Rather than sharing stories, songs, and dances from grandparent to parent to child, many signs of “Indianness” were hidden and replaced with English culture. If our ancestors survived through oral tradition-not the written documents we study them through-one must ask, “ What is left of Nansemond oral tradition? Where did all the storytellers go?” Through forced assimilation and language loss, indigenous oral traditions were disrupted. Many people, including myself, have spent years immersed in historical and genealogical research of Elizabeth’s descendants but far less have studied the unique culture that raised her. Yet, the trajectory of her life changed when she was baptized and married. Elizabeth was one of over a thousand Nansemond who was born, lived, and died in settlements surrounding the Nansemond River. 1618), a “Christianized” Nansemond woman and daughter of a Nansemond Chief. 1616), an English colonist and minister, and Elizabeth (b. The ancestral couple at the core of many Nansemond families is John Bass(e) (b. Nye) interviews a “colored” man who was a “very old inhabitant of the swamp.” This article is one of many that demonstrate that people of color also kept indigenous oral traditions that preceded their ancestors’ arrival in the area. These accounts are part of the survival story of Nansemond diaspora communities that continued to use the swamp through colonial displacement.Īsheville Citizen Times, Saturday, July 6, 1895. Indians were known for telling “fantastic tales” about the swamp that were “ fearful yet beautiful” and “ interwoven with mysticism of the area” yet often proven true. Historical accounts describe the swamp as a refuge for Indians who were displaced from their ancestral territory by colonists. There is evidence of Indian oral tradition within the Great Dismal Swamp. Storytellers often capture a variety of lessons in one story and emphasize points that are meaningful at the moment. In contrast to journalism, in which the goal is to present events as objectively as possible, storytelling can be subjective and evolve through experience. Stories blended fantasy, reality, and personal and collective tribal memories. Before newspapers, telephones, motion pictures, radio, television, or the internet, storytellers captivated audiences with their creativity. In addition to its use in education, storytelling was also a form of entertainment. The Genesis of the United States: A Narrative of the Movement in England, 1605-1616 (Pages 498-499) The English at the time perceived Nansemond spirituality “ as witch-like and devilish.” 6 These descriptions are reminders of Nansemond culture before English influence and are evidence of our belief in song and dance as a means to influence the natural world. 5 Another account from Alexander Whitaker, a clergyman, from the spring of 1611 describes the Nansemond dancing and flame-throwing to produce rain. 4Ĭaptain John Smith’s account from the summer of 1608 describes the Nansemond using song and dance to communicate with his crew. Oral tradition was used to educate youth about the environment, survival, other tribal communities, moral values, and more. Story, song, and dance were our original forms of knowledge management and were passed from generation to generation. The Importance of Oral Tradition in Native American Cultureīefore anything else, it is important to understand that indigenous people of this region lived for thousands of years without written language. the effects of disruption in oral tradition, and.the importance of oral tradition in Native American culture,.In this article, I will contextualize the Firebird legend by sharing: Our families have always flowed across the boundaries drawn around us, and victory over the Firebird tells us that our ancestors did not fear the swamp but chose to face its dangers and survive in a place where most colonists would not venture.ĭespite my fascination, I was surprised to learn how few people knew the story when I started sharing it two years ago. 3 The origin story of Lake Drummond, which sits right at the Virginia-North Carolina state line, is characteristic of indigenous resistance to colonial borders.
TEMPLATE FOR A THUNDERBIRD NATIVE AMERICAN FREE
The swamp is the geographic center of several Nansemond diaspora communities, many of which merged with descendants of other nearby tribes and free people of color. Satellite View of Great Dismal Swamp 2011 WildfireĪs a descendant of a Nansemond family that migrated around the Great Dismal Swamp, this story fascinates me.
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