fire of resentment between the two groups.
Today, there is still a lot of tension between Native Americans and white Americans. While some progress has been made in recent years, there is still a long way to go in terms of reconciling the two groups.
The Indian way of life is quite different from the average white person, but with an open mind, we could learn a lot from each other. If we respected each others customs and lifestyle choices, the world would be a more peaceful place. Everyone would benefit form Showing kindness and understanding to those who are different than us.
Luther Standing Bear was Chief of the Oglala and the author of “My People the Sioux”. In his book, he speaks of how the white man’s ways are very different from those of the Sioux. Let us look at some of these ways and see if we can find a middle ground to live by.
The first big difference is that the white man lives in houses while the Sioux choose to live in teepees. While it may be more comfortable for some to live in a house with four walls and a roof, there are advantages to living in a teepee. Teepees are easier to take down and set up which is perfect for when the Sioux needed to move locations.
They are also made out of natural resources like buffalo skins and tree limbs which allows them to seamlessly blend in with their surroundings. The white man’s houses are made of wood which can be seen from a distance and does not provide the same level of camouflage.
There is also a difference in the way that food is acquired and prepared. The white man goes to the store and buys his food while the Sioux go out and hunt for theirs. This allows the Sioux to have a much more intimate relationship with their food. They know where it came from and what it took to get it which makes them appreciate it more. It also means that they only eat when there is food available instead of being able to eat whenever they want. This can be seen as a positive or negative depending on how you look at it.
