| Abstract |
A young Lumbee Indian girl named Chicora tells the story of how Indian corn became multicolored. From Lumbee author Arvis Boughman comes the first ever Lumbee legend to take the form of a children's picture book. In this story within a story, young Chicora tells the adults in her community about her encounter with the little people, and a mysterious new type of rainbow-colored corn that they created "the Lumbee viewed Chicora with respect. Now, her people call her Deep Thinker, not Daydreamer." This illustrated children's book brings together several subtexts that are valuable for young children, Native and non-Native alike. Most prominent among these is the commonly held indigenous value on the unique gifts that children contribute to their communities. While the adults in this story begin by mocking and belittling Chicora, the book clearly delivers the lesson that this is not the proper way for adults to address their little ones. Instead, the elder, the wisest of the adults, teaches the others to honor and trust the insights of their sacred children. That Chicora is a girl child should not be lost on readers either. This story teaches the lesson of lifting up the smallest voices so that all may benefit from their wisdom. |
