Zia

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism, physical abuse, illness, and death. 

Published in the 1970s, the novel explores the complex historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples in early 19th-century California due to exploitative colonial policies. Through Zia’s experiences within the Spanish Mission system, O’Dell examines issues such as forced relocation, mistreatment, and assimilation practices that characterize colonial America, illuminating a historical legacy of oppression. O’Dell himself is not Indigenous, but by choosing Zia as his protagonist and point-of-view narrator, he positions the text as an exploration of the impact of colonization from an Indigenous perspective. 

The Spanish Mission system endorsed and executed the colonial policy of assimilation of Indigenous people into European culture and Christian faith, subjecting Indigenous communities to forced relocation and unpaid labor. Although Zia claims she came to the Mission of her own free will, O’Dell alludes to the historical account of the period that indicates the dubious methods and false promises used by colonial rulers to persuade Indigenous peoples to leave their homeland. For example, Zia remembers the priest’s assurances to her people, promising them fair work, food, fertile land, and acculturation to the Spanish language and Catholic religion.