Animating the Land: Native American Spirituality, Identity and the Struggle for Sovereignty in Contemporary Literature

This paper explores the intricate relationship between Native American identity and the land, emphasising the spiritual, cultural and communal dimensions of this bond. Rooted in Indigenous cosmologies that view land, animals, plants and spirits as interconnected components of a shared identity, the study highlights how land-based identity fosters reciprocal respect and stewardship. Drawing on Anibal Quijano’s theory of decoloniality and Leanne Simpson’s concept of ‘land as pedagogy’, the paper situates Indigenous struggles over land, tradition and identity within ongoing processes of colonial power that seek to commodify and erase Indigenous epistemologies. The paper focuses on the Native American Chippewa author Louise Erdrich’s The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, throwing light on the character Father Damien Modeste, whose spiritual journey from Catholic missionary to an embrace of Native animism and cultural hybridity symbolises broader decolonial struggles for sovereignty and cultural survival. The study argues that reclaiming land is both a political and deeply spiritual act for Indigenous communities, constituting an essential process of decolonial resistance and identity restoration amid colonial attempts to sever these vital connections.