Customer Reviews (4)

Wonderful book!
I had been searching for a book of Native American star lore, and hit the jackpot with this book: Stars of the First People by Dorcas S. Miller.

This book covers some Greek Mythology and whereabouts of the common constellations so that the reader has a basis to start with, and can find the star patterns mentioned in the book.
The book is then broken into sections of North America by going over the tribes that lived in each place. It covers not only that tribes star lore, but goes into detail about how each tribe lived, such as food/shelter/migrating habits, so that the reader can easier understand how certain elements follow into the star lore.

With over 300 pages of detailed information this is a wonderful book and I am happy to own it!

More hopeful than the Greeks: Native American star myths
Dorcas Miller's book is a gateway into our North American sky. I have already given my first copy to a scout leader. Her organization is superb: sky-watchers can pick a star or constellation and use the reference guide to access all its stories; ethnographers can follow the chapter organization by region and tribe. I will annotate her lists as I add other sources and tales.

Miller starts with the conventional Greek constellations that still map our sky for professional astronomers, providing myth summaries and seasonal sky maps. Her stick figures of these constellations are a delight and I copy their details onto the daily sky charts from the internet.

Both the Greeks and our First Peoples filled their skies with peoples and animals. Only a few identities, such as bear and dog, straddle both hemispheres. Greek heroes and heroines may be banished forever to the sky by the action of the gods as punishment, or placed by a friendly god to protect them from the angered one. Animals and humans are often antagonists. I can't think of a creation myth. The dead didn't go there.

Our First Peoples connection with the sky seems ongoing and personal- get lost and you may wander into it. Die and you may walk up the Milky Way, past guides and obstacles. Suffer and you may find an opening to the sky or a rescuer who will take you into it; you may be homesick, come and go, but finally choose the sky. If you navigate by the stars, why not? It may be a refuge. The myths feel contemporary, the characters often ordinary, and creation feels recent. The animals may be small and hungry, brave or lazy.

Miller provides the myth texts as she finds them, supplementing with discussion and drawings- maps of their known or probable stars and historic diagrams such as rock art that may be relevant. The bibliography is broad. This book will be a good anchor for collecting other North American books coming into print or reprint.`

a well-rounded presentation of North American star lore
Curious about the stories that different Native American peoples told about the stars? Dorcas Miller's "Stars of the First People" will go a long way towards satisfying your curiosity. Focusing on the peoples of North America, she has pulled together a robust collection of tales and star lore and grouped them by region. Plentiful sketches, star maps, and charts accompany the text to provide a visual reinforcement of the material contained in the stories.

In addition to the star lore, Dorcas has also included a decent amount of background information on the individual tribes to help the reader better understand the context of the star stories. In the back of the book you'll find an extensive set of notes and bibliographic references for those interested in further reading on this subject.

Don Childrey, author of "STAR TRAILS - Navajo"

Well-written book with information hard to find elsewhere
This is one of the most complete set of Native American star legends that I have seen. The author first reviews the standard Greek and Roman myths that have given us our constellation names. For each region of NorthAmerica, he devotes an entire chapter to star legends from indigenouspeople that live in that region. At the end of each chapter he listsstandard constellations and groups and the Native American legends behindeach, and at the end of the book he provides an overall listing. Someinteresting similarities come out - for example, the Big Dipper is a bearin standard Greek and Roman and in many Native American myths, and Siriusis a dog or wolf star in standard and in Native American myths. The storiesare well written and can be used anywhere where storytelling is called for- for example, to groups of children. For a good summary of Native Americanmyths, look to this volume. I just wish there was a similar compendium ofALL the world's indigenous star myths. ... Read more

Product Description

Dictionary of Native American Mythology includes over 1,000 colorful, sometimes earthy, and always intriguing entries. Using the carefully chosen cross references, readers can quickly access the meanings of hundreds of elements of lore—from names, phrases, and symbols to images, motifs, and themes.

Ten territory maps, which pinpoint exact locations of the tribes mentioned in the text, and a tribal index enhance this volume's usefulness. The bibliography is the most extensive ever compiled on the subject. A delight to the casual browser, and indispensable for anyone interested in the study of Native American cultures.

