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By listening to the Great Spirit and eating huge quantities of grasshoppers, Coyote is able to save the Pomo from drought and starvation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Pomo legend explaining why they like the Coyote
"Coyote and the Grasshoppers: A Pomo Legend," tells the story of what happened when a drought fell upon the land and Clear Lake dried up.The medicine men sang chants and the people danced for rain, but none came.At that same time Coyote was roaming the dry land searching for water to drink, when he saw a large cloud moving across the land that turned out to be a swarming mass of grasshoppers that was eating everything in their path.This would make life even harder for the Pomos, and Coyote could not understand why these terrible things were happening.So he howled and the Great Spirit answered him, telling Coyote to eat his fill of grasshoppers, because if he did that all else will follow."All creatures are on earth for a reason, the Great Spirit tells Coyote, "You will discover the reason for grasshopper if you do as I say."

That is the set up for this Pomo legend, retold by Gloria Dominic and illustrated by Charles Reasoner, and what I like about it is that it makes young readers think about how eating a whole bunch of grasshoppers will put water back in Clear Lake.The Great Spirit has made it clear there is a reason for the horde of grasshoppers, and young readers should have some sort of idea of the cycle of life, even if it is just the opening of "The Lion King."However, I was anticipating something a bit more realistic than what happens because I was thinking that this would be creative way of explaining the basic cycle of life in the desert.Consequently, "Coyote and the Grasshoppers" ends up being more of a mystical tale than a myth that provides a way of explaining why things are the way they are.

As is the case with these Native American Lore & Legend volumes, the back of the book is devoted to providing background on the Native American people from which this particular legend was taken.The Pomo homeland was north of San Francisco Bay, and this section of the book looks at the people, their food and clothing, and how today the Pomo live on small rancherias instead of on large reservations.The section is illustrated with historic photographs of the Pomo along with contemporary photographs of Pomo artifacts, particularly the beautiful ornate Pomo baskets.A Glossary defines a few key terms from "Acorn" to "Tule," while a list of Important Dates begins with Columbus landing in American in 1492 and ends with the 1968 Indian Civil Rights Act giving Native Americans the right to govern themselves on their reservations.

The sections in the back of these volumes are brief, but they do provide an introduction to the culture of the various Native American people whose legends are being retold.Other volumes in the Native American Lore & Legend series include "First Woman and the Strawberry: A Cherokee Legend," "Sunflower's Promise: A Zuni Legend," "Red Hawk and the Sky Sisters: A Shawnee Legend," and "Brave Bear and the Ghosts: A Sioux Legend."All of these are retold by Gloria Dominic and illustrated by Charles Reasoner, but you can also find an earlier series, Native American Legends, which Reasoner also illustrated but retold by Terri Coohlene that takes the same approach in books like "Dancing Drum: A Cherokee Legend" and " Turquoise Boy: A Navajo Legend."

This is a fantastic legend of getting rid of grasshoppers.
I am a first grade student who just read this book.I loved all thepictures.I liked the picture of the coyote howling to the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit told the coyote how to eat the grasshoppers and help thePomo Indians. My name is Kaitlin and I am learning all about grasshoppers. This book helped me learn some new things. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

The Legends & Lands of Native North Americans
The strength of this book is in its photography.The quality is good, although the subject matter is sort of run-of-the-mill.Unfortunately, the text will appeal to a rather narrow group of readers.These are truly legends, not oral history.In some cases, the photographs tie closely to the legend, but the linkage is often rather tenuous.

Many of the legends are creation stories of one type or another.Others are associated with territory or territorial features such as Spider Rock or the Sacred Mountains in the southwest.

The book divides the legends by region and by tribe within regions.The author provides a preface and introductory chapter.He also provides a bit of an introduction to each region.This material presents some views on the ties between the legends and the lands where the people live.It also touches on the spirituality to which the legends are related.Many times I found myself wishing that I was not hearing from a college professor, but rather had a tribal historian providing some background to each legend.

