Kim Andersons A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood - Book Report/Review Example

College: Book review: A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood by Kim Anderson Kim Anderson’s book, A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood, traces the life of aboriginal womanhood from the ancestral times to modern times. The book’s title encompasses the thoughts and reflections of the book as it draws a comparison of what an aboriginal woman was like and what current woman looks like. The aboriginal women had great powers and controlled a great deal of important resources like food, which was considered the most important resource and wealth by then. Anderson argues that most of the societies were matrilocal, where the men were controlled by women. Consequently, marriage was drawn along the women line and men moved to women’s homes. This had a great effect in conveying a lot of property rights to women at the expense of men. The book revolves around recognition and reconstructing of current state of women to resemble that of aboriginal women. Anderson states that, “there comes a point in the definition of aboriginal womanhood where we must make sense of how ancestral traditions can fit into our modern lives. This is the re-cognitive part of our recognition of being, the part where we actively construct modern native female identities” (Anderson 193). Anderson further cites that self-definition is an important aspect of recognizing and reconstructing the womanhood as per the aboriginal standards. She cites four process of self-definition; resist, reclaim, construct and act towards a new womanhood (Anderson 15). Anderson claims that colonization changed the way women are viewed and the place they occupy in the society. They have become typecasts and their place in the society has been overtly occupied by men. In an attempt to show the existing differences between the current woman and the aboriginal woman, Anderson explains the change in power, property rights, the societal propagation of women stereotypes, and the consequent portrayal of women negative identity. According to Anderson, this is the situation that faces women today and that explains the big differences between the current and the aboriginal woman. Anderson’s pays a lot of attention to how aboriginal woman can be reconstructed. The essence of reconstructing aboriginal woman is so strong that the entire book revolves around it. Anderson states that “although I take my strength cue from the violence and confusion, the focus of this book is the strength, power and beauty of native womanhood (Anderson 14). Further, Anderson continues with this narrative by proposing a decolonizing approach and an effort to reconstruct aboriginal woman, which she calls an aboriginal method of contextualizing knowledge (Anderson 21). Anderson’s approach relies on the oral knowledge from native communities that had a strong aboriginal woman. Anderson’s spirited effort to recognize and reconstruct aboriginal woman goes to a further extent of using oral evidence from women. To corroborate her arguments, Anderson uses interviews of forty aboriginal women, which cuts across a wide range of indigenous nations. Anderson’s arguments strongly draw into the internalized lack of equality among men and women in the current society. Although, the book does not offer an insight into the roles of native women in the current world, she lays a lot of emphasis on reconstructing native womanhood. Anderson explains that the recognition is an ongoing process and which will maybe culminate into the reconstruction process. All in all, the title of the book; A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood captures the whole book and in essence acts as a summary of the book. The cover of the book presents the reader with an opportunity to have a guess and a prediction of what the book talks about. The cover’s appearance is spectacular made with colors that are modest enough to draw readers’ attention. Perhaps, the most attracting aspect of the cover of the book is the way the title is presented. The title seems to capture two aspects of the story in the book at the same time. Further, the presentation appears to somewhat bring a connection between two different aspects discussed in the book. The different colors used for the title against a different background are an aspect that seems to represent a captivating story. Another aspect of the title of the book is the space it occupies on the cover page. The title occupies almost a half of the space, which is rational given the nature of the book and preference of most readers. In so doing the differing colored illustration used for the title of the book captures the attention of the readers. Other illustrations on the cover page are also attractive. The presentation of women’s faces on the cover draws curiosity and intent to find out why the book uses them for the cover. Although the title displays outrightly that the book is about women, the use of the different faces of women is a fascinating element to many readers. The faces stir an urge to find out more about them. In all aspects, the cover illustration avoids use of flashy colors that may negatively impact on the attention of the readers. In one way or the other, the use of color displays the seriousness of the contents of the book and draws many readers. The background color used in the cover is an indication of the importance of the book and shuns away from simplifying the contents of the book. Overall, the cover page looks attractive and draws the attention of the readers. Kim Anderson’s book, “A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood” presents important aspects about the life of aboriginal and current women. It shows the great divide between aboriginal women and current women in the state of women power, right to property, and the position they hold in society. Anderson’s work stems from a deep resentment of what seems to be the fate of current woman intertwined in her womanhood and that has been internalized overtime to become the gospel truth in the society. Anderson acknowledges that her desire to recognize the role of native