Customer Reviews (1)

So-so
It's like what it says on the title. A dictionary. It's not what I call a definitive source, but it's ok. ... Read more

Product Description
Combines unpublished tales related by living storytellers with the best of folklore sources to provide a collection of myths and legends representing native American tribal groups across the country. Book available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

american indian myths and legends
ive read most of it and have bought it for a friend ..ive read it over the phone to a friend as well and would buy another for yet another friend its that good :)
i love the story about the hairy little man:)
i have been trying to collect as many of the old stories as i could and this ones always coming to my hand when i need to read to someone a child or a adult its very good:)

Interesting collection, somewhat disconnected
This presents a wide range of collections including those of the creation of heros (prototypes for initiation?), creation myths, heroic stories, and the like.The collection is fairly wide-ranging and includes a lot of material.Most of the stories are short ones (no epics) but it's a good overview of many of the dimensions of Native American myths and legends.

The major problem here is that the book lumps all Native American groups together as if they are the same.This leads to a lack of continuity between the stories and a bit of a cultural disconnect.For that I'm removing one star.

All in all, though, I learned a lot from this book and found it quite interesting and useful.

Indian Myths
Thanx for the book.I only wish Seminole myths were in it.;)

wow
This is exactly what I was looking for!
The Indians legends and myths about nearly everything.
Maybe you have read the books of Carlos Castaneda and wanted to know more about the world of Indians? Maybe you are just wondering what is behind the white peoples world? Or maybe you just enjoy reading good stories for yourselves and for your children.

It would be wise for us to start reading a stories for our children again, instead of putting them before TV. This is kind of strong base for their mental structure- to face the everyday lifes stress and routine.

For all reasons this is a good choice.

I read al lot, maybe 60-80 books a year, but this book I will remember.
Enjoyable reading to you!

authentic but inconsistent
this collection is, for the most part, written directly from recordings of tribe members retelling the stories. there is a nice sense of authenticity in the collection, but many of the stories really seem to be collected for the sake of collecting the stories... in other words, there is a definite inconsistency throughout this book.

it can be tedious to get through some parts, because the legends occasionally seem to go nowhere. it seems that many of these myths are explanations of how something came in to being, rather than a moralistic message, and in this sense it is valuable in presenting insight into the worlview of the cultures represented. nevertheless, as a reader it is enjoyable to feel that a story is leading up to something, which is not always the case here.

i was surprised by the politically incorrect title (First Nations is the preferred term nowadays- "Indians" is considered offensive), but the book was published in 1984 so this makes sense- perhaps a reprint will have a different title. ... Read more

Product Description
A groundbreaking study of proverbs in African-American speech from slave times to the present ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Native American Gardening
Wonderful for family members of all ages to learn about Native American culture in regard to growing one's food and about living in this world in harmony with the rest of creation.

Great Resource
ANY book by Mr. Caduto and Bruchac is both authentic and well researched. This book is another fine contribution by this team. A must have for a science teacher, for Native American curriculum, home schooling etc. I plan to purchase ALl the books by these authors.

Fantastic book for teachers, parents and kids!
An excellent reference for teachers and parents alike, this book contains Native legends related to gardening as well as projects based on the tales, gardening tips, helpful suggestions for beginners, recipes to use your garden's new- found bounty, and much more!
Joseph Bruchac is a very well-known storyteller in the Native American community.Along with his various co-authors in his different books, he combines storytelling with various teaching and family-based activities.I collect his books, because they are both a great reference for Native American mythology and belief, but also because my daughter and I can then turn around and learn together about the great past of the United States. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of myths drawn from the native cultures of North America--from the Inuit in the north to the Zuni, Hopi, and Cherokee in the south--each beautifully illustrated by Mohawk artist Fadden. "A good supply of tales written with simplicity and directness."--Booklist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

(sniff) If only I could make corn!
A story. Who knows what a story can mean? A story that I like can be heroic, strong, yet at the same time frail, encouraging and emotionally evoking, but the same story to you might just be the opposite. But whether a certain story falls in line between you and me, stories mean a great deal to us.

