Love About the House
About-The-House Girl is a Karok Indian myth about a young woman’s
commitment and a young man’s determination to find love. Ifapi’s mother died
when she was a young girl. Her father raised her until she was grown. Her
father then chose to send her to live with her aunt, secretly hoping her love
would find the Flute Player from Rekwoi, Patapir. Patapir lived down the
river with his mother and his father. He had always worked very hard and had
never been with a woman before. And so, the story begins as Patapir adventures
up river to find love. Throughout the story, there is much intrigue, love and
adoration towards Ifapi from most characters in the story, however, not
everyone was so completely enamored by her.
It is important to note that as a myth, there is not a single or solo author of this story. There is, however, a storyteller; Theodora Kroeber. Kroeber was born in Denver, Colorado in 1897. She moved to California where she went to school, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and eventually met her second husband, Alfred Kroeber. Alfred was known as “the father of American anthropology” (Kouzmanoff). Alfred took in and cared for the Yahi Indian, Ishi, who was the last known survivor of his tribe. He learned much of Indian traditions, myths, history, etcetera, from Ishi as well as many other Native Indian storytellers and kept many handwritten notebooks of these encounters. Theodora Kroeber used these notebooks as well as other second-hand received Native Indian myths and published them, but not without adding a splash of her own personal style.
Theodora Kroeber writes of Ifapi as if she has a soft spot for her. Kroeber describes Ifapi as “quiet, loving, and gentle.” (pg. 40, Kroeber). Her attitude towards Ifapi is that of adoration and respect. Ifapi was a woman whom others looked up to. This is evident when we learn of Ifapi’s special role during an honored tradition, the Life Renewing Dance; “it is a position of honor for a woman, and since she must not have borne a child and must submit to training, to prescribed diet, and to purification, it follows that the leader will select her with care.” (pg. 44, Kroeber). This account further expresses that the image the storyteller has of Ifapi is of an honorable woman, pure and disciplined.
Many characters display and/or express feelings of love and adoration towards Ifapi, while there is a strong theme of change and evolution among these feelings. For instance, Patapir is definitely intrigued with Ifapi from the beginning, it is written that "Patapir had questioned his mother about the young girl"... "Patapir continued to think about her, wondering what she was like, wishing he might have a glimpse of her." (pg. 40 - 41). Keep in mind, Patapir had never been with a woman and would have likely been intrigued by woman he had heard of. While definitely intrigued to meet the girl, Patapir was not yet in love with her, nor was he after his first interaction with her.
While looking across the river towards the house on top of the hill, Patapir had hoped to see Ifapi, however, this day he sees “two strange young women” (pg. 41, Kroeber), and decides to adventure towards them. His initial intent was to get to know them when he is suddenly distracted by the smell of seaweed coming from the house at the top of the hill. Finally, he has an excuse to go to the house. The strange women seemed less interesting as he headed towards the smell. It here that Patapir first laid eyes on Ifapi as she sat by the fire, wrapped in a blanket, looking unwell. The fire, the blanket and sickness are all symbols to remember for later. Patapir leaves the house and returns home, not thinking much of Ifapi at all. It was a very impassive first meeting.
Patapir goes back to the two young women the following day and states plainly to them that he would like to sleep with them. Playfully, they insist he only wants to be near the girl at the top of the hill, but they eventually agree and accept his forward invitation. They invite him to return after dark. The two young women’s playful comments towards Ifapi reveal signs of jealousy from these women toward Ifapi. Even though it is common knowledge that Ifapi is sick, they still feel threatened by the girl. Patapir returns that evening intending to sleep with the two young women, still, not thinking about Ifapi, when his evening is redirected by a group of men who convince him to join them to “the dancing across the ocean” (pg. 43, Kroeber). It is at the dancing that Patapir’s mere curiosity of Ifapi instantly turns into infatuation. “During the early morning hours of paddling home, back under the sky rim and all the way across the ocean, he thought of her…Patapir had quite forgotten the two young women who had seemed so pretty to him the day before” (pg. 45, Kroeber).
