Zuni Life

4 Pages 1119 Words

Virgil Wyaco and his brother Lee grew up with his aunt and her husband after the death of their mother. His brother was only a couple of months old when their mother died and Virgil took it upon himself to take care of his brother. Virgil went to school at age six and wasn’t happy that he had to go to school. At an early age Virgil knew he did not want spend the rest of his life as a Zuni on the reservation. He liked helping his aunt and his grandfather around the house, but Virgil wanted to do something much more for his community.
Wyaco left his pueblo at a young age to seek an education in Albuquerque, an act that left him in many ways between two worlds. It is his attempt to reconcile his upbringing with the complications of modern life that makes the book so fascinating. Wyaco dealt with prejudice, intertribal marriage and innumerable attempts at careers in his life with the same patience and humility that earned him the nickname of "Honest Zuni." His story also offers tantalizing glimpses into Pueblo culture, like the Shalako ceremony and the sacred lake of Kothluwalawa where the dead dance for eternity.
Virgil Wyaco, a Zuni Indian elder and leader, recounts his life in both the traditional Zuni and modern Anglo worlds. As a boy, Wyaco learned Zuni ways from his family and the English language and vocational skills in Anglo schools. Earning a Bronze Star during World War II, he killed German soldiers in combat and participated in the executions of SS guards at Dachau. His postwar life included studies at the University of New Mexico, federal employment, marriage to a Cherokee woman, and family life in the suburbs. Later, Wyaco returned to Zuni as postmaster and married a traditional Zuni woman. His election to the Zuni tribal council in 1970, quickly established him as an influential leader. His varied career demonstrates the heartbreaks and rewards of a Native but data that is available clearly shows the disproportionate...