Early Indigenous Literatures

Tender trust as integral to the child-parent relationship in Yankton nation

In constructing Tusee's childhood, Bonnin places Tusee and her grandfather on equal footing--even as elders' knowledge is respected. Here, the father and his daughter are made into one as they collectively "eye [sic] the figure on the grass" and await "the man's report" (Bonnin 139). Already, Tusee's opinion is valued and she is seen as an integral member of the community and decision making process. That belonging is also marked with a balance of tenderness and strength, by which her father embraces her energetic spirit.

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