Women's Role In Native American Literature

Native Americans are pre-Columbian inhabitants of North America and South America. The native people of Canada are commonly known as First Nation people while the native people of United States are known as Native Americans. Women played a very important role in Native American society. Before the European colonization, the situations of Native Americans were good. They were the creator and preserver of culture and tradition. They were not only the housekeepers or caretakers of children but they also helped the men in agriculture and hunting. They were equal to native men. But after the colonization, the situation of Native women became worst. They were forced to depend economically on the men. They were expected to do only the household works and raised the children. In this way “their status declined, and they became more vulnerable to the interests and machinations of men” (Medicine and Jacobs 130).

Literature plays an important role to show the image of women in the society. Native American literature represents the native women, their voices and their experiences. Native American writers “focuses on or foreground gender and sexuality in their work contribute a space that brings us full force to questions of Native women consciousness, power and vision in relation to both

Native men believed that women’s role is to fulfil the expectation of their fathers, husbands, brothers and other closest male relatives. The main duty of the native women is to cook and serve food for them. In the play “Weebjob”, Weebjob as a husband remembers his wife, when she had gone to his sister’s house, only when he feels hungry. He said to his daughter “Your mother is at her sister, not to return for a few days I’m hungry. See what is in the kitchen and I will break my fast” (“Weebjob” 20). He remembers Sweet Grass as a cook, not as a wife. Thus the Native American women are only expected to do the household