colonización, nativo-americano, hibridación. nativo-americano, colonización, Palabras clave colonización. la de ypsicológicas ambientales consecuencias las que denuncia vez a la omitológico, idealizado pasado un de artificial reconstrucción una acabo llevar de lugar en híbrida herencia su que reivindica ejercicio auto-etnografía de un como funciona poesía su Así, contemporáneo. trasfondo un con que contrasta híbrida mitología una creando mismos, los de Erdrich apropiación y la que hace y nativos occidentales los mitos de simbólicas ciones connota las en ahonda artículo El identidad. la de y ejemplos percepción su de americana– ygermano- –nativo-americana doble su de cultural herencia testimonios como que actúan Erdrich, Louise de poesía la en yclásicos nativos mitos de presencia la analiza artículo Este Resumen hybridization. American, Native Keywords of colonization. consequences psychological and environmental the denouncing while past, or mythological ideal of an reconstruction artificial an in of relying instead heritage hybrid her empowers that of self-ethnography exercise an is Her poetry background. contemporary a with contrasts that mythology ahybrid By so, she creates doing stories. of such priation appro Erdrich’s to study and myths, aboriginal to Western and attached connotations symbolic the to research is article of this of identity. of her perception aim The examples and German-American– and American –Native heritage of her tokens double cultural Erdrich, of Louise poetry the in myths classical and of aboriginal presence the analyzes article This Abstract HERITAGE AND IDENTITY MYTHOLOGIES: HYBRID Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses Estudios de Canaria Revista : revisionist mythmaking, identity, cultural heritage, ethnography, colonization, ethnography, colonization, heritage, identity, cultural mythmaking, : revisionist : reescritura revisionista del mito, identidad, herencia cultural, etnografía, etnografía, cultural, herencia mito, del identidad, revisionista : reescritura IN THE POETRY OF ERDRICH LOUISE POETRY THE IN MITOLOGÍAS HÍBRIDAS: IDENTIDAD Y HERENCIA DOI: https://doi.org/10.25145/j.recaesin.2019.78.11DOI: EN LA POESÍA DE LOUISE DE POESÍA LA EN Universidad Complutense de Madrid de Complutense Universidad María PorrasMaría Sánchez , 78; April 2019,, 78; April pp. 157-171; e-2530-8335 ISSN:

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REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 157 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 158 tity shared by Native Americans to the idea of recovery and rebuilding of traditions: of traditions: rebuilding and idea of to the recovery by Native Americans shared tity iden notion the of a cultural links Allen Paula Gunn activist author feminist and Native American of reality. For amulti-faceted instance, part identity as cultural explore to writersstarted American Many Native against. were fighting Americans Native some of stereotypes the perpetuate pan-identity could pretation of Indian the inter or malicious aliteral fact, In of essentialism. dangers to the Native Americans relate. However, could interpretation of America identityof exposed North this peoples theaboriginal all which identity to ment. foradvocated pan-Indian a They move Rights of context Civil the general the within for Native Americans rights Movement for Power more Red Indian the claimed movement American the and 178-179). al. et (Ashcroft personality and From 1950s the 1970s, to the included also distinctiveness For this writers, Négritude peoples shared. Black all has authored three volumes Jacklight of authored poems; three has 1980s. the in then, Since she poetry writing she anovelist, began as known Better her (b. 1954) in writings. explored heritage Erdrich identity and always Louise has 1970s, the In struggles. post-colonial the role in an important hasplayed differences ficial notion mentions the of that acommon “oneness”Hall more underlines super that identity, cultural they do their butnot exclusively.define it affect of individuals the 224-226).community the and Therefore,the (Hall location them around viduals of indi rest from the themselves distinguish individuals perspective, personal the from whereas, culture, ashared in themselves locate individuals perspective, munal fromcom a aspects: differentiated two it has as social, the and individual to the both identity alludes notion the society. of and fact, cultural In present, individual 223). (Hall Identity, of and past” the past narratives anegotiation then, between is arepositioned we ways different toby,give the the within, andposition ourselves we names the are “identities employed Hall, theory.tity by For postcolonial Stuart iden andcultural refer to paper,of definitions identity of this Iwill purposes the attempt elucidate.to will the I are questions These of ideology? identityterms and in approach transmit this herdoes does choice say about What herWhat heritage? into process? her poetic mythmaking and myths she certain incorporate does Why Erdrich’s to appropriation study and of stories. myths, such Western aboriginal and to connotations attached symbolic the to research is article of this aim the Erdrich, (2003). Poems Selected New Fire: and Original and 1. CRITICAL APPROACH TO IDENTITY AND HYBRIDIZATION AND APPROACH TO IDENTITY 1. CRITICAL

