Native American Myths and Legends

Explores the mythology of Native Americans in their struggles of solve the mysteries of humankind's origins and purpose on Earth, in an examination of Native American anthropology, rituals, ceremonies, holy places, and craftsmanship.

YA-Taylor divides North America into nine areas of cultural similarities: Southeast, Southwest, Plains, Plateau and Basin, California, Northwest Coast, Subarctic, Arctic, and Northeast. Different experts in their fields look at the origin myths, all-powerful spirits, hero creatures and monsters, holy places and sacred sites, revered animals, and rituals and ceremonies of the native peoples of each region. The format helps students make comparisons or gather concise yet detailed information; the beautiful illustrations promise browsing pleasure.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Under the direction of Taylor ( The Native Americans ), nine experts here survey Indian cultures in nine regions of North America. Each essay is organized by topic: origin, all-powerful spirits, heroes and monsters, holy places and sacred rites, revered animals, rituals and ceremonies. Passed down by oral tradition, myths were not simply entertainment--they established rules governing conduct between people and the natural world, serving as a code of behavior and a medium of instruction. The authors provide a wealth of information within a broad framework. We learn, for example, that an important taboo among Arctic peoples forbidding contact between land and sea animals results in the rule against eating seal and caribou the same day. The illustrations depict artifacts, ceremonies, paintings and people.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Another book on this subject? Yes, but one worthy of examination, nonetheless, because it's excellently illustrated and extremely well written. Nine specific chapters, each by a different hand or hands, describe Native American cultures of the Arctic, subarctic, both northern coasts, California, the plains, the plateau and basin near the western mountains, the Southeast, and the Southwest. Myths are retold as part of each chapter, but emphasis is upon the defining characteristics of the represented cultures. Thus we learn about the mounds and effigies, the significance of corn, and the purifying game-rituals in the Southeast; about the importance of place in the subarctic; about rock art in the native religions of California. Pat Monaghan