1. Respond:
What is the American Dream? Do you think it is achievable today? When and where have you seen it thrive and fail throughout history?

2. Native/Early American Literature
(Myths, Tales, Folktales, Folklore)

3. 1.) Native Americans were on this continent CENTURIES before Europeans
There were hundreds of thriving unique nations
Each had/has its own tradition of literature that was passed down orally
Families kept the tradition going
Ceremonies were another place where oral stories were retold
Myths are an important part of Native American spiritual beliefs
It is unknown where the stories originated
They were written down only in the last 100 years
These stories tell us how the world came to be
Many rely heavily on a reverence of the natural world
20American%20Creation%20Myths%20Basic%20Notes.pdf

4. 2.) Telling Stories – Native American Mythology
Myths and rituals play a central role in traditional Native American cultures
They were important in giving people a sense of order and identity.
They gave people a way to ensure food, explain the unexplainable, heal the sick, and teach lessons.
Early Native American tribes passed stories down through oral tradition (telling stories verbally instead of writing them down).
As a result of the oral tradition, there are often many versions of a single myth.
Native American myths were often derived from ceremonial songs and prayers, hero tales, explanations of things in nature, migration stories, historical stories, and poems. Most myths were told through oral tradition.
mer/Native%20American%20Creation%20Myths%20Basic%20Notes.pdf

5. 3.) Myth Myth – an anonymous oral story
Relies on the supernatural to explain a natural phenomenon, human behavior, or mystery
Explains why the world is the way it is
Helps make sense of the world
eation%20Myths%20Basic%20Notes.pdf

6. 4.) Totem
In many cultures, each group, clan or family would be said to descend from an animal or natural object called the totem
Example: the Bear Clan would honor the bear, and it in turn would be their guardian spirit
That group would be largely responsible for maintaining the myth of the bear
The Mohawks had three clans: wolf, bear, and turtle
People frequently attributed the characteristics of animals to people
Example: bear is strong, dangerous; turtle is reserved methodical
ve%20American%20Creation%20Myths%20Basic%20Notes.pdf

7. 5.) Main Types of Native American Myths
Creation Myth (Cosmogony)
Explains how human lives came to exist
Explains the workings of the natural world
Supports and validates social customs
Guides people through the trials of living
Instills a sense of the mystery of the universe and attempts to explain that mystery
Origin Myth
Explains why phenomena like the stars, moon, and sky came to be and why certain animals have certain characteristics
Trickster Myth
A trickster is a crafty creature or being who uses cunning methods to get food, steal precious possessions, or simply cause mischief. He disrupts the order of things, often humiliating others and sometimes himself. In Native American traditions, the trickster takes many forms.
Destruction Myth (Eschatology)
Explains the end of a clan, its people, natural phenomenon, and the world.
%20Creation%20Myths%20Basic%20Notes.pdf

8. 6.) Trickster Myths Important part of Native American mythology
The Trickster is an animal with two sides to its personality
They create trouble and chaos and reveal wisdom
Often is a coyote, a raven, or a mink
Main difference between tales and myths: myths were regarded as truth, tales as fiction
Characteristics:
Magic, trickery, violence
Purpose:
To explain the origins of some aspect of the natural world and/or teach a lesson
ve%20American%20Creation%20Myths%20Basic%20Notes.pdf

9. 7.) Trickster Tales - Key Terms
Animal People – the first inhabitants of the world; spirit beings that could take the shape of human or animal (ie: coyote)
Anthropomorphism – giving human behavior, characteristics, or motivations to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena.

10. 8.) Emphasis on the Spiritual
Native American myths often emphasize a strong spiritual bond between the creator, humanity, and the natural world.
It’s the duty of humanity to maintain a balance between these entities.
Among all tribes there is a strong sense that behind all individual spirits and personifications of the divine, there is a single creative life-force, sometimes called ‘the Great Mystery,’ which expresses itself throughout the universe, in every human, animal, tree and grain of sand.

11. 9.) Natural Elements in Native American Myths
Animals
Animals often speak to humans and assist them.
Most tribes thought that individual members of a species embodied a particular spirit power.
Four Cardinal Directions
The Four Directions (North, South, East, West) are often given powers, which occur either literally or in symbolic form throughout the stories.
Often represented by particular colors or by animals.
All Four Directions must be in balance for all to be well with the world.
Rhythm
Native Americans often used rhythm to help them remember their very long stories
Drums and cymbals were used as aids
Also believed that the drum repetition could enable the singer to communicate with the world of animals, nature, and spirits

12. Motifs (recurring ideas) among Native American Groups
Humans have a connection with nature
Conflict between ancient customs and modern life; past and present
Storytelling is important (“The Storyteller…”)
Life as a circle
Fire as a symbol
“The White Man” is the European and symbolizes annihilation

13. The BIG Picture

14. The Regions

15. California – Modoc, Shasta, Wasco
MODERN LOCATION:
West Coast along California, Oregon, and Washington state

16. Northwest – Blackfoot, Nez Percé, Snohomish
MODERN LOCATION:
Northern Washington state, Idaho, and into Canada

17. Plains – Brule Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Osage
MODERN LOCATION:
Dakotas, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Wyoming

18. Southeast – Cherokee, Creek
MODERN LOCATION: Kentucky, Tennessee, Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama

19. Southwest – Papago, Pima, White Mountain Apache
MODERN LOCATION:
Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico

20. A brief video on the importance of oral storytelling in Native American culture…

21. The Stories
There are 15 STORIES that will be read in class. No worries. You will only be reading THREE of them within your small group.
There will be three roles within each group: reader, recorder, and reporter.
The reader will read each story out loud in a close read to the group. The recorder will write down the characters, plot, symbols, etc. in each story. The reporter will then present to the entire class over the three stories.
The goal is to take active reading notes while reading and after listening to each tale. You must determine as a group whether the tale in question is a CREATION (cosmogony), TRICKSTER, or DESTRUCTION (eschatology) story.
You will have 10 minutes to read and record for each story (they are not that long).
After we analyze these stories, each person will then be writing their own myth using these guided notes to close out the week.

22. The Table to Use
TITLE
TRIBE
NOTES
TYPE OF MYTH

23. Writing Your Own Native American Myth
After the writing of the rough draft of your Native American myth, you will peer edit with a partner. You will have TEN minutes to get this done. Use the peer editing checklist provided.
After those ten minutes, you will write the final draft on the two-sided lined page that is being provided for you. The final draft must:
Have proper MLA heading criteria
Be single-spaced
Be completely filled out on both sides
You will do the following to classify the following things on your final draft:
With a yellow highlighter, you will highlight your two animal symbols.
With an orange highlighter, you will highlight your two color symbols.
With a color of your choice, you will highlight your direction symbol(s).
You will underline your cultural symbol used.
★You will put stars around a sentence or phrase that shows what type of Native American myth you have written (origin, destruction, or trickster).★
You will staple in this order and turn into the appropriate basket:
Final draft on top, peer editing, rough draft, pre-writing page
Your Name
Mr. Elmore
English III – Hour
22 September 2017