Native American Literature

1
Native American Literature

• Background
• - appreciated and misrepresented
• - living oral tradition, kept alive by word of
  mouth (like early Western Lit.)
• - unrecognized until 1800s
• - before then, assumed NA had no lit.
• - problems in translation b/c of language

2
Native American Literature

• - stories used to teach moral lessons and convey
  practical information about the natural world
• - view of natural world more inclusive, and not
  dominated by humans
• - American Indian worldview is of an endless
  circle

3
The Sky Tree

• earth diver myth- very common among northeast
  culture
• earth covered by water, 1 creatures dive and
  bring up a piece of earth, earth is placed on
  turtles back
• Why is the woman named Ancient Woman? What does
  she symbolize?
• What does the rooting of the tree symbolize?

4
The Night Chant

• Songs- impart philosophy about life, express
  emotion, relate to the attempt to gain spiritual
  power
• TNC part of a Dine (Navajo) ceremony to
  support someone who is ill
• - sickness is imbalance
• - ceremony restores balance (health)
• - hozhoni translates as happiness, and
  combines ideas of beauty, peace, harmony, and
  happiness

5
Coyote Finishes His Work

• Tricksters
• - one of the favorite characters in NA lit.
• - often takes animal form
• - use their wits to survive
• - not always admirable
• - represent dual nature of human beings
• - good/evil, wise/silly, humorous/serious