Two Native-American graduate students' fieldwork involved teaching cultural heritage to Native-American inmates at Auburn Correctional Facility, New York. Through shared oral stories, readings, viewing Native produced films, and singing, the line between teachers and students became blurred and they became one group, learning oneness with…

Stories of personal experience of supernatural events are a highly-valued form of verbal art for Cherokee speakers. Both the people who tell them and those who listen regard such stories as entertaining and instructional. These stories even reflect some of the tensions that exist between traditional Cherokee culture and modern American social…

As his family joins him at his grandfather's burial, the author muses on the direction and lessons he gained from his grandfather's stories. He recognizes the interconnectedness of his present-day life and goals with the teachings and influences of his ancestors, even those he did not personally know. (TD)

This article seeks to present a continuing bibliography of research on Southern California Indians from the past 20 years, and sometimes beyond. The coverage reaches outside the variably defined bounds of Southern California so that it includes peripheral groups such as the Timbisha Shoshone of Death Valley and one or more groups in the Owens…

This textbook contains five units of literature by the Plains Native Americans. The first unit presents examples of oral tradition, in which mythology, legends, stories, songs, and personal accounts pass on values, beliefs, and experiences. The second unit contains nonfiction: an account of a young girl's first days at an Indian boarding school,…

This monograph contains 13 self-contained brief treatises that comprise material on linguistic, historical and cultural studies of the extinct American Indian languages of southeastern New England. These Indian languages, and their dialects, were once spoken principally in the States of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. They are called…

American Indian literature deserves a more prominent place in the English language arts curriculum. Oral literature of American Indians includes didactic stories, told to maintain tribal mores and value systems; it also includes humorous and entertaining stories, as well as histories of various American Indian peoples. Anthropologists and…

Visual literacy is a culturally-derived strength of Native American students. On a continent with more than 200 languages, Native Americans relied heavily on visual intelligence for trade and communication between tribes. Tribal people interpreted medicine paint, tattoos, and clothing styles to determine the social roles of those with whom they…

This children's book relates the story of Travis and Laura and how their grandfather, a Maidu Indian, teaches them about their history and culture through stories. The book stresses the importance of storytelling as the traditional way of passing on the history of Indian peoples. As part of a school project, Travis tells his classmates the Maidu…

Indigenous knowledges encompass the cultural traditions, values, and belief systems concerned with the everyday realities of living in a particular place. They are imparted to the younger generation by community elders or are gained through direct experience of nature and its relationship with the social world. This collection of essays discusses…

Beginning with the question "How would you define wisdom?" interviews with five Native elders focused on Native American world views or philosophies. Four themes emerged: the concept of respect, spirituality as a cultural principle permeating all aspects of life, family relationships including extended family, and various educational…

American Indian children have systematically been denied the opportunity to learn about their origin stories and oral traditions in the mainstream American public school system and have suffered from approaches long documented as failing them. Tribal entities across the nation are making concerted efforts to revitalize Native languages and…

In a lecture at Navajo Community College in fall 1995, Russell Means discussed freedom and responsibility in our present-day world. He talked about the true nature of education, the difference between knowledge and wisdom, and why Indian peoples must think critically about the educational and government structures constraining them. (Author/TD)

This thesis focuses on the effects of the language of patriarchy on the power of Native American women, how these women have retained power in their own societies, and how an understanding of Native women's values can aid feminists. An examination of Native American women's literature provides a connecting bridge back to a time before patriarchy…

This book covers works of fiction, oral tradition, and poetry published from 1994 through 1999, and is deemed suitable for young people from preschool through high school. The book deals with four major ethnic groups within the United States: African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native-American Indians. It contains 561…