Native American Studies: Tribal Culture
A guide for a variety of Native American topics.
About
What is tribal culture?
This includes tribal customs, beliefs, rituals, and practices. Examples include things like folklore, ceremonies, clothing, music, language, family roles, stories, and food.
Can Native Christians practice their tribal traditions?
Not all tradition is bad. Much of it can still be preserved and celebrated by Natives who are Christians. However, many traditional Native practices go against the Bible. Native Christians are challenged to find ways to maintain their culture while also following the word of God.
Resources
- Native American TraditionsFrom Harvard University, this page includes a variety of essays related to topics of Native American traditions.
- Native American Rituals and CeremoniesCeremony and rituals have long played a vital and essential role in Native American culture. This link lists a variety of traditional rituals and ceremonies.
- Folklore and Stories from Native American CultureCompiled by the Library of Congress, this is a bibliography of books for all ages on Native American folklore. This list is perfect for teachers trying to build their classroom library.
- Medicine MenMedicine men are considered traditional healers. They are common among tribes around the world, including those in America.
- Native American MythologyIncludes a long list of Native mythology and in-depth information about each.
- The Native American Church (Peyote)This Wikipedia page describes peyote religion, which combines elements of Christiantiy and traditional Native religions.
- Fry Bread RecipeFry bread is a staple food made by many tribes. Admit it - your mouth is watering right now. :)
- Clothing in Native AmericaAn article about the history of and types of clothing traditionally worn by tribes in Native America.
Check Out These Library Books!
Riding Buffaloes and Broncos: Rodeo and Native Traditions in the Northern Great Plains by
Call Number: NAC E 78.G73 F87 2003ISBN: 0806135190Publication Date: 2003In Riding Buffaloes and Broncos, Allison Fuss Mellis reveals how northern Plains Indians have used rodeo to strengthen tribal and intertribal ties and Native solidarity." "Mellis has mined archival sources and interviewed American Indian rodeo participants and spectators throughout the northern Great Plains, Southwest, and Canada, including Crow, Northern Cheyenne, and Lakota reservations. The book features numerous photographs of Indian rodeos from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and maps illustrating the all-Indian rodeo circuit in the United States and Canada.
Encyclopedia of Native American Religions by Call Number: NAC E 98 R3 H73 2000ISBN: 0816046530Publication Date: 2000"Encyclopedia of Native American Religions" is a guide to the rich spiritual traditions and practices of Native Americans in the United States and Canada. Included are more than 1,200 entries, alphabetically arranged and fully cross-referenced. Long regarded as quaint curiosities or exotic pagan rites, the religious practices of Native Americans make up a rich, enduring legacy deserving of a place among the great spiritual traditions. "Encyclopedia of Native American Religions" is a comprehensive resource to these traditions and practices and accords them the respect, status, and attention they deserve. In this edition, new or updated information has been included on such topics as: national and state legislation, such as the Native American Church Bill, which allows the religious use of peyote, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; religious rights in the military; sacred sites; sacred use of tobacco; and court cases involving the participation of non-Indians in Native American religious ceremonies, such as the Sun Dance.
Wisdom of the Native Americans by Call Number: NAC E 98 P5 W57 1999ISBN: 1577310799Publication Date: 1999These thought-provoking teachings from respected Native American leaders and thinkers provide a connection with the land, the environment, and the simple beauties of life. This collection of writings from revered Native Americans offers timeless, meaningful lessons on living and learning.
Encyclopedia of American Indian Costume by Call Number: NAC E 98 C8 P37 1996ISBN: 0393313824Publication Date: 1996Slipping away from us in these times of the homogenization of culture are the traditions of older societies, some of them dating from 9000 B.C., who understood and were in tune with the changing vistas of the North American continent. Practical, yet with an eye for beauty, these peoples clothed themselves in a vast array of styles that will be forgotten unless preserved. "The Encyclopedia of American Indian Costume" offers complete descriptions and cultural contexts of the dress and ornamentation of the many nations that have shared this continent. The book is divided into ten cultural regions, with each chapter giving an overview of the regional clothing. Tribal information includes men's and women's basic dress, footwear, outerwear, hairstyles, headgear, accessories, jewelry, armor, special costumes, garment decoration, face and body embellishment, and transitional dress after European contact. This beautifully designed book contains more than 150 photographs and illustrations.Native Wisdom: Perceptions of the Natural Way by
Call Number: NAC E99 O3 M47 1995ISBN: 9781571781147Publication Date: 1995The Oglala Sioux say mitakuye oyasin--we are all related. Oglala Sioux Ed McGaa (Eagle Man) has fought for the return of old traditions and traveled with some of the greatest Native holy people of the past. In Native Wisdom: Perceptions of the Natural Way, he presents an accessible and often very personal overview of Native American spiritual tradition and practice, which he calls The Natural Way. Each chapter uses a set of very basic yet profound religious and philosophical questions as a springboard for wide-ranging discussions on topics like the nature of God; good, evil, and the afterlife; miracles; matriarchy vs. patriarchy, that taken as a whole, present a comprehensive guide to living a life in harmony with nature and dedicated to preserving the earth. In a distinctive, authentic voice that is both wise and outspoken in questioning dominant society's assumptions, Ed McGaa shares his own wide-ranging knowledge as well as his firsthand experiences with respected Sioux spiritual leaders like Eagle Feather and Fools Crow. Illustrated with original drawings by gifted Hunkpapa Sioux artist Rudolph Chasing Hawk, Native Wisdom includes a glossary of Lakota Sioux terms and Lakota spiritual songs in English and Lakota.
