The Importance Of Hope In Native American Culture

Native American culture has always been one of great intrigue and significance as they populated the continents of North and South America long before Columbus sailed the ocean blue. However, upon the arrival of the colonists, the livelihood and general freedom of the Native peoples were greatly changed forever. Early encounters led to senseless bloodshed and the relative peace was shattered by the arrival of newcomers. The hope of the people had gone. Over many years, the relationships settled to an uneasy shared livelihood as more and more people flooded across the sea and populated the land. The hope that was once the shining star of the Native peoples had become veiled by the pain and suffering of the past and an uncertain future. As time …show more content…
The loss of hope and subsequent failure to pursue hope means that the light at the end of the tunnel no longer exists in times of trouble and grief. Arnold Spirit lives in such a community that has abandoned chasing hope because it appears to be a folly that exists only in the white-man’s world. The Spokane people had forgotten that without hope the difficult times seem to have no end and the good times are simply fleeting to the big picture. One of the largest factors eroding the hope of the Native American people is the false sovereignty that is attributed to their nations by the Federal government. Although intended to be free and separate nations within the borders of the United States, Native American tribes are being forced to make radical economic decisions to “[protect] the future sovereignty and vitality of Native America” (Neath 709). Gaming is the solution that many tribes across the United States have turned to in order to generate enough income to remain viable nations, however such choices have drawbacks. The process allows opportunities for tribes to reestablish how tribal membership is determined and could strengthen tribal identities once again, but that is not the general trend. The restrictions by outside variables have crafted gaming into a resource production source and “a capitalist project that acts upon indigenous peoples” (Cattelino 29) furthers rifts between traditional culture and the modern tribal identity. While the Spokane do not necessarily turn to gaming, the evidence of their economic deterioration is clear to Arnold and is almost enough to deter him from chasing his dreams. The sight of a generation old textbook drains the hope from Arnold as he realizes that the cycle that the people on the reservation lie within is the product of hopelessness and the contentment with means that are way below the people’s