Post by Okwes on Apr 26, 2007 12:21:39 GMT -5
Where Naperville Reads author found inspiration: his American Indian
culture
By Amy Boerema
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Joseph Bruchac makes his living telling stories about American Indian
culture.
But growing up, the author wasn't encouraged to explore his roots.
He says he didn't actually become interested in the stories of his
heritage until he was an adult.
Bruchac, the featured children's author for the city-wide Naperville
Reads campaign, is visiting town this week and will meet the community
at large at 7 p.m. Thursday in the auditorium of Naperville Central High
School, 440 W. Aurora Ave.
This year's Reads campaign is emphasizing multiculturalism; Bruchac
and his books, including "Jim Thorpe: Original All-American,"
focus on American Indian issues.
Others involved in Naperville Reads include young-adult author Greg
Mortenson, who comes to town next week with his book "Three Cups of
Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations …
One School at a Time;" and adult author Lisa See, whose
Chinese-American focus will be on display later this month when she
discusses "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."
Bruchac, a New York-based writer who also is Slovak and English, was
raised by Abenaki grandparents. But they lived during a time when people
weren't encouraged to be proud of their Indian heritage.
When Bruchac had two sons, he began telling them traditional stories of
the Iroquois and Abenaki, a group from the Northeast Woodlands.
His first children's book, a collection of some of the stories he
told, was published in 1975. Soon after, he spoke for the first time at
a school. His career flourished from there.
Bruchac has since written more than 100 stories and speaks at schools
across the country every year.
Before his trip to Naperville, he spoke with the Daily Herald about his
career and his involvement in the Reads campaign.
Q. What do you find most fascinating about the Abenaki culture?
A. It's part of my own ancestry through my mom's side. There are
many stories to be told in American history, and those stories are
seldom told from anything other than a European perspective.
One reason I'm fascinated by the whole multicultural aspect of
literature for young people is not because it's better or truer, but
because it offers a deeper and wider perspective.
Q. Did you embrace your heritage as a child?
A. Many teachers and friends of mine were graduates of Indian boarding
school. They told me how they were beaten if they spoke a word of
(Abenaki).
When my younger son was learning the language, he went to a reservation
and said to some of the elders, "I would love to hear you speak
Abenaki." They said, "Whenever I try to, I remember how I was
beaten … and I get a headache." There was a lot of pressure to
conform to what was the norm.
Q. What sparked your interest in your culture?
A. I was raised by my grandparents on the Abenaki side, and my
grandfather was very native in appearance and had a very strong
relationship to the natural world.
I was like his shadow. At some point in my life, I realized I wanted to
learn the stories he never told me; I wanted to learn the history he
never talked about.
He would say things like, "I left fourth grade and never went
back." They called him a "dirty Indian." I wanted to learn
what it was he had to hide from because of prejudice and
misunderstanding.
Oftentimes, family secrets are what everyone knows but no one talks
about. That secret of my family ancestry really fascinated me.
When you begin to learn something, often you realize it fits who you
are. When I began learning those stories, it explained so much I
hadn't understood before.
For example, in native cultures, in child-rearing, you're never
supposed to strike your children or shout at them. Instead, you speak
softly and set a good example. I was never hit by my grandparents. I
thought everyone was raised that way.
I'm not saying everything of European ancestry is bad. There's
much that is wonderful and inspiring. But the situation as it was when
my grandfather was growing up was basically: "Everything that is
white is good. Everything that is not is either bad or suspect."
Q. How did you develop a pride in that culture?
A. The more I learned, the more I saw that was admirable and important
to know and eventually to share.
The importance of the environmental ethic, being in a good relationship
with the earth and ecosystem, people are taking for granted now. But
when I was growing up, it was not a norm in American culture.
I think it's important to use stories to teach lessons. The idea is
that every story should be interesting so people will listen to it and
it should be useful so they will learn from it.
Every human has two ears and one mouth, reminding them to listen twice
as much as they talk. And we have two ears because there's always
two sides to each story.