Shadowcatchers: A Journey in Search of the Teachings of Native American Healers by Call Number: NAC E98 R3 W18 1994ISBN: 9780060168919Publication Date: 1994Always the journeyer, Steve Wall crosses yet another boundary in Shadowcatchers. Crowning his fifteen-year quest to seek out Native American elders throughout the Americas, he once again takes us on an adventure deep within their cultures, including poignant meetings with the Cherokee, Onondaga, Mohawk, Seneca, Lumbee, and Lakota nations, and for the first time encountering elders of the Kickapoo, Kuna, Brunca, Guaymi, Cabecar, Aztec, and Bribri in his intense search for their healers. Along the way he confronts numerous wise men and women: tribal leaders, healers, high priests, and sorcerers from these thirteen tribes. Gaining their trust, they take him into their homes and allow him to record the ancient stories and myths of their peoples. In time, he is permitted to participate in a healing ceremony, and discovers that this powerful ancient ritual has a great effect on him as well as on the one afflicted. Quite unexpectedly he has to face the Mountain of Death--as much a pinnacle within himself as a very real physical peak. Shadowcatchers is the inspiring story of a journalistic odyssey that took on a life of its own. Searching for the essence of Native American spirituality, Wall experiences a dynamic transformation. He is forced to examine his own beliefs concerning life and death, the afterworld, spirits, and God. With his search nearing an end, he seeks out one last elder in northern Mexico. This man, Leandis, an aging curandero, tells him, "You know about the shadows! You take pictures with that little black box of yours. That's like catching shadows. That's what I do. I'm short of a shadowcatcher, too. You do it with your camera, I catch them in my soul." Recalling his own personal passage, Wall reports, "I had finally caught the ultimiate shadow, and it was me."
Native American Traditions by Call Number: NAC E98 R3 V56 1994ISBN: 9781852307196Publication Date: 1994To our own culture, divorced from the natural world and reeling from religious and ecological crises, Native American traditions, with their myths, symbols and ways of life, speak to us eloquently and powerfully. Let us listen.
The Spirit World by Call Number: NAC E 78 A12 T14ISBN: 0809494043Publication Date: 1992Part of the series, "The American Indians," this volume discusses Native traditional beliefs about the spirit world.
Native American Folklore and Traditions by
Call Number: NAC E98 F6 P26 2019ISBN: 9781788887397Publication Date: 2019From the Mojave Desert to the Great Lakes to the arctic expanses of Baffin Island, the rituals and traditions of the First Peoples of North America blurred the boundaries between myth and reality. Retold from oral traditions by a variety of anthropologists, the tales in this volume feature themes of love, heroism, and adventure that will resonate with every reader. Native American Folklore and Traditions opens a new window onto the diversity and wonder of cultures that continue to thrive in the modern world. The exceptional photographs of Edward Curts and Joseph Dixon and the beautiful artwork of Charles Marion Russell and Frederic Remington add color to these fascinating tales.
Mythology of the American Nations: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Gods, Heroes, Spirits, Sacred Places, Rituals, and Ancient Beliefs of the North American Indian, Inuit, Aztec, Inca, and Maya Nations by Call Number: NAC E 98 J5 2004ISBN: 0681032685Publication Date: 2004From the earliest times, people have told stories of all-powerful gods and goddesses, mighty spirits, and fabulous creatures to explain the mysteries of life. This book explores the rich diversity of these legendary themes within North America, Mesoamerica, and South America. An instantly accessible A-to-Z format provides concise, easy-to-locate entries on more than 900 key characters, enabling the reader to discover who is who in the mythology of the Americas. This book is a rich source of information for learning about and understanding the myths and religions of the indigenous inhabitants of the American continents.How Raven Found the Daylight and Other American Indian Stories by
Call Number: NAC E 78.N77 L44ISBN: 0870816012Publication Date: 2000Retells five legends from various Native peoples inhabiting the Pacific Northwest coast of America, as collected by anthropologist Franz Boas.