the Négritude movement supported the idea of a unified racial identity that that identity movement Négritude racial the of idea supported the aunified and the grandmothers, the sacred way of the women of [...]. way the sacred the our grandmothers, We the recovering and are mothers of way the the is time atthis of rebuilding need one in most the and traditions, their rebuilding are busily America the men of and Native The women father, of aOjibwe daughter aGerman-American mother the and Indian As Any attempt to conceptualize identity is deemed to be reductionist. For deemed to identity reductionist. be is attempt to conceptualize Any by used myths of Native the American origin exact the tracing than Rather (1984), (1984), (1989), (1989), of Desire Baptism ------has been an ongoing process since the 15 the since ongoing process an been has considers colonialism Maracle Canada, or in hybrid product. Based a bi-cultural identity as forefront to the of idea brings the Nativestatement, American Maracle (116). of on positive both” the histories based society anew should “build With this Natives that believes Maracle of white anthropologists. on studies the ditions based tra of fake recovery the and essentialism by refusing explicitly Allen of Gunn that to stance adifferent who takes of Sto:Loh Maracle, nationIt author case the Lee is amore in heritage way. ambivalent generationsyounger explore Native American heritage, celebrated such Renaissance authors the of Native the American Although of exoticism. peoples realm touches of the these of exclusive source knowledge the as heritage such of celebrating fact the communities, most Nativein American play aprominent myths role and narratives oral traditions, Month.age Although Herit promoted of Native the American people” initiative has the schools and in [...] and histories and traditions, contributionscultures, important of the Native “diverse as in webpage its heritage defines (NCAI) Indians of American Congress The tradition. National cultural of Native American recovery “rebuilding” and of exercise sorority. an and unveiling of oblivion, act an against aresistance as understood then identity is tion. Cultural of coloniza of history the but heritage includes arevealing not and only traditions trusts the notion of hybridity or intermixture, as it “presupposes anterior as puri notion two the or of intermixture, hybridity trusts rejected by been some Paul Gilroy, critics. dis identity has a mixed for instance, idea of subject’s seem, the the might creating in as 222). agency appealing (Hall As not outside, within, constituted representation” always and process, in but always tion of how identity should considered: be “a ‘production’ never complete is which defini Hall’s Stuart echoes worlds. from both This best is what choosing in believes xxvii). Roemer and ter Turtle to Turtle as Chippewa herself Mountain Ojibwe” Mountain (Portifying moved Erdrich from iden when Louise as themselves, identify how they changed Joy Roemer mention, M. Porter As Kenneth and “writerstimes. over have time were erroneously colonial they given in names the ferent have stopped using tribes how is dif example Aclear exhibited. is of individual the agency the which ter in 201). given (Loomba than However,mat adifferent identity becomes postcolonial rather constructed identity is colonial that upon fact the agreed Bhabha Homi K. or Said Fanon, Franz Edward as such why thinkers some reason the postcolonial identity.is on atremendous Native impact with American This culture, American of Native aspects of colonization, aresult Westerners certain As to eradicate tried x-xi, (Maracle 43-51). Coast Atlantic the along laterditions explored, settled, and to. (Gunn Allen n.p.)to. Allen (Gunn ever meant as was it tended, always have tend, we life of fires empower the itso can back, thunder the stealing busily we are And to death. almost tribes the weakened that of gynocide history –the of colonization history the uncovering and heritage The notion of heritage plays a fundamental role for Gunn Allen in the in Allen role for Gunn The fundamental notion a plays of heritage forthat her,is commonAllen that about fact “oneness”interesting The Although Maracle considers colonialism is still an ongoing phenomenon, an still is she considers colonialism Maracle Although th century, when French expe British and ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 159 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 160 and negotiation of difference: of negotiation and as a site for space encounterthird 208). the 2006: (Bhabha defines Bhabha anew” read and rehistoricized, appropriated, be “can signs translated, cultural same the and no fixity has culture sense, other. each interdependent this In construct and Gilroy, colonizer/colonized are the subjectivities that pure. But, unlike he believes or original be cannot that maintains he also as Gilroy with agrees Bhabha 208). 2006: force” (Bhabha unifying ahomogenizing, as identity of culture torical of his the sense our “challenges space For interact. this Bhabha, or cultures uals or develops more when two that individ area ambiguous the space” “third calls applied identity. to postcolonial Bhabha notion the liminality of and hybridity detail (Gilroy 54-55).tails” However, explored in has Bhabha critic Homi K. postcolonial word not the to hybrid use [...]I try cock production mixing not is like Cultural [...]ties isn’t there isn’t there Ithink purity; any [...] anterior any purity that’s why lic myths and traditions in order to design her own mythic and poetic universe. In In universe. poetic and order her in mythic own to design traditions and myths lic Ojibwe Catho and manipulates Erdrich see, hybrid weown will mythology. As her by creating and myths, their Ojibwe and through traditions Catholic heritage identity. it celebrates explores from and adouble by Erdrich exploring perspective: hybrid her multicultural, negotiates poet the which in practice intercultural an 21). (Krupat practice” intercultural an is particular in literature autonomous. written ‘pure’ Nativeare American or, speaking, strictly hybrid; none mixed, or are written, textualized, “whether oral, literature, American Native For Krupat, Arnold decades. last the in homogenizing less have been critics acommon exoticism, authors emphasizing havemay celebrated Native American criticism literary sometimes Although of hybridization. framework theoretical this arethere no as “pure” identities. difference through negotiated also 157). (Minh-Ha identity” and possible politics both make is self the For Minh-Ha, that closures arbitrary contingent, unfinished, and difference, tion through of self recogni only diverse of are there writer; color woman the the woman, and the sizes to, synthe no me to whole return that no is of real there self aplace identity: also is Framer Framed (1992), In direction: “the notion that: of displacement she explains worked asimilar in also critic Author Trinh and value. has Minh-Ha cultural and interest community nationness, site the meaning, for renegotiating cultures, between As we will see in the next sections, Erdrich’s poetry is a good example of example agood is Erdrich’s poetry sections, next the in see we will As within studied be can Erdrich Louise author American The works of Native where space hybrid in- positioned, identity space is the third in It this in is 1994: 2-3) (Bhabha transformation. moments of in historical emerge that hybridities cultural to authorize seeks that negotiation acomplex, on-going is perspective, minority the from difference, of articulation social The tradition. tablet of fixed the in set traits cultural or ethnic of pre-given the reflection as read hastily notbe must difference [...] negotiated are value of The representation or cultural interest, community nationness, of experiences collective and intersubjective the that of difference– of domains displacement and overlap –the interstices of the emergence the It in is ------fall, it gets into it you gets somehow” 175).fall, (Chavkin [...] and break stories rise, the hearing when you Isuppose that grow up constantly [...] into astory thing another one after People coming, stories sit just start the and every made peoplefamilies “The in our her and community: by her family shared ley border, Val Wahpeton, River in Red to Dakota-Minnesota the next North the in presence. athematic acquiring processes, poetic and of storytelling the part tant impor become an independent such, they outside as dogma stories. As exist they into motion, put imagination myths text: power of religious the imaginative and 22). on narrative emphasis the the Kurup she places to notice It that interesting is qtd. people” with (Halliday wrestled bush, angels from aburning speak voice might a to serpents, change could sticks believed and thinking of magical age at the was Old the Testament and me I reading, in. sucked when young I started very “I was the Oldof influence the years: in early She her discussed Testament agnostic. an 148). (Hafen argued has Jane Hafen to her material”, as source contribute culture Chippewa and Civilization mainstream/American/Western ing includ of Erdrich’s factors her background, “all double fact, evoking In heritage. tradition, Catholic and Classical from the of taken Western use myths makes also she Besides, life. Native of American contemporary of Erdrich’s portrait part are they dimension, as everyday an acquire myths ofresentations Native the mindset, rep folkloric conceived or as being past, aremote, in set of mythical being instead pointed 70). out has Ojibwe,”of mixed-blood (Tillet the Tillett But, Rebecca as “the is world focus literary Erdrich’s stories. Not main and vain, in myths ture, sionist mythmaking and hybridization as exposed in the previous lines. previous the in exposed as hybridization and sionist mythmaking of context the revi within sections next the in would analyzed be Erdrich’s poems represent. To traditions and of aselection negotiation works, how this understand myths hybrid the identity that within her and womanhood her selfhood negotiates tales” and (Ostriker 1986: figures 215). toattributed mythic By so, doing Erdrich meanings the from or challenge “women explicitly of deviate which by means poets Ostriker’s mythmaking, definition of revisionist Alicia matches Erdrich sense, this icine icine – set are of novels her many which in For more information about geography in Erdrich’s novels, see Beidler and Barton 10-16. Barton and Beidler see novels, Erdrich’s in geography about For more information novels. her in appears never Wahpeton real the and Argus for location exact an not give does Erdrich 1 . In 1991, she recalled in an interview those early days as filled with thestories with filled as days 1991,. In early those interview an in she recalled (1984), (1984), Erdrich became familiar with Native American myths during her childhood her childhood during myths Native American with familiar became Erdrich herself she declares though even faith, Catholic the in raised was Erdrich Erdrich’s poetry emphasizes her her Ojibwe Native cul through emphasizes heritage Erdrich’s poetry 1

