Shuina Sko, Warrior Roses (2022)
Content warning:
Abuse, death, kidnapping, mental illness, sexual assault
Synopsis
Shuina Sko’s Warrior Roses is a collection of poetry and short stories; the compilation is designed to be read as spoken word, to express the power of the Indigenous voice. The text's themes include inflicted trauma, current suffering, and Indigenous resiliency. Sko draws from her own experience as a member of the Klamath Tribe, which is headquartered 30 miles north of Klamath Falls, Oregon, on a reservation at the top of the Klamath River estuary. In the preface, Sko clearly states the main goal she hopes her work gets across: “The intention of my poetry is to initiate critical thinking in the minds of non-tribal people regarding indigenous inequities and false stereotypes.” (4)
Essay
The Klamath Tribes are located in Southern Oregon and consist of three tribes: the Klamath, the Modoc, and the Yahooskin. They regained federal status in 1986, as part of the Klamath Tribal Treaty, and have been preserving cultural traditions.
The text does not allude to many Oregon place names, other than the general Klamath area, making it a piece of Oregon Literature that does not rely on its geographical location; instead, it focuses on the Klamath tribal community as a whole. In the preface, Sko emphasizes that only 3 percent of the population identifies as Native American, making for an intimate collective voice. This voice carries readers through 17 spoken-word pieces, which are each followed by miniature essays regarding the intent of every piece. Each piece represents collective resilience as a form of overcoming isolated suffering – Oregon Literature of this kind serves to protect and empower the communities within the state.
The wider Oregon canon is the text's straightforward address of Oregon's colonial histories, as well as the Klamath Tribes' survival throughout their brutalized past. Sko's poem "How Far We See" explains how the community has upheld its cultural traditions throughout history. They write, "We Natives see the world not only presently… say generationally … viewing action and decision as affecting ourselves and our grandchildren, and reaching as far as the 7th generation" (27). Sko, in this piece, describes why their community believes in the things that they do, and how this ideology has allowed the community to remain resilient over time. The community has learned to be more attentive to its actions as a result of past trauma. Over time, Indigenous Americans have been more vulnerable to violence; Sko explains that mindfulness has become a cultural tradition, but, more so, a requirement for survival. The emphasis on "we" rather than "I" throughout the text adds to the community's sense of solidarity. Other poems that express this sentiment include “Lullaby” and “Everything Is Circular.” Oregon's history is heavily represented within Sko’s work. In their poem “You Are Not Alone,” they share ways in which Indigenous members of the community have been impacted by colonization: “I wonder what our tribal community would be like if white man never brought the gun” (56). Sko presents parts of Oregon history that get overlooked; they share the painful past that their ancestors had to endure, and explain how history has caused generations' worth of intergenerational trauma. The lack of emphasis on Oregon's ecological characteristics highlights the community's shared trauma and how it continues to impact them presently. Sko's ability to alter what most people consider to be the mainstream Oregon canon into one of Indigenous strength, power, and representation is evident throughout Warrior Roses.
I ultimately chose Shuina Sko's Warrior Roses because of its direct and profound message. Sko clearly states who and what the text is for, which prompted me to dive deeper into each and every page. Southern Oregon is not home to a lot of literature in our guide; this work was especially meaningful to me, as Oregon needs representation from everywhere and everyone.
Author Bio
Shuina Sko is a queer, Indigenous author and Two-Spirit spoken word poet. Sko, a Klamath Nation Native, specializes in children's books and poetry collections. Poetry workshops are offered by Sko throughout the US and Canada.