Indians and Ecstasy
- Mr. Hill spends a lot of time in his toolshed. One day, Meridian walks in to find her father crying while reading old documents on the persecution of the Native American people.
- Later, Meridian overhears her parents arguing about an impending sale of some land—a large plot that contains "the Sacred Serpent," a "mound [...] full of dead Indians" (1.6.3). A fellow named Walter Longknife (claiming to be a Native American) recently arrived in town and requested the land.
- Walter spends the summer camping on the property. When he leaves, he returns the deed to Meridian's father.
- But Walter's trustworthiness is all for naught, because the government eventually seizes the land (for a paltry sum) and turns it into "Sacred Serpent Park" (1.6.28). Black people are denied entry, of course.
- Meridian's great-grandmother Feather Mae used to have crazy mystical visions while standing in the center of the serpent, where the snake's body coils into a pit. Later, Meridian goes on her own cosmic vibrational vision quest (far out, brah!) while standing in the same spot.
- Although black people would eventually be allowed into the park, Meridian would never be able to recreate these childhood experiences.