The dancing across the ocean further supports the theme of change and evolution. This dancing was called the Life Renewing Dance. The word “renewing” in itself expresses a new start or a new beginning; a change. It is more than a coincidence or irony that Ifapi reveals herself to Patapir at the “Life Renewing Dance” or that it was a fire that showed him her face, “The fire blazed high, lighting her shadowed face, and Patapir saw that she was Ifapi” (pg. 45, Kroeber). She was lively and well, wearing not a blanket, but a skirt made of shells, exposing her thighs and legs. We never learn exactly where the men who convinced Patapir to go with them to the dance actually came from. Had they been sent by Ifapi?
Not only had Patapir’s feelings toward Ifapi been changed, but his purpose, determination, his resolve had changed. Patapir’s purpose was now to make Ifapi his wife and he was determined to do so. The connection he had with Ifapi is much different than the connection he had with the two young women. With the two women, he merely wanted to sleep with them, however, after seeing Ifapi through the fire at the Life Renewing Dance, he wants to marry her. The following day, Patapir went straight to the old woman’s house, past the two young women who he now had no interest in. He sees Ifapi, again wrapped in a blanket and looking unwell. He reaches out for her, but is stopped by the old woman who insists she is unwell. After a conversation between Ifapi and the old woman, Patapir is finally able to speak with Ifapi, who is again wearing the shelled skirt from the night before, and express his love for her and his intent to marry her. She accepts his proposal and insists to the old lady that she would tell her father of how well she had been taken care of. It is clear the aunt cared greatly for Ifapi. The two leave, are married and venture to Ifapi’s father’s house the next morning. Upon the news from his daughter that she has been married, Ifapi’s father seemed disappointed that she had not found love for the Flute Player, but was happily surprised to hear the Flute Player was indeed the man she had married.
Ifapi, Patapir, and Ifapi’s father return to the Life Renewing Dance together. This trip is significant in that it would be Ifapi’s final dance serving as the assistant to the Leader. It is also the first dance Ifapi and Patapir would attend together as husband and wife. There is further change as Ifapi would no longer be a part of the dance, while Patapir would take his place as a regular participant, singing and dancing. The two young women from the beginning of the story are there as well. They are overheard talking about Patapir, who was participating in the singing and dancing. They were surprised that he could sing and made jokes that all he does is plays the flute and visits the sick girl. A bystander informed the two women, “don’t you Rekwoi people know? She is the ‘little sick girl.’ The Flute Player married her” (pg. 49, Kroeber). It may have been a change in their opinion of Ifapi or a change in their opinion of themselves, either way, the idea that the “little sick girl” was actually a beautiful woman who had not only been handpicked by the Leader, but was now married to the Flute Player, was too much for the two women to take. Their insecurities left them exposed and vulnerable. “They felt such fools they had slipped away and were never seen in Rekwoi or at the dancing again” (pg. 49, Kroeber).
There is an overwhelming amount of love for Ifapi throughout this story. The love of a father who wants his daughter to be happy and taken care of (preferably by the kind, flute player down the river whose family he is well aquatinted). The love of an aunt who cared so deeply for her niece that she agreed to help hide her from men until “the one” came along. The love of Patapir who was as pure and genuine as Ifapi herself. Separately, the two of them were shy and timid and equally inexperienced, but together, the two came alive. There was love and adoration for Ifapi from the Leader and all who would attend the Life Renewing Dance. The only few who felt negatively towards Ifapi were the two young women whose jealousy and spitefulness eventually drove them into hiding; never to be seen again. Finally, the love of Ifapi for herself, self-love, is possibly the most important take away of this myth. Ifapi loved herself enough to see that she was worth waiting for and worth fighting for. Ifapi insisted to be hidden from all men until she found the one who would love her as much as she deserved. That man would be who she would reveal herself to. While the river had kept them separated all this time, fire brought them together. Ifapi had always been destined for the Flute Player of Rekwoi.
