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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll
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Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
THE SPIRIT SURVIVES
Morning sunlight bathed Gertrude’s violin as she played a mournful melody. Although twelve years had passed, she would never forget the moment at the Quaker school her heavy braids tumbled to the floor, clipped by the teacher’s cruel scissors.
Education meant nothing if she didn’t use it for good. Her people’s spirits called to her, yearning to be free.
She plucked the pins from her hair. It fell around her shoulders like a black cape.
“I will be their voice. I am no longer Gertie.” She raised her fist. “I am Zitkala-Za of the Yankton Sioux, granddaughter of Sitting Bull.”
To know more about this trailblazing woman CLICK HERE
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
A talent deployed like a spear for her cause. Wonderful, Rochelle
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Thank you, Neil. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A lady with much to say, and a strong voice to say it.
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Indeed, she was.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A powerful story based on historical fact, Rochelle. Good writing as always. —- Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
I’m glad you enjoyed. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What I strong character. Loved the determination! Let the hair down.
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Dear Tanille,
She was a strong woman. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Some teachers can be cruel. However, she rose above it.
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Dear Colline,
Yes they can and yes she did. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hats off to this woman. Thanks for the link. As always I learned about someone. Wonderful writing, Rochelle. Shalom!
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Dear Indira,
I didn’t know of her either until her picture came to my Pinterest notifications. The more I leaned the more I wanted to know. 😀 Thank you, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Welcome, dear.
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A very interesting woman. I didn’t know her, so I followed your link. She someone that more people should know.
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Dear Trent,
I didn’t know of her before her picture came as part of a Pinterest notification. She should be more widely known. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Excellent story. One of my good friends is married to a descendant of Sitting Bull. We’ve become pen pals, and in fact I have an unopened letter I received yesterday. I’m saving it for after work.
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That is sooo cool!
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Dear Josh,
It’s nice to know the art of letter writing is completely dead and buried. Enjoy your letter. Re my story – Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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PS I have a pen pal who is wrongly serving a second sentence (nuther story). We write in cursive. No one else will ever be able to read them. 😉
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A beautiful woman with an awesome history. Someone I’ve looked up to. a great story this week, Rochelle! Very encouraging amid the chaos at the moment. Happy chaos! 🙂 ❤ ~Shalom, Bear
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Dear Bear,
Zitkala-za is someone to look up to. I hope to get around to reading her books. Happy to encourage, my friend. Thank you. 😀
Shalom and hugs amid your chaos,
Rochelle
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We put our notice in today. Now, it’s gotta happen or we’ll be in the car.
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Dear Rochelle,
I love how you discover these wonderful stories and share them with us with your fantastic prose. What a powerful woman she was. Thank you!
Shalom and lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
It’s amazing to me how many people shaped our history and most of us know nothing about them. Happy to share as always. 😀
Shalom and lotsa hugs,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle! This was so wonderfully done and so powerful and so important. I love the tidbits of history you share! This was very well done!
🙂
Mine went a different way this time … but perhaps it has reality in it, too, for some.
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Your words make my heart sing and my spirit soar. I’m always happy to find and share historical figures that should be more widely known…particularly the female ones. Todah rabbah.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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🙂 And you do it very VERY well!
PS you got mail … 😉
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I like the use of the prompt to reflect her rising spirit.
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Thank you, Iain. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I thought Quakers were non-violent. This violent act of aggression was just as bad as a slap in the face. But the young woman rose above it, and I’m so glad I know yet another obscure little piece of history. One wonders if the teacher was just plain jealous of the girl’s thick, lustrous hair.
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Dear Linda,
Perhaps the teacher was jealous of the girl’s hair, but the fact is that this was customary in some of the schools for both boys and girls to bring them under submission. The motto of the Indian boarding schools was “Kill the Indian and save the child.” Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, now that I think of it I have read before that Indian children were treated roughly, to teach them to submit to authority. How truly tragic. And this girl’s name is a new to me, but a glance through some other comments show me that I’m behind the times on this 🙂
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PS–the photo above the prompt was a perfect foil for your story. It made me think of a cello but a violin works, too 🙂
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That’s exactly why I chose that meme, Linda. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well, you’ve done it again. I’ve spent the last hour reading about and writings by Zitkála-Šá. She was a pretty amazing person. It blows my mind that Europeans came to this country and took over while expecting the people who lived here to just fall into line and thank them. In old movies, “Indians” were portrayed as villains. “How dare they defend their land and way of life when we’re bringing them a better way of life and letting them keep small chunks of their land?” Now, immigrants are villains because they don’t assimilate to “our way of life” or “talk good English.” Humans are gross.
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Dear Nobbin.
It does boggle the mind, doesn’t it? What I want to know is where people got the idea that white skin meant superior. When it came to Zitkala-Za it was hard to boil a story about her down to 100 words. So not sorry to have sent you down the part. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m sure it has to with what was perceived as superior civilization and the ability to conquer and destroy.
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I always love to see where the prompts take you, Rochelle, I enjoyed reading about Red Bird.
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Dear Ted,
Many times they take me to places I didn’t even expect to go. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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No kidding.
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A beautiful story. Good for her standing up against oppression.
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Dear Eric,
She must’ve been some kind of woman in person. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I really like the story… it seems that she accepted a lot for her education, and later used it to find her own road… truly inspiring.
