Female Native American Storytelling: Female Storytellers in Native culture. Presence in Contemporary Native American Literature. Leslie Marmon Silko

Ana Belén Pérez García

doi:10.17561/grove.v0i22.2701

Ana Belén Pérez García

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.17561/grove.v0i22.2701

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Abstract

The role of Native American women has been extensively debated. Much has been said about their relationship with men and their relevance within the tribe. One of the most important tasks they had was that of storytellers. Storytelling is one of the pillars of Native American culture since it helped to transmit their values and folklore and keep them alive and that is why women’s role as storytellers is fundamental for the survival of the tribe. Although this role has often been shared with men, it seems that the relationship of women with storytelling is more complex, valuable and relevant than that of men. This is shown in their characterization in traditional Native American myths or in the fact that old traditional Native American women and storytellers became the source of inspiration of many contemporary writers, such as Silko, Erdrich or Allen, who took them as models for their novels. Silko exemplifies with her novels Almanac of the Dead and Ceremony this fundamental role of Native Women and the influence they had on her life and writing.Keywords: Native American women, storytelling, storytellers, Leslie Marmon Silko.

Highlights

The role of Native American women has been extensively debated
My contention in this article is twofold: first to prove that Native American women’s role within the tribes was and still is as important as that of men, and second to show how female storytellers contribute to avoid cultural loss by reconnecting people to their cultural heritage to demonstrate how this is reflected in the literature of female contemporary Native American authors such as Louise Erdrich, Paula Gunn Allen and especially Leslie Marmon Silko
Cabeza de Vaca does not make any reference to sexuality and presents Native women more as mothers than as women (85). Because of this distribution of work among the members of the tribe, and because of the time Native women spent with their children, one of the most important tasks they had was precisely that of transmitting oral knowledge to their children, being storytellers

Summary

Introduction

The role of Native American women has been extensively debated. Much has been said about their relationship with men and their relevance within the tribe. Because of this distribution of work among the members of the tribe, and because of the time Native women spent with their children, one of the most important tasks they had was precisely that of transmitting oral knowledge to their children, being storytellers. Silko connects domination of nature and women in her works, but focuses on the oppression of Native Americans and poor people too.

Results

Conclusion