The same was with the Native Americans. Stories were not given space in the ear just for the story's sake, but because stories played an intricate role in the beliefs of the people. When the right person (like a chief or leader of the people) spoke of a tale and told a story, it was woven into them. The stories were so varied among them, since there was so many different tribes (popular imagination contrary to reality), that a story on how death came to be, or the creation of the world, or even how the oceans were formed, could be explained in so many different ways by them.

I liked this book. It was insightful, and the map at the beginning pages of the book (set back in the sixteen hundreds), along with the description portion that tells a few things about some of the tribal nations, are eye opening to how vast they were before the colonist arrival.

From reading this book it gave me a deeper respect for who they were and who they are, as well as it amazes me how God made one man so different form another.

I recommend this book to anyone who has interest and/or is intrigued by...no wait, I recommend it to everyone.

-Jake Smithers

great for children and adults
i am not a native american but my ansestors were so it is in my blood and i am very proud of it. i had this book when i was a child and i loved the stories and the ways of the [native] americans. this book is great for children, and i think that native american haritage is very important. ... Read more

Product Description
In Septeber of 1960 state officials in New Mexico hired a group of Zuni Indians to entertain at the local rodeo. They were asked to perform some of their ancient dance ceremionials. Attendance at the rodeo was poor because of the late afternoon rains that kept falling. Finally someone asked the Zuni's what ceremonials they were performing. They wereperforming the tribe's rain dances. American Indian Myths and Mysteries is an authoritative and scrupulously researched account of mythology of the native American. Although much of this ancient heritage has been lost, a great deal has been saved and there are men and women alive today qho remember th lore of their ancestors. In American Indian Myths and Mysteries the readder will learn the power of the medicine man and be present at a contest of magic between two rival medicine men; he will discover the originof the curse of Tippecanoe and the secrets of the shamans... ... Read more

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"Bierhorst offers access to more than primary texts here: he maps a way of reading and the necessary apparatus for that reading (including pronunciation guides, reminding us they are oral performances)." —World Literature Today ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fascinating gathering of historic texts
"Four Masterworks of American Indian Literature" has been edited, with commentaries and new translations, by John Bierhorst. The book contains a general foreword and four sections: "Quetzalcoatl: an Aztec Hero Myth"; "The Ritual of Condolence: An Iroquois Ceremonial"; "Cuceb: A Maya Prophecy"; and "The Night Chant: A Navajo Ceremonial." Each of the four sections contains primary texts translated into English, an individual introduction, extensive commentary following the text, a map, and a substantial bibliography.

This book is a superb resource for scholars, students, and people with a general interest in the native cultures of the Americas. The primary texts and supplemental materials offer a rich window into these cultures. These texts are not easy reading; I assigned parts of the Quetzalcoatl narratives to a college literature class I taught, and some of the students had trouble understanding the material. But for the attentive reader, "Four Masterworks" is a very rewarding volume. As a companion text, I recommend "Coming to Light: Contemporary Translations of the Native Literatures of North America," edited by Brian Swann. ... Read more

Product Description
This treasury of literature by Native American authors allows students to listen to the voices from America's first and oldest literature. More than fifty tribes from the U.S. and Canada are represented, giving readers opportunities to explore the diversity of authors' experiences through poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, including the oral tradition. Two maps provide geographical context for the readings, one showing tribal locations and the other showing the Trail of Tears. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful
This book is absolutely wonderful for those who are persuing intrests in Native American Literature. It is a great source of knowledge and understanding. It goes along through all of the struggles and stereotypes that have been placed on Native Americans since we invaded their territory.. I HIGHLEY RECOMMEND

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL
I first began reading thie book for a NAtive American Literature class, but have found that this books offers great stories that will help you learn and understand many of the struggles of the Indian culture. It goes through the stereotypes and dramas that they had and are still going through. I recommend this book to anyone studying Native Americans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Introduction to Turtle Island's Myths
This book is a wonderful introduction to the general mythologies of North America. After explaining the importance of Native American myths, Leeming and Page give a wonderful introduction to Native American culture, pointing out shared traits and beliefs (such as the earth-diver creation story) that can be found from Siberia and northern Eurasia to North America down through Central and South America. They then examine the different culture areas (the Arctic, Subarctic, Northwest Woodlands, Southeast Woodlands, Great Plains, Northwest Coast, California and the Great Basin and the Southwest), looking at major themes, language groupings and Nations in each region. More than anything else this shows both the unity of the First Nations, and the diversity as even close neighbors differed signifcantly in culture at times.

