Osage Native Americans Chapter Summary

(1) Osage native beliefs in the things they hold sacred

• Michael Horse is noted for prescient dreams of danger that allow him to warn potential victims of impending disaster. But his gifts begin to elude him because there had been many murders in short time of Indian by white people, he fails to dream of Grace Blanket’s impending death or to predict the imminent approach of rain (24-39).

• Osage people believe in dreams and their meanings. They brought their dreams to Michael horse to know their meanings. But discovery of oil leads the greed of white people to steal their lands. They sleep in fear of death that disturbs their sleep and dreams. Ruth Tate shared her dream of star that burned everything with Horse (39).

• When Osage people

But after the death of Grace Blanket, four watchers sent from hill to protect her daughter Nola from white killer (45).

• After the death of Grace, Nola is transformed from a sweet, quiet girl to a belligerent child who resists the cultural coercion practiced by the Watona Indian school (128-129).

• Indian people lost their faith in white people after the death of Indians, they stop seeing doctor black for illness (170).

• Nola decides to marry white man Will Forest because she knew her presence must endanger the lives of Graycloud family (180).

• After the number of deaths of Indian people, Joe Billy wanted his replacement at the Indian Baptist church and decided not to perform any wedding or funerals (195).

• Ben Graycloud was totally changed when he comes home from the Indian boarding school, he does not first go to see his family. Instead, he decides that he wanted a drink to ease his pain, Ben shocked to saw his parents Louise and Floyd dancing marathon. He does not want to face them and their desperate faces. In Tar town Ben and his friend Cal killed eagle for her feathers to pray

He never has to wait long. He killed the Indian man named Walker after his life insurance policy and proved his death by drink poising (125).

• Government has not shown any interest to help Indian people from murders. Letters sent to Washington, D.C. begging for help went unanswered (126).

• Agents are quick to move in and declare local Indian landowner’s incompetent in order to provide them with white guardians who have the authority to lease their land to oil companies. After the death of rich Indian women Grace blanket, government assign a white guardian for her daughter Nola (131).

• The government forced Indian people to send their children to Indian school where children taught white culture values and gave them harsh punishment if they refuse to do something. They were allowed to go home on weekends only. Cal severance lost his both thumbs during punishment in school (151).

• Benoit murdered in jail without any trial by Walter Bird. It was plan of sheriff Jess Gold who wants to marry Lettie to get Benoit property. Police show his death as suicide