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Some of the issues I recognized between modern and traditional narrative was the lack of awareness in identity. This often follows misinterpreted culture preservation of Native American history and culture. To me Opal carried the role of trying to find balance amongst all the other characters in the story. Opal seemed to be very optimistic in striving to gain confidence in preserving culture while moving forward in a positive yet impactful way.

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On page 77, Edwin Black asserts, “The problem with Indigenous art in general is that it’s stuck in the past.” How does the tension between modernity and tradition emerge throughout the narrative? Which characters seek to find a balance between honoring the past and looking toward the future? When is the attempt to do so successful?

Each Character in this story, whether Tony, Dene, or Opal, shows that they all face a similar problem: they suffer from cultural identity. People who are Native but aren't raised with Traditional knowledge or have any sense of their culture are easily caught with no identity in the Culture. Many of these problems that the Natives face in this book are the same ones that I see today in many people in my own life. It's incredibly challenging when you don't know who or the way your people go about things. Opal is the character I see the most who thinks a lot about her last name. Dene and the bond with his uncle sticks out to me as the characters struggle to balance past and present. These characters face many challenges and suffering in their correlating paths, but with these steps, they get closer to discovering who they are along the story.

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On page 77, Edwin Black asserts, “The problem with Indigenous art in general is that it’s stuck in the past.” How does the tension between modernity and tradition emerge throughout the narrative? Which characters seek to find a balance between honoring the past and looking toward the future? When is the attempt to do so successful?

I've found peace within Opal's story, her story shows that it was a choice to keep her child, or to do away with it. I'm not sure the fate of what happens to the child, but it's a sad fate what natives must endure. our traditions pertain to the protection of life, but to give life at the wrong time is another subject entirely. arguably, tradition would still prevail, and cursing your child to live a life of disability because the parent wanted to be selfish is a different kind of hell the creator has planned for them. more contemporary literature i believe has a sense of realism embedded within its lessons, there are similarities within each work presented but Edwin's statement on page 77 is biased I'd say, I've heard his statement too many times. creativity comes from present belief, traditional values are a lot different in terms of preservation, but a lot of material produced by our culture is diluted with false idealisms of political activism. there are a lot of propaganda posts, but it's easier to create a post then to be involved with what truly matters.

Tony struggled to find peace, yet Dene dealt with passive aggressive attitudes and judged the world himself through a different lens, while Opal found her way through trial and error.

admirability remains with those who have lived, and tried within life.

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I think the characters all shows this, but i feel like Opal is the one that sticks out to me the most. Reading the story with her in it showed me how she really felt. I believe she wasn't allowed to learn about her Native American heritage. She did not want to, and she kept others from it. I believe that she was only looking forward to the future because she did not really want to look in the past by the way the story was written. I can also say that almost all the characters show a little bit of honoring the past, but looking forward to the future. I believe the tension is seen in the narrative because most of the characters are learning about themselves and their cultures. This leads to them finding more out about themselves and wanting to learn about their ancestors.

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The tension between modernity and tradition seems to be the main theme. The quote is asserting the conflict between preserving culture and while adapting to the evolving ways. All the characters in the story seem to be fighting cultural identity which connects to this topic. Though the struggles the Native Americans endured. I think it suggests that there is an attempt to find culture identity but in a way of integrating both worlds. But it is also essential to preserving the culture.

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The tension between modernity and tradition emerges with each character having issues with their cultural identity while living in an urban area. Of all the characters, I would have to say Dene. He honors his uncle and his past, but that's only after the loss of his uncle. He didn't quite understand anything until that point. But he wanted to continue doing what his uncle and he had planned.

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I think the tension emerges when artists are trying to honor traditional forms while also trying to express contemporary realities. In my opinion, the attempt to do so successfully is to do it with meaning, because communities evolve and it is important to maintain that ability across generations. I think a character that seeks to find a balance is Dene. I feel like Dene's whole mission is just that, for example, he shows such gratitude towards any chance he gets tales from those in his community.

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The tension between modernity and tradition is that the characters in the story struggle with their identity and culture. They struggle with things that happen in the past and present and are still learning how to deal with that experience. When he says, " the problem with Indigenous art in general is that its stuck in the past," I feel it means that the past is always brought up in stories, but the past experiences is what shaped Indigenous people the way they are. In my opinion, Opal and Blue are characters that look to find a balance between honoring the past.

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I think that we've seen how Native Literature is able to relate to times presently. As we've read some Native's literature, I've been able to immediately recognize what they were describing. Even though they were from a hundred years prior, I could really envision what they were saying. I think that we can't really look at Native Art being stuck in a time that doesn't resonant with this current time. Yes, Native Artists are allowed to recreate, and make music that is cool, and that is still considered Native Art, but to say that all Native or Indigenous art must emerge with the times, that would lose the authenticity of tradition art as well. I think both should be allowed equally in their own rights.