Wahpeton could be the town that appears some of her poems. Argus, the fictional town town fictional the Argus, of poems. her some appears that town the be could Wahpeton Tracks Tracks 2. NATIVE HERITAGE AND CATHOLIC FAITH: CATHOLIC AND HERITAGE NATIVE 2. (1988), (1988), IDENTITY AND MYTHMAKING AND IDENTITY (1994)–, might have been modeled after Wahpeton. Wahpeton. after modeled been have (1994)–, might Palace Bingo The The Beet Queen Queen Beet The (1986), (1986), Tales of Burning Love Love Tales Burning of (1996), (1996),

Love Med Love ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 161 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 162 ery” (Tillett 70). (Tillett ery” imag visual “strikingly producing style, of terms in poetic essentially is fiction her years, last the in colonizers, a “faceless, invisible” crowd which is reduced to a general “them.” invisible” to reduced crowd ageneral is which a“faceless, This colonizers, onizer and colonized that has shaped the lives of Ojibwe the lives the shaped people. has that colonized and onizer col between relationship criticism, to unbalanced denounce the social to perform instrument World” New the 92). an her in is tutions heritage sense, (Kurup this In insti pointed ofpolicies Euro-American out, “a is consequence of assimilation the 92).has Erdrich’sas subject” Kurup (Kurup biographer colonized Seema the This, of identity struggles and confusion world”, to “the cultural on natural relating the of “the her works consequences in colonization poetic environmental reveals rytelling suously, (Coltelli [and] 45). physically” could do “metaphorically [...] poetry what of to herpart fiction to transfer sen tried sheas process, herstorytelling influenced had her1980s, poetry that she declared but a considerpoet, “a herself a writer” (Coltelli storyteller, 45). mid the in Already hiding” (Erdrichhiding” 1984: shut, out /out of creaked of leaves where /out twigs, we slept, of unseen knotted born out “We of nature: /out of woods, of have the come brown edge to grass the are where natives kind myth of origin Thepoem a presents game. hunting and ing flirt forwordtitleused both Chippewa Theto a refers poems. before the texts atory history,on other, the inclusionthe is there of Euro-American explan and American to her Native on is there one attitude the hand, Erdrich’s to poetry: decode keys tial lives and heritage of Ojibwe heritage the and lives people. to the recreate trying multiple writer adopts while the identities multiple and masks at of the voices hints plurality or autobiographical, this historical porary, mythical, mythical figures, the windigo figures, mythical People.” Native one American of impersonating most famous the as far as She goes Westerner,sequestered Strange “The antelope, in or afemale adoe, “Captivity” in as “The poem the in wood-woman, “I”,Woods”, as ing a amythical amutable self: into achang person for “we” awhole turns collective the people. other poems, In “we”, a collective chooses Erdrich collection, positionthe the adopting of a spokes points view. from different of traditions In and that “Jacklight”,opens life the poem of Native American multiple the to reality capture she were if willing as speakers, 2 her sto continuous and Ojibwe commitment celebrating case, any In myths poetry, not she does writing career her literary began Even Erdrich though Going back to “Jacklight”, this opening poem brings into focus two essen two into focus brings poem to “Jacklight”, back opening Going this In In

