NAM - Native American Myths of California and the Southwest Lesson

Native American Myths of California and the Southwest

 

The stories taken from Indian Legends of California and the Southwest are centered on the great trickster figure, Coyote. There are also a number of different creation stories, including stories where Coyote plays a role in creation, as well as stories about the great Spider as creator of the world, or the Earth Doctor who created the earth and its inhabitants. Along with these creations, stories are aetiological stories, which tell how different animals and birds and plants and mountains in California and the Southwest came into existence. Here are some quotes:

Then Coyote was very, very proud because he was a blue coyote. He was so proud that as he walked along he looked around on every side to see if anybody was looking at him now that he was a blue coyote and so beautiful. He looked to see if his shadow was blue, too. ...

Coyote he made a small rattle by placing tiny pebbles in a gourd and fastened it to the end of his tail. He shook it a while and was much pleased with it. The next morning he started for the snake's house. He shook the rattle on the end of his tail and smiled, and said to himself, "This is good. When I go into Rattlesnake's house, he will be very much afraid of me." ...

But Earth Doctor saw that when the sun and moon were not in the sky, all was inky darkness. So he sang a magic song, and took some water into his mouth and blew it into the sky, in a spray, to make little stars. Then he took his magic crystal and broke it into pieces and threw them into the sky, to make the larger stars. ...

Reading Assignments: California and the Southwest Myths