Remembering Zitkála-Šá: Champion of Native American Rights and Culture
Zitkála-Šá, born on February 22, 1876, emerged into the world on the Yankton Indian Reservation. Her upbringing unfolded amidst the reservation's embrace, alongside her mother, a descendant of Sioux Dakota ancestry. Details about her father, of Anglo-American descent, remain scarce.
At the age of eight, Zitkála-Šá encountered missionaries from the White’s Manual Labour Institute in Indiana who journeyed to the Yankton reservation to enroll children into their boarding school. Despite her mother's initial reluctance, influenced by her older brother's return from such a school, Zitkala-Sa herself harboured an eagerness to attend. The allure of the school, painted by the missionaries as a place of wonder, captivated her and her peers, promising train rides and orchards abundant with red apples. After much deliberation, Zitkála-Šá's mother reluctantly consented, torn between the desire to preserve their Dakota way of life and the necessity of providing her daughter with an education, absent within the reservation's confines.
In her autobiography, Zitkála-Šá recollects that upon boarding the train, an immediate sense of regret engulfed her for persuading her mother to permit her departure. The realisation dawned that she was embarking on a journey that would sever her ties with everything familiar for years to come. Unfamiliar with English and confronted with the prohibition of tribal languages at the school, she confronted the stark reality of being compelled to relinquish her Dakota heritage in favour of adopting an "American" culture.
Zitkála-Šá's introduction to the school marked a distressing ordeal. The children were informed that everyone would undergo a haircut, a practice starkly contrasting Dakota culture, where only those deemed cowardly and captured by the enemy received such treatment. Zitkála-Šá resisted vehemently, seeking refuge in an empty room. However, her attempt to evade was short-lived as school staff discovered her concealed beneath a bed. Subsequently, they forcibly extracted her, binding her to a chair and severing her braids amidst her anguished cries. Reflecting on the experience later in life, she conveyed how the school staff displayed a blatant disregard for the children's emotions, likening their treatment to that of "little animals."
Eventually, after a few years, the school permitted Zitkála-Šá a visit to her mother during a break. While at home, her mother urged her to give up schooling and remain at home. Zitkála-Šá's retrospective writings reveal that the visit evoked a sense of melancholy within her, despite this, she chose to return to the school. This decision might echo the sentiments of numerous children who, after experiencing life at the institution, grappled with a sense of estrangement from their reservation. The transformative impact of school life left an indelible mark on her, altering her perception of belonging.
In 1895, Zitkála-Šá completed her studies and enrolled in a teacher training program at Earlham College in Indiana, where she stood out as one of the few Native American students. Later, she transitioned to the New England Conservatory of Music, focusing her studies on the violin. By 1900, she found herself teaching music and speech at the renowned Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, a distinguished institution among the country's boarding schools.
Zitkála-Šá's was employed at the Carlisle School for less than two years, a period fraught with haunting reminders of her own traumatic education. Witnessing the arrival of a fresh cohort of young children, subjected to the same brutal haircutting ritual she endured, stirred profound introspection. She began to challenge the school's ethos, questioning the necessity for children to relinquish their entire culture in pursuit of education. Observing instances of cruel treatment by the staff and uncovering the government's financial incentives tied to the removal of children from reservations further deepened her disillusionment. It became evident to her that these schools were meticulously crafted to systematically eradicate her people's culture.
Zitkála-Šá harnessed her frustrations into a passion for writing, documenting her personal journey and preserving the customs and values instilled by her mother. Her eloquent essays and poignant short stories found a platform in esteemed national publications such as Atlantic Monthly and Harper’s Monthly. In 1901, she achieved a milestone with the publication of her book Old Indian Legends, a compilation of her insightful and culturally rich narratives.
That same year, Zitkála-Šá bid farewell to the Carlisle school and journeyed back to South Dakota. There, she secured a position at the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, providing her with financial stability as she pursued her true calling: crafting stories that celebrated Dakota culture and upheld its cherished values. Amidst her tenure at the Bureau, she crossed paths with Raymond Talesfase Bonnin, a fellow colleague. Their union culminated in marriage in 1902, and they had a son, naming him Raymond.
The family relocated to Utah, where Zitkála-Šá assumed the role of a teacher. Unlike her previous experience, she didn't teach at a boarding school, but rather at a school situated on a Ute reservation, where children resided with their families. During her teaching tenure, she crossed paths with William Hanson, a music professor at Brigham Young University. Collaborating with William,Zitkála-Šá merged her passions for music and writing. Together, they crafted The Sun Dance, an opera inspired by her own essays. Notably, this opera marked a significant milestone as the first published opera authored by a Native American. Recognising the potency of music in transmitting Native American customs orally, Zitkála-Šá viewed it as a compelling medium to disseminate her family's values and connect with a broader audience.
Because many Native American customs were passed down orally through music, Zitkála-Šá believed opera was a powerful way to share her heritage and at the same time reach a new audience.
In 1916, fuelled by a growing desire to advocate for Native rights, Zitkála-Šá and her husband made a pivotal decision to relocate to Washington, D.C. There, she immersed herself in activism, contributing to the causes through her roles at the Society for American Indians and American Indian Magazine. Their collective efforts culminated in the establishment of the National Council of American Indians in 1926, a milestone in their pursuit of Native empowerment and representation. Additionally, Zitkála-Šá took charge of organizing the Indian Welfare Committee on behalf of the National General Federation of Women’s Clubs, further amplifying her impact on indigenous advocacy.
Zitkála-Šá's relationship with the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs soured as she staunchly advocated for the preservation of Native American culture, diametrically opposed to the Bureau's assimilationist agenda. Her tireless activism sparked public consciousness on a myriad of Native American issues, spanning education, economics, employment, health, and religion. Her unwavering commitment catalyzed tangible change in government policy. Representing various organizations and committees, she played a pivotal role in the passage of landmark legislation such as the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924 and the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. These laws facilitated Native Americans' attainment of American citizenship and enabled them to reclaim autonomy from federal oversight.
Despite her passing in 1938, Zitkála-Šá's legacy endures as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come. Her unwavering commitment to preserving Native American culture and advocating for indigenous rights continues to reverberate in the halls of power and the hearts of her people.
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