Common Culture

Common Culture

My chest heaved rapidly with heavy panting. Orange brown leaves flew behind me like birds as I ran dodging the scattered dull trees. The crisp air felt like a ball of fire traveling down my throat incinerating my delicate lungs. But there is no turning back now I can’t go back to that horrible closed minded tribe. The trail became jagged rocks and each step I felt all types of sharp rocks and piercing my skin. My tribe lives in the past, we have to change our way we have been following the same traditions for decades just making ourselves look ridiculous, but what’s the point?

It's dark now, the only light I have is the moon illuminating my path which was almost too bright to look at. It hung over the lake, it's light creating twinkling stars on the water. In the distance I see the Golden Indian standing tall. I know I'm near the Sho-Ka-Wah casino where many tourist come from different parts of California, soon I will be able to explore other cultures.

I rose with the sun today and continued my journey to the casino. As I made my way to the Golden Indian I began to remember the day I ran away.

“Mother no I won't participate this year!” I exclaimed.

“Hinto you have no other choice it is tradition for young boys to participate in the the ghost dance.” She said

With anger I responded to her “The whole thing is pointless there are no such thing as spirits!”

She told me with a face full of anger ready to burst “If you don't participate you will not be allowed to live under my roof!”

“ Why do I have to dress up and wear a ridiculous headpieces in front of the whole reservation” I questioned

She paused trying to think of what to tell me, but soon after said “Because son it is part of our culture and traditions if you don’t participate you will no longer be my son”

As I stormed out of the house before slamming the door I yelled to her, “Fine !”

I have arrived to the Sho-Ka-Wah. I stood in front of the Golden Indian who was wearing the exact same thing I would've worn in the ghost dance; it seemed like the statue was looking directly at me with disgust. Ugh! My cultures follows me everywhere. I walked in and it seemed like a complete different world. The blinking lights around me, the sharp musky smell of cigarettes filled my lungs, peoples laughs in the distance made it hard to listen to the song playing. I walked into the restaurant past all the games. I sat alone at an empty table, I happened to be the only native american there that wasn’t part of the staff. Soon after I an American family sat in the booth in front of me. The father was enormous for he could barely make it through the door. He was practically a pig with legs, & the mother who was as thin as a tooth pick. When they were done eating they threw away food that could feed a whole family back home. They’re such spoiled brats! They stood up and walked past me giving a look