Native American Traditional Tales: #ownvoices

Back in the day, Gerald McDermott was one of our go to authors for Native American traditional tales. His Arrow to the Sun was a Caldecott winner in 1975. McDermott did much to bring mainstream American attention to the treasure trove in Native American traditional literature. But authors like Gerald McDermott, while well-intentioned, aren’t the same as Native Americans telling the world their own tales.

Fast forward to 2021, and the #ownvoices movement has brought some needed correction to this sub-genre. #ownvoices is a hashtag that acknowledges the importance of books written by authors who share the culture, ethnicity, disability, etc. as the main character. In the case of Native American stories, #ownvoices often means the author is writing from within a registered tribal identity.

The umbrella term “Native Americans” includes many different tribes with their own cultural and linguistic traditions. Use the back matter in these picture books to further educate yourself and your family about the particular tribes represented. (And enjoy the stories, too.)

Waa’aka’: The Bird Who Fell in Love with the Sun by Cindi Alvitre and illustrated by Carly Lake. Heyday, 2020.

“Waa’aka’ was born when the earth was soft and the waters were new. It was the beginning of time. One day Wiyot, our creator, sat at the edge of the quiet, empty world….” Bright, bold, stylized illustrations make this story leap off the page. A cautionary tale of a bird who falls in love with sun—or, rather, her own image—will remind some readers of the story of Daedalus, who flew too close to the sun. Waa’aka’ tries to follow the sun, even when she is instructed not to. The result is a loss of her brilliant plumage, but to those who recognize the bird at the end of the story, they might think the result is a stunning one! This story is closely connected, thematically, to the Sacred Song of the Hermit Thrush.

Sacred Song of the Hermit Thrush: A Mohawk Story by Tehanetorens. 7th Generation, 2020.

Sacred Song of the Hermit Thrush is a por quoi tale: a story that tells how or why something came to be. In this case, why does the hermit thrush have such a beautiful song but stays hidden and out of site? The answer in this book is that the Great Spirit issued a contest to all the birds who were, at that point, silent: the bird who could fly highest would be granted the most beautiful song. Pride goes before a fall, and the hermit thrush used trickery and deception to fly higher than any other bird. As a result, he sings a lovely melody, but he has been banished to the bushes, in hiding. Colorful paintings manage to keep the feel of a traditional tale while giving enough detail that readers can identify each bird pictured. The (white) author was adopted into the Mohawk Nation, and he lived and worked with the Mohawk Nation, raising his family in a traditional Mohawk household. The illustrator is the grandson of the author.

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. Roaring Brook Press, 2020.

This 2021 Caldecott Winner celebrates a heritage of knowing and protecting water that is passed down in Ojibwe culture. Inspired by the oil pipeline protests at Standing Rock, it portrays oil pipelines as an evil snake. In an author’s note, Lindstrom shares how an Anishinaabe prophecy teaches care for the earth. While all readers must agree on the importance of water, not all may agree on the book’s focus on mother earth and the young being wise in leading conservation. A reflection of the age of girl power and Greta Thunberg, this could be a good conversation starter with an older child about our responsibility to steward the earth. As one beautiful illustration reminds us, water “nourished us inside our mother’s body.” The author is Anishinaabe/Métis and is enrolled in the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe. The illustrator belongs to the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

Chia and the Fox Man: An Alaskan Dena’ina Fable retold by Barbara J. Atwater and Ethan J. Atwater and illustrated by Mindy Dwyer. Alaska Northwest Books, 2020.

Chia is cold, so cold. He’s hungry, too, as is often the case for those in his village in Alaska. One night, he ventures forth from his home in response to a strange noise and meets the Fox Man. Chia is tempted to steal and horde food, but he ultimately makes the right choice. Chia learns in the end that “doing the right thing isn’t always easy. But doing the right thing is always best.” The author/illustrators of this book are not considered #ownvoices, but they are attempting to bring to light particular stories from the Dane’ina peoples; don’t miss the back matter with glossary!

Spotted Tail by David Heska Wanbli Weiden and illustrated by Jim Yellowhawk and Pat Kinsella. Reycraft, 2019.

The only picture book biography in this lineup, Spotted Tail tells the fascinating story of a famous Lakota hero. What sets this biography apart is its stellar illustrations. Jim Yellowhawk’s artwork is traditional “ledger art,” composed on old ledger paper from the days when Native Americans were conducting trade with white settlers. Yellowhawk decorates old ledger paper with traditional symbols and art forms. Kinsella’s artwork accompanies both Yellowhawk’s art and Weiden’s narrative, making the book a full mixed-media experience. A great look at both a man and a culture, this book is a better fit for middle grades students than elementary.

Related Reading at Redeemed Reader:

• A Review: We Are Grateful: Ostaliheliga by Traci Sorell (a Cherokee book about giving thanks included in a round-up of award winners)
• A Reflection: Toward a Positive Multiculturalism in Children’s Books (and a book list)