Prairie Artists: Keith Bear - Turtle and Pretty Crane

Renowned Mandan and Hidatsa storyteller and flute player Keith Bear, from Drags Wolf Village on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation of northwestern North Dakota, tells the traditional story Turtle and Pretty Crane. The narrative is described by Keith as an American Indian “Romeo and Juliet.” He explains that Native stories are told to entertain, but also to teach provoke thought, and encourage imagination. Turtle and Pretty Crane expresses loss, generosity, longing and eternal love. The traditional story told is included also in greater detail on the North Dakota Council on the Arts-produced CD Morning Star Whispered.

Lesson plan with Benchmarks and Standards for Grades 9-12: Music, English Language Arts, and Social Studies



Download Video Right Click for Download Options

Producer

Bob Dambach (Producer); Heidi Nelson (Editor), Dave Geck (Videographer), Barb Gravel (Production Manager)

Source

"Prairie Artists" Prairie Public 2009

Grade Level

9-12

Subject Matter

Arts - Music, English Language Arts, Social Studies

Related Media

  1. Prairie Artists: Keith Bear - Morning Star Whispered
     Video: Native American artist Keith Bear provides a musical accompaniment to the story of Turtle and Pretty Crane.
  2. Prairie Artists: Mary Louise Defender Wilson - The Woman Who Turned Herself to Stone
     Video: Native storyteller Mary Louise Defender Wilson tells the story of the woman who turned herself to stone.
  3. Prairie Artists: Norik Astvatsaturov - God Given: Cultural Treasures of Armenia
     Video: A recent Armenian immigrant demonstrates his metal sculpture and talks about the contrasts between his life in Azerbaijan and his new life in North Dakota.
  4. Prairie Artists: Walter Piehl
     Video: Minot artist Walter Piehl, using acrylic on canvas or paper, treats Western Americana themes with modern art influences and interpetation.
    5. {REL[6614][MediaGroups_File6]Xhr9b8CGREL}