The first section contains tales about the origin of the world and the creation of man and some animals. The myths differ depending on the tribe. For example, in the Hopi tribe, two Stone Women (the Eastern Stone Woman and the Western Stone Woman) appear in the process of creation. The Eastern Stone Woman creates a small bird from clay, gives it life with a song, and sends it into the world to search for other living things (this calls to mind the dove sent out by Noah to explore the Earth after the Great Flood). When the little bird comes back it recounts the absence of living beings. The two deities then agree to create many other animals. In the final stage of creation, the Eastern Stone Woman creates the first woman and then the first man. The world and its people, created strictly in couples (a male and a female), are good and peaceful. Unfortunately, unknown to the first little bird, there is a third goddess, Spider Woman, who also wants to participate in the creation. In her haste, the goddess makes a mistake in the creation of human couples. She forgets to create a woman and therefore fills the world with dissatisfied and quarrelsome “Spaniards.” The result is turmoil. Good and evil are now present in the world and will remain forever.
For other tribes, the mythology of creation is strictly related to the raven, which probably obtained its mythical state (as in many other cultures) as mediator between life and death. Man, born from a pod of a large pea-vine, needs a friend to teach him how to live harmoniously on the Earth. This friend is Raven. The wise Raven (sometimes tricky) trains man, step by step, and also gives him precise instructions on what today could easily be defined as sustainable consumption. Various folktales tell about the origin of hunting and farming, while others tell how the primordial world is covered with water and recount how Water Spider gives fire to man. What is certain is that all plants, animals, and human beings can speak and understand each other.
In section two, the world is populated by heroic figures struggling to defend the human race against gigantic monsters. The Destroyer-of-Dangerous-Things is the son of the Sun and frees the world (Jicarilla Apache) from a great frog, a dangerous elk, two great eagles, two giant bears, and the Rock-that-runs. Blood-Clot-Boy (Blackfoot), born from a clot of blood, fights against injustice by protecting the weak and vulnerable from abuse by monster bullies who steal food, particularly fat and dried meat, that are essential for the survival of the nomadic tribes. Blood-Clot-Boy is the Smoking-Star (Mars for the Blackfoot tribe, Venus for Mayan culture as indicated in Aztec Codex Telleriano Remensis). Other mythical figures include the raven (seen as wise by the Inuit people) and Manabozho, also known as Big Rabbit or Great-Hare. The trickster Manabozho, who loves to hunt ducks, can change shape, which is useful for capturing his prey, although he is not always successful. Manabozho is the son of a heavenly wind and a woman of unknown origin. Despite his temper, he can bear the tricks of Buzzard (Menominee Indians). Not all these deities are perfect or good; some have the same defects as humans.
Some tales in section three tell of the punishment of liars, misers, egoists, and betrayers. A social structure based on cooperation, loyalty, generosity, honesty, respect for the natural world and other living things is depicted as good. Theft is only justifiable when it is necessary for survival (Navahos). Sacred ritual objects, such as the Medicine Pipe, can be instruments of preservation in time of war, famine, and sickness. According to Teton folktales, the disregarded oath sealed by the sacred pipe causes the death of General Custer.
The tales in section four describe the supernatural world and its mythical figures present in the daily life of every tribe. Witches and sorcerers are common in the tales, and their actions are either good or bad depending on the tribe. Supernatural beings are not always benign. Some regulate atmospheric phenomena, while others lend their powers to man (Micmac). Sometimes they lead one to commit a crime (Huron), cause disease or death (Cherokee), or guide the social life and code of behavior that lead to a tranquil afterlife (Hopi).
This book has several good qualities. It is well-organized and concise, and it gives a comprehensive overview of the myths and traditional bases of social organization of American Indians. The folktales presented cover a time-span from the creation to the first contacts/tension between the Native American people and Europeans or members of the United States Army. Each folktale is preceded by a brief introduction that provides the context for the meaning and origin of the story in the variegated world of the various indigenous tribes. A bibliography is provided for each story. Some terms, thought by the editor to be offensive to contemporary readers, have been changed. However, the offensive words do have a precise meaning that should really be included within a defined historical and/or social context. The book is suitable for general readers and students.
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[Review length: 931 words • Review posted on November 9, 2011]