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Dear Björn,
She was, and still is, an inspiration. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A fascinating lady, I am so glad you brought her to my attention,
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My pleasure, Mike. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love your historical fiction Rochelle. Very poignant, especially after clicking on the link and reading Zitkala-Za’s powerful story. Thank you for sharing it.
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Dear Shelley,
From what little I’ve read, I’d say she was quite a woman. A credit, not only to her people, but to the human race as a whole. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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thank you for introducing me to this brave and fascinating woman.
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My pleasure, Plaridel. Thank you for reading and commenting. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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She was letting the hair down in more ways than one. I love your stories, more so your historical fictions, dear Rochelle.
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Dear Neel,
Good way to put it, letting her hair down. 😉 Thank you for your kind words as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I enjoyed reading about this wonderful individual who was able to go on and accomplish so much after being taken from her family and her culture.
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Dear Lisa,
She was an amazing woman by any standards, wasn’t she? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You are welcome, Rochelle, yes she was!
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She sounds like she was a great woman, everything in her childhood setting her up to become so strong.
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Dear Ali,
She sounds like force with which to reckon. Thank you for reading. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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After reading your words I just had to follow the link and I’m so glad I did. What an inspirational person she was.
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Dear Keith,
I love a curious reader. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Forcefully cutting someone’s hair is a humiliation tactic used to exert power over others. She seemed to be quite a force to be reckoned with, even in those times when women didn’t have many opportunities in the public sphere to participate in social change.
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Dear Fatima,
That is one of the main reasons the children’s hair was cut in the boarding school. To break their spirits and put them under submission to the white man’s ways. “Kill the Indian and save the child” was a popular slogan. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A lot of terrible oppressive acts have been done in the name of ‘saving’ and ‘protection’.
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Good Zitkala Za decided not to be Gertrude anymore. She tried to be the voice for her people. It is a lot of responsibility she took it upon herself. A nice story of transformation.
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Dear Abhijit,
You are spot on. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Thank you for introducing the trailblazing Zitkala-Za to me. I’ve not heard of her before and loved reading her history, and of how she eventually used her education to stick up for her people.
Well written, as usual.
Looking forward to having a chat, hopefully next week 🙂
All best wishes,
Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
Finding out about this lady, in every sense of the word, was a thrill for me, too. Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for your encouraging comment. Hope to see your smiling face live this week coming. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I’m looking forward to our chat. Email me the times you and Dale are free, so hopefully we can coordinate our clocks…
All best wishes,
Sarah
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Terrific story about an admirable woman. Thank you for the link that showed how determined and courageous she was.
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Dear Penny,
I’m glad you followed the link. She was an amazing woman and role model. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wonderful story about an amazing woman. I loved the quote you used about “swearing” not being in her language.
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Dear Sascha,
I was intrigued that swearing was not in her language. Thank you for a wonderful comment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a woman! And what dreadful trials indiginous people were subjected to in the name of improvement.
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Dear Liz,
I suppose it’s the human condition.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle for telling us about this extraordinary woman. She comes over as a dedicated life long activist, with many talents.
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Dear Francine,
I’m glad all those qualities came through. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Mime on the Lam W(T)F,
You story reminds of the Crosby, Stills, & Nash tune, “Almost Cut My Hair.” — not really.
Did I hear correct that you won’t be attending OWL? In that case, you won’t mind if deposit your winnings on my behalf, will you?
I’ll be pitching the Mime story to an agent there as a romantic comedy. No hanky panky so far, at least between Lowry and Lucinda, but you never can tell about Shelley.
Ain’t No Sheep Gayer
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Dear Black-Sheep Gayer,
Alas, I had to choose between a potentially lucrative art show (that we’re hoping won’t get rained out) and OWL. Ronda is going to deliver a packet to one of the agents for me…hoping for grace or mercy or both. As for winnings…Nice to think there might be some. But they’re mine, mine, mime. 😉 I’ll miss everyone. 😦
Shalom,
Mime on the Lam W(T)F
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LOVE THE SITE AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS, CHINA
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Thank you, China!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fascinating stuff as usual Rochelle, Ive learnt so much in this little corner of the internet. Great stuff
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Dear Shrawley,
You couldn’t give me a higher compliment. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Excellent story Rochelle and the hair is a big deal in Native American history. It signaled the erasure of culture. One of my moms clearest memories of her grandmother was her long black hair.
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Dear Kelley,
What a lovely heritage you have. Thank you for your sweet comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a gesture of disrespect–or perhaps the better word is assault–to clip the young woman’s braids like that. History often holds better and more inspiring characters than any of us could ever hope to dream up!
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Dear Andrea,
Even worse than disrespect or assault on a young woman, it was abuse of a young child. I love it when the internet drops a fascinating historical figure in my lap. In this case it was her photo on Pinterest that sparked my interest. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Beautiful piece. And what an incredible talent ! Nicely done, Rochelle. I love your history snippits
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Dear Laurie,
Thank you for such an encouraging comment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I always marvel at how deftly you weave historical facts into an intriguing piece of fiction.
Lovely to be back on #FF after a very long hiatus. And so good to be here on your page.
Happy vibes always!
Natasha
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Dear Natasha,
Welcome back! And thank you for such a lovely comment/compliment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you so much, Rochelle. Chuffed to be back.
Love and cheer!
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A lovely story of defiance.
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Thank you, Dawn. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Cool.
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Gracias.
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What a lifetime of achievements this lady had. She was very talented, intelligent and driven. Thanks for introducing her to us.
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My pleasure, m’luv. Nice that her birthday is being remembered. 😀
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