Curt Orloff
'Thunder in the Wind' is an historical novel about the deculturization of reservation Indians in the late eighteen hundreds. The story shows how the Assiniboine, and one family in particular, dealt with being subjected to an Indian Bureau that subscribed to the ethic popular at the time of 'white man’s burden.'The main character’s response was as confused and counterproductive as everyone else’s. For quite a while he was lost. Those today who are also experiencing the annihilation of their culture can understand the direction he eventually took while at the same time empathizing with the direction his mother took. She wanted to accept subjugation, the surrender of her culture and heritage to keep her family intact. Her son’s rebellion used tactics similar to those used today by those who leverage fear to terrorize opponents into submission. How things turned out and how he resolved his conflict with his mother showed how universal the problem is. It is an allegory of our times.
