Part 6 Summary and Analysis

"Indian Humor"

This essay begins with discussion of how humor, particularly satire and irony (see "Objects/Places") can both ease tension (not just between Indians and whites but in general) and point out its sources. He discusses how humor was used for centuries to defuse tense situations within Indian tribes and between tribe members, and how many jokes made by Indians have their origins in their historical relationships with figures like Christopher Columbus and General Custer (see "Important People"). An example of a Columbus joke: "...Columbus didn't know where he was going, didn't know where he had been, and did it all on someone else's money. The white man has been following Columbus ever since." An example of a Custer joke: "Custer was well dressed for ... battle - he had on an Arrow shirt" (for this to be funny, the hearer...