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Section 2
Explanation and Analysis—Laguna Pueblo Dialects:
The nuance, detail, and beauty of indigenous languages emerges as a prominent aspect of the way characters communicate in Ceremony. Throughout the novel, Tayo and other Laguna Pueblo characters often acknowledge the complexity of their native language and its various dialects. For instance, in the following excerpt from Section 2, Tayo reflects as Ku'oosh converses with him in an old dialect of their shared language:
[Ku'oosh] spoke softly, using the old dialect full of sentences that were involuted with explanations of their own origins, as if nothing the old man said were his own but all had been said before and he was only there to repeat it. Tayo had to strain to catch the meaning, dense with place names he had never heard. His language was childish, interspersed with English words, and he could feel shame tightening in his throat.
Tayo is ashamed of his imperfect linguistic knowledge, feeling "childish" for his inability to comprehend the intricate threads of meaning woven throughout each sentence Ku'oosh speaks. Tayo's embarrassment at his own half-knowledge reflects a broader conflict within him, stemming from the politics of a biracial identity. Half White, half Laguna Pueblo, Tayo feels constantly torn between two worlds, incapable of communicating perfectly in either.
Tayo feels that English, when compared to the beauty and nuance of Laguna Pueblo dialects, falls short as a means of communication. The colonizers' language is entirely disconnected from indigenous culture and tradition. Tayo's reliance on English represents a disconnect from Laguna Pueblo culture, brought about by colonial oppression and the complexities of his own biracial identity.
Related Themes:
