Native American Folklore By: Alejandro Rosario

Origin Native Americans do not share one solid Folklore. Each tribal group develops their own stories. Despite this they share the same concept: Nature Most Origins form how the actions of gods, deities, and heroes gave the earth its present form.

Origins According to tales of Native Americans, they originated from where their ancestors lived and migrated. They descended from hunting and gathering people of northeastern Asia. Native Americans traveled across the Bering Sea into North America during the last Ice Age. PS: The waters were lowered enough to form a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska.

Regions and Types Scholars have divided the Native American Folklore into different regions based on its patterns. The eastern part or the Artic region, Inuit (Eskimo) focus on Sedna, a deity known as the “mistress or mother of sea animals”. The Western Artic talks about Igaluk, the moon god. The Subartic of inland Alaska and western Canada talk about heroes who transform or change the world into how it is now. All regions relies on Trickster Tales.

Regions and Types There were also tales about deities who started the process of creation in the California region. The Great Basin region has tales of female heroes and god who die and are reborn. Stories about the dying gods are similar to Aztec and Mayan legends. The Southwest region have tales about migration, heroes who rid of monsters and the origin of humans.

The Oral Tradition Native American did not use written language. The story tellers used objects such as stone carvings, shells, rugs, or pottery to illustrate the tales.

Storytelling Objects

The Oral Tradition Mythology, religion, history, and rituals were the same thing for Native Americans. They were woven together in the tales to define peoples’ identity and gave order and meaning to their lives.

The Oral Tradition There were 4 main forms of tales: Trickster: Mischievous figures Clan: Group of People descending from a common ancestor or interest. Culture Hero: Mythical figure who gives people the tools of civilization, such as fire and language. Ritual: Ceremony that follows a set pattern.

The Oral Tradition Rituals could not be told lightly. Many believed that if told at a wrong time a dire fate awaited them. Ex: being attacked by snakes. Other tales were told for fun or to teach a lesson about behavior.

Creators, Gods, and Spirits Many Native American Tales have a high deity, or Great Spirit, who is responsible for bringing the universe into existence. Often the deity creates the world and the disappears, leaving the other gods to complete the work of creation and oversee the running of the world. In many Native American tales, Father Sky and Mother Earth (Mother Corn) are the important creative high deities.

Creators, Gods, and Spirits The high deity of the Pawnee is Tirawa Tirawa gave duties and powers to the Sun and Moon Asides the Sun and Moon, Tirawa gave powers to the Morning Star and the Evening Star, the Star of Death, and the four stars that support the sky. The Lakota tribe believes that the high deity Wakan Tanka created the sun, sky, wind, and the other elements of both the natural and spiritual world.

Creators, Gods, and Spirits Most secondary deities are often personifications of natural forces. The Iroquois consider Hunin, the Thunder Deity, a mighty warrior who shoots arrows of Fire and is married to the rainbow goddess. Not all deities are universally good, Napi, from the Blackfoot tribe, appears as both wise, and a trickster to humans.

Culture Heroes and Transformers Many Native Americans have a culture hero who makes the world suitable for humans. That character can create the earth and sky, or even humans and animals. They might also release animals with evil spirits imprisonned Also can establish social structures, or teach people, arts, crafts, and ceremonies.

Cultural Heroes and Transformers On the Northeast, the hero Gluskap creates humans, returns from death to defeat evil, and protects people from natural and magical disasters. The Navajo tribe has twin warriors: Monster Slayer and Child of Water, sons of Sun and Water and play a similar role. In the California area, the tribes tell of Attajen, who teaches the people how to make rain and how to fill the earth with plants and animals.

Why People Die A number of Native American tribes explain how death came into the world. Usually, to prevent the earth from becoming overcrowded. The Shoshone tribe talks about the argument between the wolf and coyote. The Wolf said that people can be brought back but coyote insisted that it would be too overcrowded.

Animals Tricksters are often animals. They can often change between animal and human form and could interact with humans. Some stories tell of when a human married an animal disguised as a human. Often it being a bear. Many Native American regard bears as close relatives of people.

Totems and Spirit Animals Similar to the Zodiacs, Totems and spirit animals are the Native Americans’ Zodiac and Astrology system. They look into the placement of the sun, moon and stars at the time of birth as a pattern to illustrate your unique being. The Totems and Spirit Animals are: Bear, Beaver, Deer, Falcon, Otter, Owl, Raven, Salmon, Snake, Snow Goose, Wolf, and Woodpecker.

Legacy Although many explorers noted the belief of Native Americans, they did not begin recording the myths until after the 1820s. By that time many societies had already been disrupted and some of its traditions lost. Between 1880s and 1930s, scholars made efforts to record the words of Native Americans who still knew the traditional myths, legends, and folktales.

Legacy Modern scholars are still gathering old lore and exploring new interpretations of familiar myths. Today, Native Americans’ myth and legends occupy a significant place in the study of world mythology. They remain a living foundation for Native Americans who still practice their traditional religions.

List of Deities Azeban Wi Bmola Pah Tabaldak Shakuru Gitche Manitou Tirawa Igaluk Amotken Nerrivik Eagentci Sedna Dohkwibuhch Torngasoak Atabey Haokah Juracan