Bless Me, Ultima Pathfinder
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Please research one of the following topics with a partner.
The end product has three parts:

  • 1.    a two to three page report on your topic with a bibliography. This essay should connect to the novel in some meaningful way;
  • 2.    a poster illustrated with maps, pictures, graphs, time lines, or anything that will reinforce and strengthen your findings; and
  • 3.    a 3-5 minute presentation of your findings to the class.

    • Grading will depend on all three of these parts of the assignment and evidence of your understanding what you have presented.

    Research one of the following:

    1.    Indians of  New Mexico: Ancient tribes in New Mexico before the arrival of the Spanish: focus on the settled Pueblo tribes and nomadic tribes.
    PRINT RESOURCES
    Adair, John. The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1944. [739.23 ADA 1944]
    Hughes, Phyllis, ed. Pueblo Indian Cookbook: Recipes from the Pueblos of the American Southwest. Santa Fe, NM: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1972. [641.59297 PUE]
    Lea, Tom. Pueblo Designs: 176 Illustrations of the 'Rain Bird'. New York: Dover Publications, 1970. [738.3 MER 1970]
    Liptak, Karen. Indians of the Southwest. New York: Facts On File, 1991. [979.00497 LIP 1991]
    Trimble, Stephen. Talking with the Clay : the Art of Pueblo Pottery. Santa Fe, N.M.: School of American Research Press, 1987. [738.30978 TRI 1987]
    Tyler, Hamilton A. Pueblo gods and myths. Norman : University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. [299.7 TYL 1964]
    Wellman, Paul I. Glory, God, and Gold: A Narrative History of the Southwest. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1954. [979 WEL 1954]
    Worchester, Donald E. The Apaches: Eagles of the Southwest. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1979. [970.00497 WOR 1979]
    ONLINE RESOURCES
    [ Native American Culture & History (from the New Mexico tourism Web site) | Pueblo Indian Cultural Center | Pueblo of Santa Ana | Bandelier National Monument | El Morro National Monument ]


    2.    The coming of the Spanish: The settlement of New Mexico by the Spaniards: highlight the conficts with native peoples in the area and the development of the Hispanic culture.
    PRINT RESOURCES
    Crampton, C. Gregory. In Search of the Spanish Trail: Santa Fe to Los Angeles, 1829-1848. Layton, Utah: Gibbs-Smith Publishers, 1994. [979 CRA 1994]
    Liptak, Karen. Indians of the Southwest. New York: Facts On File, 1991. [979.00497 LIP 1991]
    McCarry, Charles. The Great Southwest. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1980. [979 McC 1980]
    Wakely, David. A Sense of Mission: Historic Churches of the Southwest. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1994. [726.50979 WAK 1994]
    Wellman, Paul I. Glory, God, and Gold: A Narrative History of the Southwest. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1954. [979 WEL 1954]
    Zimmerman, Nancy, ed. The American Southwest. New York: Fodor's Travel Publications, 1996. [917.904 AME 1996]
    ONLINE RESOURCES
    [ Hispanic Culture (at the New Mexico tourism Web site) | Our Lady of Guadalupe (Sancta.org) | Our Lady of Guadalupe (Wikipedia) ]

    3.    The transition to the U.S.: How the Mexican province became a U.S. territory and eventually the state of New Mexico.
    PRINT RESOURCES
    Forrest, Suzanne. The Preservation of the Village: New Mexico's Hispanics and the New Deal. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1989. [978.9052 FOR 1989]
    Harbert, Nancy. New Mexico. Oakland, Calif.: Compass American Guides, 1998. [917.8904 HAR 1998]
    Kirgo, Julie. New Mexico: Portrait of the Land and It's People. Helena, Mont.: American Geographic Publishing, 1989. [798.9 KIR 1989]
    Simmons, Marc. New Mexico: A History. New York: W.W. Norton, 1977. [978.9 SIM 1977]
    ONLINE RESOURCES
    [ History of New Mexico (Wikipedia) | New Mexico History (Questia: login info available from library staff) ]

    4.    The history of the story's setting: Make a brochure describing the history of Guadalupe County and Santa Rosa, New Mexico where the novel takes place. (Santa Rosa is called Guadalupe in the novel.)
    PRINT RESOURCES
    Bix, Cynthia. New Mexico: the spirit of America. New York: Abrams, 1998. [917.89 BIX 1998]
    Forrest, Suzanne. The preservation of the village: New Mexico's Hispanics and the New Deal. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1989. [978.9052 FOR 1989]
    Harbert, Nancy. New Mexico. Oakland, Calif.: Compass American Guides, 1998. [917.8904 HAR 1998]
    Kirgo, Julie. New Mexico: Portrait of the Land and the People. Helena, Mont.: American Geographic Publications, 1989. [978.9 KIR 1989]
    Moore, Salley. Country roads of New Mexico: drives, day trips, and weekend excursions. Lincolnwood, Ill.: Country Roads Press, 1999. [917.89 MOO 1999]
    Simmons, Marc. New Mexico: A History. New York: W.W. Norton, 1977. [978.9 SIM 1977]
    ONLINE RESOURCES
    [ Map of Northeastern New Mexico (including Guadalupe County) in pdf format | USACitiesOnline: Santa Rosa, N.M. | NewMexico.com: Guadalupe County, N.M. | High Plains Historical Foundation | Ghost Towns of Guadalupe County | Route 66 Association of New Mexico ]

