Drumming My Way Home: A Secwepemc Perspective Essay Example

Drumming my way home; a Secwepemc perspective is an intergenerational narrative inquiry which talks about the indigenous identity of people and how it affects their day to day lives. The author inquiries into the perception of identity in the backdrop of indigenous knowledge system and education. This is very important to aboriginal scholars since it helps them grasp their culture when they go for higher education programs. Firstly, the author of the article was born Secwepemc but is a member of the Lake Babine nation through marriage and statute. She was raised by her grandparents during her formative years who imparted to her a vast indigenous knowledge.

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The grandfather explains to her the importance of being connected with her customs and values. This statement contains a lot of weight to the author and it was this statement that triggered her to become an aboriginal scholar hence inspiring other persons too. In the article, the author is gifted with a hand drum which she relies on to not forget where she comes from. The hand drum was a useful tool in the community. It was used to call the ancestors when crucial ceremonies were taking place. The presentation of a hand drum to a person in the community symbolized humility, honesty, and kindness within the person. If a person does not have these values then he or she cannot care for it. Forces such as colonization are a threat to the hand drum thereby interfering with the values of the aboriginal.

The author employed the hand drum during the education classes to show others what her community is all about. The study of indigenous knowledge is not linear thus it is very different from western education. It depends on culture and moral teachings which are somehow different from western education. Several theorists like Archibald and Atleo hold this same view. The hand drum symbolizes a connection to the author's heart and wellbeing.

Drumming my way home; a Secwepemc perspective was published in the Canadian Journal of native studies. It's an intergenerational narrative essay about the identity of native people and their culture in society. It tells the story of a native woman who is on the quest of pursuing higher education in relation to her cultural values and ideas. This woman is impacted by traditional values from her grandparents which she promises to preserve for the future generation. The future generation will get it through her scholarly works on the issue of identity in terms of the locals.

Conclusion

There are several themes which the author has used to deliver the message of the article. There is the theme of spirituality, good education, science, and interconnectedness. Spirituality and the native's view are interlinked together. The author says that it is through emotional, physical, physiological and spiritual connections that the aboriginal are able to link with mother earth. The objective of spiritual development to the author and the community is for the cultivation of inner power and creation of an outward focus of compassionate care and humility. Interconnectedness is the second theme. In the aboriginal community, everything is interlinked and has a personal gift and a spirit. Thus everything is dependent on each other and creates a web where the spirit is a reflection of the whole and is connected into the universe as a whole. The author has used frits person vice in the writing of the essay. The author has used a tone that is positive in the article. Her attitude towards the subject shows that she is very passionate and enthusiast about it. The author has used allusion in trying to explain her side of the story. She talks about the story of old man coyote who was looking for a fire with the help of the owl. The epigraph is another style literary device the author has used. In the introduction paragraph, the words statement of intent are written in italics. This element helps people to fully grasp the contents of the article.

References

Martin, G. (2011). Drumming my way home: A Secwepemc Perspective [EBook] (pp. 107-116). Canadian Journal of Native Studies.