Phase 3, Prompt 1

The Storyteller's Dilemma

According to one of my Navajo friends, storytellers often earn a special place in the community, because “there’s always something there about the tribe’s history, or how we should live our future.” He tells me that in tribes across America, storytellers are generally revered because of their inherent wisdom.

With this in mind, the situation of Thomas-Builds-the-Fire becomes that much more of a problem. Logically, he should be revered as a keeper of the tribe’s identity, a seer, a weaver of story-smoke; however, it’s my opinion that the truth of his stories (repeated so often and so vehemently) combined with the reality of the tribe’s sorry state, threaten the contentedness of those around him and therefore creates the threat that others come to recognize him as.

He’s the party-pooper. The wet blanket. He’s the guy who, when you’ve been attempting to ignore the subtle aroma of a beer someone spilled on your shoes last night and the blinding ache in your head, reminds you about your hangover. Loudly.

And neither you, nor I, want that guy around. Now, some of you may be concerned at my assessment of Mr. Builds-the-Fire. He’s not that bad, right? Well, let’s put him into context.

I’ll begin my dissection of the Thomas Builds-the-Fire problem chronologically.  Please refer to the below as a general timeline, somewhat separate from my main argument. Feel free to skim for reminders if it’s too tedious to read in its entirety.

Timeline

May 16, 1858 – “The Trial of Thomas Builds the Fire”: Thomas is “Wild Coyote,” and fights in a battle against Colonel Steptoe (100). He kills two. According to Lea Anne Scott of the Spokane, Washington Historical Index, Steptoe had been forced into negotiations because of the escalating conflict concerning settlers trespassing on Spokane land resultant from the Gold Rush. The “negotiations” fail and a battle ensues, which the Spokane (and partnered tribes) win.

September 8, 1858 – “The Trial of Thomas Builds the Fire”: Thomas is one of 799 Indian-trained or owned horses seized by Colonel George Wright (96). A few of the horses are kept for the American infantry. On 96, Wright’s letter tells us that the actions taken were in answer to Steptoe’s defeat. In this “punitive campaign,” Wright goes on to destroy the food supply and structures they encounter of not only the Spokane tribe, but the Yakama, Palouse, and Coeur d'Alene tribes as well (Wilma). These actions resulted in the starvation of many of the old and very young in all of the aforementioned tribes during the winter of that year.

September 25, 1858 – “The Trial of Thomas Builds the Fire”: Thomas is Qualchan, who is hanged along with six other warriors in Wright’s camp (99). The execution to which Thomas refers is part of Wright’s continued campaign of punishment for Steptoe’s defeat and continued rebellion against American rule. On the 24^th, Qualchan’s father had gone to negotiate with Wright for peace. Wright took Qualchan’s father, the chief of the Yakima tribe, as a hostage. If Qualchan did not surrender, he told the messenger, then the chief would be executed. Qualchan goes the next day, carrying a white flag. He was executed, according to Wright’s report, 15 minutes after being detained (Wilma).

“A Drug Called Tradition” – Thomas tells the story about victor stealing the horse. Victor steals the horse from white men, and the horse’s name is “Flight” (15-16). The boys are on a psychedelic drug induced vision-quest after ditching Thomas’s party. Thomas is happy Junior and Victor are hanging out with him, so he’s not offended that they don’t want to listen to his stories until after he’s high (14).

“This is What it Means to say Phoenix, Arizona” – Thomas tells several stories. At seven, he predicts Victor’s dad’s death. At ten, he tells the story of two brave Indian boys who steal a car, drive it to the city and leave it with the cops. When he’s a kid, he tells everyone the story of why he must tell stories. He says, “we are all given one thing by which our lives are measured.” He says, “I have only my stories.” He tells the story of why he helps Victor, in which he describes waiting for a vision by the falls. He realizes the vision is Victor’s dad telling him, “Take care of each other.” The last story he tells in this account is a vision about Victor’s dad’s soul. Victor’s dad “rises like a salmon, leaps over the bridge, over [Thomas], and finds his way home” (59-75).

October 7, 19— “The Trial of Thomas Builds the Fire”: Builds-the-Fire goes to jail. “The only appeal I have is for justice,” (102). This is also the last time we hear anything of significance about Thomas.

On page 93, A BIA (US Bureau of Indian Affairs) official describes the problem as “a storytelling fetish accompanied by a [dangerous] need to tell the truth.”

I have to agree. Thomas’s need to tell his stories, to do the only thing he’s really gifted with, threatens everyone else’s peace. Everywhere else in the book, we’re given evidence of how hard and bare the lives of the Spokane tribe members really are.

It’s perfectly normal for grown adults to fight, to the point of almost killing each other, at a party where kids are present (1-11). It’s normal for kids to not have anything in the fridge or the cupboards to eat (7,8,12). It’s very normal for alcohol and frybread, to be the staple of the reservation diet (1-209).  And above everything else, it’s absolutely acceptable that even the heroes and the ones who manage to get money are still drawn into and cannot help the unlived dreams on the reservation.

So here’s my explanation for the ostracism and imprisonment of Thomas Builds-the-Fire: 

1) Thomas reminds people of the continued crimes committed against the reservation.

Reasoning:

He points out the crimes against the tribe beginning with the war fought over reservation land in the 1850’s (93-103). Today, there’s still a dispute between the American government and the tribes of Northwest Washington. In 1881, President Rutherford B. Hayes created the Spokane reservation, which includes approximately 159,000 acres; however, the natives can currently only access and inhabit approximately 10% of that land. The rest is “held” by the government (Spokane Tribe of Indians).

Also a fun fact and a current event since the time in which Alexie experienced the reservation: The Spokane Reservation is home to a uranium mine. From 1955 until 1981, Midnight Mine mined uranium ore and processed it on the border of the reservation. Stockpiles currently remain on site and waste still drains into one of the rivers on the reservation. Alexie talks about the dangers of the uranium contamination from 104-109. The Spokesman-Review, Spokane’s newspaper, reported in 2011 that the Government and the mining company finally issued an agreement to clean up the reservation and mining cite. Alexie referenced health concerns in the 90’s and it took them all this time to figure something out.

2) Thomas reminds people of what they can't have.

                 Reasoning: 

His stories talk about fantastic horse theft and brave men. He talks about potential, about people being good at something and doing that something, about warriors, strong spirits, and about a strong tribe (15, 16, 74, 96, 99, 100). Yet, even people like Victor, who went to a better school and got into college, etc, come back to the reservation (171-180).

So because of and despite of Thomas’s gift, he’s given the place of the wet blanket. Perhaps we could call him the Jiminy Cricket who-got-ignored. The conscience everyone wished they could live by, but just couldn’t, in the end.

References:

• The Spokesman-Review: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/oct/01/feds-midnite-mine-operators-reach-deal-on-cleanup/
• Official Site of the Spokane Tribe: http://www.spokanetribe.com/reservation
• Midnite Mine Info, by Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnite_Mine
• History of Spokane, by Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spokane_people