Contemporary Connections: "Trickster" and the Traditions of Native American Storytelling

Below is the link to the article "Storytelling Traditions of Native Americans:"
http://www.teachercertification.org/generalteaching/storytelling-traditions-of-native-americans.html

The article entitled "Storytelling Traditions of Native Americans" provided insight and knowledge about the common motifs of Native American storytelling as well as the inspiration tricksters have in Native American cultures. Storytelling has provided Native American tribes with the ability to pass along their history and traditions to their children and family members. One of the tales in "Trickster" entitled "The Yehasuri: The Little Wild Indians" told by Beckee Garris even illustrated an older woman telling her story to the young children sitting around her. This key component in the illustrations of the tale indicated the importance storytelling continues to have on younger generations of Native American tribes.

First off, the article began by speaking about the symbolism and importance of "trickster" tales. It stated that tricksters often fool others for a purpose, rather than having no justifiable reason for their actions. This relates to "Trickster" because many of the tricksters in the stories fooled someone to accomplish something to improve their life. For example, in the tale "Azban and the Crayfish" told by James and Joseph Bruchac showed Azban the Raccoon as a trickster who played dead to trick the crayfish. Although this is a trickster move, he did so for his own survival so he could have enough food to eat.

Azban plotting his "trick" to eat the crayfish

One key point the article made that sticks out in my mind was a quote that said, "By violating the rules and upsetting the old order, tricksters helped human beings see through their limited ways of thinking. Native Americans needed to use their imagination and their creativity to survive in a world where circumstance changed and the forces of nature could turn suddenly hostile, and the trickster helped show them how to be adaptable and flexible in all situations." Although tricksters often have a negative connotation surrounding them as being trouble-makers, the tricksters portrayed in Native American tales tend to inspire their listeners to become flexible and reliant on themselves. In modern day, there are many examples of various cultures and ethnicities in the United States, including Native Americans, that have adjusted to the modernization and industrialization surrounding them. When European settlers came to the United States and began interfering with Native American lives and traditions, many tribes had to become flexible and reliant on themselves to survive and keep their traditions alive, just like how a trickster would have to be flexible to the changing world around them. Being flexible and adaptable could have its disadvantages however, such as losing some traditions as the generations pass. This idea of flexibility and adaptability was also a motif in "Tracks," where Pauline decided to adapt to the White people who lived by her and become a nun. This is a sign of adapting to the world around her and becoming flexible for her own survival. 

The article "Storytelling Traditions of Native Americans" has many important insights about Native American storytelling and the common motifs. These motifs of flexibility, adaptability, and creativity can still be seen resonating today in Native American culture.