The history and traditions of the Native Americans are preserved and passed on one generation to the next through faithful remembrance and retelling of traditional stories.  Storyteller figures, originating in the ancient pueblos of what is now New Mexico, are some of the most unique works in all of American folk art.  Helen Cordero, of the Cochiti Pueblo, began making clay figures in 1964, remembering her grandfather and all the children climbing on him and listening to his stories.

 

5th grade students were asked to create a  clay storyteller, animal or human, with at least 3 babies. The storyteller's mouth had to be open and they needed to show texture and details on both the main figure and the babies.  They were asked to write a paragraph explaining who the storyteller is, what story it is telling, who the babies are, and why the story is important to the babies.

 

 

My storyteller is a mom that's telling a story to her 3 babies: Layla, Golden Eyes, and Sea Treasure. (She's a dolphin and so are the babies!)  She's telling hem a story about when she was little and became friends with a turtle but her parents didn't want her to play with the turtle.  They only wanted her to play with other dolphins.  But Lucia (the dolphin's mother) wanted to be friends with the turtle.  The story teaches the babies that it's OK to be friends with people that look different than you.

Costanca C.

 

 

My storyteller is named Michi.  Michi is a penguin.  She is telling a story to her baby penguins Icy, Bubbles, and Penguino.  She is telling her babies a story about her childhood to make them fall asleep.  It isn't working because the babies aren't tired.  Penguino is bouncing on Michi's head while Icy does a balancing act on her wing.  Only Bubbles is being good and snuggling in her big, feathery belly.

Grace S.

 

My storyteller is a mother fox named Juliana who is telling her three babies Mico, Lila and Lea an old story about how foxes came to earth.  It is important for the babies to know their origin so they can pass on their knowledge orally as well.  The babies are excited to get to know where they come from because their mother will also tell them about their father.

Caroline H.

 

My storyteller's name is Bitty and she is modeled after my cat.  The sleeping kitten is her daughter Basket and the others are Stripes, Big Boy and Tiny.  She is telling the story of the time Basket was born as a bedtime story for the kittens.

Varo E.

 

 

My storyteller is a raccoon named Luna.  It is telling a story about a hunter who hunts them for their fur.  Luna knows because she just escaped a hunter.  Her babies are Raya, on her head, Venus on her side, and Pluto the one on her arm.  Luna is telling this story to keep her babies safe!

Victoria B.

 

The mother dog named Baily is telling Braxton, cooper, and Teddy a story about their father off in war.  Baily thinks this is important because they don't know where their dad is.  Their father is in Doggieland fighting for more dog treats.  Mean while Braxton fell asleep on Baily's head.  Cooper is now gnawing on her head and Teddy is swinging on Baily's tail.

Taylor P.

 

This story is told by an elephant named Mayflower.  The names of the babies she's telling the story to are: Tusk, Wrinkle and Stomp.  Mayflower is telling them a story about when a lizard came into their territory and she had to scare it off.  It is supposed to teach the babies to be brave and stick up for themselves, but instead it put them to sleep.

Lily R.

 

The storyteller is an alligator named Al Sr.  He is telling the most boring story in the universe to his grandsons: Al Jr., Pete, and Bill.  The story is about a crocodile accidentally loosing a tooth by eating a brick.  Al Sr. thinks the story is important because those things can happen in alligator high school, but the children don't seem to like it.

Alex R.

 

 

The scorpion named Skitter is telling Pinch, Sting and Jump a story about his father and how he fought spiders and centipedes to keep his family safe.  But one fateful day a spider jumped him and bit him in the back.  Skitter told them the story because they have to do a report on family history at Scorpion Elementary.

Ray L.

 

My storyteller is a rattlesnake named Strike.  He is telling about when he traveled to the rainforests of Costa Rica and met a pretty viper.  Then a zoologist came and tried to take her.  Strike bravely slayed (bit) the zoologist and saved her.  The oldest baby's name is Hiss.  The emerging baby's name is Fang.  Nobody knows what the egg's name is.  They are listening intently because the viper is their mother and Strike is their father.

Alex L.

 

My great grandmother is the storyteller.  She is telling a story about the time of the Korean War, when she had to escape from North Korea to South Korea.  The babies who are listening are my great-aunt, great-uncle, and grandma.  They are listening because they want to learn more about their Mother's childhood.

Zion K.

 

My storyteller is a dragonfly named Griffen.  He is telling a story when two kids named Liz and Lucy tried to capture him with a net.  He dodged and weaved and finally escaped.  The kids are Gadzooks, Gretel and Gareth.  They are listening because they are going to fly alone for the first time.  They want to want to hear about his first time and learn to dodge and weave  in case  someone tries to capture them.

Olivia C.

 

One sunny evening Racci the Raccoon was telling his 3 kids Rachel, Ricky and Ron about one of his trash can adventures.  He was digging through a trashcan and all of a sudden was spotted by a human.  The human almost trapped him but luckily he got away.  His kids would like to know about his adventure because they will one day go on one too.  They want to be prepared for what's going to happen on their adventure.

Deborah N.

 

My storyteller is called Pickle, and he is a grizzly bear.  He is telling a story to his four children Panda, FuFu, Sid and Crinkle.  The story is a bout how he was chased down by dogs that a strange man sent after him.  He almost died, but he climbed up a tree at the last second.  The children love this story and they're hearing it again for the 8th time, because in a couple of years, they're heading out on their own.

Iris B.