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In the story Chee's Daughter by Juanita Player and Siyowin Miller, the protagonist, Chee, undergoes character change when his daughter is taken from him. Navaho belief is very important to Chee, but when it comes to getting his daughter back, his beliefs dont seem to work. Tribal law says that the mothers parents get custody of any children following the mothers death. Chee loses his daughter and nearly his belief in tribal law when his in-laws take her. Another belief that influences Chee in his belief in the land.
Chee is torn between his need to live on the land, follow tribal law and his love for his daughter. Chee, finding that straying from the old ways doesnt get his daughter back, returns to his customs after regaining faith in the land. To get his daughter back, Chee turns to new ways in defiance of his old, traditional beliefs. First, his in-laws actions cause him to question his beliefs. Tribal law says that the mothers parents get custody of any children, and so the in-laws come and get Little One.
After unsuccessfully trying to reason with his father-in-law, Chee is faced with a hard decision. He realizes that he can either stay on his land without his daughter or move to the trading post where he can see her. He then thinks about kidnapping Little One from Old Fat, but doing either of these options, he would still have to leave his land. After trying everything he begins to doubt his beliefs, he is unable to get his daughter back.
Next, he starts losing harmony with nature. For example, when he is flocking the sheep he cant stop thinking about his daughter. Also while sitting on the ground he does not feel one with the earth as he did before. When he feels the pain to be more than he can bear, he decides to leave Little Canyon and move off the reservation. Changing his mind, he regains faith in the land, which leads him to get his daughter back. Being unsuccessful using his new ways to get his daughter back, he returns to traditional customs after regaining faith in the land.
First, spring brought him hope with blossoming peach trees and brought him nearby grass for the sheep to graze on. When his job opportunity came he told them he needed more time to decide. He finally realized that he had to keep faith in the land to get Little One back. Then an opportunity came to get his daughter back because there is new highway being built that will take Old Fats business away. His in-laws will go poor after the highway is built so Chee thinks he could grow food and when in in-laws are in need, he will offer them food for his daughter.
To do this he planted corn and sang and prayed for it to grow. Next, summer arrived and brought more crops like pumpkins, squash, carrots, and onions. The land brought Chee many things, which he then picked and put in sacks before he headed to the Trading Post. The land had brought these things to him so he could trade them for his daughter. His in-laws were very poor and had given up everything because they built a new highway. They were in need of food, which Chee brought with enough food to last the winter Chee made an offer.
Declined it and then Chee just gave it to them and kindly the in-laws returned the favor and in that moment the Little One ceased to be their daughters daughter and became just another mouth to feed (84). After becoming one with nature again, Chee got his daughter back. Bell 5
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Research essay sample on Customs After Regaining Faith Mothers Parents Get Custody Daughter
