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Native American Literature

Native American Literature. Unit 1 English 10. The Sacred Earth and the Power of Storytelling Feeling for the natural earth Entire earth and all living things inhabiting it were sacred Reference passed down orally from one generation to another Speakers and storytellers valued.

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Native American Literature

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  1. Native American Literature Unit 1 English 10

  2. The Sacred Earth and the Power of Storytelling • Feeling for the natural earth • Entire earth and all living things inhabiting it were sacred • Reference passed down orally from one generation to another • Speakers and storytellers valued

  3. The Cycle of Life • Animals, plants, forces of nature part of a sacred cycle of life humans must treat with deep respect.

  4. Land Ownership • No one person could own; it belonged to all (not the same belief as the Europeans, which led to conflict)

  5. Stories • Unique cultures and languages developed. • Thousands of very different languages • Own, unique stories and mythology

  6. Conflict • Europeans arrived in the early 1500s. • Brutal wars often occurred. • Europeans had superior weapons • Disease • Few Native Americans survived beyond the end of the 1600s.

  7. Mythology • Thousands of thriving nations • Each had unique culture, heritage, and oral literature – stories passed downs from one generation to the next.

  8. Creation Myths • Myth-anonymous, traditional story that relies on the supernatural to explain a natural phenomenon, an aspect of human behavior, or a mystery of the universe. • Try to explain the world and why it is as it is • Making sense of one’s world • Creation Myths • Tell how the world and humans came to exist • Origin Myths • How natural phenomena (moon, stars,) came to be

  9. Archetypes • Symbol, story pattern, character type found in literature of many cultures • Children with opposite qualities (good and evil, light and dark)

  10. Tricksters • Usually an animal • Displays human qualities • Rebels • Reveal wisdom

  11. Function of myths • Emphasis on spiritual bond between creator, humanity, and world • Humans’ duty to maintain balance • In many cultures each group felt it descended from an animal or object called a totem • Bear clan-bear as ancestor, guardian spirit. • They must preserve the myths of the bear • Sense of order and identity • Heal sick • Ensure supply of food • Teach morals • Initiation into adulthood • Wisdom of past

  12. Huron • Earth=Island on back of turtle • Southern Canada

  13. Main Ideas • The chief learns to cure his sickness in a dream. • The Sky Tree travels to Earth with Aataentsic. • Turtle asks advice from all of the animals. • The main idea is to tell us how people left Sky Land to populate the earth.

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