This story by Leslie Marmon Silko retraces the life of a Yupic Eskimo woman up to the point she is jailed for murder. The story deals with the effects of “Gussick” (American) miners and traders on traditional village life, the way the village community supports her family of eccentric outcasts, how her sexual molestation by her grandmother’s partner drives her into the arms of American miners, and her quest for retribution against a Gussick storekeeper who sold poisoned liquor to her parents. Themes include cultural loss, exploitation, alienation, community, revenge, and storytelling.
Original Text / PDF (7,050 words)