American Indian Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 1, A Special Symposium Issue on Leslie Marmon Silko's , 1979, pp. 37-46
Description
A description of the narrative style of using events in the novel Ceremony to engage the reader's attention to look into deeper into the feelings and ideas behind the narrative's actions. Silko's style is a bridge between oral and written traditions for Indigenous storytelling.
American Indian Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 1, A Special Symposium Issue on Leslie Marmon Silko's , 1979, pp. 13-18
Description
Looks at the role animals play in Leslie Silko's story and its reflections on Indigenous people needing to learn what to accept and what to resist in order to survive.
Antoine Lonesinger discusses different methods of earning a living that included making charcoal and lime. Also included is the story of a boy saved a camp from starvation with the help of the raven spirit.
Interview includes stories about a ghost priest and a non-existent camp. Also included is a story of how a lame boy's skill as a medicine man won him a chieftainship and a wife.
Interview with Mr Lonesinger who tells stories of Indian agents both good and bad. He also tells of the Battle of the Cut Knife Hill and the banning of the Sundance.
Interview includes stories of attacks on women by Blackfoot and Cree raiders. It also includes the story of the acquisition of the Sioux Dance (or Grass Dance) from the bone grass spirits.
Interview of Charlie Chief who discusses the a Grass Dance, Round Dance and Sioux Dance (including songs). Also included are songs. The discusses the difference between old and new ways. Alphonse Littlepoplar is the intterpreter
American Indian Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 1, A Special Symposium Issue on Leslie Marmon Silko's , 1979, pp. 47-62
Description
An analysis of the "tripratate" structural design of Silko's novel and how it places the hoop dance ceremony at the heart of the story despite the ritual only appearing in the middle of the novel.
Discussion by Elders who express regrets at loss of traditional customs and values and desire a return of schools on reserves ; a need to preserve Indian ceremonies and Indian medicines ; concerns about problems with alcohol recur throughout.
Elders discuss concerns regarding: loss of Indian culture and traditions; failure to educate young Indians in traditionalways; young well-educated chiefs who will not take advice from elders.
Discussion of the educational system: relative merits of day schools, residential schools, integrated schools, etc.; need for inclusion of Indian culture into the curriculum at all levels ; the role of the elder as teacher.
Discussion of Indian ceremonies: how these are passed on from generation to generation; the role of women. Tipis: particular kinds of tipis; decorated tipis; tipis inrelation to death customs. No date given but probably January 1974, same as the others in this series.
Aboriginal History , vol. 3, no. 2, 1979, pp. 115-119
Description
Begins with at an expedition to the Torres Trait where recording equipment and a Lumiére camera were used by Alfred Cort Haddon, a zoologist from England.
Interview includes a description of life on the reserve that describes milking, sheep-shearing and fishing weirs. It also consists of stories about a woman whose husband turned into a lizard; a story of Wisakedjak; and how Thunder Blanket killed his wife and then himself.
Mrs. Carter tells a story of her life. She talks of the traditional way of living; residential schools and tells how she was given her name. During the interview she also relates a tale from her grandfather about the Cree raiding Blackfoot camps.
American Indian Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 1, A Special Symposium Issue on Leslie Marmon Silko's , 1979, pp. 19-26
Description
An examination of the use of memory in the novel Ceremony. The main character Tayo has painful memories he is trying to forget but as the novel progresses he learns to embrace memories of his Indigenous traditions as a way to control his own life.