In my Master’s Thesis I will refer to my Bachelor’s Thesis, which was about ‘Native American Women’. I analyzed how Native American women lived in their communities and especially how their role was and is in contrast to what Europeans and European Americans think it was. I found that the role of women in Native America was in many ways different from the role of European women at the same time. After I became engrossed in the topic of Native American culture and Native American women in particular I became curious about what Native Americans believed, what their philosophy was and how they organized their spiritual life. This is why I decided to research this and focus on Native American beliefs, ideology and philosophy of life in my Master’s Thesis. In my thesis I will not concentrate on one or several special tribes. Instead I will try to give a comprehensive survey of Native American religion in general. While doing so, I will always look for and give adequate examples that illustrate what I want to convey.
I will divide this thesis into three parts. The first part will be devoted to the history of Native American religion. In my opinion it is not possible to look at another culture’s religion without finding out the story of its religion first. I want to do research on what Native Americans believed through the course of time and believe today, if their belief system has changed and what consequences white contact brought. I want to find out how Native
American religion as it used to be before white contact developed and survived. Furthermore, I want to discover if Natives today still have the same beliefs as their ancestors or if most of them converted to the Christian religion and the Western way of looking at the world. I want to find out if any aspects changed over time, which aspects endured and why. Also I want to find out if all Native tribes have the same religious background or if their beliefs and practices differ. To do this I will provide an overview over Native American practices and talk about their significance for Native American religion.
The second part will be concerned with storytelling and Native American religion. This will be the main part, which will revolve around the overall key topic of this thesis:
“The Importance of Storytelling for the Survival of Native American Religion".
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Native American Religion
A Historical Research
3 Native American Storytelling
An Ancient Native American Art
4 Ideas For Teaching
Native American Religion in the EFL-Classroom
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives & Key Themes
The Master's Thesis investigates the crucial role of oral traditions, specifically storytelling, in the preservation and continuity of Native American religious beliefs and cultural identity, particularly in the face of historical challenges such as colonization and forced assimilation. The author further explores how these cultural elements can be integrated into the German EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom as a means of fostering intercultural competence.
- Historical survey of Native American religious evolution and the impact of European contact.
- Categorization and analysis of various Native American narrative forms and their function within spiritual life.
- The symbiotic relationship between storytelling, oral tradition, and the performance of rituals.
- Pedagogical strategies for teaching Native American culture in secondary school EFL environments.
Excerpt from the Book
Native American Storytelling
Storytelling was and still is an important aspect in religion of all the Native American tribes and nations. As I have already mentioned in chapter 2, it can be considered as one of those religious elements that are shared by all Native peoples. It is a very important component of their every day spiritual life. When speaking about the Native American religions storytelling is a facet that cannot be left out. It is deeply rooted in Native American culture and has been treasured over many millennia. The basis for its firm roots and necessity to Native American culture is that all Native stories contain precious cultural knowledge, elemental advice, and support for countless generations. Since Native American people typically failed to write down knowledge concerning their religion and lacked written media like the Bible or the Koran, their religious life automatically placed great emphasis on oral tradition. Consequently scholars often refer to this kind of tradition as ‘oral literature’ or in case of the Ugandan scholar Pio Zirimu even ‘orature’1. Oral literature is a term used in cultures that did not have written literature for a long and vital time in their history (Griffin-Pierce in Sullivan 2003:128).
Stories also become important when it comes to doing research on Native American culture. In the majority of cases stories are the only resources for knowledge about the history of Native American religion. Native narratives and myths document historical change while at the same time providing continuity and a vital image of the development of Native American religion. For example, some tribes like the Algonquian groups tell stories about once being related. Stories like these show that change did happen and that it not only had an impact on the economic and social life but also on the religious practices of the different tribes (Harrod 1995: 13-14).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Defines the thesis scope, highlighting the focus on Native American philosophy, ideology, and the pedagogical approach to teaching these topics in the EFL-classroom.
2 Native American Religion: Provides a historical overview of Native American belief systems, exploring how they adapted to historical challenges and the impact of Christianity and European settlement.
3 Native American Storytelling: Analyzes the taxonomy and functions of different narrative types, emphasizing their indispensable role in maintaining spiritual continuity and rituals.
4 Ideas For Teaching: Offers practical, leveled teaching units and approaches for using Native American materials to enhance intercultural competence in the German classroom.
5 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, reflecting on the necessity of storytelling for cultural survival and the author’s personal development throughout the research process.
Keywords
Native American Religion, Storytelling, Oral Tradition, Cultural Survival, EFL-Classroom, Rituals, Mythology, Trickster Tales, Intercultural Competence, Colonization, Indigenous Beliefs, Shamanism, Teaching Strategies, Identity, Folklore.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work examines how storytelling acts as a vessel for preserving Native American religion and cultural identity throughout historical upheavals.
What are the primary thematic pillars?
The study centers on history, religious belief systems, the function of oral narratives, and pedagogical applications for foreign language education.
What is the central research question?
The research seeks to prove that storytelling played a critical role in the survival of Native American religious traditions to the present day.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author utilizes a comprehensive literature review combined with historical analysis and pedagogical theory to construct teaching modules.
What is addressed in the main part of the work?
The main sections focus on defining the types of Native American narratives, their specific role in rituals, and how these stories facilitate the survival of traditional beliefs.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Native American Religion, Storytelling, Oral Tradition, Cultural Survival, and Intercultural Education.
How does the author categorize different narratives?
The thesis classifies stories into categories such as origin myths, migration narratives, cultural hero stories, trickster tales, and shamanic stories.
Why is storytelling considered essential for ritual survival?
The author argues that because rituals are deeply embedded in narrative history, the loss of stories often leads to the direct extinction of the corresponding ceremonial practices.
What unique pedagogical approach does the author recommend?
The author suggests using diverse media—such as movies, picture books, and music—to bridge cultural gaps and encourage student engagement with Native American perspectives in an EFL setting.
How does the thesis address the "white shaman" problem?
The author explicitly warns against esotericism and pseudo-scientific literature, emphasizing the importance of utilizing authentic Native American sources and voices.
- Citar trabajo
- M.Ed. Nadine Thäder (Autor), 2008, The Importance of Storytelling for the Survival of Native American Religion, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/139535
