NATIVE NORTH AMERICANSANT 3350Fall 2005
INSTRUCTOR: GARRETT COOKDRAPER 318A 710-4433
OFFICE HOURS:T, W and Th 11-2. Monday or Friday by appointment.
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SYLLABUS AND PROSPECTUS
INTRODUCTION
Self identified descendants of the pre-Columbian indigenous peoples of North America today make up less than 2% of the population of the United States, while legally recognized “Indians” (recorded on roles of officially recognized tribes) make up about .5% (1/2 of 1%). Curiosity about the earthworks and artifacts left by their ancient ancestors, and about their existing cultures, provided the primary impetus for the development of archaeology and anthropology in America in the 19th century. In the last two decades anthropologists and Americanists have also been increasingly interested in assessing the roles the European/Amerindian encounter and the ever changing image of the Indian have played in creating American national character, mythology and history. Today there are both traditional natural history dimensions (trying to construct scientific understandings of cultures and culture processes) and late 20th century humanistic, ideological, “critical” dimensions (understanding colonialism, representational and identity issues) to take into account in making an anthropological study of the indigenous peoples and cultures of this continent.
This course presents an overview of basic findings about the culture history of aboriginal North America focusing on cultural dynamics during the acculturative period from the 1500’s through the present. It attempts to do so critically, self-consciously assessing the strengths and weaknesses and biases of the reconstructive and analytical processes involved. It tries to strike a balance between scientific models and humanistic interpretations in the anthropology of the native cultures.
BOOKS
A Will to Survive by Stephen Greymorning
This Land Was Theirs by Wendell Oswalt (8th ed.)
The European and the Indian by James Axtell
The Beautiful and the Dangerous by Barbara Tedlock
WORK AND GRADING
1.In-class exams 40% (10 each)
2.Research utilizing the Jesuit Relations and tribal web pages. (20%)
3.A research project including a proposal and bibliography (10) a first draft (20) and a report to the class or final draft (10). A 12-15 page research paper is required. Investigate an issue of anthropological interest dealing with Native American culture in the historic period. The paper uses appropriate scholarly citations following the AAA or MLA format.
4.Bonus of 0 to 3 points is to be assigned by the instructor based on your attendance and general contributions to class- eg. presenting critical summaries of readings, participating in class discussion, etc.
COURSE OUTLINE
1-INTRODUCTION: COLONIAL PROCESSES AND THE SETTLERSTATE
History, anthropology and ethnohistory. Colonialism, the settler state and the legal and policy framework of native polities, communities and identities in North America. Readings from Oswalt and from Greymorning..
2-ANTHROPOLOGY AND ABORIGINAL CULTURES
The problem of origins and interpretations of prehistory. The classification of aboriginal cultures: culture areas of native North America, evolutionary schemes, problems and issues of linguistic and ethnic classification. Native Americans and anthropologists.
Proposal for research project with working bibliography is due by end of unit 2.
EXAM 1 on Units 1 and 2
3- PROCESSES IN AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CONTACT ZONE
Roles of the American Indian in European and American expansionism, and the consequences of those roles for the development of American culture(s).
Interpreting and understanding the process. Readings mainly from Axtell.
EXAM #2 ON UNIT 3
JESUIT RELATIONS AND THE IROQUOIS: Use a primary source to learn about native and colonialist cultures and acculturation.
4- PROFILES OF SELECTED NATIVE CULTURES
READINGS FROM OSWALT
EXAM #3 on UNIT 4
Research Paper is due in unit 4.
5- IMAGES AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE INDIAN
Issues of ethnographic representation, and of indigenous critiques of anthropology.
Cultural survival Issues and indigenous self-representation. Readings from Greymorning and Tedlock.
SURVEY TRIBAL WEB PAGES TO IDENTIFY STATUS QUO OF THE SELECTED NATIVE CULTURES
EXAM #4 on UNIT 5- GIVEN AS FINAL EXAM
6- CONCLUSIONInvited Student Reports of Research Findings
Some possible examples of research paper topics:
Dynamics of the contact period
(or any other period in Indian/white relationships, focusing on any tribe, nation or region)
A study of the sources of information, and the dynamics and texture of the relationships between whites and Indians. This one might make very effective use of autobiographical sources. It could have a focus on some particular institutional mediation- eg. the boarding schools, the trading post, the mission, late 19th century representations of the Indian in white literature, etc.
Other studies of acculturation, culture change and native cultures
-Why did the Ghost Dance movement fail to revitalize Plains culture?
-What are the origins of the Pan-Indian movement?
-How was a specific Indian culture affected by the reservation?
-What new religions have developed in Indian cultures since the contact period? (Or trace one as a case study: eg. The Longhouse Community in Iroquoia, The NativeAmericanChurch, The Indian Shakers etc.)
-How did missionaries affect a specific nation or tribe?
Key institutions in native cultures
-What exactly is a tribe?
-What are medicine societies and how do they work?
-What is trickster mythology and what role does it play in native culture and/or psychology?
-What is the vision quest and what role did or does it play in a culture?
-What are Navajo (or Iroquois or any other case study) beliefs about witches and what role do these beliefs play in community life?
-Is there an institutionalized pattern of some kind typical of a larger culture area or region: eg. plains religion.
-Description and analysis of iconography or symbolism in a native artistic medium.
Identity issues- how is Indian identity mediated and defined today? How has it changed?
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