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• 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

ChangeSome 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

andFox, 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