Grade 7/8

(ELA)

Western Differentiation of Stories

When introducing stories in an ELA classroom, we are often setting our learning targets on the differentiation between types of stories, genres, purpose and impact. Cultures around the world have stories that western literary critics will qualify as folktales, myths or legends.

But what happens when stories don't fit one category? The function of Indigenous stories and the oral tradition don't always adhere to Western norms of literature, and this can be a really interesting place to begin the discussion of the importance of stories to Indigenous peoples.

Story Structures

Written Stories

Following western writing conventions, stories are usually created in a way that follows story arch, include grammar and punctuation norms. Once put into writing, a story becomes static, and the words on the paper stay the same for every single reading.

Oral Stories

Oral stories function differently than written stories; who is telling the story, where they heard it and the path from start to end can change with each recounting. Oral stories are alive and evolve; less important is the author and more important is the teller.

Different People, Same Story: The story of the Peacemaker

Mythology or History?

Tekanawí:ta: The Peace Maker

Atotarho/Tadodaho

Wampum Belt created after the confederacy was created

Onondaga Sid Hill is current chief to sit in position of Tadodaho.

Haudenosaunee Characters with Supernatural Elements who are also considered Historical Figures

Historical artifacts and titles that indicate the story of the Peacemaker is considered historical for the Haudenosaunee.

Lesson Guidelines

Teaching Objective(s): Students will compare and contrast differences between written and oral storytelling. Students will unpack and question the dichotomy of myths and legends as it relates to Indigenous (hi)stories, identifying themes, lessons and history.

Books: Any version of the story of the peacemaker available in the resource section of this site can be used, and there are available shortened versions in writing online. If it were my class, I'd even read the Hiawatha and the Peacemaker book to my seventh and eighth graders.

Instruction Ideas

A. Introduce story of the peacemaker in written form and as told orally; ask students to engage with comparing and contrasting the differences in delivery and impact between the two media. What is the benefit of maintaining and sharing oral histories versus writing them down and distributing. Consider relationships (teller to audience, teller to story, audience to story); consider what is possible with oral stories that written stories might not be able to achieve and vice-versa.

B. Discuss the differences between myths and legends using popular examples of western stories. Consider together what elements of each genre are present in the stories of Haudenosaunee people. Consider why the story of the peacemaker, a historical account of the creation of the Iroquois confederacy includes elements of supernatural characters and stories.

Enrichment: Unpack together what potential symbolic meanings the story might have with depicting characters with supernatural abilities. Ex. Tekanawí:ta's stone canoe OR Atotarho's snakes atop his head. Consider stories from other nations (or more stories from the Haudenosaunee) and how their characters also convey meaning and lessons based on their abilities and descriptions.

C. Have students write their own "creation stories", personal accounts of how they came to be ( ex. why they love a certain movie, what has impacted their life for them to form certain opinions, what is the origin of their love for the color red?). Have students consider how this story would function in writing as a part of an anthology and how their story will morph when they tell it orally. Ask students to produce two iterations of the story, and reflect on why they are different and/or the same.

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