American Indian Trickster Tales by Call Number: NAC E 98 E72ISBN: 0140277714Publication Date: 1998Of all the characters in myths and legends told around the world, it's the wily trickster who provides the real spark in the action, causing trouble wherever he goes. This figure shows up time and again in Native American folklore, where he takes many forms, from the irascible Coyote of the Southwest, to Iktomi, the amorphous spider man of the Lakota tribe. This dazzling collection of American Indian trickster tales, compiled by an eminent anthropologist and a master storyteller, serves as the perfect companion to their previous masterwork, American Indian Myths and Legends. "American Indian Trickster Tales" includes more than one hundred stories from sixty tribes--many recorded from living storytellers—which are illustrated with lively and evocative drawings. These entertaining tales can be read aloud and enjoyed by readers of any age, and will entrance folklorists, anthropologists, lovers of Native American literature, and fans of both Joseph Campbell and the Brothers Grimm.Myths and Tales of the White Mountain Apache by
Call Number: NAC E 99.A6 M87ISBN: 0816514518Publication Date: 1994These fifty-seven tales (with seven variants) gathered between 1931 and 1936 include major cycles dealing with Creation and Coyote, minor tales, and additional stories derived from Spanish and Mexican tradition. The tales are of two classes: holy tales said by some to explain the origin of ceremonies and holy powers, and tales which have to do with the creation of the earth, the emergence, the flood, the slaying of monsters, and the origin of customs. As Grenville Goodwin was the first anthropologist to work with the White Mountain Apache, his insights remain a primary source on this people.
The Myths of the North American Indians by Call Number: NAC E 98 R3 S7ISBN: 0486259676Publication Date: 1989The myths and legends of the Algonquins, Iroquois, Pawnees, Sioux, and northern and northwestern Indians offer rich insights into the character and beliefs of the tribes that once dominated extensive territories of North America. The distinguished British anthropologist and folklorist Lewis Spence has collected many of the most interesting and compelling of these myths and presented them here according to ethnic grouping, prefacing the collection with important historical and ethnological information that will give the reader an accurate view of the conditions under which these fascinating tribal cultures once flourished. The myths range in theme from steadfast love to rivalry between warriors to victory over powerful forces, and in their unfolding lie powerful images of the innermost fears and aspirations that motivated the behavior of Algonquin, Iroquois, Pawnees, Sioux, and northwestern Indians alike. Lewis Spence relates each tale in a simple, direct way that will appeal to children as well as to adults. The book includes photographs and drawings that depict various tribes in their typical costumes and dwellings. It contains as well a map of the geographical areas where primary language families were spoken. This fascinating book, a major forerunner of modern studies of myth, combines an appealing presentation of Indian legend with factual and illustrative material that gives each myth meaningful perspective. Students of anthropology and ethnology will enjoy the especially rich variety of mythical imagery in this generous collection, and general readers in search of a good story for themselves and for their children will find in these pages a treasury of suspenseful tales that reveal much of the spirit of North America’s original cultures.
Spirit of the New England Tribes: Indian History and Folklore, 1620-1984 by Call Number: NAC E 78 N5 S54 1986ISBN: 0874513707Publication Date: 1986Spanning three centuries, this collection traces the historical evolution of legends, folktales, and traditions of four major native American groups from their earliest encounters with European settlers to the present. The book is based on some 240 folklore texts gathered from early colonial writings, newspapers, magazines, diaries, local histories, anthropology and folklore publications, a variety of unpublished manuscript sources, and field research with living Indians.
The Mythology of North America by Call Number: NAC E 98 R3 B54ISBN: 0688041450Publication Date: 1985Describes the background of the myths of the Indian cultures of the North American continent, some of which have the same themes as myths of other world cultures.
Navajo Coyote Tales: The Curly to Aheedliinii Version by Call Number: NAC E 99.N3 H243ISBN: 0803272227Publication Date: 1984Coyote is easily the most popular character in the stories of Indian tribes from Canada to Mexico. This volume contains seventeen coyote tales collected and translated by Father Berard Haile, O.F.M., more than half a century ago. The original Navajo transcriptions are included, along with notes. The tales show Coyote as a warrior, a shaman, a trickster; a lecher, a thief; a sacrificial victim, and always as the indomitable force of life. He is the paradoxical hero and scamp whose adventures inspire laughter or awe, depending upon what shape he takes in a given story. In his introduction to "Navajo Coyote Tales," Karl W. Luckert considers Coyote mythology in a theoretical and historical framework.
The Red Swan: Myths and Tales of the American Indians by Call Number: NAC E 98.R3 R43ISBN: 0374248486Publication Date: 1976An introductory essay on the interpretation of native American literature and the study of myth in general supplements sixty-four tales representing over forty Indian cultures.
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