When Zitkala-Sa was a young girl, she lived happily with her mother and family on the Dakota reservation. She enjoyed her free life there and followed the traditions of her tribe.
One day, missionaries came to the reservation and told the children that if they went to the Eastern boarding school, they would get many good things like:
delicious food
beautiful clothes
good education
They convinced the children that life in the school would be exciting. Because of these promises, Zitkala-Sa decided to go to the school even though her mother was unhappy about it.
Her mother warned her that the white people might try to change their culture and traditions, but the young girl was curious and excited, so she still decided to go.
Arrival at the Boarding School
When Zitkala-Sa arrived at the boarding school, she immediately felt uncomfortable and frightened.
Everything there was strange and different from her home:
The buildings were big and unfamiliar.
The children had to follow strict rules.
The environment felt cold and unfriendly.
The white people treated the children like prisoners rather than students. They forced them to behave according to their rules.
One rule shocked Zitkala-Sa deeply: they cut the long hair of Native American children.
Importance of Long Hair in Native American Culture
In the author's culture, long hair had a very important meaning.
Only cowards or mourners had their hair cut short.
Brave warriors and proud people always kept their hair long.
So, cutting the hair was seen as a great humiliation and a loss of identity.
When Zitkala-Sa heard that the school authorities were going to cut her hair, she became terrified and angry.
Her Attempt to Escape
The author refused to let them cut her hair. She decided to hide.
She ran upstairs and hid under a bed in a room. She hoped that the school authorities would not find her.
However, soon the school officials discovered her hiding place.
They dragged her out from under the bed against her will.
She kicked and screamed loudly, trying to resist them. But the adults were stronger than her.
The Painful Moment
Finally, the authorities forced her to sit on a chair.
While she cried and struggled, they cut her long hair.
At that moment, she felt:
humiliated
powerless
deeply hurt
She felt as if her freedom and identity were taken away.
She described the experience as extremely painful, both emotionally and culturally.
Her Feelings After the Incident
After her hair was cut, Zitkala-Sa felt lonely and helpless.
She felt like:
a captured animal
someone who had lost her dignity
The school tried to erase her Native American culture and identity.
This event became one of the most painful memories of her childhood, which she later wrote about in her story.
Themes of the Story
The story highlights several important themes:
1. Cultural Oppression
Native American children were forced to abandon their traditions.
2. Loss of Identity
Cutting the hair symbolized destroying their cultural identity.
3. Childhood Trauma
The author experienced deep emotional pain during this incident.
4. Resistance
Even though she was a child, Zitkala-Sa bravely resisted the unfair treatment.
Conclusion
"The Cutting of My Long Hair" is a powerful autobiographical story by Zitkala-Sa. It shows how Native American children were forced to give up their culture in boarding schools run by white authorities. The cutting of her hair symbolizes the loss of freedom, identity, and cultural pride.
This memory remained deeply painful for the author and became an important reminder of the struggles faced by Native Americans.