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The Ancient Songs, Stories And Art Of Native People

Good Essays

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

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