“Moving Camp Too Far Away”

I thought that the poem “Moving Camp Too Far Away” was interesting. The poem begins by speaking of things that were important to Native American culture back in its glory days. I get the impression that the author is someone from present day speaking about the best parts of her culture that she has never gotten to experience. I actually can relate with the writer in her expression of loss when she states “I can’t speak of many moons...I can’t tell of the last great battle…I don’t know what it was to hunt a buffalo” (line 1-9). The writer’s personality seems like one of someone who looks at the history of her culture with great respect, and seems to mourn for what she has missed now that the cultural identity of the Native Americans has been watered down. It is kind of sad when she goes on to say what she does know of her culture today. The author states “But I can see an eagle…on slurpee cups…I can travel to powwows in campers and winnebagos…I can and unfortunately I do” (lines 11-23). The ending was my favorite part. It is very symbolic of how I am sure a lot of Native Americans feel. It seems like the things the author lists at the end of the poem are not a very proud part of their heritage, but they go one with these things because it is what they have left. It is a way to connect to the times that used to be the glory days of their culture, even if the generation of today was never able to experience that time.