The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions

implicated in the attempt to bring peace and prosperity to the
people; indeed, they are central to it. Such a teacher could, by so
using the story, appear to be incorporating culturally diverse
materials in the classroom while at the same time exploiting the
romantic and moral appeal Native Americans have for other
Americans.
When read as a battle narrative, the story as Gunn renders it
makes clear that the superiority of Miochin rests as much in his
commitment to the welfare of the people as in his military
prowess and that because his attempt to free the people is
backed up by their invitation to him to come and liberate them,
he is successful. Because of his success he is entitled to the hand
of the ruler’s daughter, Kochinnenako, one of the traditional Old
World spoils of victory. Similarly, Sh-ah-cock is defeated not
only because he is violent and oppressive but because the
people, like Kochinnenako, find that they cannot love him.
A radical lesbian separatist might find herself uncomfortable
with the story even though it is so clearly correct in identifying
the enemy as white and violent. But the overthrow of the tyrant is
placed squarely in the hands of another male figure, Miochin.
This rescue is likely to be viewed with a jaundiced eye by many
feminists (though more romantic women might be satisfied with
it, since it’s a story about an Indian woman of long ago), as
Kochinnenako has to await the coming of a handsome stranger
for her salvation, and her fate is decided by her father and the
more salutary suitor Miochin. No one asks Kochinnenako what
she wants to do; the reader is informed that her marriage is not to
her liking when she admits to Miochin that she is unhappy.
Nevertheless, Kochinnenako acts like any passive, dependent
woman who is exploited by the males in her life, who get what
they want regardless of her own needs or desires.
Some readers (like myself) might find themselves wondering
hopefully whether Miochin isn’t really female, disguised by