Crazy Brave: Joy Harjo Found That the Hardest Story to Tell Was Her Own

 

 By Konnie LeMay: September 30, 2012

 This is my heart. It is a good heart.

Weaves a membrane of mist and fire.

When we speak of love in the flower world

My heart is close enough to sing to you

In a language too clumsy

For human words.

—from “This Is My Heart” by Joy Harjo

The memoir that Harjo wrote is one based off struggles and hardships, but she has shined through all of theses. Joy Harjo is an extremely famous woman in the Native community, she is a renown author, song writing, and play write. The book appears to be something that would be rather interesting to read. The struggles that Native women have faced over the past centuries have been increased because of the political and structural violence. The way a woman raises her children are impacted by the way she was raised or the values that were placed on them. Harjo spoke about fear of violence, fear of alcoholism, and fear of the adults around her while she was growing up. The impact of violence on younger individuals is an extreme issue in all communities, not just Native. I don't believe there is every a reason to use violence against a young child or against anyone in general. Not only is physical violence something that needs to be changed, but also verbal violence is incredibly important to stop. This book/memoir shows empowerment and real  issues that are facing Native women and Harjo. Her book will help all kinds of people realize the realities and issues that are happening everyday. The empowerment to even speak about these issues personality is extremely brave. Most people don't even want to address the issues or problems of their past. It is hard to bring up terrible things that have happened in your past. But how can an individual overcome the issues without talking about them? Without thinking back on them? Our past makes our present. It is a important to have a past and to learn from what we have been through in order to make a future that is better than what we had. I think that it would be a rather interesting read and as heart-breaking or depressing as it appears it is a good thing to learn about and understand. Not everyone comes from a place of strength and she appears to have over come her struggles and better herself from the stereotypes that she was locked into.