When I was a little girl I read all possible books we had at home. One of them was Winnetou by Karl May. I cried when Winnetou in a book died (right, I cried when Robin Hood died, too). Probably since then I was more or less interested in Apache and read everything on Native Americans in the books our library had held. Well, I tell you, there were just a few. I sew myself a dress made of leather (I told you this already), I walked like Indians in a book, I was quiet, I made myself a bow and arrows (no dolls, sure, I wasn't a squaw!) and I spent each and every weekend in the woods near our weekend house. Practically I tried to live like an Indian. Winnetou was my hero, I can say so. Definitely.
When we moved to our new house when I was 17, all this stopped. I had forgotten about all this for about 10 years. Then there came an internet and buying books from Amazon. I have still no idea how it came to this but the first book I ordered from them was Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas by Mari Sandoz. I couldn't put it down and since then I've kept buying the books about this strange and brave man. When I visited the USA I followed the path where he had lived. It was a travel of my life. However, I have never wanted to be like him as, in my opinion, my character is too much like his already. He is not my hero but I know practically everything about him. I admire him for his deeds. How do you call a man like this? Perhaps a hero, too?My passion keeps going on. It is in me, it is a part of me. And I am proud of this.
Do you have your hero, too?
1 comment:
That's so interesting and funny get again (as in odd) - I too have always been interested in the Native North Americans but have finding out more about them on a very long life's to do list. One of my unfulfilled desires was to study anthropology, although perhaps I don't fully understand all it would entail. The ways and whys of a people and an individual person are so interesting to me.
The other day at swimming class Ella finally went under the water and I was literally jumping and cheering her on the side of the pool - my pride was so visual and obvious to her (and everyone else). One of the other mum's - her daughter swam on her own for the first time, really swam alone and her response was what I'd describe as a luke warm smile. Was she as thrilled as me and if so what made her as she was? I'm off the point. Native indians - very interested - tell me where to start reading and I"ll order a book tomorrow. "Tenderness of Wolves" is on my Christmas wish list with Geoff!
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