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This comprehensive collection of Native American folklore draws on a unique oral tradition, illuminating for students the very roots of Native American culture. Gathered from numerous tribes—Seneca, Hopi, Navaho, Creek, Cheyenne, Cherokee, and Blackfoot—these thirty-six stories, passed down through generations, are narrated by Dee Brown as they might be told around a campfire today. Updated for the modern reader, these tales capture the true spirit and flavor of Native American Mythology.

With a new preface written by the author especially for this edition and attractive line illustrations by Native American Louis Mofsie, this unique is essential reading for a new generation of students interested in Native American culture and history, mythology and folklore, and cultural history.
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Customer Reviews (2)

Classic
I have read this book twice, separated by a couple of decades. From the first time to now I have grown in experience and wisdom. I have read more. In experience, I have lived and worked with Native Americans. I know them better than I did before.

This book gets ***** because I feel that it's expression of Native American culture is sensitive and sublime.

It's more than just the stories.

Around the campfire...
These stories have the fun, lessons, and morals that make you want to memorize them for the next time you're around a campfire.

They're great, because like most tales, they can be summarized in two sentences, yet withthe expansion of narrative detail you can imagine yourself in an oldcouncil ring with an elder speaking slowly, and dozens of childrenlistening in amazement.

The stories are quite short, quick to read, andvery entertaining. ... Read more

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Folktales are at the heart of Native American culture. Prepared especially for students and general readers, this book conveniently collects 31 of the most important Native American folktales. These are drawn from the major Native American cultural and geographical areas and are organized in sections on origins; heroes, heroines, villains, and fools; society and conflict; and the supernatural. The tales reflect the environment, cultural adaptations, and prevailing concerns of the areas from which they are taken. Each tale begins with a brief introductory headnote, and the book closes with a selected bibliography. Students in social studies classes will welcome this book as a window on Native American culture, while students in literature courses will value its exploration of Native American oral traditions.

Prepared especially for students and general readers, this book conveniently collects and comments on 31 of the most important Native American folktales. These are drawn from the major Native American cultural and geographical areas and reflect the environment, cultural adaptations, and prevailing concerns of the regions from which they are taken.

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Customer Reviews (2)

Educational and Relaxing
This Mandala book includes information about each separate mandala including tribe specific data.The mandala's are nature oriented, detailed but not ridiculously so, and calming to color.Of the twenty or so mandala books I have purchased, this was the most interesting.

Native American Mandalas
Very nice book. I could hardly wait to get started. I illustations are great. ... Read more

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A girl who understands the spirits of all things sets out to find seven brothers she's seen in her mind. Together with them -- in a remarkable way -- she shows us we are not alone.

A boy goes into the hills to pray to the Great Spirit to help his hungry people. He returns with a herd of magnificent animals, Sacred Dogs with "thunder in their nostrils and lightning in their legs" -- later known as horses. And another girl loves these animals so much, she leaves her village to live with wild horses. She becomes an important link between her people and the Horse People, a reminder of our relatedness.

Her Seven Brothers, The Gift of the Sacred Dog, and The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses are about young people who leave their homes and bring something important to their people. They are tales of seekers, tales of transformation, tales that capture our kinship with the natural world. The Paul Goble Gallery showcases Goble's brilliant artwork and sensitive storytelling as it honors the Native American cultures that have inspired him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Three Native American tales told & illustrated by Paul Goble
The "Paul Goble Gallery: Three Native American Stories" presents a trio of choice retellings of old stories of the Plains Indians adapted and illustrated by Paul Goble.Each demonstrates the power of these ancient tales and Goble's illustrations engender an appreciation of the Native American art style that he emulates.

"Her Seven Brothers" opens the minds of young readers to the intriguing idea that different people look up at the same stars in the sky and see different things. In this case the story is about the seven stars that form the Big Dipper, the most recognizable constellation in the northern night sky. "Her Seven Brothers" retells the Cheyenne legend of a girl who was taught how to embroider with dyed porcupine quills onto deer and buffalo skin robes and clothes. One day she begins making sets of clothes, a shirt and pair of moccasins, explaining she has seen in her mind seven brothers who live by themselves far in the north country where the cold wind comes from. She is making them clothes because they have no sister, and when she is done she will find their tipi and ask them to be her brothers.

