Oral tradition has a long and valued history in Native American cultures and communities. In the past and still today, reading has had lesser value among many Native Americans. But oral tradition can be a vehicle toward improved literacy. This article uses literacy stories from Native American people, as well as quotes from prominent Native…

Describes the O'odham language and oral tradition of the Tohono O'odham Indians of southern Arizona, relating it to the development of O'odham children's English literacy. Oral tradition and school literacy constitute opposite ends of a literacy continuum, in which English literacy is often isolated from and in conflict with O'odham literacy. (10…