White Shamanism

The term "white shamanism" may be an unfamiliar one to many readers of this poem, but its significance as a theme in the work is unmistakable. First coined by Rose and fellow poets Geary Hobson and Leslie Silko, white shamanism has been misinterpreted over the years, especially by non- Native American writers who may feel a personal affront by the term. In an interview with fellow poet and author Joseph Bruchac, published in Survival This Way, Rose tried to explain what it really means:

It's assumed that what we're saying is that we don't want non-Indian people to write about Indians. That's not it. Many non-Indian people have written beautifully and sensitively about Indian people. . . . The difference is that there are those who come out and say that they are Indian when they are not . . . . There are those who come out and do not claim to be...