# Brothers I think we are: Notes on Native American oral literature

**Published by:** [readafuckingbook.eth](https://paragraph.com/@readafuckingbook-2/)
**Published on:** 2022-08-21
**URL:** https://paragraph.com/@readafuckingbook-2/brothers-i-think-we-are-notes-on-native-american-oral-literature

## Content

Native Americans were obviously not a homogenous group. Languages, political norms, economies and religious beliefs all differed widely. As a result, their oral literature is diverse. However, similarities — particularly regarding the inclusion of religious/spiritual components — are present.Introductory notesLiterature originates from oral traditions.Europeans were really into translations of indigenous oral performances.Native American creation stories are similar to the Book of Genesis (and other parts of the Bible) in myriad ways.The Iroquois Creation StoryA woman becomes pregnant without sexual activity. She dies in childbirth to rival twins — one good and one bad. The bad twin wants the world to remain in a natural, chaotic state. The good twin undergoes the work of creation and brings light (seasons, etc.) into existence, which displeases the monsters that currently inhabit the world. The good twin makes two genders of “real people,” or humans. The bad mind makes reptiles that are dangerous to humans. He also tries to make humans but fails — resulting in monkeys. (How the Iroquois originally came to know about the existence of monkeys, and when this was added to the story, is a topic of debate). The two twins eventually fight and the good twin wins — banishing the bad twin to become the ruler of the underworld. The Biblical parallels here are obvious:An immaculate conception (Mary)Rival twins (Cain and Abel)Creation as work and lightAn underworld and its ruler (Hell and Satan)Other notesThe Iroquois Creation Story is one of the most-famous pieces of Native American oral literature.Iroquois country is essentially upstate New York.https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57237/57237-h/57237-h.htmHajíínèíThe Navajo Creation Story is significantly more complicated than the Iroquois Creation Story. Central to the it is trouble arising from adultery and debauchery, which creates deceit and jealousy. It also features certain similarities to the Bible, including a great flood (common among Native American stories and predating knowledge of the Bible) and the land being populated by the progeny of First Man and First Woman — the latter of which is seen as the weaker sex after making “an ungrateful remark that insulted and greatly angered First Man”. Additionally, female masturbation is seen as a negative that results in the creation of monsters.Other notes:The balance between husband and wife is seen as absolutely critical.The story features hermaphrodites, which are not stigmatized.https://books.google.hu/books?id=MO7n4kvx6qMC&pg=PR6&lpg=PR6&dq=from+the+glittering+world+full+text&source=bl&ots=zLPvfHDRzQ&sig=ACfU3U1t-UAmDHUtfRjayWieanc4MN-GMA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjhvrbk9dj5AhVJ8LsIHQItBCkQ6AF6BAgTEAM#v=onepage&q&f=falseThe Winnebago Trickster CycleTrickster and the Talking Bulb kicks right off with poop jokes as Trickster tempts fate by claiming no laxative bulb can force him to defecate before he wants to. Trickster soon realizes that he may not be able to control his smarting rectum. He starts blasting out farts so powerful that he has to hold on to a tree to keep himself from flying off uncontrollably.The next time he broke wind, the hind part of his body was raised up by the force of the explosion and he landed on his knees and hands. WeII, go ahead and do it again! Go ahead and do it again! Then, again, he broke wind. This time the force of the expulsion sent him far up in the air and he landed on the ground, on his stomach. The next time he broke wind, he had to hang on to a log, so high was he thrown. However, he raised him- self up and, after a while, landed on the ground, the log on top of him. He was almost killed by the fall. The next time he broke wind, he had to hold on to a tree that stood near by. It was a poplar and he held on with all his might yet, nevertheless, even then, his feet flopped up in the air. Again, and for the second time, he held on to it when he broke wind and yet he pulled the tree up by the roots.After the farts comes the shit. Trickster shits so uncontrollably that he has to climb a tree to escape from an ever growing mountain of his own shit, but he can’t hold on to the tree branch and falls into his massive pile of shit. In immediate need of washing, Trickster survives by finding a body of water — courtesy of trees, which directed him to it.Other notes:Winnebago culture features a wealth of tricker tales.This particular tale of a bulb with extreme laxative properties is widespread in North American indigenous cultures.The ultimate lesson is that humans should not see themselves as superior to nature.Farting and pooping is universally funny.https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.528967/2015.528967.trickster-a_djvu.txtPowhatan’s Discourse of Peace and WarThe speech essentially focuses on the idea that there is more to be gained through friendship than war.What will it avail you to take that by force you may quickly have my love […] by wronging us your friends.Other notes:The Powhatan confederacy was a regional power with significant trade dominance. Powhatan and John Smith became trading partners.Powhatan was the father of Pocohantas.The text is informed by classical historiography and rather dramatic — perhaps to the detriment of its authenticity.https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/chief-powhatan-s-address-to-captain-john-smithKing Philip’s SpeechKing Philip was the adopted English name of Wampanoag leader Metacom, who was described as a martyr deserving universal respect among the great early-American leaders. His speech is emotionally charged and focuses on protecting and defending their rights through violence.Brothers, you see this vast country before us, which the Great Spirit gave to our fathers and us; you see the buffalo and deer that now are our support. Brothers, you see these little ones, our wives and children, who are looking to us for food and raiment; and you now see the foe before you, that they have grown insolent and bold; that all our ancient customs are disregarded; the treaties made by our fathers and us are broken, and all of us insulted; our council fires disregarded, and all the ancient customs of our fathers; our brothers murdered before our eyes, and their spirits cry to us for revenge. Brothers, these people from the unknown world will cut down our groves, spoil our hunting and planting grounds, and drive us and our children from the graves of our fathers, and our council fires, and enslave our women and children.https://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/apess-eulogy-speech-text/PoetryCherokee War Song is, as the name implies, about war. It is aggressive in its language — with a focus on masculine strength vs. feminine weakness. The enemies are likened to women who run away in fear when seeing a snake. They seek to force their enemies to flee and starve. At the same time, they ask not to be mourned if they die.We’ll leave our clubs, dew’d with their country show’rs, And, if they dare to bring them back to our’s, Their painted scalps shall be a step to fame, And grace our own and glorious country’s name. Or if we warriors spare the yielding foe, Torments at home the wretch must undergohttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/65256/65256-h/65256-h.htm The Lenape War Song — in stark contrast to the Cherokee — exhibits reluctance, a lack of confidence, and fear.O! take pity on me! Give me strength and courage to meet my enemy, Suffer me to return again to my children, To my wife And to my relations! Take pity on me and preserve my life And I will make to thee a sacrifice.https://www.gutenberg.org/files/50350/50350-h/50350-h.htmCitationsThough publicly available links have been provided, the texts referenced by the author are from the tenth edition of the Norton Anthology of American Literature: Beginnings to 1820. The title is a quote from / reference to “Two Cherokee Songs of Friendship” from History, Manners, and Customs of The Indian Nations Who Once Inhabited Pennsylvania and the Neighbouring States. Cover image glitched from: Pearce, Robert. (2005). Turtles from Turtle Island. Ontario Archaeology. 79/80. 88-108.

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