    5.    The author: Research Rudolfo Anaya and his other novels. Bless Me, Ultima is the first of three novels he wrote about the area.
    PRINT RESOURCES
    Anaya, Rudolfo, ed. Aztlan: Essays on the Chicano Homeland. Albuquerque, N.M.: Academia/El Norte Publications,
                   1989. [305.868 AZT 1991]
    ----------. Benediceme, Ultima. New York: Warner Books, 1992. [Spanish translation] [SPA FIC Anaya BEN]
    ----------. Farolitos for abuela. New York: Hyperion, 1998. [SE FIC Anaya FAR]
    ----------. Jalamanta: A Message from the Desert. New York: Warner Books, 1996. [FIC Anaya,R JAL]
    ----------. My Land Sings: Stories from the Rio Grande. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1999. [FIC Anaya,R MY]
    ----------. Rio Grande fall. New York: Warner Books, 1996. [FIC Anaya,R RIO]
    ----------. Tortuga: A Novel. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1988. [FIC Anaya,R TOR]
    ----------. Zia summer. New York: Warner Books, 1995. [FIC Anaya,R ZIA]
    Martinez, Ruben O. Bless me, Ultima: notes. Lincoln, Neb.: Cliffs Notes, 1995. [LIT Anaya]
    Various articles from academic journals [LIT Anaya]
    ONLINE RESOURCES
    Rudolfo Anaya - http://www.questiaschool.com/ (Questia: login info available from library staff) ]
    Literature Resource Center - http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/lb/main/databases.cfm#litbooks [requires public library card]
    Author Rudolfo Anaya seeks to help raise self-esteem of young readers - http://www.nea.org/readacross/multi/ranaya.html |
    About the Author: Rudolfo A. Anaya - http://lib.nmsu.edu/bigread/author.shtml |
    Writing in the Southwest: Rudolfo Anaya - http://www.unm.edu/~wrtgsw/anaya.html |
    About Rudolfo Anaya - http://www.pathfinder.com/twep/warner_books/authors/rudolfo_anaya/ |
    Rudolfo Anaya - http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/chh/bio/anaya_r.htm |
    Rudolfo Anaya (1937-) - http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap10/anaya.html ]

    6.    Folk traditions: Folk medicine traditions of the Hispanic people of New Mexico. The practice referred to as curanderismo had its origins much further back in time than the time of the novel.
    PRINT RESOURCES
    Sandoval, Annette. Homegrown Healing: Traditional Home Remedies from Mexico. New York: Berkley, 1998. [615.882 SAN 1998]
    Toor, Frances. A Treasury of Mexican Folkways: The Customs, Myths, Folklore, Traditions, Beliefs, Fiestas, Dances, and Songs of the Mexican People. New York: Bonanza, 1967. [390.0972 TOO 1967]
    Trotter, Robert T. Curanderismo: Mexican American Folk Healing. Athnes, Ga.: University of Georgia Press, 1997. [615.882 TRO 1997]
    ONLINE RESOURCES
    [ Medicinal Plants of the Southwest | Hispano Music & Culture of the Northern Rio Grande: The Juan B. Rael Collection - http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/rghtml/rghome.html ]

    7.    Other Mexican-American artists: Choose a famous Mexican-American artist or author and research his or her life and major works.
    PRINT RESOURCES
    Bix, Cynthia. New Mexico: The Spirit of America. New York: Abrams, 1998. [917.89 BIX 1998]
    Cirillo, Dexter. Across Frontiers: Hispanic Crafts of New Mexico. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1998. [745.449789 CIR 1998]
    Gaspar de Alba, Alicia. Chicano Art Inside/Outside the Master's House: Cultural Politics and the CARA Project. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 1998. [704.0368 GAS 1998]
    Ludwig, Ed. The Chicanos: Mexican American Voices. Baltimore: Penguin, 1971.
    Sayer, Chloe. The Arts and Crafts of Mexico. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books, 1990. [745.09 SAY]
    Steele, Thomas J. Santos and Saints: The Religious Folk Art of Hispanic New Mexico. Rev. ed. Santa Fe, N.M.: Ancient City Press, 1994 [704.9482 STE 1994]
    Sullivan, Charles. Here is my kingdom: Hispanic-American Literature and Art for Young People. New York: Abrams, 1994. [810.8 SUL 1994]
    ONLINE RESOURCES
    [ Google Directory: Latino authors | Hispanic Artists | LatinArt.com (Choose U.S. under "Country" | Las Culturas.com: Artists | Google Directory: Latin American Museums ]

    8.    Mexican-American folklore: Research the origin of Mexican folktales and explain some of the common themes. Discuss how the folklore is a reflection of Chicano beliefs and way of life.
    Books in the Library:
    Anaya, Rudolfo. My Land Sings: Stories form the Rio Grande. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1999 [FIC Anaya,R MY]
    Campos, Anthony John, ed. Mexican Folk Tales. Tucson, Ariz.: University of Arizona Press, 1977.
    Castro, Rafaela G. Dictionary of Chicano folklore. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC_CLIO, 2000. [REF 398.08968 CAS 2000]
    Griego y Maestas, José. Cuentos: Tales from the Hispanic Southwest. Santa Fe, N.M.: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1980.
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    Created by Webspinner April 25, 2001; updated May 23, 2001; Nov. 10, 2003.
    ©TUHSD. Tom Kaun, Library Media Teacher -- Bessie Chin Library@Redwood High School--395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939--415.945.3662