It is important to note that as a myth, there is not a single or solo author of this story. There is, however, a storyteller; Theodora Kroeber. Kroeber was born in Denver, Colorado in 1897. She moved to California where she went to school, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and eventually met her second husband, Alfred Kroeber. Alfred was known as “the father of American anthropology” (Kouzmanoff). Alfred took in and cared for the Yahi Indian, Ishi, who was the last known survivor of his tribe. He learned much of Indian traditions, myths, history, etcetera, from Ishi as well as many other Native Indian storytellers and kept many handwritten notebooks of these encounters. Theodora Kroeber used these notebooks as well as other second-hand received Native Indian myths and published them, but not without adding a splash of her own personal style.
Theodora Kroeber writes of Ifapi as if she has a soft spot for her. Kroeber describes Ifapi as “quiet, loving, and gentle.” (pg. 40, Kroeber). Her attitude towards Ifapi is that of adoration and respect. Ifapi was a woman whom others looked up to. This is evident when we learn of Ifapi’s special role during an honored tradition, the Life Renewing Dance; “it is a position of honor for a woman, and since she must not have borne a child and must submit to training, to prescribed diet, and to purification, it follows that the leader will select her with care.” (pg. 44, Kroeber). This account further expresses that the image the storyteller has of Ifapi is of an honorable woman, pure and disciplined.
Many characters display and/or express feelings of love and adoration towards Ifapi, while there is a strong theme of change and evolution among these feelings. For instance, Patapir is definitely intrigued with Ifapi from the beginning, it is written that "Patapir had questioned his mother about the young girl"... "Patapir continued to think about her, wondering what she was like, wishing he might have a glimpse of her." (pg. 40 - 41). Keep in mind, Patapir had never been with a woman and would have likely been intrigued by woman he had heard of. While definitely intrigued to meet the girl, Patapir was not yet in love with her, nor was he after his first interaction with her.
While looking across the river towards the house on top of the hill, Patapir had hoped to see Ifapi, however, this day he sees “two strange young women” (pg. 41, Kroeber), and decides to adventure towards them. His initial intent was to get to know them when he is suddenly distracted by the smell of seaweed coming from the house at the top of the hill. Finally, he has an excuse to go to the house. The strange women seemed less interesting as he headed towards the smell. It here that Patapir first laid eyes on Ifapi as she sat by the fire, wrapped in a blanket, looking unwell. The fire, the blanket and sickness are all symbols to remember for later. Patapir leaves the house and returns home, not thinking much of Ifapi at all. It was a very impassive first meeting.
Patapir goes back to the two young women the following day and states plainly to them that he would like to sleep with them. Playfully, they insist he only wants to be near the girl at the top of the hill, but they eventually agree and accept his forward invitation. They invite him to return after dark. The two young women’s playful comments towards Ifapi reveal signs of jealousy from these women toward Ifapi. Even though it is common knowledge that Ifapi is sick, they still feel threatened by the girl. Patapir returns that evening intending to sleep with the two young women, still, not thinking about Ifapi, when his evening is redirected by a group of men who convince him to join them to “the dancing across the ocean” (pg. 43, Kroeber). It is at the dancing that Patapir’s mere curiosity of Ifapi instantly turns into infatuation. “During the early morning hours of paddling home, back under the sky rim and all the way across the ocean, he thought of her…Patapir had quite forgotten the two young women who had seemed so pretty to him the day before” (pg. 45, Kroeber).
The dancing across the ocean further supports the theme of change and evolution. This dancing was called the Life Renewing Dance. The word “renewing” in itself expresses a new start or a new beginning; a change. It is more than a coincidence or irony that Ifapi reveals herself to Patapir at the “Life Renewing Dance” or that it was a fire that showed him her face, “The fire blazed high, lighting her shadowed face, and Patapir saw that she was Ifapi” (pg. 45, Kroeber). She was lively and well, wearing not a blanket, but a skirt made of shells, exposing her thighs and legs. We never learn exactly where the men who convinced Patapir to go with them to the dance actually came from. Had they been sent by Ifapi?
