This chapter describes the journey of Meriwether Lewis into the heart of the Shoshone tribe, crossing barriers such as communication and cultural uncertainties to discover something in himself. Lewis, McNeal, Drouillard, and Shields were seeking horses to transport their group of explorers towards the Northwest Passage. They were lost, however, and their only option was to get directions from the Shoshone Indian tribe. When he comes across 2 Shoshone women, he gives them gifts as a display of peace, and they graciously lead him towards the camp. Warriors rush towards them, on edge because of a recent attack from a neighboring tribe. The women saved them, and the men "were received with ceremonial honor." The group of men, led by Lewis, were "isolated," and "utterly dependent" on the Shoshone tribe, forced to simply let the chief and tribe decide what to do with them. He "threw himself and the future of his expedition into their hands," which is a very difficult thing to do. He felt confused. He was often times "disgusted with himself." However, he managed to keep the respect of the chief and convince tribe members to help his crew by giving them horses. Suspicions still remained on both sides, and finally the chief made a symbolic gesture: he dressed Lewis and his crew in the tribal clothing that he himself and his warrior's wore. In return, Lewis placed upon the chief his cocked hat. He believed that at that moment he had "metamorphosed" into "a complete Indian." Sacagaweah, their translator, returned and all was well in the camp.
Lewis, however, was very introspective. It seemed that he was disappointed in himself. He was introduced to a completely new culture, and it was up to him to figure out how to interact with them to keep himself safe and to get what he needed. He was "invaded by an America he had never expected to meet." Lewis was somewhat of an unreliable witness, and therefore "the pivotal moment in the most iconic American exploring expedition [remains]," in some ways, "forever unknowable."
Chapter Reflection:
It seems that Lewis was bombarded with a new way of life. It must be so terrifying to know that your life and the lives of your companions are in the hand of a people whom you know nothing about. Lewis was unsure of himself, as anyone surely would be in that situation. It caused him to question his values, his thoughts, his actions, as well as the actions of the culture that he was suddenly introduced to. He had to adapt quickly to his new surroundings. Although he might not admit that he was changed by the Indian culture, I liked the narrators words: "I have felt the disorientation and panic that follow immersion in another culture," and she imagines that Lewis must have been impacted in some way by his time with the Shoshone people. We can relate to Lewis, because in this world of "blended identities" and blended cultures, we must all learn to adapt to each other, even though it might be scary sometimes and cause us to question our own identities.
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