Native American Writing

1. Native American Writing All literature reflects the people who create it and the land they live in. To truly understand American literature, a reader must know something about the people and history of the United States. The best place to begin is with the Native Americans and the English colonists.

2. History of Native American Writing Native Americans migrated to the North American continent from Asia 2,500 to 3,500 years ago. When the Europeans began to arrive in the late 1400�s and 1500�s, they found hundreds of tribes with many different languages, religions, customs, and forms of government.

3. This literature was passed down orally by the storytellers. The purposes of Native American literature were to entertain, to teach, to reinforce tribal customs and traditions.

4. The forms of Native American writing were Poems Myths Folk tales.

5. Important ideas in Native American writing A deep respect for nature which includes Asking permission from the animal�s spirits whenever killing, Killing only when necessary for survival, Using every part of the animal, not wasting anything, Making an offering to nature when taking something.

6. Another ideas in Native American writing include A belief in the balance of life including A belief that all things have spiritual energy, All things are connected, All things are worthy of respect and reverence, All things have meaning and importance.

7. A main idea of Native American writing is The belief in the Circle of Life. This sums up the way of existing in the world. It consists of spirit, nature, body, and mind, Is referred to as the Four Winds of Life, Represents the interrelationship of all living things.

8. Harmony and balance are necessary for survival. When we honor the Circle of life, we honor all that is, all that has ever been, and all that ever will be. When we honor the Circle, we feel where we are and we feel where we have come from.