The first chapter looks at Native American pantheons, showing universal archetypes such as the world creator, the mother figure and the supreme god. Each one gives a few Native American myths to support it, ranging from traditional Native American myths (both told by Native peoples and recorded by anthropologists) to Oglala holy man Black Elk to James Mooney's massive Myths of the Cherokees, and covering a wide variety of Nations and regions. It then goes on to look at other figures central to Native culture, such as the Trickster (coyote, raven, Manabozho, Glooskap, etc), the Dying God and a wide variety of other kachinas, manitous and spirits. Again a wide variety of Nations are examined, including Sioux, Cherokee, Penobscott, Maidu, Luiseños, Ojibway, Apache and many others besides.

The next chapter takes an in depth look at Native American cosmology, starting with the creation. Several versions of the earth diver creation myth, dominant in both North America and Siberia, is contrasted with the emergence myth of the Hopi, Diné (Navajo), Apache and other Nations of the Southwest. A handful of other creation myths are given, including those of Nations such as the Yokuts, Chuckchi (actually Siberian, but included to show the shared cultures of North America and Siberia) and Blackfoot who believe that an omnipotent Creator made the world. Beyond that are a handful of tales describing the universal flood myth, the afterlife and ultimately the end of the world, bringing the cycle of life full circle and illustrating the cyclical nature of many Native culture's world views.

Finally, the book closes out with looking at hero figures; culture heroes, monster slayers, hero twins (a major theme throughout the Americas really) and so forth. Included here are such legendary hero figures as the Diné (Navajo) hero twins, Glooskap (Algonquian), Sweet Medicine (Cheyenne) and Blot Clot (Blackfoot), amongst others. Really this book is a wonderful introduction to Native American beliefs and stories. As I said before, a wide range of Nations is covered, including the Pueblos, Pawnee, Pomo, Tohono O'odham, Kiowa, Yuchi, Caddo, Arikara and even Métis. Since it covers so many regions and major themes, it is an excellent introduction to a pan-North American mythology. I really suggest that anyone interested in Native American (or world) mythology.

Probably a good introduction to native myths.
Native American myths are always primitive, raw, peculiar, and sometimes entertaining, but might not be for everyone.This particular book is not daunting, at about 200 pages, with most of the myths being relatively short.What the authors have tried to do is present the myths in a general, more literary approach, and with some reference to similarities with other mythic traditions.Starting with the native "pantheons", then to their conception of the cosmos (creation, flood, afterlife, end of world), then to hero myths.Of these the last section was the most entertaining, the other myths end up being etiological and rather simple.If you are interested in the mysths in their more original forms there is "American Indian Myths and Legends".This book is more like a primer, but is at least a good overall introduction to what is really a vast mythological tradition. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A Mixed Review
For the limited amount of information that the authors obtained, this was a fair compilation of Havasupai legends. I sure wish there were other resources that could have helped confirm what they described. Maybe someone else has more information, and I hope Mr. Euler can publish an update. The first few sections of the book were very informative, especially the funeral arrangements of Mexican Jack by his family. It really illuminated me about how very practical funerals were conducted, although I was surprised to find out that he wasn't cremated like many tribal members before him. I did not appreciate the legends portion of the book. Maybe it was the limited information provided by the shaman or the story-passer-on-ers, but to me it seemed to be a mixture of altered story telling--almost like a rumor mill where info is somewhat skewed as it is passed along. For one thing the mention of female sexual practices was contrived--almost artificially inserted--for entertainment. I sensed that the legend passers were male and that their frustrations or fixations (whichever the case) with female genitalia helped spice up the legends. The authors description of these incidental sexual acts were extrapolated from an earlier author from 1929 which may or may not be accurate. So I took the descriptions of these legends with a grain of salt. But like many other myths--they are based on fact. So I would love to read about an updated or more comprehensive sequel to this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Comedy / 3m, 2f, flexible casting, Actors will each play 18 to 32 charactersOn a simple stage, with the clock ticking in front of everyone’s eyes, the cast speeds through all of Greek Mythology. Its funny, updated and made easy to understand.The Gods walk the Red Carpet. The Creation of Mankind is a botched subcontractors job. Man and Pandora try settling down despite an ominous wedding gift. Love stories are a dating show and the Greek Tragedies are sports highlights! And don’t forget the two greatest stories ever told, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Kidnap Helen of Troy and you’ve got a 10 year slap-fight of epic proportions with pouty Achilles, war-hungry Agamemnon and clever Odysseus, destined to wander the seas for 10 more years fighting giants, seductresses and the Gods themselves.All the silly decisions, the absurd destinies, and the goofy characters are presented lightning-bolt fast with hysterical results as the clock is stopped with only seconds to spare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantastic Comedy
I had the pleasure of being in the audience for this production here in Southern California for a High School's fall production.I thought it was absolutely hilarious.There was easily 30 people in the cast which made for a rich scenery of players involved in the scene, background sight gags and physical comedy in and around the apron of the stage.

