Initial Thoughts on Native American Literature

When defining American Literature, one has to keep in mind that the topic has many layers and definitions.  We cannot simply define American Literature because it does consist of cultures from the North, South, European, African and more. While analyzing the readings from this week, I took a particular interest in Native American literature and history.  


I am deeply fascinated with Native American oral culture.  This is almost unheard of in this day-and-age, simply because we waste away our precious time with technology.  Everyone is too busy, our society doesn't look up from their phones, we don't pay attention, and so often we interrupt when someone is telling their story. Who or what has turned us into these creatures? And how are we going to survive in the future if no one is paying attention now? 


The Native Americans created this oral culture to pass along ideas and stories, but also to persuade others of their stories.  Although outsiders may have copied their story-telling, tribes had a captivating way to entertain that no one else could emulate.  While learning about oral culture, I started to reflect on American traditions that could have derived strictly from Native Americans.  For example, improvisational comedy, slam poetry, or plays.  Can we necessarily call these "American", or do they derive from the tribes who discovered America first?  Comedy in general reminds me of Native American oral culture, because comedians tell their stories to an audience, strictly for purpose of entertainment.  I strongly believe that Americans try to claim that everything is theirs, when really a lot of our culture derives from other cultures who don't receive enough credit.  


As my last point, I would like to talk about Native American culture and how it is romanticized.  In my Native American Literature class, we discussed the fact that it is romanticized because people don't have a full idea of what exactly the different tribes do.  Some people might think that it is spiritual or "Native American-like" to have a dreamcatcher (as Dr. Long stated), or to sit around a fire, or go hunting.  When in actuality a lot of tribes don't hunt all day, instead they fish.  My Native American Literature teacher, Danica Miller, introduced us to a Sherman Alexie poem, "How to write the great American Indian novel", a poke at what outsiders think of Native Americans:


"Indian men are horses, smelling wild and gamey. When the Indian man
unbuttons his pants, the white woman should think of topsoil.
There must be one murder, one suicide, one attempted rape.
Alcohol should be consumed. Cars must be driven at high speeds.
Indians must see visions. White people can have the same visions
if they are in love with Indians. If a white person loves an Indian
then the white person is Indian by proximity. White people must carry
an Indian deep inside themselves. Those interior Indians are half-breed
and obviously from horse cultures. If the interior Indian is male
then he must be a warrior, especially if he is inside a white man.
If the interior Indian is female, then she must be a healer, especially if she is inside
a white woman. Sometimes there are complications."  

This is a classic example of the stereotypes that are correlated with Native Americans.  Sherman Alexie pokes fun at this, but he does it to raise a point.  Because a lot is unknown about Native Americans, we are quick to judge, or make up stories, or romanticize their culture. However instead, we should be intrigued and willing to learn about the primary people who came to America.