World Fantasy Con: Native American Spirits

[kate_nepveu]

Description:

Native American Spirits.
How are they different from transplanted European ghosts?
Linda Donohue, Lawrence Connolly (m), Laura Ann Hill, Adam Niswander

Joseph Bruchac (bio) was added when the moderator spotted him in the front row and asked him to join them, which is a damn good thing because otherwise the panel on Native American

Comments

[smillaraaq]

Thanks very much for this report.

Re: According to the Cherokee [*],...[*] He gave names for all the tribes in their own languages, but I wasn't able to transcribe them and I'm not sure which one he gave here.

The term he used there was likely Tsalagi.

I'm curious, in the section on Coyote, did anyone bring up any of the trickster/clown figures found in other nations -- Rabbit, Raven, Mudheads? They fill similar roles at times, but it often seems to me like Coyote is the only one who's gotten much outside attention.

Then there are things that are totally unexplainable but just there, "we know they're there, and we do our best to avoid being affected by them."

I am reminded of the final line of Sherman Alexie's The Sasquatch Poems:

When I asked the Indian elder, she said with a smile
"I don't know if I believe in Sasquatch, but he sure do stink."

If you're interested in contemporary ghost/supernatural tales from a specific tradition, for Seneca material I'd recommend Duce Bowen's books.

because otherwise the panel on Native

[kate_nepveu]

Re: Coyote & other figures, no, but that was in response to a specific question about Coyote (that I didn't include in the report, because it was frankly kind of embarrassing).

Thanks for the rec, and I share the headdesking.

[smillaraaq]

Heh, now I'm curious just how goofy the question was. ;)

[kate_nepveu]

It was "Coyote is the creator in some cultures, in others he doesn't seem to be able to make good decisions, which is he really?"

Which, to borrow a reaction from Pratchett's latest, is _the wrong type of question_.

[smillaraaq]

Ouch, now I'm almost sorry I asked. ;)