Chapter memories-of-childhood: Memories of Childhood | Summary

"Memories of Childhood" presents autobiographical accounts of two women from marginalized communities, Zitkala-Sa and Bama, highlighting their struggles against oppression and discrimination during their childhood. The chapter is divided into two distinct parts, each depicting a unique but equally painful experience of social injustice.

The first part, "The Cutting of My Long Hair" by Zitkala-Sa, describes the traumatic first day of a Native American girl at a boarding school. The environment is harsh, characterized by loud bells, clattering shoes, and strict routines that systematically strip away her cultural identity. She is forced to wear tightly fitting clothes and stiff shoes, which make her feel deeply uncomfortable and immodest. The ultimate humiliation comes when she learns that her long, heavy hair is to be forcibly cut. In her proud culture, short hair is worn only by cowards and mourners. Desperate to preserve her dignity, she hides under a bed in a dim, empty room. However, she is soon discovered, dragged out, and tied securely to a chair. Despite her wild struggles, kicks, and cries for her mother, the cold blades of the scissors sever her braids. This cruel act crushes her spirit, leaving her feeling like a wooden puppet and an animal driven by an unfeeling herder, completely devoid of her human rights and cherished cultural pride.