Ethnic Studies 110
Class Discussion #3 Instructions

You were assigned a group number (1-5) for the previous 2 Class Discussions.  If you were in group #5 you may choose which group to join.  Your group will give a 10 to x15 minute presentation in class on Tuesday, 5/20/08, based on the following reading:

Group #

Reading Assignment

1

Peters, Virginia Bergman. Women of the earth lodges: tribal life on the plains. ES 110 Reader

2

Wilson, Gilbert L., ed.  Buffalo Bird Women's Garden.

3

Black, Elk, and Joseph Epes Brown. The sacred pipe; Black Elk's account of the seven rites of the Oglala Sioux. ES 110 Reader

4

Peyer, Bernd C. The Singing Spirit:  Early Short Stories by North American Indians. ES110 Reader.

The assignment is to convey the main ideas of the reading and to address the following questions:

Group #

Presentation questions:

1

How do the Mandan and Hidatsa origin stories explain lifeways and gender roles?
How did these societies explain women's economic, religious, and sexual roles?
What was the importance of women in the Okipa ceremony of the Mandan?
What were the differences between women's and men's age-graded societies?

2

What kinds of knowledge did Hidatsa women like Buffalo Bird Women possess?
How did women gain the technical skills used in Hidatsa horticultural practice?
In what ways did gardening structure gender relations?
Can one identify links to religious views or ceremonies in the work?

3

How do the sacred rites come to the Lakota?
What symbolism connects the sacred pipe to the Sun Dance and other rituals?
Does the message or presentation of The Sacred Pipe show signs of non-Indian influence?
What are the purposes of the Sun Dance according to Black Elk?

4

For what audience were these stories written?
What are the authors interested in conveying?
What view of Native Americans do these stories present?
How does this view compare with that presented by Walker in Lakota Myths?

Your group will meet for 10 minutes at the beginning of class to discuss your group's presentation and their organization.
Please prepare before class ready to develop a plan for your group presentation, and please bring the readings to class.

This is a part of the class participation portion of your grade.


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Ethnic Studies 110 Class Discussion Group List

Group 1: 
Florencia Yumul
Brooks Roach
Eliza Rabinovich
Tiffany Sandoval

Daae Na Rachel
Tomlinson

Brian Wong


Group 2: 
Kaitlyn Schuesler
Renee Ríos

Wendi Yamashita
Brad Davidson

Luke Smith
Aiza Arriola

Megan Michener

Group 3: 
Kacie Smith
Megan Boyd

Emile Gerber
Lawrence W. Mojado II
Mey Stephan
Shannon Jones

Johanna Sherman

Group 4: 
Matt Christie

Brittany Trischler

LaCandice McCray
Robin Sese

Crystal DeDonne
Lindsay Weiss
Lorena Ruiz


Group 5: 
Shell-Sea Thomspon
Jonathan Clayton
Monique Rodriguez
Thao Nguyen

Nikki Peterson
David Figueroa

Bobbie Gigliotti


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