Not only had Patapir’s feelings toward Ifapi been changed, but his purpose, determination, his resolve had changed. Patapir’s purpose was now to make Ifapi his wife and he was determined to do so. The connection he had with Ifapi is much different than the connection he had with the two young women. With the two women, he merely wanted to sleep with them, however, after seeing Ifapi through the fire at the Life Renewing Dance, he wants to marry her. The following day, Patapir went straight to the old woman’s house, past the two young women who he now had no interest in. He sees Ifapi, again wrapped in a blanket and looking unwell. He reaches out for her, but is stopped by the old woman who insists she is unwell. After a conversation between Ifapi and the old woman, Patapir is finally able to speak with Ifapi, who is again wearing the shelled skirt from the night before, and express his love for her and his intent to marry her. She accepts his proposal and insists to the old lady that she would tell her father of how well she had been taken care of. It is clear the aunt cared greatly for Ifapi. The two leave, are married and venture to Ifapi’s father’s house the next morning. Upon the news from his daughter that she has been married, Ifapi’s father seemed disappointed that she had not found love for the Flute Player, but was happily surprised to hear the Flute Player was indeed the man she had married.
Ifapi, Patapir, and Ifapi’s father return to the Life Renewing Dance together. This trip is significant in that it would be Ifapi’s final dance serving as the assistant to the Leader. It is also the first dance Ifapi and Patapir would attend together as husband and wife. There is further change as Ifapi would no longer be a part of the dance, while Patapir would take his place as a regular participant, singing and dancing. The two young women from the beginning of the story are there as well. They are overheard talking about Patapir, who was participating in the singing and dancing. They were surprised that he could sing and made jokes that all he does is plays the flute and visits the sick girl. A bystander informed the two women, “don’t you Rekwoi people know? She is the ‘little sick girl.’ The Flute Player married her” (pg. 49, Kroeber). It may have been a change in their opinion of Ifapi or a change in their opinion of themselves, either way, the idea that the “little sick girl” was actually a beautiful woman who had not only been handpicked by the Leader, but was now married to the Flute Player, was too much for the two women to take. Their insecurities left them exposed and vulnerable. “They felt such fools they had slipped away and were never seen in Rekwoi or at the dancing again” (pg. 49, Kroeber).
There is an overwhelming amount of love for Ifapi throughout this story. The love of a father who wants his daughter to be happy and taken care of (preferably by the kind, flute player down the river whose family he is well aquatinted). The love of an aunt who cared so deeply for her niece that she agreed to help hide her from men until “the one” came along. The love of Patapir who was as pure and genuine as Ifapi herself. Separately, the two of them were shy and timid and equally inexperienced, but together, the two came alive. There was love and adoration for Ifapi from the Leader and all who would attend the Life Renewing Dance. The only few who felt negatively towards Ifapi were the two young women whose jealousy and spitefulness eventually drove them into hiding; never to be seen again. Finally, the love of Ifapi for herself, self-love, is possibly the most important take away of this myth. Ifapi loved herself enough to see that she was worth waiting for and worth fighting for. Ifapi insisted to be hidden from all men until she found the one who would love her as much as she deserved. That man would be who she would reveal herself to. While the river had kept them separated all this time, fire brought them together. Ifapi had always been destined for the Flute Player of Rekwoi.
Works Cited
Hicks, Jack, and James D. Houston. “About-The-House Girl.” The Literature of California, storyteller Theodora Kroeber, University of California Press, 2000, pp. 40–50.
Kouzmanoff, Adam. “Theodora Kroeber.” Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 2017. EBSCOhost, 0-search.ebscohost.com.library.4cd.edu/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ers&AN=89875947&site=eds-live.
Kroeber, Theodora. The Inland Whale. University of California Press, 2006.
