The Myths of the North American Indians PDF Download

Author: Lewis Spence
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Indian mythology
Languages : en
Pages : 490

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Author: Sam D. Gill
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780195086027
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
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.

Author: Richard Erdoes
Publisher: Pantheon
ISBN: 080415175X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 546

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Book Description
More than 160 tales from eighty tribal groups present a rich and lively panorama of the Native American mythic heritage. From across the continent comes tales of creation and love; heroes and war; animals, tricksters, and the end of the world. “This fine, valuable new gathering of ... tales is truly alive, mysterious, and wonderful—overflowing, that is, with wonder, mystery and life" (National Book Award Winner Peter Matthiessen). In addition to mining the best folkloric sources of the nineteenth century, the editors have also included a broad selection of contemporary Native American voices.

Author: David Leeming
Publisher: Reaktion Books
ISBN: 178914499X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
A revealing analysis of key themes in Native American origin myths—and their stark contrast with the exceptionalist values of the United States. Tales of the Earth is a comprehensive yet concise overview of Native American mythologies. After outlining theories of the origins of Native North Americans, David Leeming considers the creation myths of many tribes, emphasizing four commonly occurring figures: the Great Spirit, the trickster, the goddess, and the hero. Leeming suggests that in addition to these figures, Native American mythologies have in common a deep reverence for the earth and for community responsibility as opposed to individualism—tenets that stand in stark contrast to the concepts of exceptionalism and Manifest Destiny that characterize the United States, a nation that was built on ancient tribal land.

Author: Patricia Ann Lynch
Publisher: Chelsea House
ISBN: 9781604138948
Category : Electronic books
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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The beliefs of many Native American peoples emphasize a close relationship between people and the natural world, including geographical features such as mountains and lakes and animals such as whales and bison. Therefore, many of the myths of these peoples are stories of strange occurrences where animals or forces of nature and people interact. Native American Mythology A to Z, Second Edition presents detailed coverage of the deities, legendary heroes and heroines, important animals, objects, and places that make up the mythic lore of the many peoples of North America. This new edition is now in full-color for the first time. Coverage includes: Creation accounts from many Native American cultures Influences on and development of Native American mythology The effects of geographic region, environment, and climate on myths Core beliefs of numerous tribes Recurrent themes in myths throughout the continent.

Author: Hartley Burr Alexander
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486122794
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 386

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Book Description
This fascinating and informative compendium, assembled by a celebrated anthropologist, offers a remarkably wide range of nomadic sagas, animist myths, cosmogonies and creation myths, end-time prophecies, and other traditional tales.

Author: David Adams Leeming
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN: 9780806132396
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Book Description
Recounts more than seventy Native American myths from a variety of cultures, covering gods, creation, and heroes and heroines, and discusses each myth within its own context, its relationship to other myths, and its place within world mythology.

Author: John Wesley Powell
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
ISBN: 1434400700
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 62

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Book Description
Sketch of the Mythology of the North American Indians: First Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1879-80, by J.W. Powell, Director, Smithsonian Institution Bureau of Ethnography.

Author: Vine Deloria, Jr.
Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing
ISBN: 1682752410
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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Book Description
Vine Deloria, Jr., leading Native American scholar and author of the best-selling God is Red, addresses the conflict between mainstream scientific theory about our world and the ancestral worldview of Native Americans. Claiming that science has created a largely fictional scenario for American Indians in prehistoric North America, Deloria offers an alternative view of the continent's history as seen through the eyes and memories of Native Americans. Further, he warns future generations of scientists not to repeat the ethnocentric omissions and fallacies of the past by dismissing Native oral tradition as mere legends.

Author: Matt Clayton
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781696130752
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 102

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Book Description
If you're looking for a captivating collection of Native American myths, then keep reading... 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. Native American: Mythology Captivating Myths of Indigenous Peoples from North America invites you to go on a startling journey and discover the following myths: Origins Ghosts and Monsters Trickster Tales Hero Tales And much, much more! So if you want a captivating collection of Native American myths, click the "add to cart" button!