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After reading the question, the first character I thought of was Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield. Opal often felt like a "failure" when it came to the Native experience in the United States. She believed that the world is organized by the whites in a way that causes Native Americans to fail. This affects her relationship with her grandsons because she doesn't want them to fail. To prevent this, she limits them as much as she can from Native culture. Although the question asks, "Which characters seek to find balance between HONORING the past, and looking forward to the future?", Opal does this in a way that is almost "dishonoring" the past to look forward to the future for her grandsons based on her beliefs. She avoids looking back on the past, so she can look forward to the future. This is successful in her eyes.

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I think Dene's uncle had the tension between modernity and the tradition. Dene did not understand it and was seeking it himself. I really enjoyed the story and thought it was a great representation of what it is happening a lot or has happened in cities across America. A lot of Native Americans who live or do not live on reservations have probably experienced an identity issue at some point. This book is great at telling some gritty raw stories.

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With each of the characters, you can see there is a huge part in which way they want to learn and are confused. There is Dene Oxedene, who is confused as which is to be traditional or in the modern world. His uncle tells him to keep doing the work for the Native people but it is confused with it all. Personally, I have grown up tradition and in the modern ways. It is a tough thing to even be raised because you have to try and fit in each world and not sure which way you want to live your life. It is similar to the ones that live in Oakland because you try and be tradition and modern to fit in each lifestyle.

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Native Americans face a struggle like many of the characters in this book. They have to learn how to honor their native American heritage and exist in the white world in which makes them fell out of place and alienated in their environment. The tension between modernity and tradition is the stereotypes such as beadwork, feathers and powwows in which this isn’t the reality of an indigenous lifestyle. The characters in the book want to show and acknowledge their roots without being confined to them. Some of the characters who seek to find balance are Edwin Black, who is overweight and unemployed. Orvil Red Feather who taught himself how to dance and stay rooted in his culture by watching YouTube videos. Success in doing so is often threatened by poverty and trauma. It is very difficult to find balance.

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In the book There There, I saw the struggle and could identify with the way Dene was feeling when he lost his uncle to Cirrhosis. The description of how he felt as he ran out of his house when he heard the news of his uncle's passing broke my heart but what was so beautiful about what he did after by honoring his uncle was finishing his work, or if you would bringing his uncles ideas to life. Actually seeing how resilient and the Profund impression that the uncle has impressed on Dene was very impressive. The death of his uncle helped shape his future, he was determined and took a faith of leap to pursue the ideas and beliefs of his uncle. I believe he understood the importance of the peoples voices to be heard and for their stories to be told. It was a great story!!

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In the book There, There the characters so far are hard to choose from, but I would have to go with Dene Oxendene. His approach of finding out the past of not only who he is and where he is from, but where others who share and relate to the struggles of identity. Tony, Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield (have to say her full name), Edwin and Dene they all share the same struggle each had terrible situations in their lives. Through all the trials and tribulations of a battle not knowing who they truly are only the tip of the iceberg of their heritage. Through the bad they endured and struggled through Whatever situation no Dene was reaching for past identity and wanted stories of how many came to be in Oakland. How life was growing and surviving as a Native American in and Urban area. Each character like Dene had a loss and dealt with grief and troubles along their way. Even with that like Dene each found light in their culture and heritage. Whether it be in a slight modern way with fusing traditional values.

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In “There There”, all the characters struggle with something, each character wants to better themselves in some way. The character Dene lost his uncle to cirrhosis, he wants to honor is uncle by making movies for him, but he can’t help what happened to his uncle. Edwins statement in my opinion is trying to tell us that, not many people know about our culture and everyone has stereotypes of our culture but most of those stereotypes are stuck in the past, growing up I was never raised the traditional way, so as I got older it was hard for me because I never really knew my language, but as I continued to get older I learned more and more.

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Each character is unknowingly struggling with the experience of growing up in predominantly white communities. They’re aware of their differences, and as they get older, they want to reconnect with their Native identity but aren’t always sure how. I think many “urban Indians” face similar challenges, especially those who didn’t grow up in Native communities that are deeply rooted in culture and tradition. Even if you’re not raised in a traditional way, you still have some sense of the lifestyle and are familiar with cultural elements. From a young age, we’re taught to preserve our traditions, which are generational and deeply tied to the past. So, when Edwin makes his statement, it reflects a lack of understanding, our communities value keeping art grounded in the old ways while still embracing modern Native expression. I think Dene Oxendene does a good job of finding that balance between honoring tradition and looking ahead. He shows this through his commitment to continuing his uncle’s project of recording stories from Oakland Natives and sharing their lived experiences.

