Monday, April 23, 2012

Native American Literature: Breaking Down Stereotypes


 Native American Literature: Breaking Down Stereotypes 

As we dance through elementary school, trot through middle and high school and march on to college and a career teaching young adult readers, our minds are constantly besieged with images of Native Americans: Strong dark skinned men with long tousled dark hair and women with long dark hair braided with feathers peeking out from behind the multiple layers. Men, women, and children wearing colorful fabrics with intricate geometric shapes indicative over their tribe or clan and carrying a tomahawk or bow and arrow for both protection and hunt. Tepees lining dirt roads with smoke billowing out of the middle, horses running steadily into the sunset, and tall grasses blowing feverishly in the wind.

I remember staying up late watching Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman with my mother. I remember reading the Indian in the Cupboard and playing with miniature Native American figurines in my brother’s room. I remember skating over the plight of Native Americans, lumping every tribe into one year, one unit, one identity. This is the problem with Native American literature today. There are very few texts written by and for young adults that accurately inform, engage, and depict Native American culture in the 21st century. So what do you do when you walk into a 10th grade classroom with Native American students? What books can you offer them? How do you help them see through the fog that has set over their life?

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Edgy. Native. Classic. Struggle. Drugs. Alcohol. Teen pregnancy. Happy face. Non-Fiction. Fiction. Complicated. Suicide. Abuse. Lacrosse. Love. Ethics. Issues. Dark.

“They’re readers. They read like you wont believe,” boasts Marcie Mann, a librarian at Lafayette Junior/Senior High School located adjacent to the Onondaga Indian Reservation in Syracuse, New York.

So what makes Native American students, readers, different from any other young adult reader? Or are they not so different?

Unfortunately and fortunately Native American students are all different. Not only does every teenager have their own map but Native American students belong to both different tribes and different clans. The culture of every reservation is different, and the culture of every family is different. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to identify a specific set of likes and dislikes for Native American students. Unfortunately this means that several of the texts I recommend may not work for your student(s). Fortunately your students are well aware of their likes and dislikes and should be able to provide you with uncanny insight. Unfortunately this means that you must dismantle any assumptions you have about Native American culture and your student(s). Fortunately your bookshelves may already be filled with texts that will appeal to this group of students.

This blog posting will identify several texts (including documentary films, poetry, and novels) that address the challenges Native American high school students living on reservations but attending high schools off the reservation face. This list of texts was compiled through conversations with Marcie Mann and extensive Internet research that included several sites written by members of Native American tribes. Therefore the selection of these texts was a collaborative effort between a white pre-service teacher from a small suburban community in Ohio, a high school librarian, Native American writers, members of Native American tribes, and organizations whose mission is to promote the educational development of Native American children.

In addition, this text set primarily reflects the interests of Native American students living on the Onondaga Nation Reservation in Syracuse, New York. These students are part of the Onondaga Tribe and identify with the Haudenosaunee. Therefore, while your students may be Native American they may not identify with or enjoy these specific texts.

Furthermore, while the majority of the titles I have selected were written by and for Native American students, I have also chosen to incorporate texts written by and for non-natives. I chose to include these texts because it is important to note that Native American students are teens, and more specifically teens who love to read. During a conversation with Mrs. Mann I discovered that Native American students are not unlike non-native young adults. They are captivated by the edgy drama that fills our bookshelves. They are intrigued with ethical issues, abuse, suicide, alcohol and drug addiction, and teen pregnancy. They are inspired by high school lacrosse or softball players that overcome obstacles. They identify with kids in bad situations who feel as though their life is falling apart. It does not matter whether the protagonist is white, black, brown, orange, red, or pink. It does not matter whether the protagonist’s name is Harvey Wind Soldier or Steve. It does not matter whether the characters live on an Indian Reservation or in Harlem. Young adult literature captures the attention of Native American students just as it capture the attention of any teenager.

Here-in lies the problem that many librarian or teachers may feel they are faced with, and thus the purpose of you visiting this site. However, much to your chagrin I do not have the answer. While I can provide a list of texts that may engage, entertain, and intrigue many of your Native American students, the truth is we cannot assume that a student will like a specific novel because the main character looks like them. Instead, I challenge you to use these as a starting point. Unfold your student’s map and let them be your guide. Let your students choose the direction and follow their lead.


In addition to the texts outlined on this site, I have included a list of novels recommended by Mrs. Mann. These novels are frequently checked-out, read, and loved by many of her Native American students. I encourage you to also look into these titles.