Tillett maintains that, even if Erdrich has seemingly abandoned her interest in poetry poetry in interest her abandoned seemingly has Erdrich if even that, maintains Tillett Jacklight CHRISTIAN AND MYTHOLOGY 3. OJIBWE ICONOGRAPHY IN ERDRICH’S POETRY ERDRICH’S IN ICONOGRAPHY , her first volume of poetry, Erdrich presents a wide range of volume, herwiderange first a presents poetry,Erdrich of

3). encounter come out the they they of woods, the When , in the homonymous poem. That is, whether contem homonymous the whether is, , in That poem. 2 ------ine or other winter perils. winter or other ine winter fam of personification the being, amuch-feared is cannibalistic Windigo the Ojibwe the In herself. toit anote be poet by Cree tradition, the seems and written but other source, from any not is taken text “Myths”. the section occasion, this In of her double part as heritage. universe, poetic to her them personal incorporating power, hegemonic and their discourse recovering of self-ethnography, dismantling into them atool intention, arevisionist with turning of texts to appropriate kind this 1840s. seems from the Erdrich by from aletter amissionary Beasts”, excerpt it an is Red Sleep of of “The case the term; in the of 1950s the explains treaty that ogy of “Jacklight”, content.their anthropol case the itfrom In an a quotation is taken about information with of poems the beginning at the text short explanatory the is 1994: (Bhabha relations 1-9).tural of cross-cul understanding our transform we constantly “intrusion” that this with on present. intrude the It is constantly cultures showsBhabha how and its histories event, apast colonialism of seeing critic instead Homi Bhabha: postcolonial the notion with of history asimilar shares Erdrich sense, this In Natives. contemporary of minds identity, own the of in perception their anegative of themselves creating 1984: (Erdrich spread a“disease” has that nizer colothe Theactor represents John culture, an icon popular of Americans. Wayne, of Native portrait and how humiliating showoften demns Westernlimited a films entitled included “Myths”. asection is in John Similarly, Wayne” “Dear in she con the poem that thefact by is emphasized Native environment.idea peoples and This the of upon built suffering abloody the past romanticizes that Western construct “red” people, 1984: the not (Erdrich “red only the also ing beasts” 80). discuss is poet the that possibility open the unmentioned, consciously leaving are 1984: (Erdrich red-wheeledour speaker the carts”, says theinto incursions first their West: in used to hunt in them of“We buffalo sands thou killed that pilgrims first the colonizers, represents “we” the that a collective is the speaker time, this the Red Sleepterms: Beasts”, of “The poem the reverses enough, Interestingly unanswered. to hunt plan The them? remains question they or to do into lure woods, them the try wooing them, when they 4). natives the Are 1984: to follow us” (Erdrich “their turn equipment and take and guns their down pointing be “them”out might possibleat a asking The poem to putreconciliation, prey or hunters? the the colonizers the Are how “jacklight”? do we interpret this title:more “us.”becomes thecomplex sus of terms to when turn we reversal This underrepresented simply crowd, “them” as referred unnamed, ver an are usually natives which in opposition accounts colonial inversion an is binary of traditional the with bulging eyes, a mouth filled with long, jagged teeth, and a heart of ice. Sometimes moving as a moving Sometimes of ice. and a heart teeth, jagged long, with filled amouth eyes, bulging with She also uses this framing device in the poem “Windigo”, poem the in device included the in framing this uses She also Erdrich’s poetry throughout occasions many in reappears that key Another is a frontierthe that Red Sleep impliesBeasts”, myth of “The In Erdrich 3

The windigo is described in many different ways, but usually it is portrayed as a “giant asa“giant portrayed is it usually but ways, different many in described is windigo The 3 According to the explanatory text, this frozen demon has demon has frozen this text, explanatory to the According 13) and has dispossessed apeople 13) dispossessed has and 80). Using ellipsis, buffalo 80). buffalo Using ellipsis, ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 163 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 164 ritories, as she explained in an interview: “Don’t interview: an in you, land, she when explained ritories, you as on go Indian frequent is on Native simultaneity ter overlap poem; for this the time Erdrich, in 151). (Hafen cultures” two the present and between time mythical Furthermore, amediator, is erence. child For the “an Jane intermediary Hafen, Erdrich’s scholar ref aChristian be might ascension child’s the though even not answered, is clearly 1984: (Erdrich them” after closed the sky gates the heavenly “and cross thecranes Finally,flying. 1984: (Erdrich mother see heaventoward could “so his that 151; (Hafen Narcissus 42). Stirrup One day, adoptive when the mother holds him 1984: (Erdrich mirror” the in face own his kissing aditch found “in is thepoem, who in the descriptionthechild in reference of identifiableClassical ily 10:25). (Mark to enter of God” man intorich kingdom the eas an We find also for a than of eye aneedle, the to through go “It for well: acamel easier is as ence 41). (Stirrup myths origin Plains However, refer aBiblical be might allusion the to heaven many in entrance to the alludes Cranes” of “Whooping beginning at the “hole The heaven” of a create to new, myth. syncretic figures mythical basic these manipulates heaven. and Erdrich earth between considered messengers are they and Cranes” “Whooping in appear that of birds the ments Erdrich’s poetry.in It case the is hunger” is represented by this monster that, the more he eats, the more he wants. See Madsen 48. Madsen See more he wants. the more he eats, the that, monster bythis represented is hunger” land “insatiable logic”.settlers’ The “Wiindigoo as fiction Erdrich’s Louise in colonialism discusses Tracks including novels of Erdrich’s several in reappears 124).windigo The (Lynch or killed band the from expelled were and windigo” “turned have to said were cannibals become had who people those of famine, a result As animals”. hunted human as just humans hunting winter, during woods northern the stalked creature the whirlwind, contact. “melts” human after self that monstrous andits redeemed it finally is that suggests text preliminary the However, home, kid unharmed. the or it returns impulses to its cannibalistic yields if it uncertain it thechild, remains off monster Even the tenderness. steals though 1984: (Erdrich fur” melting soles of the your feet. licked and I murmured, “Oh ambiguous: touch me, nevertheless monster remain ill-famed oftions an such inten The child. the lures and monster the lulls rhyme which in nursery a dark 1984: (Erdrich its down throat” lard ing forcing boil “by by girl a young released be can that inside” deep “buried a man with sky spirits” (Lynch 14). (Lynch spirits” sky with associated especially were Hawks and Eagles as such fliers Powerful guidance. and blessings gods’ the with return and gods the upto pleas and prayers carry could that messengers –as spirits sky the 4 Animals, so important in Native American mythologies, are recurrent ele recurrent are mythologies, Native in American important so Animals, 4 . In aboriginal and other different mythologies, birds symbolize thesoul, symbolize birds other different mythologies, and aboriginal . In

