End of the Trail

Photo credit: Kellie Harry

"End of the Trail, 1918, is a bronze sculpture by James Earl Fraser (American, 1876-1953) that symbolizes the forced removal of Native Americans from their homelands by U.S. settlers. Fraser intended the work as a pointed commentary on the damaging effects of Euro-American settlement on American Indian nations confined to government reservations. Seated upon a windblown horse, Fraser’s figure slumps over despondently, embodying the physical exhaustion and suffering of a people forcefully driven to the end of the trail. One of the most iconic works was first modeled in 1894, the sculpture is based on Fraser’s experiences growing up in Dakota Territory and hearing a Dakota trapper saying, ‘The Indians will someday be pushed into the Pacific Ocean." The artist later said that “the idea occurred to me of making an Indian which represented his race reaching the end of the trail, at the edge of the Pacific.”

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2014

Fraser’s sculpture has been interpreted in various ways: some critics regarded the Indian’s decline as a necessary step in America’s westward “march of progress”. This significant work continues to evoke strong emotions and reflections on this chapter of American history, and its implications today. When I took this picture of my youngest daughter on her horse, I immediately saw that through everything, here we are. Not only have my children and I endured, survived, and overcome, but we have reached the "end of the trail". We have done everything the system has asked us to complete: school, college, and career as All-Americans.

Further, I immediately thought about my beautiful Indian daughter and her age of 4 years old. At the same age, so many of our Native babies were taken away to Indian boarding schools, and some were often not seen again due to many devasting factors of the military approach first modeled by Carlisle Indian School.  (The White House, 2024) A recent investigation has revealed that more than 3,000 Native American children died while attending U.S. government-run boarding schools. (The White House, 2024) The investigation highlighted the harsh conditions and abuses these children faced, including disease, and physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. (The White House, 2024)

Her beautiful white dress reminded me of the clothing requirements enforced by religious organizations and school officials forced children to cut their hair, prohibited them from speaking their Native languages, and subjected them to harsh labor. (The White House, 2024) On the other hand, I see the white dress on my little girl as pure, and stylishly beautiful. The contrast of the white dress and black horse, with an Indian girl in the center symbolized to me how through our endurance, we have been resilient in being able to successfully walk in two worlds, balancing the responsibilities of maintaining both as we have maintained our connection with horses and nature.

As a mother, it also showed me an angel, dressed in white, riding a black horse, signifying our continuance of upcoming and future generations, as we as a family have reached the "end of the trail". We have reached the gold at the "end of the rainbow" and begun a new trail. A trail of defining what is the best education and lifestyle for us, rather than what has been imposed upon us. Due to the historical traumas that Native communities have endured, and the damaging effects that it had on our communities and families, it is all too easy for Native children to be hurt and be written off as "they are just Indian". This is not only evident in the long-running low achievement scores of American Indian students, but in family and community traumas.

As a child who has survived sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, I learned as boarding school students did, to keep your head down and keep working hard. After working hard as a child, at 18, I was again sexually assaulted. This devasted me as I felt that all I had endured as a child to grow to be an adult who can make their own life, free of abuse, was all taken away. As I’ve always done, I kept my head down, working to reach the promised land of the American dream. The American Dream is that you can be anything you want by working hard. But as a standard practice, the boarding schools would instruct the older Native children to abuse the younger Native children. I continued to endure this treatment throughout my adulthood as people have worked in collaboration to abuse me in my daily life and work life. So, if adults can’t treat me respectfully, how will they treat my children correctly?

This is the boarding school mentality that continues in our communities. I have survived many attempted hits on my life, career, and character. I survive because of my faith in my life plan, dreams, goals, and visions for my children for a better life. Most importantly, my faith in our Creator and ancestors. As a Native woman who has made her special place in Nevada history, I believed that hard work would lead me to a better life. Although the opposition works to cause obstacles, I don’t believe in giving up and continue to work towards my goals in life.

The "end of the trail" means that there is a new beginning, a new path to take. From this point forward, we will not accept any more abuse from others. Others who tell us that we are not good enough will find reasons that will only cause further damage, rather than to strengthen through support what they deem as weaknesses and deficiencies. From here on out, my children and I will only build stronger in love, care, and support to continue to succeed. I have always been one to accept all people and not pass judgment, for you don’t know what they have gone through. I have always appreciated the diversity of people's thoughts, cultures, and beliefs, as America was once considered the “melting pot”. This concept has always meant to me, that all people bring their voices to the table, and diversity of opinion was valued and considered to make innovative solutions.

However, I’m excited to see a future in Indian education as I continue to educate my children in the appropriate and necessary educational setting fit for us. I’m grateful for the past administrations that have honored tribal sovereignty which encompasses Native education. More recently, I’m grateful for the Biden-Harris administration's all-of-government strategy to:

-         Preserve and revitalize Native languages

-         Expand access to immersion language programs in schools and programs.

-         Support community-led language education efforts,

-         Promote Native language schools and programs.

-         Showcase new initiatives supporting Tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and the federal trust responsibility, while bringing together Tribal leaders and senior administration officials to discuss priorities for Indian Country. (The White House, 2024)

Additionally, their 10-year National Plan on Native Language Revitalization Plan calls for strategic actions to address the United States government’s historic role in the loss of Native languages across the lower 48 states, Alaska, and Hawai’i. The plan's proposals would expand:

1) expand access to immersion language environments,

2) support community-led revitalization efforts, and

3) develop, grow, and sustain Native language support networks.

The Plan also recommends ways to address a chronic under-investment in Native language revitalization to date. (The White House, 2024)

References:

Vittoria, S. (2014, February 19). “End of the Trail.” The American West in Bronze. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2013/the-american-west-in-bronze/blog/posts/end-of-the-trail

The White House. (2024, December 9) A Proclamation on the Establishment of the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/12/09/a-proclamation-on-the-establishment-of-the-carlisle-federal-indian-boarding-school-national-monument/