Redemption

I left class today with more questions than answers on the topic of Sisa and the reasons behind the animal's death. It is clear that a greater power and force drove both Ama and Omishto to carry out this task, but why were these two characters driven to kill the animal that represents their God? Omishto states that "it wasn't even so simple as a mercy killing, even though, judging by the look of the cat, that was cause enough." At first I thought Ama decided to kill the animal out of mercy, but this quote shows that there was a greater purpose for her action.

The following words were used to describe the panther: bony, pale, ragged, loose skin, thin, pitiful, and sickly. Because this animal represents the Taiga people, wouldn't these words also be used to characterize their clan? Like the panther, they too are nearly extinct and suffer the consequences of modernization. The development of highways, shopping centers, and subdivisions causes not only Sisa and nature to suffer, but also the Taiga people. Killing Sisa was more than just making sure "outside" forces did not get the opportunity to kill the panther. Ama states that killing Sisa was redemption, and I interpreted it as redemption for the Taiga people. Allowing their God to die because of modernization represents the death of the Taiga people without a fight against the oppression that plagues them. In this sense, Ama killing Sisa can be interpreted as a stand against these changes in order to redeem their land, people, and culture.