Patty Loew writes “the ancient songs, stories and art of Native people are filled with symbolism and wisdom. In order to understand the cultural meaning of the people, places, and events that shaped their lives, we must not only read history, but also listen to it (Loew 11).” When we listen to history, it can be recognized by means of how the author acknowledges that written accounts of people and their lives does in fact offer a valuable source of information, but it diminishes in comparison to what could actually be learned from those who actually come from that history. Additionally, in order to actually listen to history it’s important to read it but it also means that we must be able to understand it. If we can understand history, we can use our understandings of history to apply it to history over time. History is important when listening to the past because of the fact that it gives people an understanding of how people’s cultures have evolved over time. This also allows us to learn from the past and hopefully prevent making the same mistakes again in the future. Passing stories down is another important component in order to listen to history due to the fact that oral history has allowed us to construct the past and get more crucial details. Throughout the book there are several examples of how the author listened to history in order to write her book. From the first chapter in Indian Nations of Wisconsin, Loew allows us to listen to history by means of discussing
As a scholar, she held the Lucille Herbert Memorial Scholarship and was a member of the Dean 's Honour Roll at York University.
A general history of Native Americans has been a part of my education for as long as I can remember. I remember how during the week before Thanksgiving, my 1st grade class did a skit about the “First Thanksgiving”. In order to look like Indians we made vests out of paper grocery bags and crumpled them up to look like leather and drew on them with crayons. When I think of my education of Native American culture, I think of going to North Pacific Reservations and seeing 10-12 ft tall totem poles with the shapes of animals carved into them. Most of the Native American tribes that I have learned about have been Western United States tribes because I grew up in California. When I read the list of Wisconsin Native
One of the most commonly founded item in the museum were varies kind of basket. There were basket from 1800-20th century. They all came in different shape and size. One basket were from Chitimacha Native American culture found in Louisiana. These baskets are made from local river cane, which is a variety of bamboo. Chitimacha basket colors are red, black, yellow and the natural color of the cane. Another basket were from Lozi culture found at Zambia. This basket were produce from beautiful Makenge tree root. They were used for storing food or personal items. It even stated that basket weaving basket was a more favorable job for the women.
This very interesting and well written book is a successful effort to recover an unanachronistic view of interactions between native peoples and Europeans in the American Great Lakes region between the mid-17th century and the end of the War of 1812. White deals extensively with events usually described in terms of European conquest of native peoples or French-British imperial rivalry but White's perspective is both novel and insightful. The Middle Ground that White describes in not a geographic locale but a metaphor for an interesting type of cultural interaction and accommodation. In the mid-17th century, the powerful Iroquois confederation had fragemented many other tribal groupings and driven their remnants westwards. Some of these groups
Wisconsin Education Act 31 states the legislative requirement that all school districts teach the culture, tribal power and history of the twelve American Indian tribes and nations in the state (Why Act 31). Wisconsin Education Act 31 is important because it gives the students an understanding and appreciation for cultures and diverse value orders. Furthermore, it gives students an opportunity to support and accept human relatives in regards to American Indians (State Statutes for Wisconsin American Indian Studies). The classroom teacher needs to have post-secondary education training in the study of minority group relations, such as Wisconsin Indian history, tribal power and culture (Act 31 and Related Statutes). Also, as part as the social studies curriculum in elementary school and high school, the classroom teacher needs to teach the history, culture, and tribal power need to be included using the appropriate teaching material that display the cultural diversity and multicultural aspect of American society; e.g. texts and resources (State Statutes for Wisconsin American Indian Studies).
Native American art is a profoundly expressive culture that has been a way of life for so many Native Americans. Native American art history has advanced over thousands of years and is composed of several idiosyncratic styles from the differentiating cultures of diverse Indian tribes. From Navajo to Hopi, each tribe has a particular history, which consists of many types of Native American arts including beadwork, jewelry, weaving, pottery, carvings, kachinas, masks, totem poles, and more. To truly understand Native American art, we will explore Native American art history, its subjects, and if Native American art has a spiritual connection to it.
