ABSTRACT
Oral traditions are critical elements in the transmission of cultural knowledge and language for many Indigenous communities including Pueblo Indian languages of the American southwest. This is reflected in the vital link between Pueblo languages and the sociocultural and socio-religious contexts that are vital to Pueblo life. The importance of identity and place, an inseparable element of “cultural literacy” development, is discussed, drawing upon examples of shared learning experiences in Pueblo community life. These experiences illustrate how oral traditions employ important forms of pedagogy and practice and form the basis for culture and language acquisition. Intergenerational mentoring, another significant aspect of Pueblo children’s culture and language learning experiences, contributes to the development of cultural literacy skills learned through cultural practices and place-based local ecologies. In contrast to Indigenous language literacy development, recent Pueblo language initiatives that have re-centered oral traditions as their pedagogical foundation are described in terms of their goals for Indigenous language and culture survival.
