NATIVE AMERICAN ORAL TRADITION Myths

Before You Read  An old imaginative pattern that has appeared in literature throughout the ages  Most myths contain archetypes  Archetypes can be plots, characters, or images  It is important to recognize differences in literary traditions  American Indian literature was handed down orally  Pieces lose some of their power in written form ArchetypesReading Skills

The Sun Still Rises in the Same Sky  Native Americans are both appreciated and misunderstood (Song of Hiawatha)  Both Native American and European literature are rooted in oral tradition  Generalizations  Teach lessons  Inclusive of natural world  Use powerful metaphors  When Columbus arrived in America, writing did not exist  Hundreds of Native American languages posed a translation problem  Many literary treasures were not discovered for several years  Many of the authors Bruchac mentions help to popularize Native American literature  The Native American worldview emphasizes the cycle of life over linear progression

The Sky Tree  In the beginning, Earth is covered by water  Some creature dives down to get a piece of it  That piece is place on the back of a great turtle  North America = “Turtle Island”  Earth is covered with water  People lived in “Sky Land” with “Sky Tree”  Old Chief became sick  Old Chief had a dream  Aataensic chopped down Sky Tree  Aataensic jumped through the hole left by “Sky Tree”  “Sky Tree” represents Life  Turtle called together all the water animals to make land “Earth Diver” mythSummary

The Earth Only  Old/wise men speak the truth  Man is temporary, Earth is enduring  Earth/nature should be respected

Coyote Finishes His Work  Coyote  Made Indians  Gave them names  Taught them skill  Ran off evil spirits  Coyote was a trickster (archetype)  Great Spirit came to Coyote as an old man  Old Man (God) promised to send messages to Earth through spirits  Coyote and Old Man will not return until Earth Woman is very old  All the people will live together (judgment day)  Other Side Camp (Heaven)