Every individual has traditions passed down from their ancestors. This is important because it influences how families share their historical background to preserve certain values to teach succeeding generation. N. Scott Momaday has Native American roots inspiring him to write about his indigenous history and Maxine Hong Kingston, a first-generation Chinese American who was inspired by the struggles of her emigrant family. Kingston and Momaday manipulate language by using, metaphors, similes, and a unique style of writing to reflect on oral traditions. The purpose of Kingston’s passage is to reflect upon her ancestor’s mistake to establish her values as an American
Every country and nation has they own special festivals and music, and Native American is no exception. First, the native music related many aspects such as ritual, life and work. They like to combine music with dance, and the Native American music always created rich percussion instruments. For example, the hand drum, log drum, water drum and rattle, etc. Powwow is an important festival and ritual for the Native American, and it is a symbol for the tradition culture of Native Indians. Powwow, is a social gathering by the Native American tribes, and they singing and dancing. Powwow is not only a method that the Native American expresses the enthusiasm of the life and peace, but also enhances the sense of identity and cohesion. Hence,
As I mentioned above, everything began with Christopher Columbus discovering America in 1492. History is non-fiction, and perhaps the most concrete example of this non-fiction is the story of the beginning of the Indians. Native American mythology contains may different types of character including heroes, tricksters, and more. These characters can have both good and bad qualities, and fall into many categories. For example, creator gods usually restore order, but in some stories can be destructive. Tricksters can even be considered the hero in some stories. (Myths Encyclopedia, 2007). Indian stories are born from experiences and beliefs. Ross also states that “Native American societies are based on the concept of interdependence. Interdependence
In the tradition of Native American culture, there is no custom of written records of personal life or tribal history. Even though they have written language, the major way to record history is by oral storytelling. Those stories focus more about creation time, tribal and family history rather than individual life. Recording autobiography from different Native American tribes is a convention way for anthropologists to preserve the Indian traditions, which gradually decline and lost after Native American contact with Western culture. Moreover, the autobiographies of Native American individuals also fulfill the public curiosity about their culture. Nevertheless, the culture differences create the confusion and misunderstand in the written records. For the people does not familiar, and understand the Indian cosmology, the autobiography provides us as a tool to reveal the secret veil of Native American. In the same time, it leads a certain degree of deduction about the narrator original meaning.
According to Nelson oral tradition and history are important to native communities because it is the primary pedagogical tool for Indian communities around the country (Nelson Pg98). Before colonization oral stories were the main way of exchanging information and teaching future generations of the natives for centuries. They shared stories of how to gather plants, what and what not to eat, how to plant certain things and how and when to perform certain ceremonies. There were also profane and funny stories which included gossip.
Bonvillain, Nancy. "'Seeking a New Way'." Teton Sioux, Indians of North America, Heritage Edition. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. American Indian History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
It was a summer day at Farrington Grove Elementary School when I heard the teacher exhorting the early history of my homestate in every word. My mind had begun to time travel. I could imagine the Indians roaming a dense woods hunting game. One day a foreign white man makes his way into the unconquered territory. It is an intense situation at this meeting between two very different peoples in the world that will forever determine the fate of our grand nation of the United States of America and the state of Indiana.
Like a coin dropped between the cushions of a couch, traditional oral storytelling is a custom fading away in current American culture. For Native Americans, however, the practice of oral storytelling is still a tradition that carries culture and rich history over the course of generations. Three examples of traditional oral stories, “How Men and Women Got Together”, “Coyote’s Rabbit Chase”, and “Corn Mother”, demonstrate key differences in perspectives and values among diverse native tribes in America.
Some may say that without a written language, literature cannot exist. However, to deny the oral traditions and songs of cultures prior to the existence of their written languages would deny the world some of the earliest literature of humankind. Whether passed down through oral or written means, literature consists of all stories, songs, and poetry every generation loves, inspires, and passes on.