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The story There, There the character I picked was Tony Loneman. Tony has many challenges he faces throughout his chapter and experiences. Tony tries to seek and find by honoring his past and looking forward to his future. He tries on honoring the past when he reflects on his life and being a native american in Oakland, California. He really didn't like his physical appearance as a kid growing up, when others would just ask about what is wrong with his face or what he did. He has FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) and he feels left out in the modern-day world. He was raised in an environment that didn't express his native culture, so he didn't know or get taught that much growing up. Later in the chapter he tries to connect to his culture by going to the Oakland powwow. To him it's an event that will present a tension between the modern and tradition life he never experienced. To Tony it was a new experience so, for him it was engaging into his heritage. From experiencing the powwow, he realizes the significance of going and what his heritage really it.

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EvAnn White Feather

The tension between modernity and tradition emerges throughout the narrative because it shows how Native Americans struggle between two worlds.  Even those who never grew up on a reservation and have lived in the city, they too struggle with their identity.  The characters in the chapter seek to find a balance between honoring the past and looking toward the future.  Tony Loneman struggled with his physical condition and learns to accept it.  Dene Oxendene is motivated by his uncle to continue his work in documenting Indian stories in Oakland.  Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield moved around with her mother and sister trying to find a stable home.  They ended up on an Island because they were promised by the government that they would be taken care of but that was not the case.  Once again, the government lied to the Native Americans.  The two Native sisters ended up moving forward in life by themselves.  Edwin Black has the sense of not belonging to a tribe.  He finds out that his father is Native American whom he never got to know.  He searches for him and finds him.  Edwin has a weight problem and he eventually decides to change his life around for the better.  The attempt to be successful is when all the characters realize that they need to rely on themselves to be successful. They all work hard to make improvements within themselves.

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The tension between modernity and tradition is a central theme. Black’s statement on page 77 reflects a broader struggle among Native people to both preserve their cultural roots and navigate contemporary urban life. This conflict is woven throughout the novel as the characters try to define their identity in a world that often denies their history and marginalizes their voices. Orvil, Opal, and Blue are the characters look to find a balance between honoring the past, but looking toward the future. The Oakland powwow itself is a powerful symbol of success. Native people coming together not on a reservation, but in a city, through a shared cultural celebration. It honors traditional dances, music and stories, while also existing within an urban, modern context.

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In There There, characters struggle to balance their Native identity with the modern world. Dene Oxendene wants to honor the past by recording Native stories but uses film to do it. Orvil Red Feather learns traditional dance from YouTube, showing both his desire to connect and how removed he is from his culture. Tony Loneman feels stuck in his past, while Jacquie Red Feather tries to move forward by getting sober and reconnecting with family. The Oakland Powwow brings tradition into a modern space, but the violence that happens there is a reminder of the struggles Native people still face.

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There is tension between modernity and tradition in not only the stories of each character, but also in individuals or different Native American communities as a whole. For Edwin, he feels disconnected with his culture even though he is very educated in the topic, but with no real-life experience in the culture, he doesn't feel "Native enough" Another example of disconnectedness is with Opal, she's used to getting teased about her name, and even herself, doesn't like her last name "Bear Shield". She doesn't understand the power or the strength of the name she carries. Dene uses his opportunity of receiving a grant to give urban Natives a voice because they are often overlooked or forgotten since they are not on reservation. Tony had an understanding of his culture and was even involved in it growing up, when he danced. Tony also experienced the negatives of his culture, such as bullying about physical appearance. At the end of the story, he expresses how when he had his regalia on, he didn't see "The Drome" or hyper focused on his physical appearance, he sees himself, as a Native American man. Tony is the one I believe finds the balance of between honoring the past and looking toward the future.

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The story of There There Characters' journey revolves around the battle between modernity and traditionalism. Edwin Black feels cut off from his Native blood, so in search of belonging he researches it, but to no avail. Orvil Red Feather secretly learns traditional dance from which he hopes to find a link to his heritage. In the interview, Dene Oxendene makes a statement by collecting Indigenous stories through modern filmmaking. It becomes a question of how to maneuver their cultural heritage with the contemporary urban life. Orvil finds empowerment through dance, Edwin is unsure, and success varies. The novel finally ends by showing the attempt of Indigenous people to continue their struggles to keep their past alive while creating new identities.

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In “There, There”, the characters deal with the challenge of living in today’s world while still wanting to stay connected to their Native roots. On page 77, Edwin Black says Native art is “stuck in the past,” which shows how hard it can be for Native people to express who they are without being judged by old stereotypes. Edwin is trying to learn more about his culture and family, which shows he wants to respect where he comes from while moving forward.

Orvil Red Feather also feels this tension. He wants to understand what it means to be Native, but he has to figure it out mostly on his own. He finds some connection through dancing at the powwow. Dene Oxendene uses modern technology to record Native stories, and that feels like a strong way to keep traditions alive while adapting to the world now. These characters show it is possible to balance both the past and the future when it’s done with respect and honesty.