What it means to be Cheyenne...
Redbow and Philbert, both Cheyenne, have very different views of what it means to be Cheyenne. Redbow, a political activist, takes the colonizer's perspective of what it means to be a productive member of society, Euro-American ideals shape this meaning. He fights for American Indian civil rights by utilizing the methods of the United States government. Philbert, on the other hand, seems to disregard the colonizer's influence and pays little attention to formal government. He practices his peoples' traditions and culture and to him, this is what it means to be Cheyenne. Philbert's definition of a productive member of society aligns with traditional Cheyenne teachings: being spiritual, helping others and respecting nature. Redbow defines wealth as ownership of things: in the electronics store, he proves his wealth by buying the most expensive sound system. Philbert believes that as long as it gets the job done, the simpliest stereo is sufficient. His definition of wealth is like that of traditional American Indian teaching: wealth is measured by how well you can take care of others in the community. Philbert embraces the way of life of indigenous people. He has learned the language of his ancestors, possesses a special connection to nature and practices traditional ceremonies and tells and learns from ancient stories. To him, this is what it means to by Cheyenne, to live as his ancestors, in a more diplomatic fashion. Redbow disconnects himself from the traditional way of life. He refuses to look for a deeper meaning in Philbert's story, he is upset about having to go to the powwow and does not accept the traditional practices of the Cheyenne people. To him, being Cheyenne is fighting for the civil rights of his people using the white man's methods. He is militant like the colonizer, he has assimilated to his way of life.