The amount or rhythm and repetition Alexie uses in "The Powwow at the End of the World" suggest a great deal of obstacles facing the people in his community.
As Haley asked, there is some ambiguity in his goal, whether it is to understand the past or to rebel against the past completely. I find that the repetitive nature of the poem hints at the author's anger, showing that he neither wants to forgive these injustices nor sit passively with his kinsmen. Because of this, I view the scenario as a rebel speaking to his followers, to explain and motivate. The detail with which the author recounts the path of the stream--from the Pacific, into the Colombia River, past Hanford, through the Spokane, and meeting with the native reservation--mirrors his level of aggravation. He lives in a world where efforts by his people to speak out go unheard.
In that regard, both poems present a real-world dystopia: while many of us live comfortably in America, and even many Native American live comfortably in their homes, they still suffer from historical injustices.
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