Indigenous American Women: Decolonization, Empowerment, Activism

by Devon A. Mihesuah

Oklahoma Choctaw scholar Devon Abbott Mihesuah offers a frank and absorbing look at the complex, evolving identities of American Indigenous women today, their ongoing struggles against a centuries-old legacy of colonial disempowerment, and how they are seen and portrayed by themselves and others.

 

Mihesuah first examines how American Indigenous women have been perceived and depicted by non-Natives, including scholars, and by themselves. She then illuminates the pervasive impact of colonialism and patriarchal thought on Native women’s traditional tribal roles and on their participation in academia. Mihesuah considers how relations between Indigenous women and men across North America continue to be altered by Christianity and Euro-American ideologies. Sexism and violence against Indigenous women has escalated; economic disparities and intratribal factionalism and “culturalism” threaten connections among women and with men; and many women suffer from psychological stress because their economic, religious, political, and social positions are devalued.

 

In the last section, Mihesuah explores how modern American Indigenous women have empowered themselves tribally, nationally, or academically. Additionally, she examines the overlooked role that Native women played in the Red Power movement as well as some key differences between Native women "feminists" and "activists."

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Feminism, History, Gender Studies, Gender, Native American

246 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

Reviews

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devon Abbott Mihesuah passionately discusses the role of Indigenous American Women in tribal and American life. Three themes are covered in her book: Research and Writing, Colonization and Native Women, and Activists and Feminism. In Research and Writing, Mihesuah explains that writings on Native women and tribal culture should be expertly researched and include the voices of Native women. Broad generalizations should be avoided. Each tribe has their own culture and caution should be used to generalize culture across all tribes. Specific examples are used. In Colonization and Native Women, Mishesuah discusses how Native women have lost their gendered roles after colonization. Where women were once revered within their tribes, many have suffered from abuse and relegated to subservient roles. Boarding houses and seminary life is examined showing how colonization has contributed to abuse and violence toward women and how they have been taught to be "civilized" at the expense of losing a part of their culture. Finally, Mihesuah covered today's activist and feminists who work hard to raise awareness of the female gender role in Native American life.

This is an excellent book. I do think that overall, Mihesuah discusses tribal life in general and does not always discuss just the female role. A lot of time is devoted to the American Indian Movement and the long-unsolved mystery around the death of Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash, a Mikmaq indigenes woman who went to the Pine Ridge Reservation in the 1970s to help with their grassroots civil rights movement.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lowkey cried lol

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read! This is not, however, the book to start with if you have not read widely in AIM literature or understand the Anna Mae Aquash-Pictou story. Mihesuah assumes that her audience has read a number of works within this field and jumps right into critiquing various works. (Specifically, Robert Warrior and Paul Chaat Smith's Like A Hurricane, Mary Crow Dog's Lakota Woman, Peter Matthiessen's In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, among others.) She also presumes that her audience is familiar with a number of ongoing arguments within the Native American community - and those who aren't acquainted with these topics will soon, I imagine, become bored.

With the exception of having not read a lot of feminist lit and scholarship (though I am aware of the issues that many indigenous women have with white middle class feminism), but I am fairly well versed with the majority of the subjects of this book, including having recently attended a presentation in which Denise and Deborah Maloney-Pictou skyped in and spoke for over an hour concerning the developments in the Anna May Aquash-Pictou case and AIM's involvement. Thus, I am a bit surprised that Mihesuah seems to be defending the innocence of Leonard Peltier while at the same time agreeing that the highest ranking AIM members killed Annie Mae. Granted there have been a number of crucial developments in the case since Mihesuah conducted the interview included in the book in 1999 - there have been 3 indictments and 2 convictions in the case, BUT the fairly well known and understood reason that Annie Mae was executed was because she knew "too much information", specifically that Leonard Peltier had confessed/bragged to her about killing the two FBI agents that precipitated Wounded Knee. I'm not sure how she can reconcile these conflicting events.

That said, her work is a pointed and unflinching evaluation of a number of crucial works that are accepted as standards in the field. She certainly pointed out the one sided and lack of the women's perspective in various books and I'm embarrassed that it never occurred to me before that this key part of the story is in fact missing. Mihesuah is also extremely balanced in her critiques - she doesn't glorify native writers and she gives credit to non-Indigenous writers who have earned it.

I look forward to reading more of her texts in the future.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

maybe one of the worst books i've ever read. totally disorganized, random, essentializing and boring.

[are we there yet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this book. I had Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee in my queue, and upon her disapproval of the book I quickly took it out.

I enjoyed the more personal essays better. She sounds like a great person to talk shit with.

[Sarah Knaust · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative and an important topic to work through. Some phrasing seems overly general to me, but I can appreciate where Mihesuah is coming from.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

an interesting read. This selection of essays are relevant to the academy and Indigenous writers as well as non-Indigenous writers...where do we all stand? Although Mihesuah believes that not all Native voices have the authority to participate in this discourse...

[sylas · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a little while since I read this book, but I remember liking it.

[Jaes · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing woman and a fantastic book for our Native people. It helped to give me a platform to speak and think critically about my identity as a Native woman.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empowering.