Iktomi’s Victory: a Sioux Trickster Tale Illustrates the Fragility of Culture

Josh Proctor
Honors American Literature I
Dr. Andy Rogers
October 10th, 2011
Iktomi’s Victory: a Sioux Trickster Tale Illustrates the Fragility of Culture
       Ella Cara Deloria’s retelling of the trickster tale “Ikto conquers Iya, the Eater” is the type of tale that makes use of fantastical and supernatural elements to make strong statements about very real aspects of life. The trickster character, Ikto, succeeds in defeating the monster, Iya, which results in the freedom of the many tribes Iya had eaten. However, Iya’s character seems to be multi-faceted; the devoured tribes are not lost, but instead seem to be living in a state of comfort while inside the beast. But if Iya is not simply a monster, then what is he meant to be? Iya is a fantastic representation of traditional culture, specifically that which comes to define a group of people, whether large or small. The discussion of Iya’s origin, the nature of his relationship with the tribes he has eaten, and the overpopulation of the world as a result of his death all indicate that Iya is a monster composed of culture, the “bit of leavings” left after the creation of earth and sky (Deloria 85).
       After the initial shock of sighting Iya, the apparently dangerous-looking monster, Iktomi begins to wonder who is the elder of the two. He eventually comes to the conclusion that he is older than Iya, as he credits himself with the construction of the earth and sky, while Iya claims to be born after the creation of these two objects. Ikto tells Iya that “there was a bit of leavings” which “you grew from” (Deloria 85). This seems to be putting a timeline on the development of culture in respect to creation as a whole. If Iya represents tradition and culture, it makes sense that he was not only created alongside the earth and sky, but also as a byproduct. This comparison suggests that culture exists because we, as humans, exist, and that one does not carry on for too long without the other.
       Iya’s title in the story is “the eater”, and after meeting Ikto, Iya explains his goal: “Over in this direction there is a tribal camp...I shall eat the people, for they are mine.” (Deloria 85). At first, this seems to be a horrifying prospect. Iya, the monster, roaming about eating whomever he pleases, all due to a sense of entitlement he feels. However, while Iya is asleep, Ikto looks inside at the tribes already eaten by Iya. The tribes, he realizes, are “living on in contentment in their respective tribal circles.” (Deloria 85). This indicates that while the tribes are swallowed whole by Iya, they are not killed in the process, but rather live on in peace. This points to Iya’s nature as a representation of native culture, which can swallow up a group of people in tradition, and keep them away from the rest of the world. The people in Iya’s belly are not unhappy, but they are still isolated in their current state, whether they realize it or not. This seems to be a statement about the complicated question many natives faced while learning to deal with the encroaching American settlers. Should the tribes try to assimilate into the new and strange culture, or should they stay strong to their own traditions even if it meant extinction? Iya’s relationship with the tribes he has eaten illustrates both sides of this conflict: the people are unharmed by the outside world, but also lack the ability to gain anything from advancement or intermixing with others.
       The ending of the tale furthers this line of thought, when Ikto triumphs over Iya, and then allows the people of the camp to kill him and tear apart his body, releasing the victims. The narration applauds Ikto for this success: “he did do a great service to people, and merits thanks for it” (Deloria 86). However, this seemingly happy ending is offset by a great problem: with all of the eaten tribes forming new settlements on the same body of land, open space becomes more and more rare: “it is impossible to fine any open spaces anymore” (Deloria 86). Here, the story seems to be applauding Ikto for rescuing the confined peoples, but acknowledging the negative consequences that result. Iya’s nature as a symbol of culture becomes evident when we think about the ability of tradition to control population, especially among a small group of people. Without Iya to hold the tribes inside, they were free to explore the new territories and people, both other tribes and the white settlers. While this could be viewed as a good development, mainly because it could create the possibility for new technologies to find their way into these tribes, it can also be detrimental to the survival of their customs, and can put a larger strain on the natural environment. Iya’s death represents the last traces of Sioux culture withering under the influence of others, with a special reflection on the pivotal point played by the rising concept of land ownership. The story seems to acknowledge that there is good at work as well, however, and Ikto is regarded as a hero in this tale.
       The purpose of Iya’s symbolic nature is to present culture as a self-contradiction. Iya is a dangerous monster with an appetite for humanity, but his death brings problems for the world. In this light, we see that culture can be hindering but also protective, and in a very practical sense, it can control a population and prevent the exhaustion of natural resources, specifically land. The story seems to caution against either extreme with culture, and preaches balance; a tribe that sticks only to ancient customs will never grow and will be limited as a group, while a tribe that abandons all aspects of their culture will run wild and may quickly lose sight of what makes them special. The teller of this version of the story, Ella Cara Deloria, might very well have seen her fellow Sioux suffer under too much culture as well as too little, and therefore her wisdom on the subject is very present in this tale.