1. T HE A MERICAN V OICE Origins and Encounters: Native American Traditions

2. I N H ARMONY WITH N ATURE Native Americans created the first American Literature. Their ways of life, dictated by their natural surroundings, varied greatly. Social values, political systems, and religious beliefs are reflected in their literatures Literature is not limited to what is written down in books. Oral Tradition: Storytelling and Performances Creation stories; tales of heroes and tricksters who transformed the world; ritual songs and chants

3. I N H ARMONY WITH N ATURE We will cover a creation myth from the Iroquois of the Northeast. Our experience will be different. Collected in the early 1900s and translated by anthropologists Native American literature emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with the natural world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4vkq2ztxSw

4. I N H ARMONY WITH N ATURE Human beings have a kinship with animals, plants, the land, heavenly bodies, and the elements. All of these things are alive and aware. Ex. Mother Earth and Father Sky in the Tewa “Song of the Sky Loom” Human beings do not have dominion over nature; they are part of nature and must act to maintain a right relationship with the world around them.

5. T RADITIONS A CROSS T IME : H ARMONIZING O LD AND N EW Native Americans and their traditions have not disappeared completely. Although some cultures were lost to diseases and violence, others have survived and adapted. Change from forced religious conversion, relocation, and education They still have oral traditions, but they’re also writing in English.

6. “T HE W ORLD ON THE T URTLE ’ S B ACK ” Iroquois Myth about how the world was created Iroquois refers to the league of five Native American peoples: the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, and Mohawk United in a confederation in the 14 th century They lived in the woodlands of present-day New York State, from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. Farmers and hunter-gatherers Warfare was an important part of the Iroquois culture as it gave power and prestige to the men.

7. H OW D OES T HIS C REATION M YTH F UNCTION ? It explains how the universe, earth, and life began. To the Iroquois, it is religious and represents the group’s cosmic views “The World on the Turtle’s Back” can instill a sense of awe toward the mystery of the universe explain the workings of the natural world support and validate social customs guide the Iroquois through the trials of living