Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook: Native American Units

Showing posts with label Native American Units. Show all posts

Myth-Folklore Unit: California and the Old Southwest

Overview. The readings for this unit come from Judson's Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest. You will read myths and legends from tribes of New Mexico (Navajo and Pueblo Indians), Arizona (Pima), and California (Karok, Miwok, Yokuts and many others). There are creation stories, along with many tales of Coyote the trickster. Both the creation stories and trickster stories explain how the world came to be: where the stars come from and why the sun is brighter than the moon, and why frogs have no tails and why the bluebird is blue, and so on. There is also a Navajo hero legend: the story of a boy who became a sheep and thus lived with the gods, learning their songs and medicine.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. All of the stories are single-page stories (and a few are very short).

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: California and the Old Southwest. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

Three Coyote Creation Stories
The Creation of the World
Spider's Creation
The Great Fire; The Origin of Light
Creation of Man
Old Man Above and the Grizzlies
The Creation of Man-kind and the Flood
The Great Flood
The Fable of the Animals
The Course of the Sun
The Theft of Fire
Coyote, Tortillas, and Mesquite Beans

READING B:

Origin of the Sierra Nevadas and Coast Range
Legend of Tu-tok-a-nu'-la (El Capitan)
The Children of Cloud
The Boy who Became a God
Origin of the Raven and the Macaw
Coyote and Hare; Coyote and Fawns
Coyote and the Quails
How the Bluebird Got its Color
Coyote's Eyes
Coyote as a Hunter
How the Rattlesnake Learned to Bite
Coyote and the Rattlesnake

(Pima grain basket)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Great Plains

Overview. About half of the stories in this selection from Judson's Myths and Legends of the Great Plains come from the Omaha people, and there are also stories from about a dozen or so other tribes. You will read some creation stories about the creation of the world, along with stories that explain the origins of things, such as why the possum plays dead and how the deer got its horns. There are trickster stories about Unktomi (Spider), along with other tricksters such as Coyote and Rabbit. Finally, this unit also includes many ghost stories and tales of the spirit lands, along with a marvelous fairytale-type story about a young boy who went to seek Wakan-Tanka, the "Great Mystery," a journey that led to his own transformation.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are on the short side, and all of them are single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Great Plains. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(tipi)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes

Overview. This unit contains stories from Judson's anthology of Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes. The land of the Great Lakes is represented by many stories from the Menomini people, along with Ojibwa and other tribes, while the Mississippi Valley is represented by stories from the Biloxi, Choctaw and Chitimacha peoples. You will find stories here of the trickster-hero Manabozho, including his battle with the evil manitous who had killed his wolf-brother. From the Biloxi people, there are many Rabbit tales including a story of Rabbit and the tar-baby. There are creation stories about the beginnings of the earth, along with sky stories about the sun and moon, the star creatures, and the Northern Lights. You will also read the famous legend of Mondamin, an Ojibwa story of how the people first found corn.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are on the short side, and all of them are single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Alaskan Legends

Overview. If you want to learn about the many myths and legends about Raven, one of the great trickster-creators of world mythology, this collection of Alaskan stories — Myths and Legends of Alaska — is the unit for you: fifteen of the stories are about Raven, as told by Inuit (Eskimo) storytellers of the Bering Straits and Lower Yukon, along with stories from the Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida peoples. There are stories about other animals, too — wolves, foxes, wolverines, killer whales, and thunderbirds, to name just a few. The collection also includes creation stories about the origin of the winds, the light, and the sun and moon. And, finally, there are also great tales of human drama, including supernatural visits to the land of the dead.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Alaskan Legends. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Free audiobook available!

READING A:

READING B:

(illustration from Judson's book)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Pacific Northwest

Overview. As the title of Judson's book explains, there are Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon, and the stories come from a variety of different tribes, including the Klamath, Kwakiutl, Shasta, and Nez Perce, among others. You will find creation stories here, along with origin stories, such as why there are no snakes on Mount Takhoma (a.k.a. Mount Rainier). There are many stories about Coyote, the great trickster who once thought he could travel into the sky by riding on the star, and also Raven, giver of gifts and player of tricks. You will meet the creator god Kemush, the mighty Thunder Bird whose wings make the thunder and whose glance is lightning, and Whishpoosh, the monster-beaver. There are ghost stories, too, including a legend of the Memaloose Islands, the mysterious realm of the dead on the Columbia River.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Pacific Northwest. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(Mount Shasta)

Myth-Folklore Unit: British North America

Overview. This selection of legends told by First Nations people of Canada is drawn from Judson's Myths and Legends of British North America, featuring stories of the Haida, Shuswap, and Inuit peoples, along with many more. There are creation stories about the beginnings of the world and about the origins of light, the stars, and the wind, and how the seals and the salmon came to be. In fact, from the Dakelh legend about the creation of light, you will finally learn what the fox says: "Fox kept singing, 'Khain, khain, khain' because he thought in that way he would gain light." In these stories you will meet the formidable Nuxalk goddess Qamaits, "Afraid of Nothing," and the hero Manabozho with his grandmother, plus the animal tricksters Raven, Coyote and, last but not least, Wolverine.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: British North America. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(illustration in the book)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Native American Marriage Tales

Overview. Stith Thompson's anthology, Tales of the North American Indians, was a pioneering work in comparative studies of Native American storytelling. This reading selection contains Thompson's stories of animal brides and animal husbands, along with some fairytale-type stories that are a blending of European and Native American storytelling styles. The tales come from a variety of different tribes, including Inuit, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Zuni, and other traditions as well. Among the animal brides are a mysterious she-fox, plus a she-buffalo who lives for a time with her human husband, along with a deer who brings her human husband to live among the deer people. There are animal husbands too, including a dog, a buffalo, an eagle, and even a killer whale!