“Because of their ability to fly, birds were seen as intermediaries between humans and humans between intermediaries as seen fly, to were birds ability of their “Because

73), he metamorphoses into a white crane and joins a flock that passes 73),passes that joins aflock and into awhite he crane metamorphoses 73). Is this Native heaven or Christian heaven? The question, again 73). heaven? The again question, Native heaven or Christian this Is / sucking tea from a bottle” and grows “strange and secret [...] secret and “strange grows and from abottle” tea sucking 79), exclaims the Windigo, seemingly craving for some craving 79), Windigo, seemingly the exclaims (1988) Wife Antelope The and 79). resembles musical, highly Thepoem, / you have managed to keep him fat” him to keep you have managed / You into my pale, your dug hands 73), of myth to the allusion an (1998). Deborah L. Madsen (1998). Madsen L. Deborah ------chikoo, a series started in in started a series chikoo, devoted to Pot poems narrative the in myths includes new intention, also Erdrich pointed out 1986: (Ostriker 235). has Ostriker Alicia praxis”, as opposed patriarchal to the antiauthoritarianism nist of exercise “femi role the tion an and played by as women most mythologies, in in tradi woman Indian Western the passive of figure the men. Such vision reverts empoweredsent control an in woman, dominating even of and choices her and fate that pre rewritings be might mythical characters female These him. possessing and “The theintruder, hunterthemale Woods”, chasing of again, is, thewhere woman Move.”Oaks body, However, poem female represents the the in as also wood the “I poem Was the in Black “the people” the Sleeping as tree Where lived, ancestors, where the cradle the are woods the rebirth, and of birth Places of wood. the space of the mythologization the with whole to the owls) ecosystem and expands frogs, nature. its dark reveals animal People”, Strange “The in redeemed, harmless was seemingly a beast hunter-prey where terms the “Windigo” account, the in If earlier reversed. are this of by Erdrich’s hunters antelope-witch arereading who seems never return. chased people”. “strange sometimes so-called beauty, of Onthe account are their they about antelope, a Native the records story that text ethnographic by an framed is poem the Once apossible again, dissolution nature. in grasses”, suggesting clean in “asleep woods, to to the her back and antelope self goes woman the other hand, the 1984: (Erdrich witch” grey into a“lean metamorphoses where house, animal to the his she later carried is and hunter by woods, the the in possible: chased doe is are the Both options or hunting? it does wholerefer to the flirting ates volume of poetry: perme extended that metaphoran hunter.as here reappears The notion of jacklight “him”, she meets woods, the a in wanderings her mythic During a doe at night. you’re that and see you can to 98). close it?” (Chavkin very there’s that feel more possibility, awhole is there other world that one the besides the impassible Indian. impassible the on ironic appropriation her of an lips, when he puts acigarette of stereotype the brought who is to life shop of Minneapolis atobacco girl in wooden Indian the first love, aboutwrites his Josette, apotatoErdrich field. in digging when she was Potchikoo a potato boy, is resurrection. his born out sun by the raped of awoman and afterlife, the in adventures his death, his deeds, his life, about reader his the of Erdrich’s invention. character She tells Potchikoo amythic Old is Man tales. can of humor Native themes Ameri and rhythms, storytelling the adapting seemingly Fire Original

68) that confronts the hunter, even though his fate remains unknown. On unknown. hunter, the confronts remains 68) fate that his though even Apart from incorporating Native American myths with a clear revisionist revisionist aclear with myths Native American from incorporating Apart antelope, (cranes, animals certain with identification the poems, several In In the poem “The Strange into People”, Strange “The poem metamorphoses the In speaker the female 5

