Myth and Reality

The mythic superiority of womanhood and the real deference of men in the early
cosmology are replaced today by the real superiority of females and their mythic deference to
men.
In chapter 12 of Oglala Women, Myth, Ritual and Reality, Powers (2010) makes a
contrast between gender roles, particularly for women, prior to the establishment of Indian
reservation and the influence that white men from the United States has had in their culture.
Powers argues, that based on stories, originally women of Oglala were highly valued and
respected by men and were treated as equal. In the past, women were directly involved with the
Sacred Pipe and the Seven Sacred rituals, and along with the buffalo provided them with
religious powers and allow them to establish harmony in their clan. In contrast, since the creation
of reservations and the influence of white men, Oglala women have had to shift their focus in
their everyday lives. Despite the current influences, and the ideology that man need to be
superior in every aspect, women continue to be superior since they have easily adapted to todays
society in terms of labor force, education and leadership. Women have established a matrifocal
society among the Oglala culture through leadership roles. According to Powers (2010), women
are more stable as workers, educators, students, and professionals, and there is a current increase
in the participation of women not only in the work force, where they have always felt
comfortable, but in the ranks of leadership: as superintendents of reservations, district and
community leaders, judges, and contenders for the presidency of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The
reality is that men increasingly defer to women (Powers, 2010, p. 197). Women have
unintentionally displaced men from their past roles of their Tribe. Education has helped women
to empower themselves and others.

Relatively, men have been influenced by the white mans stereotype that women are
inferior in every aspect; nevertheless in reality men have had a harder time adjusting since their
historical role as provider, leaders of the clan are no longer useful or necessary. However, while
women have easily adapted to mainstream marketplace, as a survival method, Powers (2010)
states that in the white mans world (p. 198) the Lakota women are insecure in dealing with
the United States government and still believe that they are under a patriarchal society.
Nevertheless, this does not diminish womens power, but emphasizes that Oglala man has had to
comply with white mans ideology when dealing with the government as part of a survival
strategy.
As a result, a false sense of security has been created that favor man and makes them
believe that Oglala women cannot survive without them. In reality, the harmonious balance that
was part of their past lives has been disrupted by outside influences. While men struggle to be
successful in a white mans world and in protecting their land, women are very much aware of
the myth and reality of the stereotypical Indian woman, and frequently they favor perpetuating
the myth, particularly in front of their own men. It is not only positions in positions of leadership
and control that men are feel they are the bosses (Powers, 2010, p. 199). Women have learned
to evolve and hold on to their heritage despite their influences from White Buffalo Calf Women
and Western society. They have been able to find a balance between her role in the household
and in her community.