Language. Thompson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. This unit contains stories of various lengths, including stories that are just one page long, as well as stories that are two or three pages long, and one four-page-long story.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Native American Marriage Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Native American Hero Tales

Overview. Stith Thompson's anthology, Tales of the North American Indians, was a pioneering work in comparative studies of Native American storytelling. This reading selection contains Thompson's collection of hero tales from many different tribal traditions including Hupa, Apache, Crow, Cree, and more. Some of the stories are about human heroes, like the boy who challenges "Unnatural Uncle" and defeats him with the help of the Eagle people. Other heroes are the children who come from the gods, like Jonayaíyin, who is sent to the Apache in order to rescue them from the deadly predations of Giant Elk and Great Eagle. There are also animal heroes, like Bluejay and his companions who find themselves swept out to sea and facing many challenges in their long journey back to their home.

Language. Thompson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories in this unit are two or three pages long.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Native American Hero Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

(Crow horsemen, photo by E. Curtis)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Blackfoot Stories

Overview. In these tales from Grinnell's Blackfeet Indian Stories, you will read about the epic adventures of Kut-O-Yis, a divine avenger born from the blood of the buffalo who battled many monsters. You will also read about Napi, or "Old Man," the supernatural trickster and culture hero of the Blackfoot people, and also about "Cold Maker," who brings the winter to the northern Plains. You will meet the "Wolf Man" who went to live with the wolves because he was angry at his wives, and you will also read about two men who loved their wives very much — one who went to the camp of ghosts to bring her back from the land of the dead, while the other bravely rescued his wife after she had been kidnapped by the Thunder god (he got some help from Raven along the way). There are also animal stories about bears, bobcats, buffalo, and prairie dogs, too, to name just a few.

Language. Grinnell's book draws on Blackfoot sources, but they have been edited to a more or less literary style which should not be too hard to read.

Story Length. The stories in this unit are single-page stories, along with a five-page-long cycle of stories about the great hero Kut-O-Yis, "Blood Boy."

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Blackfoot Stories. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Free audiobook available!

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Apache Tales

Overview. These stories from Jicarilla Apache of New Mexico, collected and translated by P. E. Goddard, feature many tales of Coyote, who is both a trickster and also a benefactor of mankind as the bringer of fire. There are other animal stories, too, such as the tale of how Mole managed to beat Coyote and the other animals in a race. You will read a whole series of stories about the great culture-hero Naiyenesgani who battled monsters like the Giant Elk and the water monster who had devoured the Taos Indians. There are other hero legends, too, such as the story of the man who climbed up Panther's tail into the Sky world, or the man who rescued the buffalo who had all been stolen by Raven, thus restoring the buffalo to the people.

Language. Goddard's book contains English translations of traditional Apache tales. If you are looking for a more authentic reading experience, this unit is probably the closest option to the original oral style of the stories.

Story Length. These are all single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Apache Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

(Jicarilla Apache man,
photo by E. Curtis, 1904)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Sioux Legends

Overview. The legends in this unit come from books by two Sioux authors, both women, writing in the early years of the 20th century: Marie McLaughlin (Myths and Legends of the Sioux) and Zitkala-Sa (Old Indian Legends). Many of the stories are about the trickster figure and culture-hero called "Spider," Iktomi (Unktomi, Ictinike), and there are also stories about the trickster Rabbit along with some Turtle tales, including a version of the famous "turtle on the warpath" legend. You will also find stories here about the Sioux people and their life on the Plains, including encounters with the spirit world, like the legend of the tribe that discovered a mysterious cave with petroglyphs on its walls that revealed the future.

Language. This unit contains stories from two different authors: McLaughlin's stories (in the first half of the unit) are closer to the oral tradition, while the stories by Zitkala-Sa (in the second half of the unit) are more literary in style.

Story Length. These are all single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Sioux Legends. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Table of Contents:

Free audiobook available:

Zitkala-Sa's Indian Legends

READING A:

READING B:

The Pemmican Man and Unktomi
Unktomi, The Two Widows, and the Red Plums
Unktomi and the Arrowheads
Iktomi and the Ducks (with audio)
Iktomi's Blanket (with audio)
Iktomi and the Muskrat (with audio)
Iktomi and the Coyote (with audio)
Iktomi and the Turtle (with audio)
The War-Like Seven (with audio)

(drawing from Myths and
Legends of the Sioux)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Myths of the Cherokee

Overview. In these stories from Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney you will meet Rabbit, a sly and dangerous trickster, and also Terrapin, another formidable trickster figure. There are other animal stories too, such as the ball game between the birds led by Eagle and the animals led by Bear. You will also read the Cherokee stories of creation in which Dâyuni'sï, the water-beetle, builds the earth, and Amai'yëhï, the water-spider, brings the fire. Other stories tell about the origin of the spots on the moon and the stars in the sky, where strawberries come from, and why possum's tail is bare. There are also legends of the supernatural snake-monster called Uktena and the Ulûñsû'tî, the blazing jewel in its forehead which bestows wondrous powers on anyone who possesses.