A Word From the Author
This book is a unique collaboration between a Pima Indian writer and scholar (myself) and an Israeli photographer (Elan Penn).Each of us brings a "tribal" perspective to this work that is far beyond the romantic drivle that typically characterizes picture books about Native Americans.As a longtime professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota, I try to introduce the general reader to the beliefs and values that permeate a diverse range of indigenous nations regarding their respective relationships with their homelands.This relation, far from being sentimental, is based on a very primal and very human instinct for needing a home, in which a home means someplace that was given to one's ancestors and was retained by them for their descendants.A homeland, in this context, is that domain where a people's sacred history takes place; it is where they build their homes and raise their families; it is also where they practice their customs and beliefs.Contained within these pages are the stories that recount the history of the land itself, as Turtle Island, the Glittering World, the Fourth World, and so on.In the end, the intrinsic bond between indigenous peoples and the places they call home, not only antedates the United States and Canada, but also these stories testify to Indian peoples' rightful claim to being the true stewards of this continent, a claim which has perdured through the centuries. ... Read more

Product Description
Daniel Garrison Brinton (1837-1899), was an American archaeologist and ethnologist. During the American Civil War, he was a surgeon in the Union army, acting during 1864-1865 as surgeonin- charge of the U. S. Army general hospital at Quincy, Illinois. After the war, Brinton practiced medicine in West Chester, Pennsylvania for several years; was the editor of a weekly periodical - the Medical and Surgical Reporter, in Philadelphia from 1874 to 1887; became professor of ethnology and archaeology in the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia in 1884; and was professor of American linguistics and archaeology in the University of Pennsylvania from 1886 until his death. His works include: The Myths of the New World (1868), The Religious Sentiment (1876), American Hero-Myths (1882), Aboriginal American Authors (1883), The Lenape and Their Legends (1885), The Annals of the Cakchiquels (1885), Ancient Nahuatl Poetry (1887), The Pursuit of Happiness (1893), A Primer of Mayan Hieroglyphics (1895) and Religions of Primitive People (1897). In addition, he edited and published a Library of American Aboriginal Literature (8 vols. 1882-1890), a valuable contribution to the science of anthropology in America. ... Read more

Product Description
The myths and legends in this collection have been selected both for their excellence as stories and because they illustrate the distinctive nature of Native American storytelling. They are drawn from oral traditions of the major culture areas of aboriginal North America, and include trickster tales, origin myths and stories of domestic sexual conflict.

In a substantial introduction and headnotes to each story, editor Karl Kroeber highlights the otherness of Native American narratives, in which suspense is insignificant, metaphors hardly used, protagonists are often unnamed and ambiguity of motives is stressed. He reveals the highly practical functions of myths and legends in Native American societies, demonstrating how they helped listeners to explore the efficacy of social practices and cultural institutions, and how they reinforced American Indians’ profound spiritual engagement with their natural environment. This collection makes accessible to any reader the uniqueness and diversity of Native American storytelling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Do stories reflect values or shape them?
Native American Storytelling - A Reader of Myths and Legends - edited Karl Kroeder starts out with the interesting, and for me new, idea that stories shape our ideas, cultures and way of life.Instead of stories just being there to support old ideas, morals and explain how things came about Native American stories may have been used to test out new ideas.Instead of stories changing over the centuries, reflecting changes within the norms of society it may be that stories, for whatever reason, were used to change society, to explore taboos and question values.
Most of the stories were new to me.Many deal with sex and adult themes so not a book for kids.
Very serious work and a must for any library.
... 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
They come from the Pawnee, Iroquois, Algonquin, Inuit, Navajo, Sioux, and Hopi--and every one of these myths reveals the richness and depth of Native American culture, with its honored traditions and rituals. Born out of a deep sensitivity and respect for nature, they are exquisitely beautiful and contain the most profound spiritual and emotional truths. Through these legends, meet the Master of Life, who created the world; Thunderbird, who brings the storms; Grandmother Spiderwoman, who descends Earth to spin her silk; Coyote and his friends; as well a cast of other intriguing characters central to various Indian nations' cosmology. As part of an ancient heritage, these stories are a lasting tribute to the imaginative power and worldview of the first Americans.
Amazon.com Review
From the mouths of one generation to the ears of the next, the tales in Native American Myths have been passed down through the ancient tradition of oral storytelling. Though something is lost when these stories inhabit the page instead of the fireside, Diana Ferguson (Tales of the Plumed Spirit) was determined to preserve the spiritual heritage of American Indians in order to "enrich the lives us all." Whether we hear stories from the cliff-dwelling Pueblos or the Northwest coastal Makah, we find common mythic archetypes: creators, tricksters, heroes, and quests. Yet each tribe also has its unique tales, inspired by the land they inhabit and their wild animal companions. The Nez Perce, natives of the plateau and basin, tell stories of wily coyotes and enemy wolves. Natives of the plains tell buffalo tales, and the Northeast coastal Algonquian speak of canoeing in the fog and meeting a great white whale. Almost every spread includes photographs of artifacts and landscapes, as well as evocative tribal drawings and paintings. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

