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Admiration for Joseph Bruchac's work
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From: Maia <maia>
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 11:05:55 -0400
1. I too really enjoyed . Chris Nicola has gifts both for listening to people and also for acting assertively. He struck me as a very different role model than is typically offered young men and women, as an individual with a powerful blend of both 'masculine' and 'feminine' traits. And through Chris (and Doda), I thought Bruchac offered a wonderful alternative view of leadership. His closing line, about leadership and love, is a beautiful one:
"And I know that whatever happens to me from now on, whether it is good or bad, I will always remember this: that the heart of a true chief beats with the hearts of the people."
I also admired Bruchac's skill at conveying the normality of Chris and his friends. Bruchac portrays Chris' family's love for and commitment to the island as a powerful, well-considered thing -- not frenetic or fanatical, but a love strong enough to rise to the challenge of protecting what's sacred. Yet amidst a calling that the whole family feels, there are still problems, alcoholism included. The characters are complex human beings with their own unique gifts to offer the wider community, as all members of a diverse group will have.
2. I think that is a good resource for teaching children how to articulate the world around them. Has anyone used this text, either with kids or just for themself? Bruchac uses Story as a teaching tool, saying that "Stories help us form identity." He outlines four steps for life and for Storytelling -- paraphrased, they are (1) Listen, (2) Observe, (3) Remember, (4) Share -- and then divides the book into narrative, folktales, and activities for each of these steps. His tales draw on a variety of peoples and cultures, and I would think his book would likewise be accessible to children of many cultures.
Perhaps the most useful part for adults of is the section entitled "The Act of Storytelling". Here Bruchac gives some useful guidelines for anyone who wants to tell stories respectfully with consideration to the place and people from which they came - and also how to choose and tell a story that is both personally meaningful and appropriate for the audience.
3. I've only just begun by Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruchac, but I must admit that I'm thrilled that the book has been written. For those who aren't familiar with it, <Keepers of the Night> is a science/story/activity book that helps to familiarize children (and adults) with the night, and to remove some of the fear and replace it with wonder. Much of what the text has to offer has been drawn from native American peoples, but carefully, I think, so that a mockery is not made.
The authors make a powerful statement, that they suggest telling to children around a circle fire activity (pg 111). I include the long quote here because I think that it covers much of what we have been discussing this month:
"...the Circle of the Fire is a time to experience things that have come from the traditions of Native North American cultures. There are about 550 different Native cultures in what we now call North America. Each culture is unique: It has its own beliefs and ways of living. We are receiving a great gift by what we share tonight. We can give back by helping Native North Americans whenever we can. They are not a people of the past. They live here in this land with us, today. We are not trying to be 'Indians' tonight. We are simply learning from their cultures and enjoying their traditions. We will not be dressing up or painting ourselves like Native Americans, talking like them, sitting like them or mimicking them in any way. There will be no war whoops or tomahawk chops. We are going to be ourselves as we look at Native Americans in a new way. They are our neighbors who have a lot to teach us and have shared much with us, and to whom we can give much back."
The section on page 18, entitled "Teaching Racial Tolerance, Understanding and Appreciation" gives straightforward dos and don'ts about how to speak respectfully about Native cultures and peoples. The authors make some powerful points, including the importance of not imitating sacred ceremonies: "Would you, for the fun of it, conduct part of a Catholic communion service or Buddhist meditation rite around the fire with the children?"
I wonder if anyone else has read this book and can comment on it?
I could go on about Bruchac's work, but I'll stop now! I wonder if others feel the same enthusiasm for his books?
Maia
Received on Thu 21 Oct 1999 10:05:55 AM CDT
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 11:05:55 -0400
1. I too really enjoyed . Chris Nicola has gifts both for listening to people and also for acting assertively. He struck me as a very different role model than is typically offered young men and women, as an individual with a powerful blend of both 'masculine' and 'feminine' traits. And through Chris (and Doda), I thought Bruchac offered a wonderful alternative view of leadership. His closing line, about leadership and love, is a beautiful one:
"And I know that whatever happens to me from now on, whether it is good or bad, I will always remember this: that the heart of a true chief beats with the hearts of the people."
I also admired Bruchac's skill at conveying the normality of Chris and his friends. Bruchac portrays Chris' family's love for and commitment to the island as a powerful, well-considered thing -- not frenetic or fanatical, but a love strong enough to rise to the challenge of protecting what's sacred. Yet amidst a calling that the whole family feels, there are still problems, alcoholism included. The characters are complex human beings with their own unique gifts to offer the wider community, as all members of a diverse group will have.
2. I think that is a good resource for teaching children how to articulate the world around them. Has anyone used this text, either with kids or just for themself? Bruchac uses Story as a teaching tool, saying that "Stories help us form identity." He outlines four steps for life and for Storytelling -- paraphrased, they are (1) Listen, (2) Observe, (3) Remember, (4) Share -- and then divides the book into narrative, folktales, and activities for each of these steps. His tales draw on a variety of peoples and cultures, and I would think his book would likewise be accessible to children of many cultures.
Perhaps the most useful part for adults of is the section entitled "The Act of Storytelling". Here Bruchac gives some useful guidelines for anyone who wants to tell stories respectfully with consideration to the place and people from which they came - and also how to choose and tell a story that is both personally meaningful and appropriate for the audience.
3. I've only just begun by Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruchac, but I must admit that I'm thrilled that the book has been written. For those who aren't familiar with it, <Keepers of the Night> is a science/story/activity book that helps to familiarize children (and adults) with the night, and to remove some of the fear and replace it with wonder. Much of what the text has to offer has been drawn from native American peoples, but carefully, I think, so that a mockery is not made.
The authors make a powerful statement, that they suggest telling to children around a circle fire activity (pg 111). I include the long quote here because I think that it covers much of what we have been discussing this month:
"...the Circle of the Fire is a time to experience things that have come from the traditions of Native North American cultures. There are about 550 different Native cultures in what we now call North America. Each culture is unique: It has its own beliefs and ways of living. We are receiving a great gift by what we share tonight. We can give back by helping Native North Americans whenever we can. They are not a people of the past. They live here in this land with us, today. We are not trying to be 'Indians' tonight. We are simply learning from their cultures and enjoying their traditions. We will not be dressing up or painting ourselves like Native Americans, talking like them, sitting like them or mimicking them in any way. There will be no war whoops or tomahawk chops. We are going to be ourselves as we look at Native Americans in a new way. They are our neighbors who have a lot to teach us and have shared much with us, and to whom we can give much back."
The section on page 18, entitled "Teaching Racial Tolerance, Understanding and Appreciation" gives straightforward dos and don'ts about how to speak respectfully about Native cultures and peoples. The authors make some powerful points, including the importance of not imitating sacred ceremonies: "Would you, for the fun of it, conduct part of a Catholic communion service or Buddhist meditation rite around the fire with the children?"
I wonder if anyone else has read this book and can comment on it?
I could go on about Bruchac's work, but I'll stop now! I wonder if others feel the same enthusiasm for his books?
Maia
Received on Thu 21 Oct 1999 10:05:55 AM CDT