Authors:
Joseph Brusach
Sherman Alexie
Chris Crutcher
Walter Dean Myers
Gary Paulson
James Patterson

Titles/Authors:
Happy Face Stephen Edmund
Wounded Knee Vine Deloria
Moccasin Thunder Lori Carlson
War Dancer Sherman Alexie
Code Talker Joseph Brusach
Walk Two Moons Sharon Creech
If I Stay Gayle Forman
The Boxer Kathleen Karr
Sold Patricia McLintoch
Impulse Ellen Hopkins
I’ll Be There Holly Sloan
Angry Young Man Chris Lynch
Jim Thorpe Joseph Bruchach

Here are some website that may also prove to be useful in your search for Native American YA literature:
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/diversity/native_am/NativeThemes_intro.html
http://www.library.illinois.edu/edx/nativeamericanchildrens.htm
http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/

Here is the Onondaga Nation Reservation website for additional information about the reservation and students mentioned through this site:
http://www.onondaganation.org/

And finally, here is information regarding a new sports themed film that is not available for public purchase yet. The film tells the triumphant tale of an Indian Reservation high school lacrosse team that beats the odds with the help of an unlikely coach.

http://crookedarrows.com/

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Sherman Alexie (fiction novel)



After his first day of high school, 14-year old Arnold Spirit Jr. (aka Junior) decided, with the help of his white geometry teacher, to leave the Spokane Indian reservation and attend a rural high school 20 miles away. Unfortunately leaving the rez to attend a rival high school labeled Junior as a traitor and provoked an estranged relationship with his best friend. In addition, much to Junior’s chagrin being a minority student in high school was not highly regarded either, especially by racist parents, unfair teachers, and self-absorbed teenagers. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian follows Junior through his freshmen year as both a member of the Spokane Indian reservation and a student in a predominantly white high school. As Junior drifts back and forth between two identities, he is faced with adolescent anguish, familial death, addiction, and racism. However, in the midst of Junior’s sorrow he finds humor. Junior uses comic relief and cartoons to cope with pain and confusion, sending a message of hope and encouraging readers to find an outlet.



When I began to contemplate this genre of literature, my first instinct was to turn to Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2009). The first four pages of the book included a list of awards and were laden with praise from nationally recognized critics and lesser known artists, comedians and authors:

A Native American equivalent of ANGELA’S ASHES, a coming-of-age story so well observed that its very rootedness in one specific culture is also what lends it universality, and so emotionally honest that the humor almost always proves painful….Jazzy syntax and [Ellen] Forney’s witty cartoons…transmute despair into dark humor; Alexie’s no-holds-barred jokes have the effect of throwing the seriousness of his themes into high relief. –Publishers Weekly (starred review)

When my horoscope said I was going to meet someone tall, dark, and handsome…who knew he’d be fourteen! Thankfully for me Arnold Sprit is one of the funniest, most endearing characters I’ve met in a very long time. This book is so original, I laughed consistently from beginning to end. – Amy Sedaris, actress, comedian, and author

I inquired with a high school teacher in Ohio and Marcie Mann, a librarian at a Central New York high school serving students from the Onondaga Nation reservation, and discovered the same praise. Countless teachers recommended Sherman Alexie and more specifically The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. How could I not include this highly praised piece of fiction in my text set? How could I ignore the power of Alexie’s humor to transcend difficult situations?  

Despite having my instincts vindicated by overwhelming praise, I was still wearing of including Alexie’s novel in a text set for Native American students. Would they be offended by some of the racist comments? Would they disagree with the stereotypes and negative portrayal of the reservation? Would elders on the reservation be enraged by Mr. P’s encouragement to leave the rez and declaration that leaving the rez was his only chance at finding a better life?  The answer is simple: maybe. You can never truly know how a student or a community will receive a novel. Everyone interprets and responds to texts differently, that is the beauty of literature. However, I decided to swaddle my apprehensions and unwrap the notion that perhaps Native American students will identify with Junior and appreciate having someone (even if it is a fictional character) speak on their behalf.


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Still I Rise Cynthia Leitich Smith (fiction novel)



Rain is not my Indian name, not the way people think of Indian names. But I am an Indian, and it I the name my parents gave me. (Smith 20)

Caught somewhere amidst the gossip of adolescent life in a small town wanders a young mixed-blood Native American student. Six months after the death of her best friend, Cassidy Rain Berghoff, one of four Native American adolescents living in Hannesburg, Kansas, begins documenting an Indian Camp for the local newspaper. When Rain’s older brother asks her to participate in the summer camp, Rain confidently refuses. But, when the summer camp generates controversy in the community and a local newspaper decides to hire Rain as a photographer her identity as a mixed-blood Native American begins to overpower her teenage angst. Rain is caught between two worlds. Can she really remain unbiased? Can she truly not get involved? Armed with her father’s old camera around her neck, a notebook given to her by her aunt, and a white middle-class intern from Kansas University, Rain embarks on a journey of self-discovery that transcends beyond her personal identification. She discovers who she is in relation to those around her.                        

