There There By Tommy Orange

 

There There

By Tommy Orange

Several urban Natives come together for a powwow in Oakland, California where a robbery occurs. 

Throughout the narrative we follow many different Native characters who live in urban areas and we see how some of their lives intertwine as each gets their turn. Each one gives us an inside look into their experiences as urban Native Americans, each dealing with complex and difficult inner and outer struggles, as well as the history of pain and suffering ingrained in their DNA, a pain passed down. But also, the spirituality and beauty that history has embedded within it.

Some feel their Native-ness in their everyday lives, while others have a hard time recognizing anything Native about themselves or the world they inhabit. Some yearn to have a deeper connection to that shared community, while others intend to exploit it. But all of them grapple with it and what it means to them in their own unique, powerful ways. They all come to learn that there is a "there" there within them, and a "there" as a place they can connect with it.

This is a story of generational trauma and of interconnectedness. Tommy Orange explores cultural identity versus personal identity, coincidence and chance, through storytelling. It is another exploration of what it means to be Native, especially in the modern world outside of the stereotypical environments in which these stories are usually told. I kept thinking about The Only Good Indians in that regard, which had that similar theme of what it means to be Native today, that struggle with what a Native is "supposed" to be versus who he/she/they really is.

The writing was really excellent, with all of the characters having distinct voices and points of view. The prose dripped off the page with ease and specificity. At times poetic, at others colloquial. Always on point. The end scenes of the powwow robbery were not my favorite parts of the book, though. I thought they let the narrative down. But overall, I really enjoyed the stories and felt closer to understanding the pain that still exists in the Native community because of historical traumas, and I continue to be enlightened by the prejudicial struggles Native communities endure.

I'm giving There There 4 stars.