Jane Hafen calls it a “wonderful play with the Noble Savage stereotype” (153). stereotype” Noble Savage the with play it a“wonderful calls Hafen Jane . These are prose poems that recall Erdrich’s narrative style (Kurup 95), style Erdrich’s narrative that recall are poems prose . These 5 Then the reader learns of his premature old age, after holdafter age, oldhis premature of the learns Thenreader Jacklight and expanded in the volumes the in expanded and and and of Desire Baptism ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 165 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 166 of colonizer. the It “represents an but not same, the “almost quite” 1994: (Bhabha copy” a“blurred 86), becoming subject reproduced is as colonized the by which process the to is Homi Bhabha, mimicry.Mimicry,example according of an be might This figure. aChrist recalls Potchikoo resurrection, and birth supernatural worldto With the his of living. the 2003: 42). way back his when He he bored, he and, some there is spends finds time (Erdrich of wood” gate weathered asimple pasture heaven, “just is which Indian to the him refers “Indian” onand of being account entrance Peter the him denies 2003: 35), heaven Saint when (Erdrich he dies. to Christian goes all” ondown us tiation Baptism of of Desire Baptism poems several in who reappears Christ, ofure Jesus conventions of heaven, fig the even Christian hell, and equation, mimicking nized colonizer/colo the in terms the reversing be might Erdrich sense, this In mimics. it whatever to parody appear from mockery, it since far can never very is mimicry represented rites of path”, the passage: low in a“formula a “standard fol Joseph Campbell, mythologist great to the hero according whose adventures, amonomyth, mythical Potchikoo the embodies source, of its cultural Regardless 65). (Lynch trickster” adeceitful as appearing a multitude of sometimes legends, in benevolent hero and who “powerful figures the culture by Nanabozho, inspired also be Potchikoo could myths. behavior,morphology and of certain or origin the phenomena, animal natural to explain used are that stories”, of folktales kind the of different protagonist “why- the legends, Native American many in character type Old-man a is so-called the folklore; Native in American trickster traditional the inspired of by maybe Potchikoo character The references. Catholic and issues ican Native Amer contemporary with coexist events supernatural Potchikoo poems, the 1984: (Erdrich 78). twigs” In dry tle However, continue afterlife. the in deeds his lit like ribs apart snapped his that and cold,so were They heavy chest. his against dreamily heads their laid daughters three it when all knew “Hefrom him: hardly block sun sit the and lap out on daughters his of river. his the Finally, after he dies born mud daughters, mythical about and his for too long mass, in a fart back ing while Erdrich was pregnant, evokes her unborn child identifying it with the ser it the with identifying her child evokes unborn pregnant, was Erdrich while volume, where have amore Westernthis evident “Hydra,” presence. myths written in collide and mingle Native values and Catholic thread. aunifying as serves and approach of Jacklight mythic humor.grotesque and Christian, Native and manifesto, social and folktale verse, prose and way between 95).(Kurup half her in poems, By Pothikoo genre a new doing creates so, Erdrich categories” “defying experiment where territory she can Hersterm. aliminal is Bhabha’s borrowing space, third about her aliminal disposition to occupy also of her multiple speak identities that tenets but Christian Native and manipulates replacement” 195). (Biróné through Nagy Erdrich tivized her myths, own Creating iour”, “Christ’s and Christ” “Orozco Twin.” - return Potchikoo, who “claims that his father is the sun in heaven that shines shines heaven in that sun the is father his Potchikoo, that who “claims In the volume the ofIn Desire Baptism Consequently and by reversing the terms, “cultural symbols emerge as rela emerge as symbols “cultural terms, the by reversing Consequently and ” (Campbell 28).” (Campbell , even though spirituality plays a more important role a more plays important spirituality though , even ironic , Erdrich plays again with the ordinary and and ordinary the with again plays , Erdrich compromise” 1994: (Bhabha 85) because separation : “The Sav : “The - ini ------antecedents seem to converge in a mythological present: to converge seem amythological in antecedents youth. These and to her to her childhood travel origins, 46). Hers aspace-time is Soul’s Night [...]All 2003: leader” (Erdrich school band high the embraced and “toment Wahpeton, of /, my or Polish returning Dakota grandmother” North on base the “into of descending possibility the she discusses origins; herand mixed her she motherhood embraces that time mutable same at the being this embraces Xchromosome. Erdrich the DNA apossible to It and the that allusion seems 46) of double 1989: “snake the (Erdrich helix” called it also and is of Genesis, the snake intothe itself transforms also hydra Classical The Nazareth. in at Christmas child 1989: (Erdrich my life” 41). her Mary, to delivering compares herself The speaker [...] of asnake of that echoes length the of child presence the through “uncoiling of poem, the the beginning the At tradition. pentine water monster of Classical the love, ignoring more pious themes. Rodrigo’s presence seems to suggest how every love, more how ignoring every pious Rodrigo’s themes. to suggest seems presence brotherly their and together childhood their to hersent sister, by Rodrigo recalling letter Plata” de 2003: 107). la (Erdrich of Rio imaginary the an is Thepoem banks 1535 in rigo, who “emigrated to America the with on Natives afight in died and afootnote is oftext a biography of Teresa mentioning deher Jesús, brother, Rod of “Avila”, case of the stories. In such potential storytelling and framing native the imagi the Erdrich’sinterest in note, reflecting explanatory typical the with begin of poems legend Some sleepers Ephesus. of seven of the these sion Christian to the Seven Sleepers”, “The section the allu an within appeared all , they Poems Selected and (“Avila”), New Fire: were compiled poems Original in these When Claire. or Saint Magdalen, de Teresa Jesús devoted Mary to arepoems there figures; female cially female energy that she is glad and ready to embrace ready and she glad is that energy female of symbol Erdrich’s apowerful is hydra snake, Biblical monster the and Lernaean connotationsthe of evil thefrom far Thus, womanhood. of afull become examples 1989: (Erdrich my youhours, poetry” are 47). For motherhood poetry poet, the and end the of “Hydra”, towards legacy. fact, In her literary of hard “Snake she writes: ametaphor cord and for umbilical anew for Erdrich becomes which nite thread, and infi her Ariadne tradition: Classical of figure evoke awell-known to knitting about which virtually nothing is known because writers have not been mothers” (Ostriker 1983: 131). (Ostriker mothers” not been have writers because known is nothing virtually which about to humanity, significance vast “of incalculably a subject is this that maintains Ostriker trap. archal a patri motherhood considered who feminists, some among reputation bad had 1970s the in they and 1960s, the before scarce were theme motherhood the involving Poems writers. for of motherhood ence Moreover, a play prominentvolume,espe this role figures in Catholic 6 allusions the while death, maternal of the fear evokes of needles The fear 1989: (Erdrich 46) needles... atthe Idied If my legacy. myself, My to perfect need world’s scarf, the longest began And crochet to learned Ifinally If

