Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

There are no two ways about it: the effects of colonialism are devastating for those who find themselves on the wrong side of the settlers' guns. I'd heard much of Dee Brown's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, so when the title turned up in my Audible subscription, I gave it a listen. And I'm so glad I did. The book really put a lot into perspective in terms of an American history that I had, up until now, only gleaned snippets of. An American history that is not often discussed or mentioned in mainstream media, that I feel is often conveniently brushed under the rug. 

How often we've heard that saying that history is written by the victors. Well, this history is written by those who were vanquished, and if you have the wherewithal to endure chapter after chapter of tragedy, then this is possibly one of the most important books you can invest your time in. And this is a hard read.

I came to this book from the perspective of a post-colonial South African, who has lived through some pretty, ahem, shall I say it – *exciting* – events in African history. So, it was a fascinating dive to try to draw parallels between what happened in Africa vs. the Americas. It's all connected, and it's nearly all awful. I can't even begin to untangle things. And, perhaps with history, it's pointless dwelling on that which you can't change, that lies in the past.

But you can certainly lean on what you've learnt about the past so that you can ensure that you are a better person than your forebears. At least that is the way I look at things. Specifically to view those who are different from me through a lens that focuses on the commonalities. We all love, hope, bleed, dream, desire for a better future. To think that in the past (and perhaps even now) there are people out there who believe that those who are different from them are not even worthy of respect and dignity. That is staggering.

Brown gives a thorough history of all the broken treaties, the lies, the malice, the callousness of those who wielded power over those who had less. Those First Nations who just wanted to live in peace, until their younger men, too, were caught up in the death spiral of violence and retribution. I guess what they say about hindsight is all too true, but for those caught in the thick of the conflict it was impossible to see a way out that didn't result in further bloodshed. The staggering arrogance of those who took land, who saw it as a divine mandate in the name of their religion and nationalism. It's just disgusting. 

Brown writes with great sympathy for the First Nations people who suffered, detailing the conflicts that destroyed entire tribes in a way that makes me ashamed to think of what my direct ancestors did here in Africa. If anything, this harrowing book is a massive cautionary tale warning us that we can be better, *do* better to set aside these artificial notions that one race is somehow better than another thanks to the colour of their skin or the religion that they adhere to.

While I was close to tears several times throughout the reading, I persevered. So many doomed heroes stand out, and it is my fervent hope that more people read this book – it is an important document that deserves to be foregrounded for future generations.