The text carries many jokes about the original pieces and while some are hackneyed, the way an actor brings new life to it will be key.Holding the audience's attention is easy but it is at the will of the director to fill in the blanks with rich subtext from the blocking, the costumes, and even some micro-directing on the line readings.

Perfect for all high school students (not just the drama crew) as the scenes keep moving and energy soars.

Not Funny Enough
As a director, I was excited about reading this script. I have directed "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged," and had a blast with it; I hoped for something similar here.

I'm sure that's what the authors were trying for, but this play is nowhere near as funny as "Complete Works." The humor is far less sophisticated -- in fact, a lot of it is downright dumb. It's all at about a fifth-grade level, like snickering at the name "Uranus" (actually, that was one of the funnier jokes in the script).

The first 10 or so pages are just rapid-fire introduction of the main Greek pantheon, and it's simply not funny enough to hold an audience's attention through all that exposition.

Sometimes comedies play funnier than they read. It's possible this is all hilarious on stage, but I doubt it. Yes, having five people running around in togas with silly props, racing on and off stage to play a multitude of characters would help. But if the script isn't funny, no amount of frenetic pacing is going to save it. ... Read more

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"Parman brings fresh life to some well-worked topics, while illuminating lesser-known developments of the postwar period and contextualizing Indian concerns within broader governmental and social dynamics. Both specialists and general readers will appreciate his succinct, informed treatment of 'the Indian problem' in the United States." -- Gateway Heritage

"Parman's accomplishment lies in his ability to synthesize the saga of the numerous interactions among those seeking dominance.... Parman's balanced and comprehensive overview provides a handy guide to the subject for upper-division undergraduate and graduate collections." -- Choice

"Indians and the American West in the Twentieth Century is an important contribution to understanding the development of the West and provides a clear and impressive analysis of evolving government policy and programs that impacted directly on the resident Indian people." -- American Indian Culture and Research Journal

"This is an impressive effort that provides the reader with a balanced view of a subject that tends to become polemic." -- Books of the Southwest

"The well-written and analytical narrative is backed with thirty-nine pages of notes and bibliography, which provide an enormous complement and establish a firm foundation of scholarship." -- Nebraska History

"This book is an important contribution that manages to give the reader a bird's-eye view of the regularities of twentieth-century Indian history, while at the same time conveying the local twists, complexities, and ironies of that history and of any generalizations we would make about it.... should be read by all scholars in Native American studies and American minority history." -- Journal of American History

"Parman's thoughtful book will be of interest to students, scholars, and anyone remotely interested in Indian-white relations during the twentieth century." -- Pacific Historical Review

"An appraisal that is both clear and balanced." -- Margaret Connell Szasz, The University of New Mexico

"Parman delivers on his promise to present a 'balanced' and 'objective' summary, and his synthesis is clearly written and enjoyable to read. The book holds important lessons for westerners and midwesterners." -- The Annals of Iowa

"Parman has written a concise overview that synthesizes the development of the twentieth-century West and how that development impacted Indian nations." -- North Dakota History

A balanced and accessible overview of the last hundred years of Indian history in the American West. This even-handed and insightful account includes an assessment of the status of Native Americans in the West as the century comes to a close.