Congratulations to the winner of the previous giveaway, the book Codetalker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII, Marsha K. from Michigan!
Enter for your chance to win our next giveaway below before Midnight on October 1, 2021!
See the rules page for more details.
Win the children's book Old Father Story Teller a collection of 6 tribal stories from author Pablita Velarde. As a child at her native Santa Clara Pueblo near Santa Fe, New Mexico, Pablita Velarde heard the legends of her people told by her grandfather and great-grandfather.1
How was history recorded before writing?
In many cultures, stories were passed down orally from one generation to the next. Art such as paintings, drawings, weavings, pottery, etc., was often created as a visual aid to help storytellers remember. Unfortunately, information was lost or changed over the years as tales passed from one generation to the next.
Why is traditional storytelling important?
"In today's culture, we often tell stories through video and audio recordings, instead of hearing it from one's grandparent or friend. This makes history more easily spread and known, but it also takes away from the tradition of storytelling." ... "There is meaning in hearing a story that has come to you from generations of past relatives, and there is meaning in passing it on. Now, there are so few who still practice remembering stories with the skill and cadence and fanaticism of a storyteller." - Tristan Picotte, Storytelling in Native American Cultures
The stories of a community make that group unique, but stories will be known only as long as they are told. When someone ceases to tell a story, part of the cultural knowledge disappears.2 For these stories and traditions to survive through many generations, removal from homelands, boarding schools, and more shows the resilience of Native American people.
What are Native American stories usually about?
These stories could be about anything: the origin of something (ex. weaving), the history of the people, cultural morals and values, supernatural events, the environment.2
PBS Circle of Stories lists 8 different types of stories. 3
- Symbolic
- Lessons
- Instructions from spirit mentors
- Descriptions of natural processes
- Survival accounts
- Oral maps for travel
- Magical tales of transformation
- Adventures in love, romance, and marriage
Who are some famous Native American authors?
- Pablita Velarde
- Leslie Marmon Silko
- Tim Tingle
- And much more.
Check out our resource page for suggested readings!
Share this page with a friend to help raise awareness of Native American history and culture.
1 https://www.indianpueblostore.com/products/old-father-storyteller-by-pablita-velarde
2https://www.ncpedia.org/culture/stories/american-indian
3 https://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/voices/index.html
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