Disease, Empire, and (Alter) Native Medicine in Louise Erdrich’s ＂Tracks＂ and Winona LaDuke’s ＂Last Standing Woman＂

This paper studies Native American disease/dis-ease in relation to Euramerican imperial expansion, taking it as the cutting edge of contemporary Native American literary representation of tribal history, memory, and culture. Disease becomes dis-ease, experienced and perceived in the tribal cultural context. While epidemics of pox and fever go hand in hand with governmental deprivation of tribal land and culture to inflict pain, disease also carries a potential salvation power. Native Americans seize hold of a memory of their ancient healing practices that are essential for their survival as the memory indeed flashes up at the moment of danger. Using Louise Erdrich's ”Tracks” (1988) and Winona LaDuke's ”Last Standing Woman” (1998) as comparative texts, this paper takes on the complexity of the many interconnected facets of Native American experience of disease and healing.