Cynthia Leitich Smith draws on her native heritage and knowledge of Native American writing style to create a poignant expose of life for adolescent Native Americans. Devoid of historical reference or “superethnic Native characters,” Smith captures the attention of Native American readers through the seamless interaction between characters, the plot, and cultural references. Smith states that
…the painting here is part of the backdrop. Rain is familiar with the story of the Trail of Tears, but that information is so grounded in her day-to-day worldview that she doesn’t feel a need to comment on it. Native American readers will be validated by their reflection in cultural reference that occur naturally, I hope, seamlessly in the story. (Smith, 2000-2001)
Therefore, Rain is not a guide on a Native American tour but rather an identifiable member of both the Native American community and the adolescent community that breaks with the stereotype. Not only does Smith emphasize engineering and technology but, Rain’s community is not primarily white or Native American. Instead, Hannesburg is a German-American community with biracial characters, specifically Rain’s ex- second best friend, Queenie, who is a mixed-blood Indian of African ancestry and Seminole heritage. Rain Is Not My Indian Name encourages Native American students to address loss and sorrow in their community while peeling back the layers of their identity.

Smith, Cyntheia L. "Native Now: Contemporary Indian Stories." Book Links 10.3 (2000-2001): 1-5. American Indians Children Literature. ALA. Web. <http://www.ala.org/offices/publishing/booklist/booklinks/resources/nativenow>.


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Still I Rise Maya Angelou (poem)

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
-Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise touches the souls of both those under-represented and those over-represented in society. As an African American woman growing up is a predominantly white society, Angelou reflects on how she is viewed by society. Like many adolescents she is plagued with questions: Did you want to see me broke?; Does my haughtiness offend you? Unable to answer these questions, she declares that she will continue to rise above the past, above the hateful gazes, above the malicious cries. Angelou’s poem is an inspiration for young minority students struggling to understand their role in society and more specifically in high school.

While Angelou is an African American poet writing through the eyes of an African American woman, her words transcend generations, races, ethnicities, cultures, and genders. Native American students can identify with Angelou’s desire to find clarity amidst the confusion of assimilating into high schools off the reservation. In addition, Angelou’s poem inspires adolescents to rise above the demoralizing and offensive stares or comments that fill the hallways of high schools. She shows students how to have a voice through written prose.

I chose to include Maya Angelou’s poem because I feel her words can touch the lives of Native American students. Furthermore, I believe that Native American students will identify with her voice and find solace in knowing that they are not culture to feel under represented and ostracized in the eyes of their peers and the media.

Below you will find both the poem and an oral reading, including a brief commentary regarding the poem’s overarching themes and purpose, by Maya Angelo. I have included this video as supplementary material because I believe it is important for students to hear the poem read aloud. Furthermore, it is beneficial for students to gain primary source insight about the poem to enhance their understanding.

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

-Maya Angelou




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The Outsiders Francis Coopola (film) S. E. Hinton (fiction novel)




“Seems there’s got be some place with out Greasers without Socs. There’s got to be some place where there’s just plain ordinary people."
- Johnny

The Outsiders is a timeless twist on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and the American Broadway Musical, West Side Story. Two best friends caught in the midst of a war between cliques, the Greasers and the Socs. Young teenagers caught in the midst of parental abuse, love, betrayal and death. In a desperate effort to save the life of Ponyboy, Johnny, his best friend, stabs a member of the Socs. This forces the boys into hiding, until they heroically risk their lives to save a group of school children from a burning church. Unfortunately, the rescue leaves Johnny in the hospital and the Greasers again deep in a class war with the Socs. Enraged and vengeful, Ponyboy and the Greasers fight the Socs, however, the war is not won. Ponyboy and the Greasers are left grief-stricken by the loss of their friend and shattered with feelings of remorse.