women and understand the underlying factors that changed the native state was a prime factor that led to writing of the book. However, Anderson’s work is a deep undertaking that cuts across nations to reveal the ongoing process of dehumanization that affects women to date. Anderson seems to have been driven by the suffering of women in the current society and the need to understand its origins. However, in her quest Anderson delves deep into the aboriginal woman who is the only clue as to the reasons behind the suffering. It is important to note that the book is a turning point for Anderson as she tries to bring aboriginal woman’s plight into the limelight. Anderson wrote the book to highlight the difference between the aboriginal woman and the current woman. In spotting the differences, the author hopes to show that it is the high time that the women society deconstructs the current identity and go back to the native identity. In writing the book, Anderson tries to highlights the factors that have over the time neglected women and made them objects for use. The author highlights the advantages of recognizing the identity of aboriginal women and the importance of reconstructing the identity of the aboriginal woman in the current society. From an aborigines’ woman point of view, Anderson stakes claim to the fact that current woman has no place in the society despite the civilization that has been experienced as opposed to the aborigines’ woman place in the society. The author states that the aboriginal woman was more respected, had property rights and was involved in major decision making. In writing the book, Anderson hopes to show the importance of valuing women in the society. As a primer to the book, Anderson seems to stake claim to the argument that the influence of alien cultures is the primary factor for the current state of women. Using the argument, the author draws the readers, especially women to the importance of having a reorganization of their identity. The author proposes that this reorganization should be tilted towards the native woman identity. Kim Anderson’s book is a deep revelation of how the native being of people have been persecuted overtime and acted as the major blow that other people have used to defeat native people. As a young student, the author comes into contact with the native reality that runs deep in her. The revelation that native being cannot be done away with is an awakening point for the author. It is amazing to see how deep the native being is embedded in people despite the massive and constant bombardment with alien cultures that people undergo. This hard reality comes in play as the author shifts her attention to recognizing her indigenous past. Anderson refers to herself as a person of mixed ancestry. She refers to herself as a Cree/Metis, a person of mixed blood. The author’s father is Metis from Manitoba and her mother is of a Euro-Canadian ancestry (Anderson 23). When the author’s ancestry is abused, she is emotional. It is this fear that has been an embarrassing factor in people identifying with one’s ancestry. Anderson states that, “cultural genocide, racism and policies driven aboriginal people to abandon their heritage” (Anderson 23). The cultural genocide and consequent abandonment of native heritage has brought abuse for women. In the quest to understand her ancestry, identity and the place of women in the society, Anderson embarks on a mission to reconstruct the native woman. The author interviews several women from a wide range of nations to understand and help in reconstruction of the women’s native identity. The influence of the author’s past is evident in both the topics she explores and the arrangement of her work. One of the key arguments that the author tries to put across in the book is that the status of native women was higher. The authors states that the native cultures cushioned women from the current abuses that alien cultures like western patriarchy permit (Anderson 57). The author argues that, “native culture promoted womanhood as a sacred identity…that existed within a complex system of relations that were based on balance” (Anderson 57). Thus, native women had a place in the society. Of importance was the power that native women shared with men in a balanced society. Aboriginal societies existed within a combined system of power sharing that allowed women to be involved in major decision making. Native women were viewed as producers and reproducers and therefore their work was confined to home. The division of labor that existed within the indigenous society gave women more respect. The respect given to the women allowed the society to be flexible in terms of how labor was divided (Anderson 59). The author argues that the land-based system of production gave women a higher status than men. It is the value of the women’s wok that gave women the power over the most crucial resource; food. With power came the privilege, respect and esteem that native women enjoyed. They played great roles in politics and were at the centre of spiritual life of the community (Anderson 71).Colonization broke the balance and the structure of the society. Europeans had to break the power of the women to rule. Division of labor was the backbone of women’s power that gave them control over the useful resources. With changing division of labor and ideologies of the role of women in the western cultures, women gradually lost the identity and with it their place in the society. Native women have struggled with the negative identity that colonization has thrown in their way. Native women have relied on support from old role models to fuel and support their fight against racism and sexism. The older generation through their undying resistance of the government and church power that has been used to propagate negative identity has been pivotal in encouraging young women. Grandmother’s figures have been used to shape the lives of younger people (Anderson 117). Male dominance has been one of the most preached aspect of colonization. In defiance, older women have trespassed the male boundaries and continue to live their past. Their existence helps to dispel myths and stories that