"The going on" was written much differently from "the setting out". While
"the setting out" was mainly about the Kiowa's history and old stories of
creation, "the going on" focused more on the tribe's outlook on life and how
one should live it. To be honest, "the going on" really kind of pissed me
off. I mean, maybe it was because I am a girl or because I am not a big fan
of conniving plots and sneaky schemes, but the morals of the Kiowa did not
please me at all (if they can even be called morals). From the beginning of
the twelfth story to the eighteenth, there was one moral that resounded
throughout the chapter - wit and cunning.
XII. This first story talked about a couple who were suspicious of all the
meat their child was bringing outside. When the "enemy" walked in, he
admitted to originally planning to kill them, but the food kept him and the
others from murder. The "enemy" asked for food for all of them and would
show mercy in return. The couple, however, did not agree. They smartly
planned an escape and ended up watching their enemies burn to death.
My first reaction to this story was that it was totally messed up - very
different from all the fairy tales and stories I read as a child (okay, I
still read them sometimes). Fairy tales usually went like this: A poor,
revolting creature would ask a prince or princess for something. The
princeor princess would of course be reluctant and refuse with a cold
heart. Thecreature turns out to be magical and casts a curse on the
prince or princesswho learns their lesson and become kind, showing
mercy to those who were in need of it. Long story short, kindness
was rewarded. In this case, however, intelligence and suspicion
was rewarded. The family's reward for their genius plot? Hearing
their enemies scream to their flaming deaths.
XIII. The story following wasn't all that just either. Although the story
starts out innocently with a background on the awesome arrow-making
powers of the Kiowa, it quickly divulges into a man and his wife in a tipi.
He catches something at the corner of his eye and tells his wife in their
language to speak normally. He finishes the arrow and pretends to practice
it, all the while asking if the enemy was a Kiowa and should respond now.
When no response came, the man shot the arrow through the "enemy's"
heart.
Alright, so this story wasn't as messed up as the first one of this chapter,
but nonetheless totally cruel. First of all, it is assumed the person
outside is an enemy. Second of all, he was killed without a word - what if
he was a saint? A Samaritan? Or worse, ME?! I would have had no method
of understanding them, protecting myself, or even begging for my life (which
would end in an instant). My heart would bleed to death and that would be
it. Again, the Kiowa only pride the smart man and his ingenious tactics.
It's not even about the stupid arrow anymore, it's about the hunter and his
brilliant instinct to kill.
So it really makes me question what was right or wrong in their society?
What is different about our society's morals?
Does it make us right? And them wrong? Or the other way around?
Did we have a right to impose our "right" values onto their culture?
And don't even get me started on how they treated the "evil" women...
~C.C.
p.s. I didn't mean to offend anyone, if I did.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A Note on "Right and Wrong" in *Rainy Mountain*
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ReplyDeleteI don't feel pissed off at you at all! I think your ranting is great! We definitely don't have any right to impose our values upon them. Our society is mainly based upon Christian ideals, while it seems they worship certain aspects of nature. I feel that their respect for nature is beautiful, but am also often shocked by their emulation of nature's cruelty.
ReplyDeleteI experienced a similar reaction when reading about the coup tales and how a great deed was stabbing an already dead enemy. I find it difficult to accept that greatness is measured in different ways to hurt another, rather than kindness, wisdom, and forgiveness. It is difficult to merely accept the culture of others without judgment or imposing our own values.
~E.D.
I understand where you are coming from. And I agree with how some of their values are very different from that of our society. I also think that given their life style in the plains, maybe they had to be somewhat cold-hearted or immoral whatever you might call it.
ReplyDeleteYou can be nice and considerate, but if you are wrong about who's your friend or foe, you and your family will be dead. As someone mentioned in the class, survival should have been their very first priority.
Besides, why would anyone stand around someone else's tipi and be peeking inside? That is trespassing. I don't know the life in the plains but I assume anybody in the plains would know not to be sneaking around neighbors like that cause that might mean a threat. I think the guy had enough reason to think that the stranger was a threat. The stranger should've revealed his presence if he meant no harm.
About the story where the enemies got burned to death, I think there could have been an option of cooperating with the enemies. Just give them food and you might live. You also might not be spared. On what basis can you really trust them? after all, they are enemies here to kill you. By the way, even if you cooperated and they decide to spare you, they might just go on to other Kiowas and kill them off. Then he would have to warn the others even if that meant risking his own life.
What I'm surprised about is the fact that the man got out of the house first before the woman and the child. It was basically the mother who did the work and the man only gave her a signal.