Hello All,
Thank you for your thoughtful comments and questions. I am learning a great deal, and I must say, with much enthusiasm, thanks to all of you! Wow, where do I begin? Just a few comments and reasons to pause…
Reread the telegram from former President Grover Cleveland. Have you ever thought about the many Native Americans that were actually prisoners-of-war, and how/why they came to be prisoners? The senseless killings and the hostility toward the native peoples puzzle me to this day. I think about the deliberate murder of the medicine man, Noche-del-Klinne (pp. 104-111) and of course the gruesome execution of Mangas Coloradas (pp. 65-73), and I just cannot help but wonder why??? More disturbing is how our own government issued these commands. Why do we fear those different from us? Can’t we be curious and sensitive without always being afraid? How does this connect with the world in which we live today?
Another observation…let me know what you think.
I love Bruchac’s creativity in shaping the character of Willie, Geronimo’s “grandson.” Regarding Willie, one of my favorite parts thus far was reading the gifts Ussen bestowed upon Willie-“that of a strong memory… and the power to be unnoticed, especially by white men.” This cleverly explains why Willie isn’t mentioned in historical references; we know that even though Willie is based on real Chiricahua boys who survived the Apache prisoner-of-war camps, as the author shared with us, Willie is fictional. But oh, what a carefully crafted character! To me, Willie helps in bringing the story to life. How do you think children will relate to Willie? I look forward to reading your thoughts.