In In Writing like a Woman like Writing , Alicia Ostriker discusses the importance of recording the experi the of recording importance the discusses Ostriker , Alicia 6 . ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 167 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 168 Indian between conflict not to“do indicate seem 70). (Tillett culture” intentions of Euro-American assimilative the and relations of federal-Indian history troubledand “lengthy the calls Tillett Rebecca what of examples clear are These 2003: 124). (Erdrich died” he had without day knowing even on rose third the and Tremens”“Saint upside asleep on down cross who the fell Bingeous “Good Saint and Diabeta”, Saint and Cholestrus”,Saint Microcephalia” “Saint Macaronia “Saint Bloatinus and “Saint as such past, the in Native to policies the Americans harmful conditions miserable and brought illnesses, that “colonizing” the saints thanks government church Colonial points out in that direction. In it, the speaker looks for a godly presence in nature: in presence for looks agodly it, speaker In the direction. points out that in Seven “The Sleepers” poem The faith. Christian Nativeattempt together and to bring 41).(Washburn an way, to syncretic, be seems asimilar her In approach to spirituality of biographer both”, pointed Washburn out as Frances has objective acceptance an now us pray beatified to “Let those policy: assimilation their with havoc on Native Americans for wreaking colonizers Euro-American blames Erdrich Prayer” Litany”, or“Rez Buffalo “The formwhere of prayers, “heathen” as such asaint. with aconnection is there violence, if even and by trauma tainted is Western with contact civilization onic power. To about a us tell hybrid short, in which forms up, sum by creating, hegem undoing their by white ethnographers, by appropriating and texts icry; mim using and stereotypes subverting Westernby reversing discourse, colonial life; elements of Native American ordinary incorporation and ofthe contemporary through them by recontextualizing to myths; associated gender the stereotypes ing into question conventions challeng by perspectives: from different calling neys, heroic and jourmetamorphoses recreates and legends, decontextualizes characters, 1986:inherit” (Ostriker 211). mythical Western aboriginal and revises Erdrich women literature and poets life the attempt to “subvert an in tions transform and Besides the explicit and bitter criticism of these two poems, Erdrich’s poems Erdrich’s poems poems, bitter two explicit and the of criticism these Besides Together with these Christian myths, we find several poems that take the take that poems several we find myths, Together Christian these with tottering through air (Erdrich 2003: 97) 2003: (Erdrich air through tottering of sunlight steps as of leaves suspension August the you in sleep. Iseek in furled long tongue the in of pine and candles the you in I seek myMy leaf. god, one. Nameless you, I seek Erdrich applies a revisionist mythmaking to Ojibwe tradi Catholic and mythmaking applies arevisionist Erdrich / boarding schools” (Erdrich 2003: 123). schools” (Erdrich boarding poem, she the ironically In /

Assimilus, Saint with beginning

4. CONCLUSIONS 4. / Catholic worldviews, but worldviews, Catholic rather, / patron of residential and ofpatron and of residential / within the Holy the within - - - - - That is the true power true theErdrich’sof is hybrid new That mythology. possible” 1986: (Ostriker change 213). words, “the cultural Ostriker in making, hegemonic intoportrait, afixed, to captured be refuse that life Native American of narratives and multiple to the corresponds aspects of perspectives voicesity and This plural embraced. finally is despite its that, challenges, about ahybrid culture us tell that amultiplicity of speakers represented are through identity struggles and historic of Both colonization. consequences psychological and environmental the time same denouncing at the past, or mythological ideal of an reconstruction cial artifi an on wayof is a relying of empoweringinstead a hybrid This heritage time. outsider, an object same insider and at the an a subject an and as as myths senting from adouble at herself become away of looking identity,self-ethnography of pre of Erdrich’s exercises colonized. onand of positive colonizer the histories based nity commu anew at building aims and of traditions revival essentialist an who rejects Maracle, Lee Native as such writers She joins other traditions. feminist and myths connotationsand to attributed stereotypes certain dismantles lator who effectively but amanipu She Western not is and amanufacturer myths. of Native American power 3). ofknows (Campbell powertheabout its germ source” definitely Erdrich germ the it, undamaged, within bears each productionsneous and of psyche, the were “sponta they that claimed ordered, he also time, or invented. same the At oppositions. binary ditional andbeyondtra go classification easy an defy multiple identity that and heritage Joseph Campbell maintained that myths could not be manufactured, not could manufactured, be myths that maintained Joseph Campbell Revised paper accepted for publication: 29 January 2019 29 January publication: for accepted paper Revised Reviews sent to author: 26 October 2018 October 26 author: to sent Reviews ------