Q. What kinds of questions do children ask?
A. Sometimes they ask me very amusing questions. If you're dealing
with real little kids, that is a hoot. At a program for preschoolers,
one asked, "What did you say your name was?" I said,
"Joe." (The child) said, "Joe, could you tie my shoe?"
They often ask, "Is that story true?" I always say, "Well,
is the lesson in it true?"
People ask me things like "Where are your feathers?" and
"How come you're not dressed like Chief White Eagle?"
Q. What has been a highlight of your career?
A. I always think when you're able to do what you love, that's
the highlight of your career. And I do that every morning when I get up.
I'll continue writing until they pry my cold, dead fingers from the
keyboard.
When I'm in the midst of writing a story or a poem, it's a
marvelous experience. I can feel the endorphins coursing through my
body.
The idea of sharing a story is equally inspiring. Because when I'm
telling a story to a group of people, I'm really listening to it at
the same time. I feel as if the story is letting me tell it.
Q. Tell us about your newest book, "Jim Thorpe: Original
All-American."
A. It's the second book I've written about Jim Thorpe. Although
I never met him myself, I met his surviving children. I told it in
first-person based on things he wrote and said and records of the time.
To me, Jim Thorpe exemplifies the best of amateur sports and the best of
professional sports and also the problems that are still here today,
(like) the way athletes get taken advantage of, the blurred line between
who's a professional and an amateur, the way athletes are used to
sell things, the relationship between athlete and coach.
It's a fascinating story. And the idea that an Indian would go on to
be a football coach or a college professor or an internationally known
athlete like Jim Thorpe — that was not at all what was expected.
Q. What inspires you?
A. I'm always inspired by the story itself. Story is my great
inspiration, hearing stories, seeing stories occur and sometimes living
stories.
Everyone has a story to tell. I hope as a writer and a storyteller, I
remind people they have stories, they have family, they have a history
and everyone is part of the circle.
Q. One last really important question. Are you a Bears fan?
A. Actually, I am. I'm a big sports fan. Thank goodness (quarterback
Rex Grossman has) got his passing game in gear. That's all I have to
say about that.
culture
By Amy Boerema
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Joseph Bruchac makes his living telling stories about American Indian
culture.
But growing up, the author wasn't encouraged to explore his roots.
He says he didn't actually become interested in the stories of his
heritage until he was an adult.
Bruchac, the featured children's author for the city-wide Naperville
Reads campaign, is visiting town this week and will meet the community
at large at 7 p.m. Thursday in the auditorium of Naperville Central High
School, 440 W. Aurora Ave.
This year's Reads campaign is emphasizing multiculturalism; Bruchac
and his books, including "Jim Thorpe: Original All-American,"
focus on American Indian issues.
Others involved in Naperville Reads include young-adult author Greg
Mortenson, who comes to town next week with his book "Three Cups of
Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations …
One School at a Time;" and adult author Lisa See, whose
Chinese-American focus will be on display later this month when she
discusses "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."
Bruchac, a New York-based writer who also is Slovak and English, was
raised by Abenaki grandparents. But they lived during a time when people
weren't encouraged to be proud of their Indian heritage.
When Bruchac had two sons, he began telling them traditional stories of
the Iroquois and Abenaki, a group from the Northeast Woodlands.
His first children's book, a collection of some of the stories he
told, was published in 1975. Soon after, he spoke for the first time at
a school. His career flourished from there.
Bruchac has since written more than 100 stories and speaks at schools
across the country every year.
Before his trip to Naperville, he spoke with the Daily Herald about his
career and his involvement in the Reads campaign.
Q. What do you find most fascinating about the Abenaki culture?
A. It's part of my own ancestry through my mom's side. There are
many stories to be told in American history, and those stories are
seldom told from anything other than a European perspective.
One reason I'm fascinated by the whole multicultural aspect of
literature for young people is not because it's better or truer, but
because it offers a deeper and wider perspective.
Q. Did you embrace your heritage as a child?
A. Many teachers and friends of mine were graduates of Indian boarding
school. They told me how they were beaten if they spoke a word of
(Abenaki).
