Conversations in Story(ality) : A Contribution to the Field of Contemporary Indigenous Rhetorics

Story(ality) requires refocused attention on the truths available through nonfiction stories told, written, and performed in a contact zone where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other. "Texts" exist in contact zones and are either true nonfiction experiential tales or pretend to be, and all of these texts have the potential to alter the recipient's perception of reality and truth. Readers will obtain a deeper understanding of the rhetorical choices in the nonfiction stories of contemporary Native American intellectuals as they use story (written, verbal, performed), memory, and technology to construct identity and create alliances across multiple communities. Connections between the humor of stand-up comedians, the technological storytelling capability of a sovereign tribal nation, and rhetorical skills of different Native story practitioners will challenge readers' preconceived ideas about contemporary ndn peoples.