We’re Still Here!
Loss and Survival in Native American Religions
Syllabus for Religion 3300-DJ1 Fall 2013
Interdisciplinary Dyad: Native American Religions
(Religion and English)
Dr. Charles Zimmerman, Jr.
Office: Towers 320
Office Hours: 9:30-10:30 MWTRF
or by appointment
Telephone: 823-1363 (Office)
890-5315 (Home)
E-mail: czimmerman@otterbein.edu
Feeding two birds with one crust (which is far better than killing
them with one stone). . .
As the syllabus title indicates, this course is housed in the Religion Department and can be taken either for
Religion (or university elective) credit, or as a way of satisfying the INST dyad requirement. The
expectations for these two approaches are slightly different, and as a result, I’ve divided the syllabus into
three parts: Part 1 describes the information everyone will need to complete the course; Part 2 describes
information and requirements important for INST dyad students; Part 3 contains information of use to those
taking the course for religion (or university elective) credit.
PART 1: INFORMATION AND REQUIRMENTS THAT APPLY TO EVERYONE
1. What you can expect from the course itself
Regardless of how you registered for it, the course now functions as Integrative Studies dyad. Students
taking the dyad will examine Native American culture through two disciplinary lenses, religion and
literature. The title of the entire dyad is We’re Still Here! Loss and Survival in and of Native American
Cultures. Dr. Daugherty and I described it this way:
In this dyad, students will encounter cultures largely unfamiliar to most modern non-native
Americans. In the case of Native American cultures, a twofold dynamic operates: most students
are shocked to learn about the cultural, and even literal, genocide inflicted on Native Americans
and their cultures since European contact and angrily wonder why they’ve never been told about
it before. The courses in our dyad will carefully examine this question. At the same time, many
students struggle as their own religions and cultures – things most of them hold very dear – are
repeatedly critiqued as the causes of incredible pain and suffering for American Indians. Thus
we will examine and experience the hard work underlying cross-cultural encounters. It’s our hope
that out of this experience our students will come to value and even respect Native American cultures.
Finally, the title of our dyad captures another unifying concept, the losses within and of native
cultures and those cultures’ resistance against erasure. Native Americans are still here, and our
dyad will ask students to come to grips with the hard truth that they still face huge challenges in
our society. At the same time, White Americans must confront this fact: native peoples aren’t
just Native Americans; they are Americans.
~2~
Beyond those “dyad-ic” concerns, this course is designed as a descriptive survey of the publically recorded
religious concepts and practices of Native American peoples. As you will quickly learn, there are important
ethical obligations on non-natives who wish to learn about American Indian religions. Most natives would
insist that any authentic interpretation of the spiritual meaning of their beliefs and ceremonies must be
grounded in the culture itself, in its language and in its oral traditions. Obviously, we do not fit that
expectation. Instead, we will engage in what I intend to be a respectful, sympathetic summary of what
various native cultures believe and practice, but as outsiders, we cannot (and should not) hope to go deeper
than that. You will hear the phrase “Those who say do not know, and those who know will not say,” in
several of the films I will show you. We are dealing with sacred matters in this course, and it will be
important to restrict ourselves to the public record – to those details that responsible native scholars have
seen fit to make available to the larger world.
2. Attendance: you are allowed three no-questions-asked absences, after which your overall course grade
will be lowered one increment for each additional absence (an A would be reduced to A- or further
depending on the number of absences. If illness or emergency requires more than three absences, check
with me.
3. Class Participation: a portion of class time each week will be devoted to discussion of topics we are
studying; both the quality and quantity of your contribution will be evaluated as part of the participation
grade. You may use laptops for taking notes, but texting or use of other electronics during class is
strongly discouraged. I have no intention or desire to function as the “texting police,” but I will regard
persistent use of such devices as the equivalent of at least one absence and perhaps more depending on
circumstances.
4. Reading: There are five required textbooks for the course (available in the Otterbein bookstore)
Tom Brown, Jr., The Vision, Berkeley Books.
Crow Dog and Erdoes, Crow Dog: Four Generations of Sioux Medicine Men,
Harper Perennial
Sam Gill, Native American Religions, Wadsworth
Arthur Versluis, Sacred Earth: The Spiritual Landscape of Native America, Inner
Traditions
William A. Young, Quest for Harmony: Native American Spiritual Traditions, Hackett
These texts are assigned according to a schedule (see below), and selections are to be read by the end of
the week for which they are designated. Questions from these readings will be incorporated into the
weekly quizzes.
