Native American Legends Of The Southeast

Includes legends from the Five Civilized Tribes.

Myths and stories of the Creek, Hitchiti, Alabama, Koasati, and Natchez Indians.

Draws on the oral traditions of several southeastern Native American peoples to provide intriguing stories that lend insight into these unique cultures. Reprint.

Includes legends from the Five Civilized Tribes.

The myths and legends are divided by geographical region and then further divided into six categories: origin myths; all-powerful spirits; hero creatures and monsters; holy places, sacred sites; revered animals; and rituals and ceremonies.

Explore Captivating Native American Myths Three captivating manuscripts in one book: Native American Mythology: Captivating Myths of Indigenous Peoples from North America Cherokee Mythology: Captivating Myths and Legends of a Native American Tribe Choctaw Mythology: Captivating Myths from the Choctaw and Other Indigenous Peoples from the Southeastern United States Part of the history of Indigenous cultures is, of course, their traditions of storytelling. Myths, legends, and folktales all play important roles in explaining how the world came to be the way it is, as well as giving listeners entertainment with humorous or scary stories, or giving them role models to look up to in hero tales. The author of this book has endeavored to provide at least one myth from every major culture group in North America: Arctic, Subarctic, Plateau, Northwest Coast, Great Basin, Great Plains, California, Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast Forest. Of the many different genres of story available, four are chosen for this present volume. The first has to do with the origins of things, either of the world in its entirety or some aspect thereof that was significant to the people who created the story. The other side of creation is death, and so the second section concerns tales of ghosts and monsters, some terrifying, some friendly, some the victims of prank-playing living people. However, out of the acts of destruction wrought by supernatural beings there is often something new created or a change worked that is necessary for the world to function properly. Tricksters and heroes occupy the third and fourth sections of the book, respectively. Coyote is, of course, a favorite trickster character for most North American Indigenous groups, while Raven is important to peoples in the Pacific Northwest and Arctic regions. Beaver is a trickster for the Nez Perce of the Columbia River Plateau, and for the Pomo of California, little Woodrat also lives by his wits. These tricksters are by turns clever, gullible, victor, and victim, but always there is a moral lesson to be learned from the stories of their adventures. The final section of the book presents stories of Indigenous heroes. Many of these heroes are shared by multiple cultures, usually within the same or adjacent culture areas. Some of the topics and myths covered in manuscript 1 of this book include: Origins Ghosts and Monsters Trickster Tales Hero Tales And much, much more! Some of the topics and myths covered in manuscript 2 of this book include: Why the Possum's Tail is Bare Kanati and Selu The Tlanuwa and the Uktena Two Tales of Snake Transformations The Daughter of the Sun The Ball Game of the Birds and Animals How Disease and Medicine Came to Be And much more! Some of the topics and myths covered in manuscript 3 of this book include: Choctaw Myths and Legends Legends from Other Southern Tribes So if you want to learn about Native American Myths, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!

Passed down from generation to generation, the myths and rituals of Native Americans form a rich religious and cultural base from which all members of each society can create and maintain a sense of community, physical and emotional health, identity, family, and self. Such traditions, handed down through stories and rites, stand as the lifeblood of every Native American culture. This thoroughly illustrated and carefully researched guide explores the amazing array of mythical beasts, heroic humans, and nurturing spirits that make up the fascinating spectrum of Native American mythology. With over one thousand alphabetically arranged entries, representing over one hundred different Native American cultures, readers can quickly explore the meaning of hundreds of elements of Native lore--from names, phrases, and symbols, to images, motifs, and themes. Accompanying essays take a closer look at other issues related to the origin, development, and perpetuation of Native American mythology, such as the Christian influence on myth, varying mythology between tribes, storytelling, and more. We learn about such mythical creatures as Apotamkin of the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy tribe of the Southeast (a bogey monster with long hair and huge teeth who, through the fear he generates, keeps small children from straying onto thin, newly frozen ice in the winter and unguarded beaches in the summer), ritual healing ceremonials such as the Southwestern Navajo's Uglyway ceremony (a ceremony to remove and protect against the forces of chaos and disorder that give rise to illness), and the Marau ceremony of the Hopi Indians of the Southeast (a complex ceremony concerned with rain, the ripening of corn, and the fertility of women, as well as rites of initiating new members into the society). This compelling volume honors the richness of the beliefs and values of the many peoples of native North America, from northern Mexico to the Artic Circle. In addition, a complete bibliography of primary sources and secondary sources points the way to further research, making this the perfect reference for anyone interested in the mythical history of America's original inhabitants.

* An important book about one of the world's most inspirational yet least-known mythologies, written by an expert in the genre. * One of the most comprehensive collections of its kind. Based on three years' research through hundreds of archives, revealing a treasure trove of material, some never before available to the general UK reader. * Over 100 ancient stories, verse narratives, songs, anecdotes and fragments of wisdom, sourced from 55 different Native American peoples.* Extraordinary allegories that explore universal human concerns, promoting harmony between people and respect for the environment.* Unforgettable characters include the Thunderbirds, Spider Woman, Raven, the Sun, Bear Mother and the Keeper of the Brains of the Dead.* Includes fascinating information about the original Native American storytellers and their diverse cultural backgrounds.