“The Way to Rainy Mountain” written by N. Scott Momaday, is a story behind a Kiowa descendent experience with Rainy Mountain. In the story, he depicts history, culture and life of the Kiowa tribe. In addition, he focused more on his grandmother to display the life for Kiowa people. Rainy Mountain is a place where weather becomes extreme no matter the kind of season. One day, the author returned to Rainy Mountain to visit his grandmother’s grave. She had recently died and he feels nostalgic. His grandmother was born to the last traditional generation of the Kiowa. The Kiowa tribe were fond of the Tai me. This particular sacred sun-dance doll became the Kiowa object of worship. His grandmother attended the last sun dance the Kiowa tribe had in 1887. She was exposed to Kiowa culture and lives in Rainy Mountain until her passing. The author tries to recall his grandmother through what he experience when living with her. He remembers her standing at the wooden stove cooking the meat or sitting at the south window, bent above her bead work. He recalls his grandmother’s house being full of fun and noise. He claims the Kiowa people are good people who care for one another. Families within the tribe took care of one another and they had great morale. The place surrounding his grandma’s house was plain yet peaceful enough that he could hear the frogs by the river and feel the motion of the air.
The Report on Way to Rainy Mountain
N. Scott Momaday’s The Way to Rainy Mountain glorifies the Kiowa culture and describes its traditions. N. Scott Momaday in his reminiscence demonstrates nostalgic longing for a time that cannot be salvaged and is gone forever. The author reminds us of lost tribes, lost religions and lost hope. A person’s heritage is a very important aspect of himself. If a person’s heritage is somehow lost or ...
N. Scott Momaday, intends to share cultural background of the Kiowa tribe. He is a long descendent that has no experience with the tribe during their traditional era but he tries to reconnect their past with his grandmother’s. From all the stories his grandmother has told him, he feels connected to the Kiowa culture. He gives incite about who the Kiowas were and described who his grandmother was. His experiences with his grandmother most likely influenced the person he has become. To the end, he is happy and proud that his grandmother remains the person she is even after converting to Christianity. He personally could not understand the language the Kiowa spoke but he receives mutual understanding that the prayers his grandmother chanted were deep and forbidden. He believes his grandmother had a reverence for the sun. She participated in the tradition sun dances. Even to the end, she is buried in Rainy Mountain, with the sun watching over her grave.
