Spider Woman's Granddaughters by Paula Gunn Allen
"Spider Woman's Granddaughters," edited by Paula Gunn Allen, is a compelling anthology that showcases the voices of seventeen Native American women writers through a collection of traditional tales, biographical pieces, and contemporary stories. Drawing from the cultural heritage of the Cherokee and the figure of Grandmother Spider, these narratives reflect the enduring spirit and resilience of Indigenous women who have faced centuries of struggle and displacement. The anthology is divided into three thematic sections: "The Warriors," which highlights strong, self-defining women who navigate a harsh world while upholding their cultural traditions; "The Casualties," which explores the emotional wounds resulting from systemic oppression; and "The Resistance," which focuses on the growing empowerment and involvement of Native Americans in political and social spheres since the 1960s. The stories encapsulate themes of identity, endurance, and hope, showcasing the complex interplay between tradition and contemporary challenges. Readers interested in Indigenous perspectives and women's narratives will find this collection both poignant and enlightening.
Spider Woman's Granddaughters by Paula Gunn Allen
First published: 1989
The Work
Spider Woman’s Granddaughters: Traditional Tales and Contemporary Writing by Native American Women, edited by Allen, is a collection of two dozen traditional tales, biographical writings, and short stories by seventeen accomplished American Indian women writers. All of the women follow the tradition of Grandmother Spider, who, according to the Cherokee, brought the light of thought to her people who were living as hostages in their own land. These stories are war stories, since all American Indian women are at war and have been for five hundred years.
Some of the selections are old-style stories; others deal with contemporary issues. All are by women intimately acquainted with defeat, with being conquered, and with losing the right and the authority to control their personal and communal lives. They have experienced the devastating destruction of their national and personal identities. They powerfully demonstrate the Indian slogan: We shall endure.
The first selection, “The Warriors,” contains eleven stories of strong women who are self-defining, fearless, respectful, prayerful, and self-assertive. Their warpath is an odyssey through a brutal and hostile world. Each recognizes that the Indian family must continue to cling to tradition. A warrior must remember where she comes from; beauty is what gives human beings dignity; and the young must be taught how to keep their sense of value intact. These women warriors do not give up hope, even when they are dying, their children are stolen, and they are undergoing emotional and physical battering. They continue to resist when all the forces of a wealthy, powerful, arrogant, ignorant, and uncaring nation are mustered against them in order to coerce their capitulation.
The second section, “The Casualties,” contains five selections about Indian women who have been wounded in the continuing war that seeks to destroy rather than enhance their individual and collective spiritual power. For example, Linda Hogan’s “Making Do” is about a mother’s powerlessness in the face of loss and grief. She clings to her tribal traditions and carves wooden birds, hoping to regain the power, healing, and grace that was traditionally put into carvings.
The third section, “The Resistance,” contains eight selections that are more hopeful. Since the 1960’s, Native Americans have become more involved in the administration of the economic and legal affairs of their tribes. “Deep Purple,” by Paula Gunn Allen, a Native American urban lesbian who loves a white woman, addresses the issue of colonization in the women’s movement and tries to reclaim her connection to the spiritual powers of the past. Like all of the granddaughters of Spider Woman, she is aware of her responsibilities, gifts, and identity.
Bibliography
Allen, Paula Gunn, ed. Studies in American Indian Literature. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1983.
Bruchac, Joseph, ed. Survival This Way: Interviews with American Indian Poets. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1987.
Swann, Brian, and Arnold Krupat, eds. I Tell You Now: Autobiographical Essays by Native American Writers. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1987.