Story is an integral element in human life. Stories are the way humans have shared and learned for thousands of years. Storytelling is different from story writing. When a story is told, the original content lingers as long as the storytellers maintain that content. Once the story is retold it takes on different details and meaning. When a story is written, the content lasts longer and can be revisited, however each reader perceives the meaning of the story and the details through their own experience. Stories began through oral tradition. Indigenous people have told stories throughout their histories, and those stories reveal their past, as well as their current realities and identities. An example of a storyteller who integrates multiple genres of storytelling in every aspect of her being, is Joy Harjo. Harjo is a multi-genre artist, musician, writer, poet, and overall inspirational storyteller. She was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is a member of the Muscogee/Creek Nation. As a member of the Muscogee/Creek Nation, Harjo was born into a practice of storytelling that has been the cornerstone of her tribal, familial, personal, and cultural, history, identity and survival. Harjo has written (and performed) many artistic works that combine and move away from traditional definitions of ‘genre’. Harjo’s memoir Crazy Brave, weaves multiple visions and experiences of her life into a beautiful and heartwarming story of birthing, becoming, and being one’s self. She writes in and out
The power of stories manifests itself in literature, film, and more generally life. Stories inspire, provide hope, and bring understanding. Leslie Marmon Silko’s novel Ceremony permeates the strength of stories. Ceremony follows the story of Tayo, a half white Native American plagued by the invasion of European culture, as well as his own past of war and loss. However, through the folk stories of his Laguna culture, as well as the advice he has been given to embrace his past, Tayo is able to see the world more clearly.
Orleanna mentions, “To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story,” this quote is referring to change in an individual's life when they understand or collect the words of a story (385). Storytelling becomes important to every character of the story, for that character is increasing their development throughout the whole book. Another aspect of storytelling is how it is revolved with the past. How the characters and humans attempt to rewrite the past to our own visions. For example Orlenna always remembers what happened to Ruth May and using stories in the
Telling our personal stories is important. Our lives are a collection of different stories. Truths about who we are, what we believe, how we struggle and how we are strong. Sharing our personal stories and experiences is extremely important. When we share our personal stories we give the valuable gift of knowledge.
And what role does it play exactly? In The Marrow Thieves, storytelling is used to explain the perspectives of the main characters through the traditional Indigenous medium as seen in the coming-to stories, certain elements only being revealed once the
“If we want to live at peace with ourselves, we need to tell our stories” (3). In Richard Wagamese’s novel, “Indian Horse”, a man named Saul Indian Horse is introduced and he tells his story. He faces a lot of hardships on his journey, including racism, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. He is exposed to violence multiple times. Saul’s experiences help readers understand what it is like as an Indigenous person growing up in Canada.
“Folklore represents a line to a vast, interconnected network of meanings, values, and cognitions. Folklore contains seeds of wisdom, problem solving, and prophecy, through tales of rebellion, triumph, reasoning, moralizing, and satire” (Ogunleye, Tolagbe, African American Folklore: Its Role In Reconstructing African-American History, 1997). Folklore is a medium in which to impart teachings and principles. By using storytelling, folklore becomes an accessible means of relaying cultural guidelines. Contrary to popular perception, tales are not merely told for entertainment purposes.
The cultivation of a person blends in with his/her understanding of stories
Research Question: How does Oral Tradition continue to be an important part of modern Canadian Aboriginal Society in a world where print media is used predominantly? Cherubini, Lorenzo. " The Metamorphosis of an Oral Tradition: Dissonance in the Digital Stories of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. " Oral Tradition 23.2 (2008): 297-314.
The beginning of a story usually explains the characters and setting; middle usually describes a problem; the end tells how the problem was solved. 4. How to make a bar graph and how to compare information/data using the bar graph. Using descriptive words (adjectives) can enhance a story and make it better.
There is a sense of vivacity within spoken stories that written stories struggle to capture on occasion. The fact that this story was recorded in the Haudenosaunee’s
Writer Sherman Alexie has a knack of intertwining his own problematic biographical experience with his unique stories and no more than “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” demonstrates that. Alexie laced a story about an Indian man living in Spokane who reflects back on his struggles in life from a previous relationship, alcoholism, racism and even the isolation he’s dealt with by living off the reservation. Alexie has the ability to use symbolism throughout his tale by associating the title’s infamy of two different ethnic characters and interlinking it with the narrator experience between trying to fit into a more society apart from his own cultural background. However, within the words themselves, Alexie has created themes that surround despair around his character however he illuminates on resilience and alcoholism throughout this tale.
Is Thomas crazy? With Victor being the protagonist that explains about Thomas behaviors, it may seem a reflection of this judgement shows otherwise. In the story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”, written by Sherman Alexie, Victor stands in the perspective of the modern generation, which helps people to relate to these characters. On the other hand, the antagonist, Thomas Builds-the-Fire, is demonstrated as an outcast, yet he resonate the history of Indian tradition and culture. What people consider as crazy when they sees a Thomas speaking to himself is: What is he saying?
CHAPTER-V THE HEALING POWER OF FOLK CULTURE Images of women healing ill or injured women, or of women healing themselves, have become one of the central tropes in contemporary African American women’s novels. Authors such as Gayl Jones, Alice Walker, Toni Cade Bambara, and Toni Morrison utilise the trope of healing to measure past and present oppressions of women of color and to discuss what can and what cannot be healed, forgotten and forgiven. Much focus is put on how healing could be accomplished. Some hurt, they say, is so distant that it cannot be reached; other hurt goes so deep that there may be no possibility of healing... some pain can only be healed through a reconnection to the African American community and culture (Gunilla T. Kester 114)
I feel like I'm carrying this award for all of us.” Regarding the interview, this demonstrates to readers the mentality of Harjo. She experienced assorted types of adversity due to her social status of being a Native American. However, it is indisputable that it was her mindset that inspired her to withstand hard times and fulfill her goals as a poet.
Question Discuss Toolan’s view that storytelling is a ‘core human activity’ which is directly connected to the ‘making and remaking of our identity and our relationships’ (2006, p. 76 & p. 54). Storytelling is a core human activity related to identity and relationships Para 1 Discussion of the nature and importance of spoken narrative in general. Every day, we speak and communicate with others through the act of telling story. Toolan (2006) says narrative or story is a ‘core’ structuring form, found in major literary genres, such as novels and short stories, folk tales, fairy tales and epics, as well as in other art forms, both verbal and non-verbal, such as pictures and film, ballet and mime, etc.