June 27, 2016
Last week I mentioned that after 15 years of research of my great-grandmother and her mother, that I became aware of my colonization into the European-white culture. I also mentioned I knew nothing of my Oneida culture and language. I learned how my grandmothers’ survived attempts by the U.S. Government to assimilate them white. Their courage inspired me to tell their story in my book, Sky Woman Lives in Me. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would write a book, let alone a story about my relatives and me! I didn’t have the best grades in English class. I was always wondering why I looked Indian, but acted white. I always wondered why my great-grandmother had to go to the Carlisle Indian School and then, had to live with a Quaker family in New Jersey. I was told that this Quaker family was Sophia’s family now. Why? I learned that my great-great-grandmother, Elizabeth, had her children taken from her. Elizabeth spoke Oneida and the government tried to force her to just learn and speak English. Why? How come I never met my great grandmother Sophia until she was in her eighty’s? And, how come I didn’t know Elizabeth and I were related, after seeing a photo of her displayed in a museum when I was seven years old? Nothing Native American Indian, nothing Oneida was taught to me. Elder Oneida relatives weren’t discussed, let alone introduced to me growing up, until they were very old! Realizing I have been colonized (raised Euro-White) has been a real eye-opener to me. Not knowing anything about my Oneida culture and language has left me feeling half a person. There’s a part of me, my Oneida self, missing. I was not allowed to learn my Oneida culture or language. Why?
Sky Woman Lives in Me 