1. Background for Understanding Native American Literature

2. Native American Population in North American
1492 – million when Europeans arrived (Columbus “discovers” America)
First U.S. Census: U.S. population 4 million; Indians 600,000
1900 – all-time low 237,000
1990 – 1.9 million Native Americans
2000 – 4.1 million reported as American Indian, Alaskan Native, combination
538,300 living on reservations

3. What happened? How did the population of Native Americans drop from million in the late 1400s to 237,000 in 1900?

4. Indian Genocide
Disease (including cases of biological warfare, i.e. intentional infection)
Armed conflict (official and unofficial)
Forced removal
Forced assimilation

5. Some traditional Native American beliefs
Unity of all existence - Interconnectedness, relationship of all things – animals, land, people, language
Every living thing has a spiritual character or life force
Every object has cosmic relevance, even everyday objects
Religious expression is a continual experience – engages individual at every stage of life

6. Comparison of European and Native American World Views
European/Western
Native American
Visible world is the most real
Time is linear - Forward progress
Place is fixed in the material world
Man controls nature
Visible world is the most unreal
Time is non-linear - Circular return
Place is not fixed in spiritual world
Nature controls man

7. Comparison of European and Native American Values
European/Western
Native American
The Head
Activity
Innovation
Complexity
Individualism
The Feet
Stillness
Tradition
Simplicity
Collectivism

8. Comparison of European and Native American Religious & Spiritual Beliefs
European/Western
Native American
Religion distinct from everyday life
Only humans have a spirit
Tied with morality & ethics
Ritual invokes past realities or realities to be
Everyday life an expression of religion and spiritual truths
All animate objects have a spirit
Ritual asserts a present & eternal reality

9. Comparison of European and Native American Views of Art & Artists
European/Western
Native American
Role of artist – individual expression
Individual voice challenging society’s goals
Innovator, inventor
Constant search for new forms
Role of artist – collective reaffirmation
Voice sharing society’s goals
Inheritor of a tradition
“All Indians are artists”
Continuation & refinement of traditional forms