The link above will direct you to an article regarding the plans to privatize Native American land. Native American reservations cover a measly 2 percent of the United States. However, within this land, there is about a fifth of the United States oil, gas, and vast coal reserves. The new president of the United States (Donald Trump) is being advised to free those resources. By “freeing” these
resources, Native American lands will be put into private ownership; this will take the land away from public treatment. This plan of private ownership is
clearly made to “boost energy production” (as stated in the article), but it
may end up deeply effecting and dividing Native American leaders, which,
according to the article, “hold a range of opinions on the proper balance
between development and conservation.” Although the plan of privatization
could bring in a substantial amount of revenue, many Native Americans view such
efforts as a "violation of tribal self-determination and culture." According to Tom
Goldtooth, (a member of the Navajo and Dakota tribes, who runs the
Indigenous Environmental Network), "privatization has been the goal since
colonization - to strip Native Nations of their sovereignty."
American colonialism can often be used as a feature for
Native American literature. In Louis Erdrich’s “Tracks,” the struggles forced upon Native Americans caused by American colonialism is shown throughout the
book. In the beginning of the book, we immediately learn about the deadly
sickness the Native American people had to endure. Nanapush then talks about food scarcity, diminishing animal
populations, and land being stripped from the Native American people (whether
they liked it or not). On page 2, Nanapush says, “…I saw the passing of times
you will never know. I guided the last buffalo hunt. I saw the last bear shot. I
trapped the last beaver with a pelt of more than two years’ growth. I spoke
aloud the words of the government treaty, and refused to sign the settlement papers
that would take away our woods and lake. I axed the last birch that was older
than I, and I saved the last Pillager.” This particular quote has been mentioned numerous times while discussing "Tracks" in class. Not only is this quote
incredibly powerful, but it stresses the effects of American colonialism almost
as soon as we start reading the book. This suggests that the whole idea of having resources taken away from the Native peoples will be
used as a theme throughout the book. Nanapush then describes another main
character, Fleur. The loss of land greatly affected the relationship between
Fleur and her daughter; her rich land was taken. Her land was a source of personal pride and food. It was taken as a result of the unjust laws of the government of the United States. Fleur abandons her only child believing that the loss of her land/home is a loss of everything else, including motherhood. As shown in "Tracks," the colonization and taking of Native American land has done nothing
but negatively effect the Native American people. As shown in the article, it is
seriously believed that the privatizing of Native American and will also result
in disaster for the Native people. "Tracks" supports the idea that American
colonialism is a common theme in Native American literature… Native American literature usually supports the history of the Natives; sadly, history
tends to repeat itself.
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