Native American Native American LiteratureLiterature

Native AmericansNative Americans were already were already inhabiting the U.S. when the inhabiting the U.S. when the first first

explorersexplorers came to our country came to our countryDO NOW: Read page 16. What can you tell about Native American beliefs (especially in relationship to the land)? What can you tell about the relationship/conflict between the explorers and the Native Americans? Write in complete sentences.

Native Beliefs

•Caretakers, not owners, of the land•Nature is alive and aware – sacred. •Nature is a helper to man.

Explorer and Explorer and European BeliefsEuropean Beliefs

• Claimed the land – aggression toward nature; dominion•Traveled for glory and riches, risked the unknown

What is it that causes people What is it that causes people to seek out the unknown? to seek out the unknown? What qualities does an What qualities does an explorer have?explorer have?

Many of the early settlers were religious Many of the early settlers were religious reformers called reformers called PuritansPuritans, whose , whose religious faith was evident in the religious faith was evident in the

literature of this timeliterature of this time

Are people basically good or evil? Are they destined to struggle against base instincts?

Puritans believed people were sinful and doomed from birth.

Native Americans: Native Americans: What’s their story?What’s their story?

• 300 different cultures300 different cultures• Earliest form of Earliest form of

American literature: American literature: ritual songs and chants, ritual songs and chants, poemspoems

• Creation mythsCreation myths: : explain origin and explain origin and natural and natural and supernatural supernatural phenomena, use cause phenomena, use cause and effect and effect relationshipsrelationships

Storytelling (not Storytelling (not written language):written language):

•History and legend entrusted to memory•Passed from generation to generation•Oral tradition

Why is oral tradition more meaningful than Why is oral tradition more meaningful than the written word? Do you see any the written word? Do you see any

problems with preserving the culture problems with preserving the culture through the spoken word?through the spoken word?

Why do you think this story Why do you think this story doesn’t have a proper author? doesn’t have a proper author? List any creation myths/folk List any creation myths/folk tales you are familiar with. tales you are familiar with. Why do different cultures Why do different cultures

have different creation have different creation myths?myths?

Myth: a collective belief of a group of people used to explain the world view or justify behavior or ritual of that group