"The organizing principle for this anthology is the common Native
American heritage of its authors; and yet that thread proves to be
the most tenuous of all, as the experience of indigeneity differs
radically for each of them. While many experience a centripetal
pull toward a cohesive Indian experience, the indications
throughout these essays lean toward a richer, more illustrative
panorama of difference. What tends to bind them together are not
cultural practices or spiritual attitudes per se, but rather
circumstances that have no exclusive province in Indian country:
that is, first and foremost, poverty, and its attendant symptoms of
violence, substance abuse, and both physical and mental illness....
Education plays a critical role in such lives: many of the authors
recall adoring school as young people, as it constituted a place of
escape and a rare opportunity to thrive.... While many of the
writers do return to their tribal communities after graduation,
ideas about 'home' become more malleable and complicated."-from the
IntroductionI Am Where I Come From presents the autobiographies of
thirteen Native American undergraduates and graduates of Dartmouth
College, ten of them current and recent students. Twenty years ago,
Cornell University Press published First Person, First Peoples:
Native American College Graduates Tell Their Life Stories, also
about the experiences of Native American students at Dartmouth
College. I Am Where I Come From addresses similar themes and
experiences, but it is very much a new book for a new generation of
college students.Three of the essays from the earlier book are
gathered into a section titled "Continuing Education," each
followed by a shorter reflection from the author on his or her
experience since writing the original essay. All three have changed
jobs multiple times, returned to school for advanced degrees,
started and increased their families, and, along the way,
continuously revised and refined what it means to be Indian.The
autobiographies contained in I Am Where I Come From explore issues
of native identity, adjustment to the college environment, cultural
and familial influences, and academic and career aspirations. The
memoirs are notable for their eloquence and bravery.
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