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Einhorn, a rhetorical scholar, explores the rich history of the Native American oral tradition, focusing on stories, orations, prayers, and songs. Because American Indians existed without written language for many generations, their culture was strongly dependent on an oral tradition for continuity and preservation. Not surprisingly, they spent many hours perfecting the art of oral communication and learning methods for committing their messages to memory. Einhorn thoroughly examines the important aspects of this unique oral tradition from a rhetorical perspective, covering individual speakers, nations, and time periods. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Exquisite
Any project Tamarack is involved in is high quality.And this one is.Simply exquisite.Covers areas not covered anywhere else in Anthropology.This is beyond anthropology, this is putting the heart of a culture on paper, almost, in a beautiful way. ... Read more

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Folktales are at the heart of Native American culture. Prepared especially for students and general readers, this book conveniently collects 31 of the most important Native American folktales. These are drawn from the major Native American cultural and geographical areas and are organized in sections on origins; heroes, heroines, villains, and fools; society and conflict; and the supernatural. The tales reflect the environment, cultural adaptations, and prevailing concerns of the areas from which they are taken. Each tale begins with a brief introductory headnote, and the book closes with a selected bibliography. Students in social studies classes will welcome this book as a window on Native American culture, while students in literature courses will value its exploration of Native American oral traditions.

Prepared especially for students and general readers, this book conveniently collects and comments on 31 of the most important Native American folktales. These are drawn from the major Native American cultural and geographical areas and reflect the environment, cultural adaptations, and prevailing concerns of the regions from which they are taken.

Product Description
Classic study of the myths and folklore of the Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes. Stories of Glooskap, the divinity; Lox, the mischief-maker; At-o-sis, the serpent; Master Rabbit, the Weewillmekq’, the Chenoo, many more. Thorough, highly readable, entertaining. 12 black-and-white illustrations. Preface. Introduction.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Algonquin legends
This book is great.I liked it and thought that it was very interesting. I just learned about the algonquins and really liked learning about it.This book helped me understand the algonquins better.This book was wonderful and I think the author did a wonderful job making it. ... Read more

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

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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

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A retelling of the Seneca creation story and prophesies for the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Story of the Ages
Such an incredible story of the Native American beliefs of how the world came to be.An easy read, and a page turner....

Simply Beautiful
I first read this book about 15 years ago and it forever changed the way I viewed the natural world around me. The stones, the trees, the rivers became real and personal.I wish this book were required reading for every high school and/or college student.In a perfect world it would also be required reading for their parents.

Wonderful book for any Medicine Worker!
Jamies books are amazing expecially this one.This book's title is in the Rotunda of the Historical Society of Buffalo, NY, a city near and dear to my heart!Reading this book took me back to where I spent much time while growing up in the primal woods with the Standing People, along the Cattaraugus River and the cliffs. I would highly rate this book to anyone on the path.Thank You Jamie for sharing your knowledge of Mother Earth and the Stone People.

