Oral Narratives

Oral narratives were a unique and very popular aspect of Native American culture both before and after colonization. Stories were told out loud by the native tribes, often in rituals, and served as much more than simple entertainment for those hearing them. There were multiple different genres of said narratives that were told by the native tribes, including memorates, legends, myths, and folktales. 

The tales were often rooted in the Earth, using symbolism of the beings that live on their land to show the interconnectedness of people and nature. The stories acted as offers to honor the land. Prayers, songs, and dance were considered stories that helped tell of their past, present, and future. Some stories were about how certain animals or flora on their land came to be while others are rooted in romance or religion. The most common theme for Native American stories are creation stories.

These tales were special to the Native Americans because they allowed the tribes to creatively incorporate their social issues into fiction so they can be discussed freely and peacefully. The tales were often improvised and had little to no structure to them. However some songs or stories used in rituals were sung in great circles with over 100 songs, taking multiple days to conclude the story. Any social, historical, or cultural changes in Native American society were acknowledged and often weaved into the oral narratives in some way. 

The narratives include legends and history, maps and poems, teachings of spirit mentors, how to conduct ceremonies and rituals, and observations of the world. The meanings can reach from everyday to divine since the narratives live in many dimensions. While some might have blatant meanings behind them, the stories are often open to interpretation.

There are certain themes that remain constant throughout the many legends/folktales told by the different tribes, and these include how spiritual beings/deities contributed to the creation of the world, the cultural significance of animals and crops, respecting one’s elders, forgiving others, and the afterlife. The main underlying concept between these tales is that the “Great Spirit” binds the natural world together, and we can sense its presence through created physical matter. 

Sometimes, objects were used in the telling of legends to help animate the story. The oral narratives are passed down through generations, and are always multiplying. The people who relay these tales are creating a network of bonds between storytellers and listeners, and these bonds are highly valued by the Natives. Some other aspects of these stories are that they include unique settings and storylines with various mythical characters/creatures. 

Although a lot of these stories are more lighthearted and whimsical, there were some legends at the time that were considered “serious” and could only be discussed in a specific time period at special rituals. If these stories weren’t told in the correct manner, the natives believed their fate would be harmed. 

These were just some of the basic components of oral narratives that were common to Native American culture, but there is a deeper significance behind these entertaining stories being told. Legends allowed the spiritual Indians to remain strong in those tough times, and the stories remained alive, unaffected by colonization. 

The preservation of these tales during difficult times was extremely important for many reasons. Firstly, some legends discussed the migration of the native tribes’ ancestors, and holding on to these stories is important to the Native American history and culture. Also, these oral narratives were one of the only forms of communication at the time, and they needed to be remembered because written tradition had not yet existed. Most of the myths and legends that had been passed down from that time period had not been written down until the late 1820’s.

Customs/Rituals

As in many other cultures, there is a wide variety of practiced customs and rituals. Most Southern New England Tribes celebrated rituals in the form of nickommo which can be translated to feast or dance. While these celebrations were for many large life events such as puberty, marriage, and death, they were also used to celebrate seasons at fixed times throughout the year and also in general times of crisis. 

The Narragansett had “coming of age” rituals, like where boys were led into the woods alone to survive and find a combination of poisonous and bitter roots and herbs. Then, they had to drink it, and had to be able to retain it in order to count. They would repeat the process until they succeeded, and then were deemed a man instead of a boy. 

Prior to “coming of age” rituals, older children would go through the ritual of a Vision Quest. The purpose of the quest was to find oneself and their life’s direction. People would search to interact with a guardian spirit, who was often an animal, to obtain advice. The person has to prepare prior to the ritual and prove to others that there was sincerity and commitment. In using sensory deprivation, the individual would see a sign or presence that would help them realize their life’s direction, ultimately ending the ritual and the individual could return to the tribe.

In marriage, sometimes infants were betrothed to one another, although males could also select their bride when they were older, with the permission of their parents, friends, and the sachem. Then, the men would give a gift to the woman’s family as a sign of respect, and the woman would cut her hair to signify her change in marital status.

Death held very high cultural significance to the Narragansett. It was not just the end of someone's life, but the beginning of their journey in the Spirit World, allowing death to become a celebration. When someone in a household first becomes sick, all the women and children blacken their faces with soot, and upon the death of the sick, the father or husband and all the neighbors would also blacken their faces. They would observe this lamenting period in a serious and mournful manner, for weeks, months, or even up to a year depending on the person. Occasionally, some would choose to cut their hair as another act of mourning. The Narragansett also used general phrases to refer to the dead, because they could not specifically name them in fear that it would distract their loved one’s spirit from heading Southwest towards the house of Cautàntouwit, which was a happy hunting ground where all would be as it was before.

Healing rituals were another important part of their daily lives. The people that helped to heal people in Narragansett culture were known as Powwaw which translates to Priest or medicine person. It was noted that a common way of recovering from diseases was the use of a hot house or sweat lodge. People would enter and sit for an hour or more with the hopes of cleansing their skin and purging their bodies in order to recover from sickness. In A Key Into The Language of America, Roger Willimas argues that these priests and medicine people would bewitch the people and take their money. Although he felt this way, it was a common practice for people to use some medicines as well as faith in order to cure and heal.

Another important celebration in Narragansett culture is the Green Corn Thanksgiving. This was called various other things across other tribes but served the same purpose throughout. Corn was a huge part of their diets and has two of the Narragansett’s 13 Thanksgivings named after it. It was a way to celebrate the ripening of the corn crops and a successful harvest, as they celebrated in the form of a pow wow with dancing, feasting, and religious activities. This celebration served as a religious renewal for many as people were forgiven for their sinful actions. It is also known to have an emphasis on cleansing and refreshing.