5. Quizzes:
There will be six short objective quizzes coming roughly every two weeks. These tests will cover the
lectures, films, and assigned readings for the period designated in the course schedule. Missed quizzes
may be made up, although I prefer that students make arrangements to do so before the quiz is returned to
the class.
~3~
6. Reaction Papers:
You should plan to complete four reaction papers during the semester in which you respond to and reflect
on something from one of the films shown in the class, something from one of the readings, or other
aspects of the course. The prompts for these essays are different for Religion and INST Dyad students;
check the section of the syllabus that pertains to you for more information.
It’s been my experience that many students put off these essays until the very last of the term. To avoid
that, you must adhere to the schedule below. Unless you ask for and receive an extension, late papers
will be penalized a full letter grade.
The reaction papers should be about two pages in length, typed and double spaced. As part of the paper’s
header, briefly identify the film/reading/lecture you wish to respond to and then proceed with your work.
7. Examinations:
There will be a midterm and final exam. Both examinations will focus on that portion of the course
immediately preceding them, although the Final will draw on some material from the entire quarter.
8. COURSE GRADE
Final grades will be computed on the following basis:
Quizzes . . . . . . . . . . . . 30%
Mid-Term Exam. . . . . 25%
Reaction Papers . . . . . . 10%
Final Exam . . . . . . . . . 30%
Participation. . . . . . . . . 5%
The following grading scale will be used for all quizzes, exams, papers, and the final grade:
A+ = 97-100 B+ = 87-89
A = 93-96 B = 83-86
A- = 90-92 B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63-66
D- = 60-62
F = grades below 60
9. DISABILITY POLICY
Otterbein University is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities have access to an education, a
policy that I personally welcome and heartily endorse. In order to receive appropriate accommodations,
however, it is required that you first be registered with the Office for Disability Services. The ODS
coordinator is Kera Manley, and you can reach her at kmanley@otterbein.edu or at x1618. In addition to
that, I strongly encourage you to schedule an individual meeting with me as early in the semester as possible
so that we might discuss your needs and accommodation requests. You should know that I will also consult
with the ODS as I seek to learn how I might best meet your needs.
10. DISHONEST WORK
Although examples of cheating abound in our culture – from distorted income reports of major corporations
to fudged private income tax returns – cheating is dishonest in any form. The academic world is subject to
its own forms of dishonesty, and Otterbein University does not accept or condone such acts. It is your
responsibility to know the forms academic cheating can take, and to avoid them. To that end, please
read carefully the section on Plagiarism, Cheating and Dishonesty in the Campus Life Handbook.
~4~
The handbook discusses two forms of cheating that might occur in this class: cheating on exams and on
focus papers. It also gives examples of both. If you have any question about what might constitute
plagiarism, talk with me or another professor on campus. Nowadays, a particularly tempting form of
academic dishonesty involves copying material from the Internet. There are very simple notations one can
use to acknowledge taking material from the Internet and so avoid charges of plagiarism. If you do not know
these notations, check with me!!
Violations of the university’s policy on academic dishonesty may result in a 0 for a given assignment, or an
F for the course, depending on the circumstances. Such violations will also be reported to Otterbein’s Vice
President for Academic Affairs. Be aware that students may appeal such penalties through the Vice
President for Academic Affairs to the Appeals Council, but it’s best to avoid having to seek those
alternatives.
PART 2: INFORMATION AND REQUIRMENTS UNIQUE TO INST DYAD STUDENTS
1. Some information about the dyad’s second half. . .
Students in Dr. Daugherty’s course will learn about Native American cultures through reading and
discussing the literatures created by people identifying themselves as indigenous North Americans from the
period prior to European contact through the present day. A few works by non-Native authors may be
included for cultural context. We will read from both oral and written traditions, from a variety of Native
cultures, and in numerous genres, including stories, poetry, autobiographies, political treatises, speeches,
essays, novels, and film. Roughly chronological, the material in the course will be grouped thematically to
help us comprehend and grapple with the loss and survival inherent in Native American life. Because the
Native American literary tradition is so rich and varied, the course will use book clubs and other strategies to
ensure that students learn about as many texts as possible. The course relies heavily on small group and
class discussion, but will also include occasional guest speakers and multimedia presentations. Our readings
will build on and use knowledge of Native American religions gained through the other course in this dyad,
RELG 3300.