However, how the young girl made the clothes and found the seven brothers is only the first part of the story. Once she is there the story takes an interesting turn when the chief of the Buffalo Nation demands that the seven brothers send their sister to him. If they do not obey, then the whole Buffalo Nation will come to get her and the brothers will be trampled. How the seven brothers and their sister get out of this situation will explain how the Big Dipper was created. Young readers will be interested to learn that there are really eight stars in the Big Dipper and what the tiny star means in the context of this legend. "Her Seven Brothers" also speaks to the birds, animals, and flowers that share the earth with us as reminders of the generosity of the Creator, reflecting the strong Native American tradition of living in harmony with nature.

One things young readers will appreciate in "The Gift of the Sacred Dog" is the idea of how something that they taken for granted, such as the horse, would look to people who had never seen one before.The Spanish brought the first horses to North America and for the tribes of nomadic buffalo hunters of the Great Plains there were the most miraculous of creatures. Various tribes called the horse similar names: Sacred Dog, Big Dog, Elk Dog, and Mysterious Dog. Keep in mind that these tribes used dogs to carry and drag burdens, and a horse could not only carry and drag heavier burdens than dogs, but could also carry a rider and run really fast.

"The Gift of the Sacred Dog" tells the story of the first encounter between these native tribes and these wild horses, now told in a way that treats the "Sacred Dogs" as gifts given by the Great Spirit. In this telling a young boy prayers for help for his people, who have grown hungry, and the Great Spirit responds by sending the gift of the Sacred Dogs down from the sky, which allow the tribe to hunt for buffalo. After their arrival, life becomes good for the people and they live as relatives with the Sacred Dogs and other living things, as the Great Spirit wishes them to live. Consequently, "The Gift of the Sacred Dog" sounds some of the environmental themes we associate with the Native American culture in addition to providing their perspective on how they came to be the great horse people of the Plains.

"The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses" does not folllow any one story exactly but is put together from a great number of stories belonging to the peoples who lived on the Great Plains that Goble had read or listened to over the years. This story is also premised on the importance of horses to these peoples. The title character is a girl in the village would loved horses so much that she would led them to drink at the river and when she spoke softly to them they would follow her. Her people recognized that she understood horses in a special way, which explains why this story ends the way that it does.

Every day after doing her chores the young girl would run off to be with the horses. One day there is a great lightning storm that drives the horses, carrying the young girl, over the horizon to a land she had never seen before. There she finds a beautiful spotted stallion, stronger and prouder and more handsome than any horse she had ever dreamed of. He is the leader of all the wild horses who roamed the hills and he welcome her to live with them. But a year later two hunters from her people discover her in the hills where the wild horses lived and they will try to bring the girl back to her parents. The question is whether the girl can be happy back with her people now that she has lived with the wild horses.

Goble's distinctive artwork, which recalls the art of the Plains Indians of the 19th century, is particularly well suited to these stories.The artwork also represents authentic Native American designs with regards to dress and tipis.It is also clear that Goble likes to draw horses and in these stories he has ample opportunity to draw dozens of them.But pay attention to how he draws the plant life in these stories as well. No wonder "The Girl Who Loved Horses" was the winner of the Caldecott Medal. ... Read more

Product Description
Native American stories of the sacred are intended for more than entertainment: they are teaching tales containing elegantly simple illustrations of time-honored truths. From tales of Creation to "Why?" stories that help explain the natural world around us, these stories highlight the sacredness of all life and affirm that we are each an integral part of all that is holy.

Drawn from tribes across North America, these are careful retellings of traditional stories such as Son of Light's quest to win back his captured wife from the monstrous Man-Eagle; humble Muskrat's noble self-sacrifice to establish solid land so other beings might live; Water Spider's creative solution for retrieving fire for all the animals; and White Buffalo Calf Woman's profound gift of the sacred pipe to the people. Each of the compelling stories in this collection illustrates principles that can guide you on your own spiritual quest.

Now you can experience the wisdom of these teaching tales even if you have no previous knowledge of Native American traditions. SkyLight Illuminations provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that explains the cultural and spiritual significance of the seemingly mundane objects found in these stories--tobacco, gambling, even the exploits of mischievous tricksters such as Coyote and Weasel--while gracefully drawing comparisons to Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions, among others. Whatever your spiritual heritage, these Native American stories of the sacred are sure to delight and inspire you with the sacredness of all Creation, and remind you that the earth does not belong to us--we belong to the earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

poorly written drivel
When I got this book I was hoping for something special.It is'nt.Good thing he uses it for his own class.I don't think anyone else should/would buy it.

