Native American Literature:
“The World on the Turtle’s
Back”
General Background
 The Native Americans who created the first American
literature were greatly influenced by their natural
surroundings.
 “They had complex religious beliefs, sophisticated
political systems, and strong social values, all reflected
in their literatures” (The Language of Literature 20).
 Most Native American literature was told through the
oral tradition. The pieces we will read in our textbook
“were collected in the early 1900’s and translated into
English by anthropologists” (21).
Influences in Native American
Literature
 Most Native American literature emphasizes a
harmonious relationship with the natural world.
 “In Native American belief, humans have a kinship with
animals, plants, the land, heavenly bodies, and the
elements” (21).
 Native Americans placed great importance on
maintaining “a right relationship with the world around
them”, and this can be seen reflected in their literature.
“The World on the Turtle’s Back”:
An Iroquois Myth
 The piece we are reading today is “an Iroquois explanation
of how the world was created” (24).
 “Iroquois refers to a league of 5 separate Native American
peoples-the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, and
Mohawk-who united in confederation in the 14th century”
(24).
 The Iroquois lived in the “woodlands of what is now New
York State, the region roughly extending from the Hudson
River in the east to the Great Lakes in the west” (24).
Important Literary Terms to Know
 Myth: a traditional story, passed down through
generations, that explains why the world is the way it is.
Events usually result from the actions of supernatural
beings.
 Creation myth: explains how the universe, earth, and life
began.
 Oral Tradition: passing down a culture’s history and
stories by word-of-mouth rather than writing them down.