2. Where the dyad fits in the INST Program
In the revised Integrative Studies Program, you start with an FYS (Freshman Year Seminar), which is part of
the larger year-long FYE (First Year Experience), and an INST 1500 Identity Project and writing intensive
course. Then you move through four 2000-level threads: Interconnections; Reflection and Responsibility;
Natural Foundations; Creativity and Culture. At the 3000 and 4000-level, you take an INST Dyad, a pair of
linked courses from different disciplines that share a central issue, problem, or topical focus. To finish your
liberal arts education at Otterbein, you take a “keystone” course, the SYE (Senior Year Experience), which
gives you the opportunity to draw upon what you’ve learned in your major, your INST classes, and your
experiences beyond the classroom in order to act, reflect, and transition to the world beyond campus.
So Otterbein’s INST program has set a pretty big task for itself: it aims to prepare our graduates for the
challenges and complexity of a 21st century world. It foregrounds interdisciplinary and integrative skills,
competencies, and ways of knowing. All this is committed to the premise that one’s learning should serve
and shape one’s chosen responsibilities in and to the world.
~5~
The courses in the Integrative Studies Program are designed to work together, and aim to:
(1) inspire intellectual curiosity about the world as it is and a deeper understanding of the global condition
(2) help you cultivate intercultural knowledge and competencies
(3) promote active and critical reflection on the human self in its full range of contexts
(4) challenge you to critically examine your ethical responsibilities and choices in both local and global
contexts
(5) encourage purposeful public engagement and social responsibility
As you’re probably aware, each of those goals has been divided into multiple “learning outcomes.” No one
course could possibly speak to all of them, but in this course you can expect to see emphasis on the following
(some of the language has been slightly altered or abbreviated to fit the boxes). In the column to the right of
each outcome, I’ve tried to explain what aspect of the course focuses on that outcome, or how in particular
you will be achieving that outcome in this course.
Goal 1.1 focus on the interdependencies in human,
natural, and physical worlds
Goal 2.1 understand the
diversity of beliefs, practices
across cultures and historical
eras
Goal 3.4: recognize and engage
with that which is other or
unfamiliar
Goal 4. 1: affirm the value of
an enlarged ethical
responsibility to persons,
natural world, future
generations.
Goal 5.4: see selves as
responsible persons who can act
to improve, reshape the world.
One of the most critical concerns of Native American culture is the
interdependence of the human, natural, and physical worlds.
Virtually every film shown in the course speaks to this issue, as do
the textbooks and lectures. Among other things you’ll learn the
significance of the Lakota phrase “Mitakuyase – All my relations.”
This is the concept around which this dyad is formed. In this
course you’ll learn about Native American spiritual beliefs, ceremonies, mythology, and life ways. Be prepared to learn that White
culture has waged cultural and physical genocide against these
peoples, and so to find your own values seriously called into question.
Native American religions really fit no religious pattern familiar to
most Westerners; in effect none of the “-isms” you may be familiar
with (monotheism, polytheism, animism) are entirely applicable to
them. Whether it’s the notion that even stones should be seen as
persons or the belief that shamans regularly leave their bodies to travel
into the sky or beneath the sea, this course will be a daily exercise in
encountering the unfamiliar.
While it might seem that outcome 3, sustainability, would be a natural
fit for this course most Native Americans explain that they’re having a
hard enough time just surviving to help Westerners undo the
ecological damage they’ve done. Instead, “ethical responsibility to
other persons and the natural world” is a better fit. Although the
lectures and films deal extensively with this subject, you will be
asked to write an essay about your own responsibility to persons
as Native Americans understand that term.
An entire unit of the course is devoted to challenges Native peoples
face in the modern world. One of the papers you will write in the
course asks you to reflect on ways that you might help. We will
also discuss this question in class.
~6~
3. Course requirements for Integrative Studies students
Some of your requirements will differ slightly from those expected of students taking the course for Religion
credit, although none of them are any different from what you’d be asked to do in any Integrative Studies
Course.
(1) Writing Assignments
As you’ve seen, everyone will write four essays during the semester. Your first two essays should address
films or lectures just as the students who are taking the course for Religion credit will be doing.
But the last two essays should address the prompts below. As the chart above explains, writing these papers
will have you specifically addressing two of the INST outcomes this course is supposed to focus on. In both
papers, you’ll be thinking about your ethical responsibility to the natural world and to future generations.
Prompt 1:
Insofar as our course has drastically redefined who a “person” is, what is my ethical responsibility to other
persons and to the natural world?
Prompt 2 (I suggest that you use this prompt for essay 4; we will have talked about this issue by then):
What are some ways that I could make even a small difference about the poverty and hopelessness many
Native Americans face in today’s world?
(2) E-Portfolio Requirement
You will be expected to select 2-3 learning artifacts from your INST courses for inclusion in your Eportfolios. The most obvious selections would be a couple of your essays for the course, but you might
choose to post a portion of one of your completed study guides as evidence of what you’ve learned. I will
suggest other possibilities in class.