Happy Friday Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this story, About the House Girl, and I enjoyed reading your project and how the story represents love. I enjoyed reading about the author and the history about the story. It is great that Theordora Kroeber was able to hear the myths, history, and Indian traditions from Ishi. I think it is great that since Ishi was the last known survivor of his tribe, Theordora Kroeber was able to carry on stories from his tribe.
I wonder if Patapir did not cross the river to see the two girls, how would he of been invited to the Life Renewing Dance? The story describes how Patapir had heard the stories of the elders, they would retell their own stories about Life Renewing Dance, but he did not know that it was real. They were truly destined for each other. Great job, I can’t wait to read more stories like these.
Hi Amanda! What if you leave out the background of the storyteller? I am curious though, where did you find the information on Theodore Kroeber? What page of the book is the information on that storyteller? I like how in your third paragraph you backed up that the author has a soft spot for Ifapi. Great examples from the text. What if in the third paragraph you take out the text on the lesson? It is not clear to me why you added this information in the third paragraph on the lesson?
ReplyDeleteIn the fifth paragraph are you also saying that the Leader of the Life Renewing Dance views highly of Ifapi? In the sixth paragraph what if you write more in detail how Ifapi's aunt views her? In the seventh paragraph what if you write your opinion on how the two other women from this story view Ifapi? I like all the information you gave in the last paragraph and I noticed you elaborated on how Ifapi's aunt viewed her and how the two other women viewed her but what if you elaborate on that information in the body paragraphs and not the last paragraph? Isn't the last paragraph supposed to be the conclusion paragraph?
Amanda, I enjoyed reading your project.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi, Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your project! I love your introduction and I love how organized you are. ⭐ I chose the same project and story to write about, but after reading yours, I feel so embarrassed oh my gosh. Our professor said we should give helpful feedback, but I don't know what to say to help you out. What an amazing job you did here...
I found it interesting that you gave us a glimpse of the author. I didn't know this story had an actual author. I mean, I thought it was an oral story that had been passed throughout generations within the tribe. Thank you for the actual information!
Also, it's perceptible the care and effort you put in here and I'm in love with such beautiful work. I agree that the author had such great respect and adoration toward Ifapi, and the way you described it was so gentle that it even made me think again about my attitude toward her. Moreover, I like that you mentioned that change and evolution are themes in this story because I didn't see that when I first read the story. I'm glad for your explanation; it gave me a new perspective.
By the way, it is interesting how you see Patapir's feelings toward Ifapi. I like when you point out that "For instance, Patapir is definitely intrigued with Ifapi from the beginning, but he is not instantly in love with her." Since the beginning, I saw him as someone who was always chasing Ifapi and his intentions were only to get close to her, but your interpretation lightened things up to me.
I also love (I've been repeating the word "love" a lot, but I can't avoid it since your project is extraordinary...) the paragraph that you analyze the etymology of "renewing". It is interesting that you brought up the idea that those guys were, maybe, sent by Ifapi. It could be coincidence, but thinking that it may be Ifapi's doing makes things more interesting.
Anyway, thank you, thank you for this amazing analyzis. I enjoyed every inch of it. "When I'm a grown up woman, I want to be just like you" haha
Hello Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI really found your project to be very detailed and interesting, especially for it being our first project. I think you did a really good job stating and explaining your thesis, and providing good information and facts to back it up. I liked how you talked about Ifapi a lot and the amount of care and respect the author had towards her. I did my project on this story and I agree with what you had to say there. It is very clear that you were talking about the importance of love, and the different ideas you explained were very good. Ifpai was truly loved by multiple different people in this story, especially Patapir.
Hi Amanda I also chose this topic and this character. I think you did a great job stating your thesis clearly as well as supporting it with textual evidence. I also think that you did a great job using detail. I also liked how you go into detail about how Patapir's interest in her turned into love and as her father hoped, Ifapi went on to marry the flute player. It was interesting that you included the perception of the leader as I did not think of that when reading the book. What if you were to include the perception that both the vilage and how they viewed her as well as how the aunt views her since she played a big role in helping her act like a sick child.
ReplyDelete