Other Council fires were here before ours
I love Jamie Sams style of writing, and she opened many doors that were closed lifetimes ago.
Other Council Fires Were Here Before Ours: A Classic Native American Creation Story as Retold by a Seneca Elder, Twylah Nitsch, and Her Granddaughter, Jamie Sams

Worth a look
Provides thoughtful insight into a much retold Native American story of previous yugas. Ought to be required reading for the future leaders of our world. ... Read more

Product Description
A unique characteristic of Native American medicine is the belief that each patient holds a different spirit, and that the healing can only work when it affects the individual spirit. Mythology is essential to this healing process. The belief stories within these pages reflect a culture that holds both poignant and alarming lessons. Readers of this book will discover the intriguing past and knowledge of Native American history and beliefs which are more enlightening than they may have previously realized. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent work by a naval historian who "gets it"
This is the book later republished under the title _Fleet to Fleet Encounters_.It is an excellent overview of the naval battles of Tsushima, Jutland and the Philippine Sea.While the Jutland section may have been overtaken by new analyses published later, the Philippine Sea section is a major account of this battle which is somewhat neglected in comparison with Leyte Gulf, 4 months later.Particularly illuminating is Grove's use of the battle to effectively demolish criticisms of aircraft carriers as "having half their aircraft devoted to self defense" by pointing out that the success of the US fighters in destroying the rebuilt Japanese carrier air force was a decisive victory in and of itself.Much better than Keegan's foray into naval history. ... Read more

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Discusses the religious beliefs and legends of the Mexican and Central American Indians in pre-Hispanic times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An informative primer, if a bit dated and naiive
One has to give credit to Ms. Nicholson for taking on the daunting task of giving an introduction to not simply Mayan and Aztec religion, but to Central-American mythology as a whole.Nicholson draws upon a variety ofsources to present a guide to the ancient cultures, the rituals and tenetsof the various religious systems, and a fair sampling of the art,handcrafts and architecture that make the ancient cultures of CentralAmerica so fascinating.Even so, Nicholson seems to have a tendency toforce her own ideologies on these belief-systems, characterizing the godQuetzalcoatl as a Christ figure, for example, or by comparing his warriorcult of the jaguars to the Knights Templar.At other places, Nicholsoncomes across as naiive, especially when her conclusions are compared withthe results of contemporary archeological findings.Her premise that theMayans were fundamentally peaceful and opposed to the idea of humansacrifice is discredited by strong evidence to the contrary.And herconclusion, for example, that the recumbent Chac-mul statue at the templeof the warriors at Chichen-Itza bears a hollow area in order to collectrainwater is laughable in light of recent findings which conclusively provethat its true purpose was to catch the hearts of victims of human sacrificeduring blood/fertility rituals.More reliable data on the Mayans can befound in Michael D. Coe's "The Maya." ... Read more

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An accessible A-to-Z format provides concise, easy-to-locate entries on more than 600 characters, enabling the reader to discover who is who in the mythology of the Americas. ... Read more

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Oral traditions and myths have long been an integral part of Native American cosmology. Not only have they been - and continue to be - an essential part of handing down Native American customs, norms, beliefs, and cultural histories, but they also form a communal mythic discourse. This discourse is not a "fixed text," but rather a dynamic process of interactive relations that are developed over generations of experience, and passed from relation to relation and generation to generation. In this sense, the traditional structures of mythic discourse serve an integrative function: to form a coherent basis for communal identity in terms of a shared set of fundamental ideas and beliefs expressed in multiple forms.The oral traditions and myths recorded in this book are part of the communal mythic discourse of the Lakota Sioux people. Originally collected and recorded at the close of the nineteenth century by two Native language speakers - Marie L. McLaughlin and Zitkala Sa - these oral traditions provide some of the least distorted or colonially disrupted examples of the Lakota Sioux communal mythic discourse. Containing over 40 oral traditions, Lakota Sioux Legends and Myths brings together into a single volume these remarkable myths and legends.Edited and with a forward by Peter N. Jones, Ph.D., Lakota Sioux Legends and Myths is a welcome and refreshing addition to the literature. Once again the beauty, depth, and knowledge contained within the Lakota Sioux oral traditions can speak for themselves. ... Read more