Being from Florida, Power has impacted me differently than most because the area is where I grown up. The only difference is I am near the Seminole tribe in the Florida Everglades. The only people that you will cross between my house and Miami is the Seminoles. They have the only gas station between Naples and Miami. Also, they live and work on this patch of land. Seminoles have worked to maintain their traditional values, but have been impacted by us.
During my lifetime, the Florida panther has impacted me. First, there are panther crossings, which means the speed limit is lower at night. It is more difficult to see a panther racing across the road. Northerns may have deer crossing on their drivers test, but we have panther crossing. Also, when you drive across the Seminoles' land you will notice the road is fenced in. It is to protect the animals from crossing the road and being killed. However, there are some panther sidewalks that allow animals including panther to get to the other side of the road. I am not sure how the panther knows where these crossing are, but they seem to work. As a disclosure, I am not surrounded by wildlife at my home, and I have only seen a panther in the wild once. I live in the modern world, but 25 minutes from my house, it is whole another world.
Native Americans rules the territory known as the Everglades. They follow separate rules, but are sometimes under the same rules as us. In Power, I started to wonder if an Indian tribe had killed a panther recently. According to my quick research 1987, was the trial date for a Seminole going to court for killing a panther. The article mirrors that of Power sort of. Click here to read!
The tribe was defending their rights in accordance to the treaty. They claim it was for religious reason, and if a white person had hide the panther with a car, it is considered to have died from natural causes. Of course, the battle between Indian and white society continues.
In Power, the struggle between old and new ways is demonstrated. Sis must choose between the different ways, but can their be a happy medium. Should Sis even have to choose? In the killing of the Panther, who is right? Whites caused the panther to become endanger with its buildings and pollution. So, how can whites point the blame to an Indian tribe living in their traditions?
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I thought it was interesting in class when you discussed panther crossings. It is crazy how people can differ so greatly solely based on geographic location. Beliefs can be universal, but the way in which people are introduced or influenced by their beliefs can be diverse.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your insight on the Indian culture and panthers in Florida. I'm from Pennsylvania and while we have a lot of deer and are close to the Amish (who live very differently from people in the modern world, much like the Indians), it helps a lot to learn about a situation much closer to that in the book.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read about panther crossings and how you described them in class. I liked knowing more about the panthers in Florida that relates to the book.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely hard to decide who wins in a casee like this. I agree with you that the struggle between the whites and indians continues. That's why I was so interested during the court passage in Power. Good job on finding a similar example.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all the responses. As many of you mentioned, it was nice to have the book be able to relate more personally to you. Sometimes, in reading books about Indians we feel unrelated to the situation. I really do not see the typical Indian rooming my neighborhood, but they do hide in the swamps in our books. Not sure if hide is the right word maybe we pushed them into the swamps.
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