William Apess’s Christian Postcolonialism: A Response to Lahontan

The essay by Fredrick J. Karem, Professor of English and Africana Studies, positions the indigenous writer William Apess (sometimes spelled Apes) as a contributor to a dialogue started by Lahontan and carried forward by many Euro-American writers. While there is no definitive evidence of his having read Lahontan directly, Apess’s writings show that he is participating in an extended dialogue assessing the culture and values of Native Americans in contrast with those of their European colonizers. A reading of Apess in the context of Lahontan is warranted both by historical context and the critical significance of his writings, which abound with references, quotes, and citations from a veritable library of 18th and 19th century authors, many of whom were familiar with either Lahontan or Rousseau. This essay argues that Apess’s writing provides a perspective that echoes, extends, and critically revises Lahontan’s work. Long before the term “reverse anthropology” was coined, Apess reversed the colonial gaze to offer an indigenous perspective upon the customs, habit, and frailties of the white man. His writings reflect to his white readers an image of their culture, particularly the sins that they cannot or will not see. For readers of Lahontan, much of this discourse is reminiscent of his dialogues with his fictional Huron friend, Adario. With that said, Apess’s essay has a broader set of cultural claims than Lahontan’s work. Notably, Apess is one of the first authors (if not the first author) to note the common threads of domination practiced by white men throughout the world. Specifically, he demonstrates how the displacement and confinement of Native Americans, enslavement of Africans, and colonizing of people of color form a consistent, systematic pattern of exploitation that belies the promises of so-called European civilization. Unlike Lahontan, Apess grounds his critique in both New Testament values and apocalyptic judgment. Because of his strong religious orientation, combined with his global perspective, this essay frames Apess as a Christian postcolonialist, a critic who builds upon Lahontan’s discourse even as he extends and transforms it in key respects.