The Uintah Reservation 1903 to 1916: Awakenings Summary and Analysis

In Awakenings, in 1913, Zitkala-Sa and Raymond were in a white settlement called Vernal (25 miles from the Ute reservation). Mormon families came to see an opera, The Sun Dance, written by William Hanson, Vernal's white music teacher, and Zitkala-Sa. The plot was that an Indian man, Ohiya, must complete the sun dance to prove his worthiness to his beloved. Zitkala-Sa made sure the lyrics were Indian. Indians donated costumes and danced in the sun dance scene. The opera was a success.

Raymond had troubles with F. Baker, the greedy agent at the Indian Bureau. Rehearsals took away Zitkala-Sa from the family and Raymond accused her of having an affair. She stormed out. Baker made up a terrible lie, saying Raymond beat Zitkala-Sa, which was a crime in Utah. The rumor spread in the town...