exist about native identities by being living examples of the native women. In one way or another, older women have stayed oblivious of assimilation and continued to live like their ancestors. Societal solidarity has also been used to fight European influence. Through alliances with other native cultures, native identity has been upheld. Women seek consciousness in native groups, factions or alliances (Anderson 139). Native women continue to identify themselves with important resources like land. Land forms the native communities’ backbone, which then conveys women’s power to the society. The native women have learned acts that promote negative identity and thus resisted them. Native women have also learned to speak against the negative stereotyping. Some other native women have taken to writing, while others discard use of colonial names and languages. The author quotes that cannibalizing of native identity by natives has had a far reaching effect on native identity. Kim Anderson states that the reclamation of native identity involves a clear understanding of where native identity has come from. Much of what constitutes the resistance involves struggling to push back against stereotypes and negative identity of native women which was brought by colonization and which continues to propagate violence and marginalization of women. The author argues that highlighting and bringing in positive messages that address the plight of indigenous women is a complex process. The author acknowledges that to reconstruct a native identity, we need to engage in decolonization by reflecting back on the history of negative identity that continues to affect current indigenous women (Anderson 163). The author argues that women need to realize that they play a crucial role in creation. Anderson states that colonization changed the way native women view sexism and a new outlook into the issue of sex was introduced. In the section, Relating to creation, children are placed at the middle of the society’s existence. The author explores how sex and childbearing are connected and how native women are using it to regain their native identity. The book emphasizes on constructing of the individual, family and the purpose each plays in the society. The authors states that there comes at time when we need “to construct healthy lives” (Anderson 201). The author stresses on the fact that the construction of a native woman belongs to the individuals who in turn make a family and a society. According to the author, one of the factors that racists have excelled in is deconstruction of native identity in the individuals. A lot of negative identities and stereotypes have been made of individuals who hate their native identities. In essence the author notes that individuals have been made to hate their native identities. Thus there is a need to construct healthy lives. Regaining sacredness has also been cited as one way on integrating native roles with modern life. In so doing, lives are seen to have a purpose. An individual can retrace his purpose through regaining sacredness. Women opine that the gender division of labor that exists today should not be sex-based, but be on ability level. The author states that “male and female structures within our institutions should not impede an individual from practicing what they do well” (Anderson 217). With this type of understanding the native women roles can be integrated to the modern society by being allowed to do what they do best. The author states that the only way to getting the society forward is letting the women “give direction and support to our leaders” (Anderson 213). When the community and nation integrate the roles of native women in the current societal structure, the society will move forward. The author argues that the burden placed on women today does not leave a chance to refocus on self. The author argues that constant “interference with love for self and the ability to self-nurture sets the conditions for sexual abuse” (Anderson 231). With so much time taken on daily activities, the native woman lacks time to teach their children important lessons on self love and nurturing that leads to self understanding. The current societal structures and institutions have left no room for women to make their own decisions. The author argues that for women be respected, they must cultivate self respect by learning how to make their own decisions. They must be independent of men and the influences of the negative stereotypes that are peddled by the society. Teaching self-reliance to women is a crucial step in reviving their traditional roles as decision makers and respected people. The author states that “for me, respect is allowing people to make their own decisions, being able to make choices and accepting the consequences” (Anderson 245). According to the author negative identity is a result of the society failing to teach the young women how to gain respect. Through teaching self-reliance, self-nurturing and self-love, native women can regain their roles in the contemporary society. The last section concludes the book. The section seems begs the reader to make a construction of the next step after reading the book. The author states that “the journey around the medicine wheel of resistance-reclaim-construct-act eventually brings us to a place where we must pause and reflect” (Anderson 253). The section begs for questions which can only be answered by the reader. The title of the book, A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood, places certain questions on the eventuality of the native woman and his plight in the society. The author has explored the causes, effects, ways of resisting, and the efforts that native women have put up in doing away with the effects of negative native identity and stereotyping. The last section summarizes the book by drawing the final strokes of the plight of native women and how they have come to be in the contemporary society. Through pausing and reflecting the reader summarizes the thoughts and arguments of the book. Work cited Anderson, Kim. A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood. Canada: Canadian Scholars’ Press, 2000. Print. Read More