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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. For how long does the author say the commodity economy has been here on Turtle Island in "The Gift of Strawberries"?

2. "Hydrodictyon" is said to be Latin for what, in "A Mother's Work"?

3. Who stated that “objects . . . will remain plentiful because they are treated as gifts" (43)?

4. From where were the author's ancestors first removed from their land, according to the narrative in "The Council of Pecans"?

5. What is the animate form of "to be," in the author's people's language?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the narrative style in Braiding Sweetgrass. Why is this narrative perspective important?

2. How does the author describe sweetgrass in relation to gifts?

3. What is one of the significant morals of the Skywoman story?

4. What gift did the author bestow on Hazel in "Witch Hazel"?

5. How do trees communicate?

6. How does the concept of gift-giving differ between viewpoints of a private property economy and a gift economy?

7. How does the author discern between a gift and a commodity?

8. What is the predominant theme in Tending Sweetgrass?

9. What did the author discover when she returned home in "The Consolation of Water Lilies"?

10. Who is Nanabozho? Why is his story important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the meaning of sweetgrass to the Potawatomi people. What does sweetgrass symbolize? How is it used? How is it tended and harvested? What lessons can be learned from sweetgrass?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the concept of despair. Why is despair a negative emotion, according to the author? What should replace despair? How do we go about recovering from despair in relation to the environment and climate change?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the story of Skywoman and how this Creation story influences Native American actions, culture, and traditions. How does the Skywoman story differ from the story of Genesis in the Judeo-Christian Creation story? How are these differences reflected in our societies? What does Skywoman represent?

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