John Oskison The Problem Of Old Harjo Summary

Many times, white Americans do not understand Native American culture and tradition, and when they attempt to change those traditions, they are being disrespectful to the culture. In “The Problem of Old Harjo” by John Oskison, the white Americans do not understand that the Native American culture accepts polygamy as a marriage option and does not find it to be sinful. The white Americans in this specific story attempt to follow the rules of the bible, one of which is monogamy. These white Americans disrespect the Native American culture to be in a polygamous relationship when a young woman of the church, Miss Evans, confronts Old Harjo and informs him that, “[he] must have only one wife when [he] comes into [the] church” (Oskison 1039). Miss