The Man to Send Rain Clouds Summary
"The Man to Send Rain Clouds" is a short story by Leslie Marmon Silko in which old man Teofilo dies while herding sheep. His grandsons Leon and Ken arrange for a ceremonial burial.
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Ken and Leon find Teofilo slumped under a tree in the pasture, dead.
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Ken and Leon decide not to involve Father Paul, the local priest, so that the Christian won't interfere with their burial traditions.
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Ken's wife, Louise, however, suggests that Father Paul should sprinkle some holy water so that Teofilo won't be thirsty. This pleases Leon, who thinks Teofilo is sure to bring them big rain clouds now.
Summary
Introduction
"The Man to Send Rain Clouds" is a poignant short story by Leslie Marmon Silko, a renowned Native American writer of Laguna Pueblo heritage. First published in 1968 in New Mexico Quarterly and later included in the 1974 collection The Man to Send Rain Clouds: Contemporary Stories by American Indians, the story offers a brief but powerful look into the lives of Indigenous people in the American Southwest.
Over just a few pages, the story explores themes of tradition, spirituality, and the complex interplay between indigenous and Catholic cultures. Silko's evocative yet simple prose and vivid imagery bring the characters and their deeply rooted connection to the land and their ancestral traditions to life. Through the story of an elderly man's death and burial, Silko presents the challenges of preserving cultural identity in a changing world and highlights the enduring power of tradition and the importance of honoring one's ancestors.
Plot Summary
The story begins with Leon and his brother-in-law, Ken, discovering the body of Teofilo, an older man, under a cottonwood tree near a sheep camp. Teofilo appears to have peacefully died while tending his flock. Leon and Ken perform traditional Pueblo rituals, painting Teofilo's face, tying a feather in his hair, and offering prayers for rain before bringing his body back to the Pueblo.
On their way, the men meet Father Paul, the local Catholic priest, who is unaware of Teofilo's death and inquires about him. Leon and Ken are vague in their responses, assuring the priest that everything is under control but omitting any mention of the death. Before parting, Father Paul invites them to attend Sunday mass with Teofilo, unaware of the situation.
Upon returning home, Leon informs his family, and they begin preparing Teofilo's body for a traditional burial. As the community gathers to offer condolences, Leon's wife, Louise, suggests asking Father Paul to sprinkle holy water on Teofilo's grave so he won't be thirsty in the afterlife. Initially resistant due to the lack of Catholic rites, Father Paul eventually relents, agreeing to Leon's request.
At the burial, Father Paul, though initially skeptical and worried that the ceremony might be a "perverse Indian trick" for a good harvest, sprinkles the holy water over the grave. The priest is puzzled as the holy water seems to vanish almost instantly upon touching the dry sand, marking a moment of subtle crisis and climax in the story. Confused by this fleeting action, he returns to the mission, unaware of the significance and effectiveness of his role in the ceremony.
As the sun sets, Teofilo's body is lowered into the ground, and Leon feels content, believing the holy water will help the old man send rain clouds to the Pueblo.
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