For this blog, I will examine the references in Green Grass, Running Water from pages 38 to 48. These pages cover several of the different stories at play during the novel, and offer insight into some of the larger themes. In particular these pages all interrogate some aspect of settler perspectives of themselves and Indigenous people.
The first section begins with a conversation between Coyote and God/dog, who Flick claims to represent the God of the Old Testament, something supported by his authoritative behavior. In their conversation God expresses confusion regarding the trajectory of the story, namely in how it differs from how it is told Old Testament. God repeatedly asks “where the water came from” (King 38) . While I had initially failed to understand what the potential meaning might be, reading the scene as written in the Old Testament gave me an idea. In Genesis 1 where God creates the world, water is never mentioned. Instead after creating light and darkness God creates “an expanse between the waters to separate water from water” (Genesis 1) or sky. Perhaps by pointing out a plot-hole in the the text which settlers have used to justify their colonialism and marginalization, King is able to interrogate its mythos. The story continues, bringing up the First Woman, who falls from the Sky World to the Water World. Once she falls near to the water world, a group of ducks place her on the back of grandmother Turtle, and after proceeds to put mud on grandmother Turtle’s back. Afterwards, Old Coyote suggests the need for a garden. In the garden, a man named Ahdamn appears inexplicably, and begins to name things incorrectly. To pacify him she gives him an apple, which frustrates God/dog.
This passage juxtaposes two different creation stories, the one in the Old Testament and the creation of Turtle Island, which comes from Indigenous storytelling. The two stories challenge and contradict each other, just as God, does to Coyote. As is evidenced by my citation on the Old Testament, much scholarly effort has been applied towards understanding and contextualizing his behaviors. Less effort has been applied to Indigenous creation stories in terms of celebrating the nuance of them. But through comparing them, particularly through an Indigenous viewpoint, shows the nuance inherent to the stories from aboriginal cultures. Through the alternate perspective, the same events are also shown in a different light. In the Turtle Island Myth, women play a prominent role with both the First Women and grandmother Turtle, and they are highly capable, whereas Ahdamn, is effectively useless. In the biblical story, Eve is blamed for the fall of man, since in Genesis she forces Adam to eat the apple, something which has been used to justify the historic mistreatment of women. In Green Grass, Running Water by having the First Women, not only be competent and valuable, shows an inherent flaw in how settlers have chosen to interact with and interpret their mythos.
The next story returns to Alberta Frank, whose significance as a geographic location has been much discussed by Flick. She asks Charlie if she can bring Lionel with her when she visits him. Alberta is having affairs with both men, and uses them to satisfy her needs without seeking commitment. The also represent the settler-colonized binary, while both are Indigenous, Charlie works as a lawyer who helps to perpetuate colonial land practices while Lionel, according to Charlie is only a few years short of returning to the reserve to run for “council” (King 43). In essence Alberta’s “choice” and Charlie’s categorization of both men suggests the limited framework by which Indigenous people are characterized by settlers, either as “progressive” by working for settler interests or “regressive” by continuing to stay on reserve land and engaging with Indigenous community practices.
The final section returns to Dr. Joe Hovaugh, who is trying convince Dr. John Elliot of four old “Indians”. He claims their disappearances preceded disasters like the stock market crash which lead to the great depression and the eruption of the Saint Helens and Krakatau volcanoes. But as Elliot points out, there were plenty of dates that had no significant event. Regardless Hovaugh remains convinced that a pattern is there, and brushes Elliot off, as he thinks Elliot thinks this is a game comparative to Cowboys and Indians. The chapter ends with Elliot asking, several questions about where they went and why, as well as why they would want to leave in the first place.
This passage has two white authorities, whose names have been taken from Christian messages and missionary who converted Indigenous people to Christianity, attempting to understand Indigenous spiritual figures, but ultimately failing because of their refusal to step outside their own limited perspective as settlers. For instance, Hovaugh’s rejection of the idea that there is no specific connection tied to the date of disappearances mirrors the behavior of settler theorists when presented with contrary knowledge, something I have discussed in an earlier blog. In essence, Hovaugh and the people he represents will never truly be able to comprehend beliefs and actions of Indigenous people when considering their actions through the perspective of settlers.
Works Cited
“An Aboriginal Presence.” Civilization.ca – First Peoples of Canada – Our Origins, Origin Stories, www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/fp/fpz2f22e.html.
Bonikowsky, Laura Neilson. “Frank Slide: Canada’s Deadliest Rockslide”. The Canadian Encyclopedia, 25 January 2019, Historica Canada. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/frank-slide-feature. Accessed 19 March 2020.
“Cowboys and Indian.” Merriam Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowboys and Indians.
“Encyclopædia Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adam-and-Eve-biblical-literary-figures
“Encyclopædia Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 Jan. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Eliot-British-missionary.
Genesis 1 web.mit.edu http://web.mit.edu/jywang/www/cef/Bible/NIV/NIV_Bible/GEN+1.html
Mark, Joshua J. “Yahweh.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 22 Oct 2018. Web. 19 Mar 2020.
Laie, Benjamin T. “Garden of Eden.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 12 Jan 2018. Web. 19 Mar 2020.
Robinson, Amanda. “Turtle Island”. The Canadian Encyclopedia, 06 November 2018, Historica Canada. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/turtle-island. Accessed 18 March 2020.
