Why Indigenous Literatures Matter

Oxford Handbook of Indigenous American Literature

The <em>Theologia Indorum</em> by Dominican friar Domingo de Vico was the first Christian theology written in the Americas. Made available in English translation for the first time, <em>Americas' First Theologies</em> presents a selection of exemplary sections from the <em>Theologia Indorum</em> that illustrate Friar Vico's doctrine of god, cosmogony, moral anthropology, understanding of natural law and biblical history, and constructive engagement with pre-Hispanic Maya religion. Rather than merely condemn the Maya religion, Vico appropriated local terms and images from Maya mythology and rituals that he thought could convey Christianity. His attempt at translating, if not reconfiguring, Christianity for a Maya readership required his mastery of not only numerous Mayan languages but also the highly poetic ceremonial rhetoric of many indigenous Mesoamerican peoples. <p/>This book also includes translations of two other pastoral texts (parts of a songbook and a catechism) and eight early documents by K'iche' and Kaqchikel Maya authors who engaged the <em>Theologia Indorum</em>. These texts, written in Highland Mayan languages both by fellow Dominicans and by Highland Maya elites demonstrate the wider influence of Vico's ethnographic approach shared by a particular school of Dominicans. Altogether, <em>The Americas' First Theologies</em> provides a rich documentary case example of the translation, reception, and reaction to Christian thought in the indigenous Americas<br>

Maddox, Lucy

Humphries, Lowe

Wong, Hertha Dawn

Leslie Marmon Silko's <em>Ceremony</em>, the most important novel of the Native American Renaissance, is among the most most widely taught and studied novels in higher education today. In it, Silko recounts a young man's search for consolation in his tribe's history and traditions, and his resulting voyage of self-discovery and discovery of the world. The fourteen essays in this casebook include a variety of theoretical approaches and provide the reader with crucial information, especially on Native American beliefs, that will enhance their understanding and appreciation of this contemporary classic. The collection also includes two interviews with Silko in which she explains the importance of the oral tradition and storytelling, along with autobiographical basis of the novel.