This article describes strategies that the author employed to make a general education course titled "Fairy Tales and Folklore" more diverse and inclusive. Students read primary texts and secondary articles as part of ongoing debates, then form their own arguments within the debate, thus coming to understand how fairy tales are embedded…

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, a historically American Indian university that is experiencing major climate change impacts from hurricanes, was the setting for four service-learning projects seeking to advance sustainability in a racially diverse community. Courses in American Indian Studies, English, and Social Work, in…

Native American storytelling has become a very vital issue in education. It preserves Native American history for the next generation and teaches them important lessons about the Native American culture. It also conveys moral meanings, knowledge and social values of the Native American people to the universe. More importantly, Native American…

Relying on the intersections of Indigenous Research Methodologies and Humanizing Research, the authors of this article argue that by re-centering relationships through critical listening and storying, we are better suited to co-construct our shared truths and realities in the space between the telling and hearing of stories. As we do so, we move…

This article outlines a framework the authors have used to infuse sustainability study into humanities teaching at the middle school level. Native American tribal elders can act as co-teachers in such classrooms, and the place-based stories that shaped their views of the environment can serve as important classroom texts to investigate sustainable…

This article presents an interview with Karl Kroeber that was originally published in "English Department Updates" (Fall 2009), a semiannual alumni newsletter of the Columbia University Department of English & Comparative Literature. In this interview, Kroeber, who taught at Columbia for 57 years, discusses the range of courses he…

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, a former English teacher and school counselor, is an award-winning author, best known for her children's books about the Rosebud Sioux life and culture, which combines history and legend to create culturally rich and authentic Native American stories. In this article, the authors share their conversations with Virginia…

Leslie Marmon Silko began her most recent work, "Gardens in the Dunes" (1999), intending to write a novel that would not be political. Following the publication of "Almanac of the Dead" (1992), which was simultaneously hailed as one of the most important books of the twentieth century and condemned for its angry self-righteousness, Silko…

In this article, the author proposes a model educators can apply when teaching one text, Louise Erdrich's "The Bingo Palace"; while she emphasizes the particular concerns this text raises, she aims, simultaneously, to offer a more general approach to teaching American Indian literature responsibly. In an increasingly multicultural academic…

Describes the storytelling program at the Department of American Indian Studies, San Diego State University, which has involved Indian elders and storytellers, students, and both Indian and non-Indian children and adults from the local community. Includes a Wyandot tale that warns against jealousy, bitterness, and revenge. (SV)

Describes major functions of Iroquois storytelling, including entertainment, taking the listener out of the present moment, and informal education of children. Discusses the attributes and roles of contemporary Iroquois storytellers. (SV)

In this essay, the author begins by acknowledging the necessity of teaching Native American and other indigenous literatures both alongside and independent of Western texts. Instructors should teach these works by listening to the Native authors' worldviews and literary traditions. However, when instructors try to teach Native literatures…

Presents a modern retelling of a St:lo (Coast Salish) legend about the origin of a tribal treasure, the wondrous Sxwaixwe mask. Discusses the legend's origins, the process of transforming essentially oral sources into an accessible contemporary form, and the educational value of storytelling. Contains 13 references. (SV)

Considers how misrepresentations of Indian culture can be addressed through the study of Native American oral traditions and literatures. Details the use of literature circles and storytelling in the classroom to combat negative stereotypes and racism. Discusses ways of weaving interpretive threads, examining misconceptions, reading and writing…

In Native American culture, medicine stories are used to teach important lessons that have healing effects on the listener. Following is an excerpt from "The Wounded Bear", a modern day medicine story. The story offers a blueprint for healing the heartbreak and violence in our communities. (Author)