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 169 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 78; 2019, PP. 157-171 170 Halliday Loomba Kurup Krupat Madsen Minh-Ha Lynch Hall Hafen Gilroy Erdrich Erdrich Erdrich Maracle Gunn Allen Campbell Nagy Bíróné Coltelli Chavkin Bhabha Bhabha Beidler Ashcroft Identity: Community, Culture, Difference Culture, Community, Identity: Diaspora.” and Identity “Cultural , Stuart. , Seema, Understanding Louise, Seema, Erdrich , Patricia Ann. Ann. , Patricia Great Plains Quar Plains Great Erdrich.” of Louise Poetry the in Ritual Language , P. “Sacramental Jane, The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness Double and Modernity Atlantic: Black The , Paul. The Turn to the Native: Studies in Criticism and Culture and Criticism in Studies Native: the The to Turn Arnold. , The Location of Culture of Location The K. , Homi The Post-Colonial Differences.” Studies Reader Cultural and Diversity “Cultural K. , Homi , Peter G. and Gay Barton Gay and , Peter G. , Ania. Colonialism/ , Ania. , Deborah L., “Discontinuous Narrative, Ojibwe Sovereignty, and the Wiindigoo the and Ojibwe Sovereignty, Narrative, “Discontinuous L., , Deborah Original Fire: New and Selected Poems Selected and New Fire: Original , Louise. , Louise. Jacklight: Poems , Louise. Poems Desire: of Baptism , Louise. , Alan, and Nancy Fayl Nancy and Chavkin, Alan, athan Rutherford. : Lawrence & Wishart, 1990. 222-237. &Wishart, Lawrence London: Rutherford. athan of-fiction-no-208-louise-erdrich 2010).ter Web < P, 1996. P, terly coast Books, 2002 [1988]. 2002 Books, coast Colonialism” Settler 2010. Publishers, Books Chelsea Accessed 30 May 2018. May 30 Accessed can 2015. Indian Traditions, Media, York: Road New Open ed., 1986, Kindle XXXV (2008) 1: (2008) 187-203. XXXV Neohelicon Narrative”, Discovery Dorris 206-209. 2006. Routledge, London: Tiffin, Helen and Griffiths Gareth Ashcroft, byBill edited MO: U of Missouri P, 2016.MO: Uof Missouri ed. London: Routledge, 2013. Routledge, London: ed. , Laura. Winged Word:, Laura. American Indian Writers Speak Vancouver: Rain Vancouver: Feminism. and Sociology on Perspective A Native Woman. IAm , Lee. , Lisa. “Louise Erdrich, The Art of Fiction No. 208” (Interview). Paris Review (Interview). 208” No. of Fiction Art The Erdrich, “Louise , Lisa. London: Routledge, 1992. Routledge, London: Framer, Trinh. Framed. , Bill, Gareth Griffiths Gareth , Bill, The Hero with the Thousand Faces Thousand the with Hero The , Joseph. The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in Ameri in Feminine the Recovering Hoop: Sky.” UpSacred the The In “Pushing , Paula. (1996): 147-155. Web < , Katalin. “Native American Quest for a Face: Michael Dorris and Louise Erdrich’s Erdrich’s Louise and Dorris Michael aFace: for Quest American “Native , Katalin. . Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 1994. of Mississippi, Press University MS: . Jackson, Native American Mythology A to Z A to Mythology American Native https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6055/louise-erdrich-the-art- (Fall 2016) 28/3: 23-51. (Fall , Sail . London: Flamingo, 1996, [1984]. Flamingo, . London: , and Helen Tiffin Helen , and WORKS CITED WORKS , A Reader’s Guide to the Novels of Louise Erdrich Louise of Novels the to Guide A Reader’s http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/greatplainsquarterly/1101 >. Accessed 30 May 2018. May 30 >. Accessed . London: Routledge, 1994. Routledge, . London: . New York: HarperCollins, 1989. York:. New HarperCollins, . London: Routledge, 1998. Routledge, . London: Conversations with Louise Erdrich and Michael Michael and Erdrich Louise with Conversations (eds.). . Columbia, SC: U of South Carolina P, 2015. Carolina U of South SC: . Columbia, . Princeton, NY: Princeton UP, 1949. Princeton NY: . Princeton, . , rev. by Jeremy Roberts, 2nd ed. New York: New ed. 2nd , rev. Roberts, by Jeremy Post-Colonial Studies: The Key Concepts Key The Studies: Post-Colonial . New York: New . . Lincoln, NE: U of Nebraska P, Uof Nebraska 1990. NE: . Lincoln, HarperCollins, 2003. HarperCollins, , London: Routledge, 1994. Routledge, , London: , Lincoln, NE: U of Nebraska Uof Nebraska NE: , Lincoln, . Columbia, . Columbia, , 195 (Win , ed. Jon , ed. Logic of Logic . 3 >. >. rd - - - - - ,

Washburn Stirrup Tillett Porter Ostriker Ostriker (NCAI), Indians American of Congress Month.” National The Heritage American “Native NCAI. , Joy, and Kenneth M. Roemer M. , Joy, Kenneth and Contemporary Native Contemporary American Literature , Rebecca. , David. Louise Erdrich , David. edited by Joy Porter. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2005. Cambridge byJoy Porter. Cambridge: edited ton, MA: Beacon Press, 1986. Press, Beacon ton, MA: 30 May 2018. 2018. Web. < Writing Like aWoman Like Writing Suskin. , Alicia Stealing the Language. The Emergence of Women’s Poetry in America in of Poetry Women’s Emergence The Language. the Stealing Suskin. , Alicia , Frances. , Frances. Westport, Works. Life and CT:Her Praeger,Erdrich, Tracks Louise a Page: 2013. on http://www.ncai.org/initiatives/native-american-heritage-month . Manchester: Manchester UP, 2012. Manchester Manchester: . . The CambridgeThe Companion to Native American Literature . Ann Arbor, MI: The U Michigan P, Michigan U The 1983. MI: Arbor, . Ann . Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 2007. Edinburgh . Edinburgh: >. Accessed >. Accessed . Bos - ,

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