When my younger son was learning the language, he went to a reservation
and said to some of the elders, "I would love to hear you speak
Abenaki." They said, "Whenever I try to, I remember how I was
beaten … and I get a headache." There was a lot of pressure to
conform to what was the norm.
Q. What sparked your interest in your culture?
A. I was raised by my grandparents on the Abenaki side, and my
grandfather was very native in appearance and had a very strong
relationship to the natural world.
I was like his shadow. At some point in my life, I realized I wanted to
learn the stories he never told me; I wanted to learn the history he
never talked about.
He would say things like, "I left fourth grade and never went
back." They called him a "dirty Indian." I wanted to learn
what it was he had to hide from because of prejudice and
misunderstanding.
Oftentimes, family secrets are what everyone knows but no one talks
about. That secret of my family ancestry really fascinated me.
When you begin to learn something, often you realize it fits who you
are. When I began learning those stories, it explained so much I
hadn't understood before.
For example, in native cultures, in child-rearing, you're never
supposed to strike your children or shout at them. Instead, you speak
softly and set a good example. I was never hit by my grandparents. I
thought everyone was raised that way.
I'm not saying everything of European ancestry is bad. There's
much that is wonderful and inspiring. But the situation as it was when
my grandfather was growing up was basically: "Everything that is
white is good. Everything that is not is either bad or suspect."
Q. How did you develop a pride in that culture?
A. The more I learned, the more I saw that was admirable and important
to know and eventually to share.
The importance of the environmental ethic, being in a good relationship
with the earth and ecosystem, people are taking for granted now. But
when I was growing up, it was not a norm in American culture.
I think it's important to use stories to teach lessons. The idea is
that every story should be interesting so people will listen to it and
it should be useful so they will learn from it.
Every human has two ears and one mouth, reminding them to listen twice
as much as they talk. And we have two ears because there's always
two sides to each story.
Q. What kinds of questions do children ask?
A. Sometimes they ask me very amusing questions. If you're dealing
with real little kids, that is a hoot. At a program for preschoolers,
one asked, "What did you say your name was?" I said,
"Joe." (The child) said, "Joe, could you tie my shoe?"
They often ask, "Is that story true?" I always say, "Well,
is the lesson in it true?"
People ask me things like "Where are your feathers?" and
"How come you're not dressed like Chief White Eagle?"
Q. What has been a highlight of your career?
A. I always think when you're able to do what you love, that's
the highlight of your career. And I do that every morning when I get up.
I'll continue writing until they pry my cold, dead fingers from the
keyboard.
When I'm in the midst of writing a story or a poem, it's a
marvelous experience. I can feel the endorphins coursing through my
body.
The idea of sharing a story is equally inspiring. Because when I'm
telling a story to a group of people, I'm really listening to it at
the same time. I feel as if the story is letting me tell it.
Q. Tell us about your newest book, "Jim Thorpe: Original
All-American."
A. It's the second book I've written about Jim Thorpe. Although
I never met him myself, I met his surviving children. I told it in
first-person based on things he wrote and said and records of the time.
To me, Jim Thorpe exemplifies the best of amateur sports and the best of
professional sports and also the problems that are still here today,
(like) the way athletes get taken advantage of, the blurred line between
who's a professional and an amateur, the way athletes are used to
sell things, the relationship between athlete and coach.
It's a fascinating story. And the idea that an Indian would go on to
be a football coach or a college professor or an internationally known
athlete like Jim Thorpe — that was not at all what was expected.
Q. What inspires you?
A. I'm always inspired by the story itself. Story is my great
inspiration, hearing stories, seeing stories occur and sometimes living
stories.
Everyone has a story to tell. I hope as a writer and a storyteller, I
remind people they have stories, they have family, they have a history
and everyone is part of the circle.
Q. One last really important question. Are you a Bears fan?
A. Actually, I am. I'm a big sports fan. Thank goodness (quarterback
Rex Grossman has) got his passing game in gear. That's all I have to
say about that.