Transcript Native American Traditions (2000 BC – 1620 AD)

Native American Traditions
(2000 BC – 1620 AD)
In Harmony With Nature
• Native American Traditions
– Inhabited N. America for thousands of
years before Europeans arrived.
– Original peoples-belonged to 200 distinct
tribes
• Spoke over 500 languages
– Way of life-dictated by their natural
surroundings which varied greatly
– Complex religious beliefs, political
systems, and strong social values all
reflected in their literature.
Native American Literature
• Native American literature
was primarily oral:
– Passed down from
generation to
generation by
storytelling and
performances
Native American Literature
• Purpose:
– Emphasizes the importance of living in harmony
with nature
– Belief that humans have a kinship with animals,
plants, the land, heavenly bodies, & the elements
– All seen as alive (Mother Earth and Father Sky)
– Human + Non-human = the Sacred Whole
Types of Oral Tradition
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Myths
Creation Myths
Folktales
Trickster Tales
Ritual Songs &
Chants
Myths
• Traditional stories
passed down
through the
generations that
explain why the
world is the way it
is.
– Events usually
result from the
actions of
supernatural
beings.
Creation Myths
• Explains how the universe,
earth, and life began.
– Instills a sense of awe toward
the mystery of the universe.
– Explains the workings of the
natural world.
– Supports and validates social
customs.
– Guides people through the
trials of living.
– Imaginative stories of cause
and effect.
Folktales
• Stories that tell how the
world was transformed to
its present state.
• Serve to teach social
values or explain natural
phenomena.
• Passed down orally
• Includes: myths, fairy
tales, legends, and fables
Trickster Tales
• Folktales that feature an animal or human character
who engages in deceit, violence, or magic.
• Cleverness, daring, magical powers used to get
characters into & out of trouble.
• Animal is often a coyote, but be can a raven, mink,
hare, or blue jay.
• Three roles: 1) The beneficent cultural hero, 2) The
clever deceiver, or 3) The numskull
Change
Some cultures were lost due to diseases
and violence of the Europeans.
Some changed due to forced religious
conversion, forced relocation, and
forced education.
Iroquois Indians
Refers to six separate Native American groups:
 Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onodaga, Mohawk,
and Tuscarora
 All but the Tuscarora once resided in what is
now New York State
 War with other tribes led to the formation of the
“Iroquois League” in 1570
 For 200 years, Iroquois dominated other Native
American groups and remained free from British
and French rule.

The World on a Turtle’s Back
• An Iroquois creation myth
• Contains the idea that there is a sky world
above our world where supernatural
beings exist
• A story of cause and effect
– The actions of supernatural beings
cause the present features of the world
to exist
– Explains how the land and other
physical features were formed
Cause and Effect
• Cause & Effect—one event
that brings about the other
• Example from the story:
• Cause = Woman walked
around in a circle on a
turtle’s back
• Effect = Earth
Themes
• Theme = central idea(s) a writer intends
to share. Can be a lesson about life,
people, or actions.
• Themes in “A World on a Turtle’s Back”:
– an Iroquois myth which explains how
the world was created
– expresses a Native American ideal of
people living in harmony with nature
– the world is made up of forces that
seem to be in opposition to one another
– these opposites are needed for balance
and harmony
Okanogan Indians
• Originally lived in what is now
north central Washington State
and southern British Columbia
• Told folktales in their native
language, Salish.
• Stories belong to an oral tradition
of Animal People.
• Mourning Dove (aka Christine
Quintasket) was an Okanogan
descendant who recorded the
traditional Okanogan stories in the
early 1900s.
Animal People
• Race of supernatural beings believed to be the
first inhabitants of the earth.
• Possessed magical powers & could shape shift.
• Usually appeared in animal form, but could take
human form.
• When human beings appeared on the earth, the
Animal People were transformed into different
species.
…SOUND FAMILIAR?
Coyote Stories
Coyote and the Buffalo
and
Fox, Coyote, and Whale
The Coyote
• One of the most important
Animal People.
• A central figure in both stories
we will read.
• Thought to have made the world
inhabitable for humans by killing
monsters and bringing fire &
salmon, among other deeds…
• Coyote stories are told in many
Native American tribes across
the western United States.
Coyote as Contradictory
• In the two stories we will read, Coyote
demonstrates the trickster’s three
contradictory qualities:
– Foolish yet clever
– Greedy yet helpful
– Immoral yet moral