Welcome to Litsy!

This collection of essays is an eclectic compilation that I truly enjoyed reading. Some essays have insight into Silko‘s novels, others touch on politics, the environment, the Pueblo circular view of time, and her experiences growing up biracial. It definitely made we want to read her novels!

#booked2019 #readingwomenchallenge #indigenousauthor
#nonfiction2019 #anotherPOV
#bookfitnesschallenge 7/8
#MountTBR

In this essay, Silko starts off with a direct attack of one of Barbara Kingsolver‘s books, The Bean Trees. Silko makes the point that when an author writes about another culture or community, in this case the Cherokee, and engages in stereotypes, this type of representation has real-life impacts. Silko puts the adoption story in the cultural context of detribalization.

As it happens, I hated The Bean Trees when I read it.

I had been wondering about the source for the title of this book, and the essay I am currently reading explains it. Yellow Woman (Kochininako) stories are always female-centered and from the Yellow Woman‘s POV. Her name does not refer to her color, but rather the ritual color of the east.

She is adventurous, strong, and often alienated from her own people.

In the Intro, Leslie mentions the Mayan folding books, which I immediately researched.

Only 4 of these codices survived conquest and colonization, since the Franciscan missionaries burned practically all of them in an effort to eradicate the Mayan religion. 😡Some of the codices are reported to have detailed 800 years of history. An early form of banning books, and it's heartbreaking the history and culture that has been lost.

Started this at the pool this morning, which means I read two pages. 😂 It‘s impossible to read at the neighborhood pool over Memorial Day weekend. Taking advantage of some quiet time to try again now. This is my #indigenousauthor pick for #Booked2019