Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1998. [Vol. 5.] Eger Journal of American Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 25)

Studies - Szabolcs Szilágyi: Verbal Versus Non-Verbal Aspects in The Rez Sisters and Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing

Lady, his 'mother' (again acted by Nanabush), exchanges a few words with Dickie Bird about how he resents the crucifix, and he speaks in his Native language even though his mother tells him to say his prayers. When Patsy appears in the scene, he takes the crucifix and rapes her without a single word while this whole act is watched by his real father, Big Joey. As she disappears from the scene, Big Joey comes to comfort his (bastard) son and does so exclusively in Cree/Ojibway. Big Joey is one of the most 'advanced' civilised Natives in town, and his use of the Native language should get special attention. At this point he feels the need to return to it as English could not be a possibility for the confession he makes

—admitting that he is the real father

—and the whole scene becomes more understandable and. of course, a lot more intimate. Later, he even admits why he let the rape happen and did not intervene by saying, "1 hate them! I hate them fuckin' bitches. Because they

—our own women

—took the fuckin' power away from us faster than the FBI ever did" (120). It may not necessarily be the most sound reasoning, yet, in fact, he only projects the hatred he should feel towards himself onto women: but this is again a sign of creating ideologies which is a white phenomenon rather than Native

—showing how advanced he is in becoming more and more like the whites. It is also worth pointing out that this moment of confession which (unless interpreted for nonnative audiences) might be forwarded in a very subtle way so the nonnative audience will have but two choices: either they are sensitive enough and realise the relationship between the characters, or they fall into the typical coloniser phenomena of ignorance about native affairs. In the penultimate scene we see Simon, who has almost lost his mind over the fact that his fiancée was raped and is ready to take revenge. We see him wandering through the woods as he is trying to express himself and talk to Nanabush but seems to be losing his voice. He comes to terms with the Native language not expressing gender: ... weetha ("him/her"

—i.e., no gender) ... Christ! What is it? Him? Her? Stupid fucking language, fuck you, da Englesa. Me no speakum no more da goodie Englesa, in Cree we say "weetha," not "him" or "her" Nanabush, come back! 92