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[CCBC-Net] folktales
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From: Nancy Bo Flood <wflood>
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 16:48:44 -0700
Indeed, RAVEN: a TRICKSTER TALE from the PACIFIC NORTHWEST (1993) is reviewed in A BROKEN FLUTE (page 193-194).
Comments are similar to reviews of ARROW to the SUN (p342) and COYOTE: A TRICKSTER TALE (p 181). The bright illustrations in RAVEN include totem poles, Chilkat-type dress, house styles and wooden boxes that do give clues that this tale comes from the Pacific Northwest but only in a very general way. The story "consists of the bare essentials of the classic thread of how Raven...journeys to bring back Light."
The review points out that a First Nations' myth is "typically anchored in real places, sacred places and minimally, each First Nations culture has its own particular details that may be obscure to non-Native sensibilities." Thus, the deeper meaning and sacredness of this story is lost. An important point by the reviewer further explains that "Universalizing and generalizing retellings such as this degrade sacred cultural teachings into mere tales."
I hope this is helpful to understanding the significance of the objections of using visual images from a specific culture to illustrate a generalized form of a sacred story. Basic research and sensitivities would minimally require an author/illustrator to be informed of cultural accuracies and protocol to avoid misrepresentations.
Nancy Bo Flood
wflood at hotmail.com www.nancyboflood.com
author of Navajo Year, Walk Through Many Seasons, A Children's Choice and Arizona Book of the Year
Sand to Stone, the Life Cycle of Sandstone
> Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 16:04:15 -0500
> To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> From: debreese at illinois.edu
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] folktales
>
> Irene,
>
> I have not studied McDermott's other books. I
> can't seem to find my copy of A BROKEN FLUTE to
> see if the one about Raven is reviewed in
> there.... If someone else can find theirs,
> perhaps they can respond, at least to that book.
>
>
> >Message: 3
> >Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 18:26:01 -0500
> >From: Irene <ifahren at ucls.uchicago.edu>
> >Subject: [CCBC-Net] folktales
> >To: CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> >Message-ID: <5B19329D-50BE-4F73-BDDE-85BE00A269EE at ucls.uchicago.edu>
> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
> >
> >Debbie, do you find McDermott's other books objectionable?
> >Irene
>
> Visit my Internet resource:
> American Indians in Children's Literature
> http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net
>
> Debbie A. Reese (Namb? O'-ween-ge')
> Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies
> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
> Native American House, Room 2005
> 1204 West Nevada Street, MC-138
> Urbana, Illinois 61801
>
> Email: debreese at illinois.edu
> TEL 217-265-9885
> FAX 217-265-9880
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://lists.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
_________________________________________________________________ Hotmail? goes with you. http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/Mobile?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutorial_Mobile1_052009
Received on Fri 15 May 2009 06:48:44 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 16:48:44 -0700
Indeed, RAVEN: a TRICKSTER TALE from the PACIFIC NORTHWEST (1993) is reviewed in A BROKEN FLUTE (page 193-194).
Comments are similar to reviews of ARROW to the SUN (p342) and COYOTE: A TRICKSTER TALE (p 181). The bright illustrations in RAVEN include totem poles, Chilkat-type dress, house styles and wooden boxes that do give clues that this tale comes from the Pacific Northwest but only in a very general way. The story "consists of the bare essentials of the classic thread of how Raven...journeys to bring back Light."
The review points out that a First Nations' myth is "typically anchored in real places, sacred places and minimally, each First Nations culture has its own particular details that may be obscure to non-Native sensibilities." Thus, the deeper meaning and sacredness of this story is lost. An important point by the reviewer further explains that "Universalizing and generalizing retellings such as this degrade sacred cultural teachings into mere tales."
I hope this is helpful to understanding the significance of the objections of using visual images from a specific culture to illustrate a generalized form of a sacred story. Basic research and sensitivities would minimally require an author/illustrator to be informed of cultural accuracies and protocol to avoid misrepresentations.
Nancy Bo Flood
wflood at hotmail.com www.nancyboflood.com
author of Navajo Year, Walk Through Many Seasons, A Children's Choice and Arizona Book of the Year
Sand to Stone, the Life Cycle of Sandstone
> Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 16:04:15 -0500
> To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> From: debreese at illinois.edu
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] folktales
>
> Irene,
>
> I have not studied McDermott's other books. I
> can't seem to find my copy of A BROKEN FLUTE to
> see if the one about Raven is reviewed in
> there.... If someone else can find theirs,
> perhaps they can respond, at least to that book.
>
>
> >Message: 3
> >Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 18:26:01 -0500
> >From: Irene <ifahren at ucls.uchicago.edu>
> >Subject: [CCBC-Net] folktales
> >To: CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> >Message-ID: <5B19329D-50BE-4F73-BDDE-85BE00A269EE at ucls.uchicago.edu>
> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
> >
> >Debbie, do you find McDermott's other books objectionable?
> >Irene
>
> Visit my Internet resource:
> American Indians in Children's Literature
> http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net
>
> Debbie A. Reese (Namb? O'-ween-ge')
> Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies
> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
> Native American House, Room 2005
> 1204 West Nevada Street, MC-138
> Urbana, Illinois 61801
>
> Email: debreese at illinois.edu
> TEL 217-265-9885
> FAX 217-265-9880
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://lists.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
_________________________________________________________________ Hotmail? goes with you. http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/Mobile?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutorial_Mobile1_052009
Received on Fri 15 May 2009 06:48:44 PM CDT
