In the introduction momaday explains, "although my grandmother lived out her long life in the shadow of rainy mountain, the immense landscape of the continental interior lay like memory in her blood. she could tell of the crows, whom she had never seen, and of the black hills, where she had never been. i wanted to see in reality what she had seen more perfectly in the mind's eye, and traveled fifteen hundred miles to begin my pilgrimage." what 'pilgrimage' does momaday take in honor of his grandmother and his kiowa ancestors? travels to his grandmother's funeral. travels to the current reservation of the existing kiowa tribe in oklahoma. travels to the us capital to advocate for native american rights travels the same path the kiowa took when they were forced from their land but experienced great prosperity.