Very interesting
I took a class with Prof. Pritchard at Marist College and this book was a requirement. The book is great. Short, but very enlightening. It consists of many short stories that appear in Native American cultures. The book has very detailed footnotes, like in Sparknotes to explain everything. He is a wonderful teacher and has great knowledge about Native American cultures. I would highly recommend it to anyone with interest in this topic. ... Read more

Product Description
- Timeless stories of how to live in harmony with the Earth. - Stories are presented from a variety of tribes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Exactly as advertised
The product I received was exactly as advertised.It was shipped as promised.I would buy from this company again!

Brilliant!
This book is enlightening. It retells old tales with beautiful photos. Animals and nature have center stage in the attempts to teach us, to show us, what is important in life. I volunteer at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Illinois and can speak personally of witnessing the intelligence, the playfulness, the connectedness that exists in all creatures. We should cherish the earth, the animals, the plants, they can survive without us, but we wouldn't make it without them.

Extraordinary photography!Witty narration!
All creation is connected.This is the underlying theme of "Shared Spirits" as it beautifully depicts Native American thoughts on twelve different species through extraordinary photographs and witty narration. "Considering the struggles we are now having with our own environment,perhaps it is time to listen to some old teachers - the ones who have beenhere for eons.Native People aren't the original teachers.They simplylistened to the rest of the Earth with an open heart, giving voice to bear,eagle, raven and stone, and carried the water through the desert, to us(from the Introduction of Shared Spirits)."Perhaps through workssuch as this, all creation can learn to live harmoniously together and mancan begin to realize that we have been entrusted to be caretakers of thisbeautiful planet and all of the creation it houses. ... Read more

Product Description
Cherokee people have lived in the Great Smoky Mountains for thousands of years. During all this time, they have told stories to each other to explain how things came to be, to pass on lessons about life, and to describe the mountains, animals, plants, and spirits around them. The Origin of the Milky Way and Other Living Stories of the Cherokee collects 26 stories that are great for kids and are still being told by storytellers today.

Presented by members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in their own words, the stories appear in free-verse form, like poems on the page, so that if you read them aloud, you can hear the rhythm of the stories as they were originally told. Barbara R. Duncan provides a helpful introduction that describes Cherokee people's past and present ways of life and their storytelling traditions. The book also includes a glossary of key words from the stories, suggestions for further reading, and notes on the storytellers. For young readers, for parents to read aloud to young listeners, and for teachers and libraries, The Origin of the Milky Way provides an excellent introduction to Cherokee culture. (For readers age 9 and up.)

Storytellers:


Davy Arch


Robert Bushyhead


Edna Chekelelee


Marie Junaluska


Kathi Littlejohn


Freeman Owle
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Customer Reviews (1)

The living history of a proud nation of very gifted people
"The Origin of the Milky Way" is a collection of 26 Cherokee stories told by Davy Arch, Robert Bushyhead, Edna Chekelelee, Marie Junaluska, Kathi Littlejohn, and Freeman Owl. The stories are written as they were told by the Cherokee storytellers, so they read like poetry. The rhythms of English can sound like the Cherokee language if the stories are read aloud as they are written. The stories are divided into seven groups or chapters: Living with People, Living with Animals, Living with Plants and the Earth, Living with Spirits, Living with Monsters, Living with the Cherokee Language, and Living with the Past and Future. Some of the stories are intended to teach ways of getting along with others, while others such as The Trail of Tears teach of historical events experienced by the Cherokees.

A fascinating chapter on the Cherokee language tells of the syllabary invented by Sequoyah, a gifted Cherokee. The story of the Origin of the Milky Way is written first in English, then in phonetic Cherokee, and finally in Sequoyah's syllabary. The importance of continuing to teach the living Cherokee language as a unique cultural heritage is emphasized. The Cherokee language is related to the language spoken by the Iroquois of upper New York State and the Great Lakes region. To further aid the reader's enjoyment of the stories and learning about the Cherokee people, the book has a glossary, map of Cherokee lands, timeline of Cherokee history, and suggested further reading resources.

The charming black and white illustrations also enhance the story chapters. Also available in a hardcover format, "The Origin of the Milky Way" can be enjoyed as a delightful collection of tales to instruct children, but it is really much more than that. It contains a living history of a proud nation of very gifted people.

