Native American Literature

1. Native American Literature

2. As you Enter Class Please Grab an Orange Grade 11 Text Book • Turn to page 36 and begin reading the Background for “The World on the Turtle’s Back”

3. Background Information: • When Europeans arrived, there were around 300 different Native American cultures in North America • 200 different languages were spoken • Each tribe had different customs and traditions • Did not have a written language, instead stories, histories, myths, and legends were passed down through oral tradition

4. Tradition • A community's cultural and historical traditions passed down by word of mouth or example from one generation to another without written instruction.

5. Creation Myth • Describes how the universe, the earth, and life began • Explains the workings of the natural world • Supports and validates social customs and values

6. Iroquois: A History • The term Iroquois refers to six separate Native American groups: the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Mohawk, and Tuscarora. • They continually were at war with one another, which put themselves at risk of attack from the neighboring Algonquin tribes.

7. A History Continued • Between 1570 and 1600 they formed the Iroquois League, which was a confederacy that empowered them to negotiate treaties with foreign nations and resolve conflicts • For the next 200 years, the Iroquois managed to dominate other Native American groups and remained free of both British and French rule

8. Iroquois: Way of life • They had a shared culture of similar languages, beliefs, and ways of life • They lived in longhouses made of pole frames covered with elm bark and built fences around their village for protection • Up to 50 people occupied each longhouse • 300 to 600 people lived in each village

9. READ “The World on the Turtle’s Back” Pg. 38-44

10. The World Turtle • The World-bearing Turtle/ Cosmic Turtle/ Divine Turtle • Found in Hindu mythology, Chinese mythology, and Native American creation myths

11. In class Assignment/Exit Ticket Compare & Contrast How does this myth compare with other accounts of the world’s origins? Create a Venn diagram to record these similarities and differences Use the text to write a brief description of the main characters: • Man • Wife • The Hero/ The Muskrat/ Earth-Diver • Mother Earth • Daughter • Right-Handed Twin/ Sapling • Left-Handed Twin/ Flint