“I tell you something Ponyboy, it may come as surprise but things are rough all over.”
-Cherry

The Outsiders is a coming of age film directed in 1983 by Francis Coppola and based on the novel by S.E. Hinton. It may come as a surprise that 21st century students, living in a world reaped with images of the New Jersey boardwalk, lavish estates in Beverly Hills and Atlanta, and 16 year-olds facing the challenges of teenage pregnancy, would find S.E. Hinton’s classic tale entertaining. However, all students, including Native American students, can identify with the social cliques, familial drama, and desire to identify with a group. Furthermore, Native American students who enjoy edgy dramas will be able to identify more closely with the main characters grief at the loss of a friend or family member. While the characters in Coppola’s film are not reminiscent of Native American students or life on the reservation exactly, Cherry’s comment at the beginning of the film demonstrates how the challenges and struggles that young adults face is not limited to a group of lower class white kids from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

While Coppola’s film is a great way to engage learners who respond better to visuals, S.E. Hinton’s novel should not be discounted. According to Mrs. Mann, Native American students absolutely devour S.E. Hinton’s novel. It is one of the first books that 9th graders select after arriving from the middle school, she explains. Furthermore, I think it is more beneficial to teach students how to critically evaluate both a text and film. It is not uncommon today for books to be made into films and for films to be used in the classroom as a supplement. Therefore, I think it is imperative that we provide students with the skills to read each text (the film and the book) with a critical lens. Comparing and contrasting a novel and a film can be a great way to discuss our funds of knowledge. Here are a few questions that could prompt a discussion about the novel and the film:




What assumptions do the screenwriters, director, and producers make while transforming the book into a film? Does the film align with how you envisioned the characters, setting, and plot? Why did the screenwriters choose to eliminate specific scenes for the sake of time? How do you respond to each text? What type of audience do you believe each text is aimed at? 









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The House of Scorpion Nancy Farmer (fiction novel)


“I can’t get them to stop reading it!” exclaims Mrs. Mann as we saunter between shelves of books. “It’s edgy. It’s drug culture. It’s everything they love.”

On a large plot of land between the United States and a region formerly known as Mexico lays a field of poppies maintained by eejits. On the edge of the field rest a large home filled with obedient servants, the governing Alacran family, and an intelligent clone of the lord, El Patron, named Matt. In a desperate attempt to preserve his youthfulness, El Patron used his DNA to harvest Matt in a Petri dish. Once Matt is born he is quickly labeled as a clone and falls into a demoralizing place in society that likens him to farms animals despite his ability to maintain normal brain activity. Matt is forced to live secluded from the rest of the community with a servant until, he is discovered by El Patron’s great grandchildren. El Patron decides to bring Matt to the main house to be raised as a member of the family, but his presence is not regarded highly. As Matt grapples with his sense of identity and role in Opium, El Patron grows increasingly ill. His old age has caught up to him and nothing can avert his encroaching fate. Will Matt follow in the footstep of his namesake and creator? Or, will Matt fight against the injustices that plague Opium?

Nancy Farmer’s novel The House of the Scorpion has graced the pages of high school summer reading lists since it’s arrival on the shelves of bookstores in 2002. YA readers have been captivated by the futuristic setting, coming of age teen characters, and familial themes that fill the pages of Farmer’s novel. Teachers enjoy providing students with a text that discusses contemporary issues such as the ethics of cloning and the drug trade. Farmer draws on her understanding of the teenage psyche to both engage and inform readers. Unbeknownst to the YA reader, The House of the Scorpion is not just about love, friendship, and absentee parents. Farmer also weaves in the aforementioned contemporary discussions, hopefully sparking the intrigue of YA readers and motivating them to become more aware of their world.

When Mrs. Mann first pulled this book off the shelves of the school library, I was shocked. I had heard the title thrown around in a couple discussions about YA literature amongst teaching professionals however I had never read a summary of the text. I was even more shocked to discover that this novel, whose characters are not indicative of Native American life, was impossible to keep on the bookshelves. Native American students were infatuated with Matt’s story, perhaps identifying with the search for parental support, the bitter relationship between non-clones, eejits, and clones, and the unrequited love Matt has for El Patron (his father) and Maria (his friend). While it is difficult to identify exactly why Native American students find solace in reading Matt’s story, I can assure you that this novel will spark interest and engage students in a dialogue not only about contemporary issues but also with their peers about YA novels written for and love by all.

Below you will find a book trailer created by students for The House of Scorpion. I think book trailers are a great tool to attract readers and aid in visualization. Therefore, I propose that you show or encourage students to look up book trailers before selecting a novel. I also believe that book trailers can be a wonderful summative project after completing a novel. Book trailers give students an authentic purpose and audience, as well as a creative way to interact with the novel. While this trailer is not my favorite, I think it both summarizes the plot and provides an image of the setting and/or characters to aid students in their comprehension of the book. I also think it is a good example of a student made book trailer.



