LIT 190
FOLKTALES IN AFRICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE
Spring 2004
Thursday 6-8, 1/22-3/11, Baker room LAC
Instructor: Rachel Gabor
Supervising Faculty: Marianne de Laet
Course description Every society tells stories. Some stories
are about common people, and some are fantastic tales about gods or monsters.
In this course we explore why people tell stories. We'll examine the structure
and content of some Native American and African folktales, and explore the purposes
these tales serve in the cultures in which they live. Each week will a set of
stories as assigned reading, and a theme to tie them together. Please read the
assignmed stories in preparation for class discussion, and think about what
the stories mean.
Final Project The course closes with a final project -- working
alone or in groups of 2 or 3 you read some folktales from a culture we have
not explored in this class. In your final class presentation on March 11 you
share one of these stories and discuss how it informs, and is informed by, its
cultural environment. You will hand in the outline or power point slides for
your presentation; these will be used to determine your grade.
Grades depend on participation in class discussion and quality
of the final presentation.
Texts
We read a selection of stories from two anthologies; one of African
and one of Native American folktales. While the stories are broadly categorized
in those two geographical and cultural areas, please keep in mind that there
is large variety and differentiation within these area: neither the African
not the Native American cultural environment is homogenous.
Abrahams, R. African Folktales Pantheon Books
Erdoes & Ortiz American Indian Myths and Legends Pantheon Books
SCHEDULE -- TOPICS COVERED
January 22: Movie Whalerider
January 29: Intro to Folktales
What purposes do Folktales serve? How do they affect our daily lives? Why do
people tell them? We all know and remember stories, perhaps a particular
story, that informs who we are. Please be prepared to say a few words about
a story and its significance in your life.
Read from Intro to African Folktales:
Africa: 4, 16, 34, 51, 77, 85, 92, 2, 18, 3, 7, 9, 1, 5, 12, 39, 42
Native America: Part 1 Rabbit Boy-The Powerful Boy
Part 2 Pushing up the Sky-Earth Making
Part 3 Keeping Warmth in a Bag-The Story of the Creation
Part 10 Woman Chooses Death-The Elk Spirit of Lost Lake
February 5: The Trickster
The Trickster is a character commonly found in African and Native American folktales. Today we explore its role in stories -- and in culture. Do you know a trickster? Is there anyone who plays this role in your environment? What characterizes him or her? Which function does he or she fulfill in social life?
Read: Intro to Part III of Africa book
Africa: 46, 50, 52-56, 58-66, 69-73, 75, 76
Native America: All in Part 7
February 12: Women and Family Roles
What can folktales tell us about a society? While the folktales we discuss today
tell us about the roles that are ssignied to women and family in a cultuiral
environment, they also serve to institutionalize or "solidify" these
roles. Or do they? How? Might stories seve in other ways, for instance as destabilizers
and critiques, as well?
Read Africa: 32, 33, 44, 80-84, 86, 88, 89-91, 94
Native America:: Part 6
February 19: Stories Particular to a Culture
There is a type of folktale fairly unique to Africa, which asks the audience
to debate a given issue. Likewise, there is a type of folktale that belongs
to Native American traditions, taht is centered around war and counting coup.
Today we explore the differences between these two genres.
Read Intro to Part II of Africa book
Africa: 17, 19-26, 28-31, 37,6, 35, 36, 38, 93
Native America: All of Part 5
February 26: Stories that Explain the World
Folktales serve to explain the world around us: they provide a "cosmology"
that explains the order of things. These tales tell why humans have certain
traditions, or why animals act in certain ways --thereby offering a set of norms,
rules, rationales and guidelines for behavior.
Read Africa: 10, 15, 41, 43, 8, 11, 14, 45, 47, 49, 57, 68, 72, 87
Native America: Part 8
March 4: Hero Stories
Hero epics are not limited to European stories. Here are hero stories and epics
from Africa and Native America.
Read: Africa: 13, 74, 78, 79
Native America: Part 4
March 9: Movie Big Fish
March 11: Final project presentations