Nancy Lorraine
Reviewer
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The Zuni have traditionally used small stone carvings of animal figures as power objects and mediators between themselves and the spirit world. Any object that has special meaning can be used as a fetish. In this fascinating, informative, and beautifully illustrated guide to the fetishes of the Zuni people of New Mexico, Hal Zina Bennett explores key principles of Native American spirituality and how early Zuni teachings can benefit us all today. He provides an excellent guide to Zuni traditions and an intriguing picture of their early life, along with detailed instructions for using fetishes for mediation, reflection, and insight in modern life. He describes key fetish figures, including the Guardian of the Six Regions, their legendary meanings, and the personal qualities each figure can support and help its owner develop.

In explaining the nature of fetishes and the psychological and spiritual benefits that we can gain from their use, Bennett provides illuminating cross-cultural comparisons, stimulating exercises, and journaling opportunities.

Customer Reviews (5)

good timing
Exactly what I expected. Delivered in a good amount of time. No problems at all.

Care and working with Zuni Fetish
I highly recomend this book.For those seeking to understand and work with their beautiful fetish.To grow with them and through the use of them.Thankyou

Well Researched Yet Useful In Everyday Life
I found this book both fascinating and useful. The author offers a way to bring the ancient tools of animal fetishes into our modern lives, with thorough research and stories from the people who were his teachers. Several anecdotes from his contacts with modern Zunis tell how they continue to use these traditions in their lives--even when living modern lives in the cities. He also draws from anthropological research of Frank Hamilton Cushing, a rather amazing character in his own right, who made his home with the Zunis back in the 1800s. There's a dramaticstory, told by a Zuni hunter, about early hunts when the hunter prayed for the spirit of the animal he was hunting, and upon the animal's death shared its last breaths with it. There's a tender story about a Zuni mother, still living by the old ways on the Zuni reservation, who uses her festishes to help her daughter, a nurse in the city, deal with the death of a friend. This well done and respectful book is nicely illustrated with the line drawings of Timothy White, publisher of Shaman's Drum magazine. Its greatest contribution may be that it teaches us ways to honor our sacred relationships with all creatures. This is particularly important today when we need to take much better care of the diverse creatures who help to foster the wellbeing of our planet.

Good info for meditating with your fetish
Hal Zina Bennett has written a very interesting book about using fetishes for meditation and guidance, accessing inner knowing.My only real objection to his book is that it purports to explain how the Zunis use fetishes and what the Zunis believe about animals.There is no evidence to support those claims, in my opinion and my 14 years of working with Zuni fetish carvers.The ideas are his own and seem sound and useful. If only he had not claimed to interpret what Zunis believe, a common failing of non-Zunis when writing about the religious, social, and spiritual beliefs of these wonderful people.

A must have for those seeking knowledge of fetishes!
This book is well written and helps fetish collectors to understand the history behind fetishes as well as explaining the meanings of each "animal".The reader learns how to put these powerful pieces to good use for him/herself.The information is usable for everyday life and today's society.Even those without fetishes can gather useful information to assist in gaining control over one's thoughts, actions and meditations. Highly recommend this book to all! ... Read more

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Cowlitz are a Coast Salish group of southwestern Washington who are defined by where they are from, their line of descent, and their level of prestige vis-_-vis other groups along the coast and in the interior. In this book, Darleen Fitzpatrick probes the interconnection between culture and the boundaries that surround it, suggesting that Coast Salish ideology, which centers upon a class/prestige system and a code of ethics, links social structure with culture. ... Read more

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They come from the Pawnee, Iroquois, Algonquin, Inuit, Navajo, Sioux, and Hopi--and every one of these myths reveals the richness and depth of Native American culture, with its honored traditions and rituals. Born out of a deep sensitivity and respect for nature, they are exquisitely beautiful and contain the most profound spiritual and emotional truths. Through these legends, meet the Master of Life, who created the world; Thunderbird, who brings the storms; Grandmother Spiderwoman, who descends Earth to spin her silk; Coyote and his friends; as well a cast of other intriguing characters central to various Indian nations' cosmology. As part of an ancient heritage, these stories are a lasting tribute to the imaginative power and worldview of the first Americans.
Amazon.com Review
From the mouths of one generation to the ears of the next, the tales in Native American Myths have been passed down through the ancient tradition of oral storytelling. Though something is lost when these stories inhabit the page instead of the fireside, Diana Ferguson (Tales of the Plumed Spirit) was determined to preserve the spiritual heritage of American Indians in order to "enrich the lives us all." Whether we hear stories from the cliff-dwelling Pueblos or the Northwest coastal Makah, we find common mythic archetypes: creators, tricksters, heroes, and quests. Yet each tribe also has its unique tales, inspired by the land they inhabit and their wild animal companions. The Nez Perce, natives of the plateau and basin, tell stories of wily coyotes and enemy wolves. Natives of the plains tell buffalo tales, and the Northeast coastal Algonquian speak of canoeing in the fog and meeting a great white whale. Almost every spread includes photographs of artifacts and landscapes, as well as evocative tribal drawings and paintings. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