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When the Rain Sings (poetry anthology)




The strongest voices in contemporary Native poetry are those rooted in community. Neither the difficult landscape of the reservation nor the impact of urban relocation has diluted the strengths of oral literature, which endures through new form. (When the Rain Sings, xiv).

In collaboration with the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers young Native American students from various tribes across the United States composed poetry in response to visual pieces of Native American culture. When the Rain Sings presents a dialogue between the past and the present, between contemporary challenges or influences faced by young Native American students and objects or images displayed at NMAI. While most of the poems directly address a cultural artifact, many of the students chose to divert from the past and expose the challenges of life on the reservation.

“My Daddy Named  e A-dae” speaks directly to sorrow on the reservation, death, alcoholism, and low self-esteem. I have chosen to share this poem to breath life into the anthology and allow you to taste the powerful and introspective prose of young Native American children.

My Daddy Named Me A-dae

A-dae, everyone always called me.
Little, chubby A-dae
who wears her socks to her triple-folded knees.
Hulk-baby, Come Here!

Everyone held me,
pinched my cheeks, tried to maek me smile.
My Daddy was my favorite,
My Daddy named me A-dae.

He had hands that wrapped around me,
folded over the embarrassment,
folded over the doctors who said I needed a diet.
I was too big for three-year-old.

She’s a Kiowa baby,
Kiowa babies are always big.
She ain’t big neither, just filled with
            Indian Power.
She’s gonna be the next Kiowa Princess,
            don’t you know?

A-dae, they called.
A-dae, A-night.
I always stood by him,
even when the shine leaked from his eyes.
When tubes and machines grew like vines.

Coma, the same doctor said.
No, just a little nap.
He hasn’t responded for weeks.
No, dreaming is hard to break from.

He forgot how to make his tongue alive,
how to make his mouth grow,
how to make creatures push from his throat.
He remembered A-dae.

I said I love you, Daddy,
He shook his hand like he held a rattle.
A-dae. A-hope.
He whispered (through his skin),
Never drink like me, A-dae.

My daddy was my favorite,
especially when he said, A-dae, my Kiowa Princess!

-Vena A-dae Romero (Cochiti-Kiowa)
Grade 10; age 16; Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, New Mexico

When the Rain Sings allows Native American students to connect with their peers from divergent tribes and reflect on the challenges they face as the past weaves with the present. Students who read these poems will find solace in knowing that their feelings are not unknown, but rather felt by many. Furthermore, the anthology will provide Native American students the inspiration and confidence to participate in a similar conversation in their community between the past and present through writing.

While this poetry anthology was not explicitly recommended by Mrs. Mann, I unearthed praise for its use as a both an instrument for teaching and for personal growth. Nativecultures.com recommended When The Rain Sings for both children and young adults.


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March Point Native Lens Productions (documentary)


In October 2005, three teenage boys from the Swinmoshi reservation began working with filmmakers from Native Lens to produce a documentary about the environmental and cultural impact of two oil refineries located adjacent to the reservation. Native Lens proposed the project to Travis, Nick and Cody’s drug counselor as a community service initiative that would work in conjunction with their out patient rehab. At first Travis, Nick, and Cody wanted to make a “gangster video” however their plans were quickly foiled when Native Len’s producers told the boys about the stipulations of the project’s grant. The boys were complacent and began interviewing and filming components of the film. In the midst of unearthing the truth about March Point, Native Len’s filmmakers filmed Travis, Nick, and Cody’s as they developed a growing awareness of both their Native American culture and contemporary environmental issues.

March Point is a powerful documentary that follows Travis, Nick and Cody on a journey of self-discovery while providing informative commentary on contemporary issues for youth. I have chosen to include March Point because it discusses environmental issues that are not only relevant in Native American culture but are also relevant globally. In addition, March Point portrays Native American students engaging in a dialogue with their Native American community and with the world.  This allows March Point to become more than just an environmental activist documentary. It becomes a coming of age tale that can help students from similar backgrounds navigate through the fog that may have settled over their lives. It can show students who feel unheard and underrepresented how to be heard, how to gain access to a voice. March Point is engaging, entertaining, inspiring, and useful when helping Native American students become more aware of their culture and role in the world.

Below you will find the film’s trailer, the documentary’s website, and a PBS site that reveals information about the filmmakers, the making of the film, and additional clips from the film. The complete film is downloadable on ITunes or available for purchase. 





http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/marchpoint/film.html

http://marchpointmovie.com/



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