In this article, the author discusses the unlearning empire in Leslie Marmon Silko's novel titled "Ceremony." "Ceremony' has received a wealth of critical attention. A number of scholars have identified the novel's treatment of education as a colonizing force used by the white American power structure to coerce assimilation of American Indians. Silko's work emphasizes the importance of preserving the wisdom of the past while meeting the changes of the contemporary world. Her characterizations of Josiah, Betonie, and Aunt Susie all offer profound lessons in the valuable role that cultural memory can play in unlearning empire. By including the lessons of American Indians in the reconsideration of American educational history and identity, "Ceremony" challenges Western hegemonic claims to knowledge and allows for the possibility of a new future in education. (Contains 5 notes.)