(3) Curriculum-related Campus Events
Students in all Integrative Studies Courses are expected to attend lectures, musical and or theatrical
performances, or other cultural events on campus during the semester in which they are taking the course.
You are required to attend four such events, and to bring me a one-page reaction paper. Attendance at
sporting events does count, but only one may be used to meet the required number. Similarly, one paper may
be a reaction to an art exhibit. You must have attended and reported on one event by the end of week 4; the
second must be completed by the end of week 9, the third by the end of week 12, and the fourth by the end
of week 15. I WILL NOT ACCEPT THESE REPORTS MORE THAN A WEEK AFTER THESE
DEADLINES HAVE PASSED. You may attend events earlier than this schedule dictates.
~7~
PART 3: INFORMATION UNIQUE TO RELIGION AND/OR ELECTIVE STUDENTS
There’s not a great deal here that hasn’t already been covered, but here are a couple of items:
1. Some information about the Religion course. . .
A Religion Major consists of at least 32 semester hours (8 4-hour courses). Students pursuing that major
choose their course work from a menu of options that presents them with a mix of traditional “Western”
religions (we call them Religions of the Book: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and religions coming from a
variety of other cultures and viewpoints (we call them Comparative Studies). Religion 3300 is housed in the
Comparative Studies section, and can be one way of satisfying that part of a Religion Major’s requirements.
Of course, it’s entirely possible that you are taking the course purely out of curiosity, and will be counting it
toward your university elective hours. In either case, you may safely ignore the INST requirements
described above.
2. Requirements unique to students taking the course for Religion or elective credit. . . .
As you’ve already seen, you will be asked to write four essays during the semester. I would prefer (but am
not requiring) that each of these essays address a different aspect of the course: a lecture, something you’ve
read, something you learned in one of the films, the visit from our guest speakers.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1: Introduction and Historical Survey
READING: Gill, Native American Religions, Chapters 1-3
WEEK 2: Completion of Historical Survey
READING: Gill, Native American Religions, Chapters 4-7
QUIZ 1 – THURSDAY, SEPT. 5
WEEK 3: Ancient Indians and Cultures
READING: Versluis, Sacred Earth, Parts 1-2
ESSAY #1 DUE THUR., SEPT 12
~8~
WEEK 4: Common Features and Patterns of American Indian Religions: Concept of
Reality; Concept of Person
READING: Versluis, Sacred Earth, Part 3
QUIZ 2 – THURSDAY, SEPT. 19
WEEK 5: Common Features and Patterns of American Indian Religions: The Creator and Other Spiritual
Beings
READING: Young, Quest for Harmony, Chapters 1-2
ESSAY #2 DUE THUR., SEPT. 26
WEEK 6: Common Features and Patterns of American Indian Religions: Shamans, Holy Persons,
Medicine People, Medicine Societies
READING: Young, Quest for Harmony, Chapters 3-5
QUIZ 3 – THURSDAY OCT. 3
WEEK 7: Common Features and Patters of American Indian Religions: Quests for Spiritual Power
MIDTERM EXAM – THURSDAY, OCT. 10
WEEK 8: FALL BREAK (Oct. 14-16); our class will meet on Thursday, Oct. 17
WEEK 9: Common Features and Patterns of American Indian Religions: Medicine Bundles, Life
After Death
READING: Young, Quest For Harmony, Chapters 6-7
WEEK 10: Common Features and Patterns of American Indian Religions: The Importance of Place,
Comparison With Other Religious Patterns
QUIZ 4 – THURSDAY, OCT. 31
~9~
WEEK 11: The Role of Myth in Native American Culture and Religions
READING: Crow Dog and Erdoes, Crow Dog, Chapters 1-8
ESSAY #3 DUE THUR., NOV. 7
WEEK 12: Tribal Ceremonies
READING: Crow Dog and Erdoes, Crow Dog, Chapters 9-17
QUIZ 5 – THURSDAY, NOV. 14
WEEK 13: Tribal Ceremonies Continued
READING: Crow Dog and Erdoes, Crow Dog, Chapters 18-25
ESSAY #4 DUE THUR. NOV. 21
WEEK 14: Tribal Ceremonies Continued (Thanksgiving Break begins on Wed., Nov. 27)
READING: Brown, The Vision
QUIZ 6 – TUESDAY NOV. 26
WEEK 15: Modern Developments in Native American Religions
READING: Finish The Vision if you have not already done so
FINAL EXAM: MONDAY, DEC. 9, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.