1. Native American Lit
A brief overview

2. Native Americans vs. Europeans
Polytheistic
Spiritual and Material worlds intertwined
Monotheistic
Saw a distinct divide between the spiritual world and the human world
Similarities
Developed a religion or system of beliefs
Worshipped all powerful “great spirit”
Immortality in the afterlife
Prayed and reached out to trained clergy (Shaman) especially in crisis.

3. Oral Tradition Native American tribes did not use written language
Stories were passed from generation to generation
relied on repetition
used in ceremonies
participatory in nature

4. Common types of stories
Creation Stories
Trickster Tales
Origin Stories
Native American stories contained elements which blended the natural and supernatural.
Including shapeshifting people, speaking animals, etc.

5. Creation Stories Similar from tribe to tribe
Explain the creation of the universe, man, etc.
A wide-lensed concept
Also included a sense of birth from a “mother Earth”

6. Trickster Tales Occasionally a type of creation story, but not always
Vary across tribes, but contain:
deceitful characters
humor
crossing of social boundaries

7. Origin Stories A more narrow creation story
Not the creation of humanity or the world but something smaller, yet still culturally important.