The Man To Send Rain Clouds By Leslie Silko

“The Man to Send Rain Clouds”, is a short story taking place in 1969 in New Mexico, a Native American Reserve. The story dates itself with the mention of Catholic modernism versus Native American traditions and well descriptive spiritual backgrounds. Leslie Silko uses her Laguna Pueblo heritage to give meaning towards different conflicts among Native Americans converting to Christians. Many cultures interacting and compromising with one another portrays their customs and traditions in different ways. Leslie is careful in setting the stage for where; not only is the setting very important but it serves the interactions between the customs. The economic, religious, and ethnic aspects of the setting make the characters endure changes. How do we remain faithful to our heritage and tradition? The setting of ‘The Man to Send Rain Cloud’, symbolizes the cultural divide and interactions of
Leon and Ken perceived that they needed water for Teofilo to quench his thirst and will be able to send them rain clouds. As Leon knocked on the door he noticed carved lambs; representing the Christian way of symbolizing God. “…I only came to ask you if you would bring your holy water to the graveyard” (Silko 256). Father Paul then tries to covert his beliefs and the Christian’s tradition of a funeral. The ceremony leads to the change of both characters; Leon and Father Paul comprising one another’s belief. Instead, Paul tries to force his tradition among the native burial; but comprise with the culture and uses the holy water as a non-Christian tradition. The cultural divide and interactions of the characters adaptation changes the outcome of how the characters think or act on different customs and beliefs. Silko’s tone of the story serves a statement tolerating other’s beliefs; when one respects another culture they seek closure within themselves and traditions from