On Acculturation In Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine

Louise Erdirch’s Love Medicine describes the changes of Chippewa culture taking place in the interaction between Native Americans and Whites through the narration of 18 interconnected stories on Chippewa reservation. The immense power embedded in this novel saves Chippewa heritage culture from the loss. This novel is often criticized from the angle of narratives, trickster and post colonialism. This thesis examines acculturation strategies chosen by Chippewa people and the influences of acculturation on Native culture in Love Medicine.Acculturation is a process of cultural change as a result of interaction between two cultures. Four acculturation strategies consist of assimilation, separation, marginalization and integration. In Love Medicine, individual attitude on heritage culture and mainstream American culture impel a Chippewa to choose the individual acculturation strategy. To be specific, Nector and Sister Leopolda give up their cultural heritage but assimilate into the White society; Eli and Lulu separate themselves from mainstream society to live in and hold on their indigenous culture; June and Henry Junior are marginalized on the brink of two cultures; while Marie and Lyman integrate the culture of Chippewas and Whites to redevelop Native American culture. In the process of acculturation between two cultures, Chippewa culture has been changing a lot. After Native people assimilated into the dominant society, they share the similar value with European American about people on social status and individual achievement. The traditional healing power and flexible viability are sustained owing to people who insist on their primitive lifestyle and belief. The loss of lands resulted from land policies, Native identity crisis and the confusion of time value and food’s function. People who adopt integration mode combine the excellent parts of the Native culture and mainstream culture which benefit for them. Furthermore, this thesis explores a way for Natives to sustain and develop their culture, that is, cherishing the heritage culture while absorbing the advantageous parts of White culture. The feasible way is inheriting family healing power and flexible living ability by receiving given name and staying in nature; reconciling the shamanic feature in Chippewa religion and love and forgiveness in Catholicism to prop up their spiritual belief in the changing reservation; acquiring advanced medical knowledge and commercial mode and transferring the animal totem onto cars which are convenient for them to connect the reservation and dominant society.