Language. Mooney's stories are close in style to the oral Cherokee stories, so this unit, along with the Apache unit and the Eskimo (Inuit), would be a good option to choose if you want to read stories that have the feel of the original oral tradition.

Story Length. These are all single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Cherokee Myths. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

(flint arrowheads)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Tejas Legends

Overview. These stories from When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends were collected in Texas in the early years of the 20th century. Many of the stories come from the Tejas Indians, a Caddoan people of eastern Texas whose name, meaning "friend," is where Texas itself got its name. There are also stories that traveled north from the Maya of the Yucatan or which come from neighboring peoples such as the Comanche. The stories were selected and re-told with a young audience in mind, emphasizing positive lessons drawn from the world of nature: how the woodpeckers tap the trees as they look for their lost children, why the oriole nests in the pecan tree, and what made the roadrunner become the bitter enemy of the rattlesnake, along with many other nature tales.

Language. These stories are told in a very charming and simple style, specifically intended for a young audience. If you are interested in children's literature and learning how to tell stories for children, this is a good option to choose!

Story Length. These are all single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Tejas Legends. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Eskimo Folk Tales

Overview. These Canadian Inuit stories were recorded by the polar explorer Knud Rasmussen (whose mother was Inuit) in the early years of the 20th century; his Inuit name was Kunúnguaq. Rasmussen grew up in Greenland among the Kalaallit Inuit speaking the Kalaallisut language, and he spent his life investigating the origin and culture of the Inuit peoples. He published many books about his expeditions and research; Eskimo Folk-Tales was published in 1921, and it contains illustrations by Inuit artists. You will read here about the shamans and their adventures in the spirit world, including encounters with the tupilak (zombies), man-eaters, and ghosts. There are stories of family drama, too, along with animal tales and the Inuit creation story about how the world began.

Language. Rasmussen reports these stories in a style quite close to the original oral style, not quite as extreme as the Apache stories, but close to it. If you want to read stories that are close to the original oral storytelling tradition, this unit and the Apache unit are two good choices. The names are quite unusual, but as the names do not recur from story to story, that should not be a big problem for any given story.

Story Length. These are all single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Eskimo Folk Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: The Song of Hiawatha

Overview. This unit contains the first half of The Song of Hiawatha, an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that was published in 1855. Although Longfellow named his hero "Hiawatha," the poem is actually based on the adventures of the Ojibwa culture-hero Manabozho who figures prominently in the Great Lakes unit for this class and also in the Canadian unit. Longfellow's poem begins with Hiawatha's childhood and his dramatic confrontation with his father Mudjekeewis, the West Wind. You will then learn how Hiawatha discovered corn, how he defeated his rival Pearl-Feather, and finally how he courted and married Minnehaha. The unusual meter of the poem (called trochaic tetrameter: DA-duh DA-duh DA-duh DA-duh) was inspired by Longfellow's reading of the Finnish epic Kalevala, which forms part of the European module for this class later in the semester.

Language. This poem by Longfellow is one of the classics of American 19th-century poetry. If you are interested in learning about the connections between American literature and Native American storytelling traditions, this is the unit you should read!

Story Length. This is one continuous story, although it is divided up into separate episodes which recur one after another. What you will be reading here is one half of the complete poem, leading up to the marriage of Hiawatha and Minnehaha.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Hiawatha. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Free audiobook available!

READING A:

READING B:

(Boston Public Library)

Myth-Folklore Unit: American Indian Fairy Tales

Overview. This children's book - American Indian Fairy Tales - contains stories inspired by the Ojibwa and other Native American legends collected and published by Henry Schoolcraft in the early 19th century. Schoolcraft's publications were also the main source for Longfellow's Hiawatha, and some of the stories in this book ("Shin-Ge-Bis Fools the North Wind" and "Child of the Evening Star") also appear in Longfellow's poem. Larned has set up the stories in a frame-tale format with a storyteller named Iagoo (who also appears as a character in Hiawatha) who entertains the children of his tribe by sharing these stories with them. There is a free audiobook available, so you too can let Iagoo tell you the stories if you want, listening to these legends along with Morning Glory and the other children in Iagoo's audience.

Language. While this book is not intended for very young readers (as the Tejas Legends are), it is a book written for a young audience in a literary style, covering in prose many of the same stories conveyed in the verse of Longfellow's Hiawatha.

Story Length. These are medium-length stories, mostly two or three pages in length, with one story that is four pages long.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: American Indian Fairy Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Free audiobook available!

READING A:

READING B:

Pages