Summary/Application

Applying Bird’s Ideas to Ceremony
Bird, Gloria. “Towards a Decolonization of the Mind and Text 1: Leslie Marmon Silko's ‘Ceremony’” Wicazo Sa Review, 9, 2 (Autumn, 1993): 1-8.
Silko, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony. New York: Penguin 1986

Part One: Summary
In Gloria Bird’s essay she reveals the concept of colonization through both personal examples as well as Leslie Marmon Silko’s novel Ceremony. By explaining the concept of colonization, through things like literature, education, and socialization she then tries to examine ways in which one can be decolonized: by literally unlearning ways of thinking. Gloria Bird explains colonization as the imposing of the beliefs of the majority (Whites) on the “Others” (those who are stigmatized as different) and their ability to hold that power structure by oppressing these others. American Indians have been oppressed through language and education in ways that they aren’t even realizing. Bird gives examples of these by holding herself and Tayo parallel. She explains the confusion of not having your own native language as an identity crisis in itself, but as Tayo felt “shame” he was embarrassed by his own language. Not allowing students to speak their own language in school would force them to assimilate to the white culture forcing their own to be looked as the minority. By using language to separate the “others” from those controlling them they are themselves unknowingly accepting that forced merge, explains Bird. In school even Bird as a teacher taught her children to be meek and indirect just as she was socialized by those who control the “others”. She acknowledges herself as a colonizer when she realizes what she was teaching ways that were not her people’s culture. Throughout her essay Bird constantly relates to Silko’s character Tayo as a window for those who are or have been colonized to find a way out. She notes Tayo’s realization of “the lie” and even how character Betonie works as an enforcer of pride without a need for shame. Bird also stresses the forced individualism on the Indian culture by whites. This tied in the Christianity aspect of Silko’s novel as well. Bird notes Silko’s unconventional writing to not only express her decolonization but also to “collapse time” in order to show how things are connected through the land not a timeline. Bird explains Tayo’s story as a step by step process that insists on realization, because it is only when you realize what is holding you back and making you feel bad that you can change it.

Part Two: Applying Bird’s Ideas to Ceremony
There are a few concepts of Bird’s argument that really connected me to Ceremony: oppression and realization. These ideas enabled me to think directly back to situations that Tayo and his family faced. Gloria Bird’s concept of oppression was the idea that those who are in power do an intense job of keeping their power by marking on those who are different from them in some way. Oppression by way of culture and race are the prominent ideas that both Bird and Silko note. The idea of time as mentioned by Bird is a very intricate used tool throughout Silko’s novel and it connects all aspects of life. Finally the idea of realization allows for a resolution in both Silko’s character Tayo and Bird’s idea of decolonization.
The idea of oppression runs rampant throughout Bird’s essay as well as Silko’s Ceremony. Bird states “As native writers we are, after all, walking the tightrope between the processes of colonization, and the simultaneous processes of our own decolonizations.” (Bird 3) Birds statement holds the idea that as a writer she must somewhat conform at a certain level, but also realize her oppression and try to remain aware concurrently. She goes on to explain how oppression in literature isn’t even something discussed because “we may not even be aware” of some of the oppressions that are taking place. (Bird 3) In Ceremony Tayo is aware of his oppressions. He not only realizes the way Auntie treats him but he understands the shame he brings to his family. He has always been the one that is shamed for an action he didn’t even commit. Tayo also realizes how the white men view him and his friends. He was always looked down upon before he went to war because he was an Indian, but once he and his friends were in uniform suddenly they were respected by all. Tayo says “They had the uniform and they didn’t look different no more. They got respect.” (Silko 38) What still oppressed Tayo’s friends was that they blamed themselves for no longer being respected where as Tayo knew it was all about who was benefiting; if the “majority” were going to keep power than they needed to keep those who were different down unless they were benefiting from it. Another point that really assimilated and oppressed the Indians in Ceremony was Christianity. Christianity was forced on those who wanted to have respected in the eyes of the white people. Christianity was also taught in schools and forced upon those who had different religious views. Auntie used Christianity to hide or disconnect herself from her clan because “Christianity separated people from themselves.” (Silko 62) Auntie tried to improve her status by being a devoted Christian regardless of her actions.
The idea of realization in both Bird’s essay and Silko’s novel acts as the resolution: once you figure out the problem you can ultimately find a solution. Gloria Bird states in her essay “only in the moments when we are able to name the source of our deepest pain can we truly be said to be free of the burdens they represent.” (Bird 2) By this Gloria quite clearly states that in order to not be oppressed you must realize you are oppressed. You must notice flaws in things that you have learned and focus on unlearning them in order to find a solution. In Ceremony, Silko leads us through a number of steps as Tayo starts to realize the lie that has been told to him. He thinks himself crazy once he has returned from war and as he realized the things he had learned and how he let himself get away from the land; he takes steps to reconnect himself.