Tributes to Native American Tradition and Experience

Native American stories and perspectives often go unshared, yet there is immense wisdom and beauty to be observed in the traditions and beliefs of this often-overlooked group of people and cultures. Native American insights and practices have been passed down for generations, enduring a myriad of historical moments and experiences. Despite the notable hardships and resilient triumphs of this group, they are often underrepresented in the arts, and as such Native American voices and experiences are left out of important and broader cultural narratives. 

Native American Songs and Poems: An Anthology aims to reconcile this, by providing a rare glimpse into the stories and voices that comprise the Native American experience. Tribes from across the country are represented in this collection, each with their own unique pockets of knowledge and experience to contribute. 

Two themes standout in these works, which span across time, language, and experience, those being acknowledging the divinity and having a deep veneration for nature and creation, as well as the constant struggle of Native Americans to reclaim their cultural identity in the face of persecution and hardship. In reading these songs and poems, one comes to have a greater respect and appreciation for Native American thought, which honors traditions, the earth, and ancestry in a way that is often lacking from our modern, Western context. 

Below are some songs and poems that had a particular impact on me. I encourage you to take the time to reflect and contemplate on the many pockets of truth found within these pieces.