Strawn, Brent A. “God in the Old Testament.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion. . Oxford University Press. Date of access 19 Mar. 2020, <https://oxfordre.com/religion/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.001.0001/acrefore-9780199340378-e-4>
Hi Sophie,
I really enjoyed reading all your connections and I was especially struck by your line “Less effort has been applied to Indigenous creation stories in terms of celebrating the nuance of them” – which is something I have definitely realized throughout this course. How do you think Indigenous creation stories can be fully understood and appreciated in a society that favors the Christian creation story?
Cheers!
Indra
Hi Indra,
I think much of what can be done is suggested by King in Green Grass, Running Water. King often times juxtaposes the two, while elevating Indigenous creation stories. An example of this can be found in one of the passages I analyzed where he illustrates the relative sexism of the bible as compared to Indigenous creation stories.
Additionally, I think we have to as a society change the way in which learning about creation stories occurs. I could tell you Greek, Scandinavian, or Christian stories, but hardly any from the Indigenous peoples in the area I grew up in. Overall I think we need to acknowledge Indigenous stories and storytellers by providing them with access to tell and retell their creation stories on their own terms.
Thanks,
Sophie
Hello Sophie,
Thank you for an extensive and well supported post. I’m especially impressed with your interpretation of the recurring question about “where the water came from”. Your assumption about the “plot-hole” in the Genesis 1 solves the puzzle which has been sitting in my mind since I’ve encountered this question in the novel. As the theme of water is crucial throughout the narrative, I’m curious now, what is your interpretation of so many things which disappear in the water in GGRW (e.g. Babo’s pinto, Amos’ truck, Dr. Hovaugh’s car)?
Thank you,
Joanne
Hi Joanne,
I am glad to hear that my interpretation of the “water question” was able to be of some assistance to you. To answer your question regarding the interpretation of water as a disappearing agent, and the multiple cars which enter the water, I’ll first turn to Flick who compares their cars to the ships which Columbus used to arrive at/ and begin to colonize the Americas. But in this, case, the cars have ostensibly been taken by the “Four Indians” to enact a sense of restorative justice. The ships which were sailed across the water to steal land, have now become cars which enter the water to return it.
Hi Sophia,
Great blog post. I’m interested in your comparison of the two creation stories and what they offer. It is so true that Genesis has been used to justify the mistreatment and lack of importance of woman whereas the Turtle Island story does the opposite. I also think this asks us to question the stories we deem important and to be critical of what they tell us about the authority of particular people.
I hadn’t thought of the greater meanings of Alberta’s relationships with Charlie Lionel that they represent how Indigenous peoples are either criticized for being too progressive or too regressive. I feel that this is a burden faced by many Indigenous peoples today to either “get over colonialism” or be extremely politically involved.
I’m curious how this research impacted your reading experience?
Thanks!
Jade 🙂
Hi Jade,
I agree with your statement that King is asking us to be critical of how we and our culture at large has prioritized stories. Additionally, I think through the structuring of his book, and the complexity of the references he makes, forces the reader to work to understand, and furthermore work to acquire a level of critical examination of the text. By the inclusion of things like the Genesis critique, I believe he wants us to examine the link between cultural mythology and authority.
By reaching these conclusions through my research, I was able to see how these narrative threads continued in other ways. For instance, King’s addressing of the problematic treatment and commentary on Indigenous peoples in John Wayne films serve a similar purpose to that of the biblical commentary as both stories are used to marginalize Indigenous people.
Thanks for your question,
Sophie
Hi Sohpie!
I really enjoyed reading your hyperlinking analysis on the characters in Green Grass Running Waters! It was extremely interesting to read that King may be pointing at holes in Genesis, and I believe your points are makes sense. How do you think these ‘plot hole’ as you put it, affects how we understand the story of Genesis, and more importantly, how does it affect the relationship between First Nations stories and stories from Christianity?
Hope to hear back soon!
Cheers,
Aran
Hi Aran,
I believe King, as he is doing throughout the text, addresses the problematic aspects of Genesis to suggest the fallibility of the structures which empower the settler mentality and colonialism/ post colonialism. Specifically, by suggesting that the text has the potential to flaw, he highlights our own flawed application of the bible, which has been used to marginalize Indigenous people, by claiming they are lesser then. Additionally by forcing Indigenous people to convert, and forcing them away from as well as maligning their cultural stories and practices, they were not only stripped of their physical ties to land but to their spiritual connections as a whole.
Hi Sophie!! I love your analysis of the conversation between Coyote and God/dog, particularly the part about the plot-hole that requires settlers to justify their actions. Also, I love the part about the contradictions between the Settler creation stories versus the Indigenous ones and how these differences in narratives between Settlers and Indigenous people extend beyond just creation stories and into interactions and ability to understand each other. How do you think that people from Settler culture can step out of their perspective in order to truly understand the Indigenous experience and perspective?
Gaby
Hi Gaby,
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed my analysis. I think that this class has actually shown me one way that it can be done, through discussions and experiencing works created by Indigenous people. Additionally I think settlers, should be taught and also self-unlearn the centrality of colonial narratives. Personally, learning about how colonization perpetuated negative narratives and stripped Indigenous of their own culture made me realize how settler stories were forced into a place of artificial.
Thanks,
Sophie
^significance