Overview
Lesson 1: Stories as History and Tradition
Lesson 2: Historical Landscape
Lesson 3: Tribal Groups and the Reservation Experience
Lesson 4: Historical Figures and their Impact
Lesson 5: Stories of Today
Extending the lesson/References
Standards
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
EL.06.RE.05—Demonstrate listening comprehension of more complex text through class and/or small group interpretive discussions across the subject areas.
EL.06.RE.06—Listen to, read, and understand a wide variety of informational and narrative text.
EL.06.WR.10—Write for different purposes and to a specific audience or person, adjusting tone and style as necessary.
EL.06.WR.23—Write fictional narratives.
CD Segments to Play
Background
We call them “stories” because that’s what our ancestors call them. We don’t use the words “myth” or “legend” because both words have a connotation that the content is not true. Our grandmothers told us that the stories are true. Storytelling is an art.
Because there was not a written language, tribal history, traditions and important events were passed on through stories. In each tribe, certain people were recognized as carriers of stories and these people were the ones who re-told the stories in order to keep the memories alive.
Each tribe had its own set of “rules” for storytelling. For example, among the central and southern Kalapuya, only certain stories could be told during certain seasons of the year. (Reference the downloaded copy of the Kalapuya Calendar.) Some stories were only told by men and others were only told by women. For many tribes, stories and songs are private property. It is considered disrespectful to tell another tribe’s story or sing their song.
Among the Kalapuya, the storytellers insisted on respect.
It was considered disrespectful to stand up when a story was being told. You could become hump-backed: “Bunda-yuu.”
Also, a person must never lay down when a story is being told. Anyone who does will become crippled or, in the case of a child, never grow as tall as they should be.
Storytellers told the children to look at them at all times. To look around indicates the listener is not interested and that is disrespectful.
Some stories were told with certain “signals” to prompt the audience to respond with a sound or a word, just to ensure that the people were paying attention.
Stories are carried on today as reminders of tribal life and to show that the lessons of yesterday are valid in today’s world.
Suggested Strategies
Activities
Listen
Have the students listen to the Kalapuya Creation Story online at HYPERLINK “http://archaeologychannel.com/” http://archaeologychannel.com/.
2. Discuss
Ask these questions of the class:
Why was this story told?
What does it explain?
Is Quartux, Mother Wolf, a good or bad figure?
How does the image of Quartux compare to the images we know of wolves, i.e. Peter and the Wolf, The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood..?
3. Writing exercise
Hand out copies of the two Kalapuya stories included in this curriculum unit. (May be used as part of a reading exercise.) On the basis of the stories, ask the class to write their own “creation” story about:
How the deer got its antlers
Why wolf howls
How the skunk got its bad smell
Why crows steal food
How the raccoon got his face mask
Have the students read their stories to the class.
4. Put on a play
Choose one of the Kalapuya stories to act out in class later in the week. In preparation of this, prepare for an art activity in which the students will make paper masks to wear during the play. The masks should be of an animal figure and students should use their own imagination to create the masks from paper. When completed, punch holes on each side and tie with string to secure the mask.
