Life of Black Hawk

At the beginning of his narration, Black Hawk states that his wish is to counter misrepresentation of himself and his people. What does the idea of misrepresentation signify? How does Black Hawk’s desire to tell his own story connect with contemporary issues on the cultural representation of Indigenous peoples?

Identify key moments in the text where Black Hawk describes traditional values and aspects of Sauk life. What is the cultural significance of those passages and what do they reveal about Black Hawk’s consciousness at the time of narration? What does this say about what happened to the Sauk culture due to white colonialism?

Why does Black Hawk put emphasis on the medicine bag? How does it connect with a Sauk war leader, and what was the leader’s role within the tribe? Analyze how the medicine bag can be seen as an emblem of Sauk culture.