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Folktales - American Indian/First Nations response(s)
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From: Debbie Reese <debreese_at_illinois.edu>
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:21:32 -0500
Some of you know and recommend Leslie Marmon Silko's CEREMONY. Here's a quote from her, from her essay "An Old-Time Indian attack Conducted in Two Parts", published in Geary Hobson's THE REMEMBERED EARTH (1979). This is on page 211:
"Since white ethnologists like Boas and Swanton first intruded into Native American communities to "collect" prayers, songs and stories, a number of implicit racist assumptions about Native American culture and literature have flourished. The first is the assumption that the white man, through some innate cultural or racial superiority, has the ability to perceive and master the essential beliefs, values and emotions of persons from Native American communities."
She also writes about LAUGHING BOY, by Oliver LaFarge. (That isn't a folktale, but if you're interested in seeing what she had to say about LaFarge, see my blog: http://tinyurl.com/Laughing-Boy ).
Right now, I'm reading "Tradition in Mi'kmaq Narratives" by Anne-Christine Hornborg. The chapter is in Wilmer's Native American Performance and Representation. She writes:
"One Mi'kmaq traditionalist thus said: "There are several people who have done books, Kay Hill, an author from Halifax, Legends of Kluscap. In the Native community we weren't over excited about her interpretation of our stories. They do not run parallel to what I was taught. I get my teachings from my elders." (p. 73).
For the suggested bibliography of articles, you might take a look at my article, "Proceed with Caution: Using Native American Folktales in the Classroom" published in the January 2007 issue of Language Arts. In it, I discuss McDermott's Arrow to the Sun, Pollock's Turkey Girl, and, Rodanas's Dragonfly's Tale.
Debbie
Visit my Internet resource: American Indians in Children's Literature
Debbie A. Reese (Nambй 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
Received on Mon 22 Mar 2010 10:21:32 AM CDT
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:21:32 -0500
Some of you know and recommend Leslie Marmon Silko's CEREMONY. Here's a quote from her, from her essay "An Old-Time Indian attack Conducted in Two Parts", published in Geary Hobson's THE REMEMBERED EARTH (1979). This is on page 211:
"Since white ethnologists like Boas and Swanton first intruded into Native American communities to "collect" prayers, songs and stories, a number of implicit racist assumptions about Native American culture and literature have flourished. The first is the assumption that the white man, through some innate cultural or racial superiority, has the ability to perceive and master the essential beliefs, values and emotions of persons from Native American communities."
She also writes about LAUGHING BOY, by Oliver LaFarge. (That isn't a folktale, but if you're interested in seeing what she had to say about LaFarge, see my blog: http://tinyurl.com/Laughing-Boy ).
Right now, I'm reading "Tradition in Mi'kmaq Narratives" by Anne-Christine Hornborg. The chapter is in Wilmer's Native American Performance and Representation. She writes:
"One Mi'kmaq traditionalist thus said: "There are several people who have done books, Kay Hill, an author from Halifax, Legends of Kluscap. In the Native community we weren't over excited about her interpretation of our stories. They do not run parallel to what I was taught. I get my teachings from my elders." (p. 73).
For the suggested bibliography of articles, you might take a look at my article, "Proceed with Caution: Using Native American Folktales in the Classroom" published in the January 2007 issue of Language Arts. In it, I discuss McDermott's Arrow to the Sun, Pollock's Turkey Girl, and, Rodanas's Dragonfly's Tale.
Debbie
Visit my Internet resource: American Indians in Children's Literature
Debbie A. Reese (Nambй 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
Received on Mon 22 Mar 2010 10:21:32 AM CDT
