ENG 285, Section JC, TR 9:35

Powwows, Peacepipes, and Potlatch

When Columbus discovered the New World, this continent was already inhabited by over 400 separate nations, each with its own rich culture. Over the intervening 500 years those 400 nations have been reduced to bleak survival on isolated reservations marked by poverty, alcoholism, and unemployment--to name just a few of the problems.

Yet the Native Americans, the Indians, have survived. And since the early 1970s, a re-birth of Native American literature has begun. What is present-day life like on the reservations? How have the old traditions survived? How have modern Native Americans adapted their life styles? This class will begin by examining some traditional stories and legends before concentrating on reading and discussing short stories, poems, and novels written by contemporary Native Americans, both on and off the reservation.

I’ve lived on a reservation and can provide some context for our discussions about what we will read. We’ll learn about powwows, peacepipes, and potlatch. Two short papers, two quizzes, class participation, and a reading journal.