Linn M. Bayne
Tribal themes are the very ground of Indian literature. As Kenneth Lincoln explained, tribe means relatedness not only to family and clan but also to the earth, to history, to real things and to self. (Lincoln 8) The poets selected for this unit tell us about the grandmothers, customs, crafts, ceremonies, dances, food, tasks, and games that have enhanced their sense of Indianess. For this lesson plan, we will look at Alonzo Lopez’s poem “Celebration,” found in
The Whispering Wind
, edited by Terry Allen.
OBJECTIVES
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1. To learn about the role of tribe in relation to self-knowledge.
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2. To identify celebrations, music and dance unique to our individual sense of community.
MATERIALS
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1. Audiotape of Indian music such as S. Fitzgerald’s “Thunderdrums.”
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2.
Native American Crafts Workshop
, by Bonnie Bernstein & Leigh Blair. See pp. 84-85 on celebrations, and 48-52 on musical instruments.
STRATEGIES
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1. Begin with audiotape of music.
PREPARATION
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1. Introduce the topic of celebrations. List some of the of the Indian ceremonies such as thanksgiving for harvest and successful hunt, for naming a child, for the change of season.
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2. Read Lopez poem and discuss.
DISCUSSION TOPIC
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1. Lopez does not inform us what is to be celebrated; we know there will be feasting and dancing and games will be played and, most importantly, that the author will be “a part of it.”
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2. Why has the author written this poem? What is important?
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3. What is going to happen? How does he create the sense of anticipation and excitement?
CLOSING
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1. Students list celebration important to them.
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2. Student list events that occur in these celebrations—dancing, feasting, music, games?
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3. Students describe celebration in poem or paragraph.