The Eternal Kind of HistoryIn the book The Way to Rainy Mountain, author N. Scott Momaday's relationship with aspects of the past, both on a personal and societal level, inspires him to reconnect. with his heritage, achieve a better understanding of his true identity, and create a written collection to document the Kiowa “oral tradition.” At the beginning of the book, author and protagonist N. Scott Momaday is introduced as an adult man of Kiowa descent. Although he expresses interest in the area of ​​his Kiowa heritage, it is evident that he has minimal connection to his Native American ancestors and way of life. Over time, it turns out that what little history and culture Momaday knows was gleaned from the stories told by his recently deceased grandmother. The death of Momaday's grandmother inspires him to travel to his homeland and reconnect with the heritage he has only heard about through stories passed down through generations. Momaday's initial disconnect with Kiowa culture is demonstrated in the differentiation of the three sections of writing within each chapter. The first sections are very mythical and talk about the creation of the tribe. Although the imagery, symbolism, and personification of various animals and objects bring the stories to life, there is no sense of connection between Momaday and the Kiowa myths. Momaday's true voice, embodied in the third section of each chapter, mainly describes nature and what he sees during his journey. His connection to Kiowa culture is evident in the way he views and describes nature through his use of vivid imagery. At the same time, his disconnection from his culture is apparent in the clear distinction between his personal voice and...... middle of paper ...... which will be forgotten forever. His link with the past and its importance for him push him to prevent the heritage from disappearing and his ancestors from fighting an unprecedented cause. He realizes the importance of written language in the preservation of a culture. After all, if there was a written language that Momaday could learn from, he would never have felt the need to embark on his journey to retrace the steps of his ancestors. While he may be more connected and informed to make this journey, future generations of Kiowa who feel just as disconnected as Momaday will no longer have to make the journey to learn about their people, but will instead be able to connect with both. the history book and work of art known as The Way to Rainy Mountain. Works Cited Momaday, N.S. (1969). The path to the rainy mountain. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.