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In a collection of symbols and images representing the themes of native American culture, one hundred photographs help recapture the glory of the native American past. Reprint. QPB. AB. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Reference Book
From Turtle Island Alphabet:
"When medicine men share a story, an educational process begins that is a circle of sharing between teller and listener. The story is born so that the listener may, at some point, become the teller; and this is how history is written in the human mind."

I've had this book on my shelf for a number of years and pull it out every once in a while to use as a reference for one or many of the symbols associated with Native American culture/s. Turtle Island Alphabet, available in paperback, contains a beautiful and informative introduction by the author. It's very thorough, with text, photos and illustrations, covering the symbolic meaning alphabetically from "arrow" to "zigzag." A vast number of tribes are included in the text, driving home the history of "the People." It includes an explanation of the geographic mistakes leading to the use of the word "Indian," and even more interesting and relevant to the book's name, "America" used in place of "Turtle Island."

Recommend for any study of Native American culture/s.

From the author of "A Line Between Friends," McKenna Publishing Group.

The Earth, aka 'Turtle Island'
Awesome storytelling, and delightful accounts that share the native american insights to common everyday experience.
I own the cassette and especially enjoy listening to them in the tones and inflections of the indians.
Whether you choose to believe them or not, (set yourself up for some disappointment if you are too literal), just enjoy the artful way things are presented. ... Read more

Product Description
Truckee River Water Babies begins in the nineteenth century, telling a tale from the desert area near the great Pyramid Lake in Nevada. The struggle to survive for American frontier families is very tough but also satisfying. It was not as hard for the Native American tribes in the surrounding area to live with relative ease, as they have lived for centuries in harmony with nature and given the utmost respect to this land.

The Water Babies legend begins when the tribe's shaman and his apprentice are unseen witnesses to the U.S. Army's horrific slaughter of innocent people from their village, near the shores of the Truckee River, which empties into Pyramid Lake. This shaman created the Water Babies legend because of the great sorrow he felt for his people after this traumatic event.

In the twentieth century, a modern-day Shaman and his apprentice put the legend to the test, with results reminiscent of the cruelty and deceit that the Native American people have endured over the past centuries from the people who ruthlessly conquered this continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. ... Read more

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Stories from the rich oral tradition of the native people of the Southwest as told by a master storyteller. Tales of wandering, cultivation myths, wise riddles, and other stories introduce readers to the unwritten history of Indian culture. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (10)

Native Americans Praise Mayor's Research
The celebrated late Sioux activist/scholar Vine Deloria, Jr called Mayor's work on Native American oral traditions about fossils and mythical creatures "courageous," "brilliant," and "well-researched." Roger Echo Hawk, leading Pawnee historian, wrote that this ground-breaking book is the first to show why Native American oral tradiitons should be taken seriously in academic scholarship, history, and science. Comanche writer David Yeagley also finds Fossil LEgends of the First Americans a praiseworthy book. The numerous Native American elders, storytellers, historians, and others from tribes all around the United states and Canada who helped Mayor recover fossil-related narratives from becoming forgotten obviously trusted her and imparted their traditional understandings of the notions of monsters of the sky, water, and earth. Their respect was mutual, good testament to the depth and sensitivity of Mayor's contribution.

Deeply flawed
This is an interesting book and quotes important stoties and localsources. Unfortunatly, it is deeply flawed by Mayor's lack of background in understanding First Nation's discourse about"monsters;" beings that are connected to land, story and people.

Excavating Folklore
This work exceeds expectation created by Mayor's previous excavation, "The First Fossil Hunters", which digs out the solid remains of myths of the Classical ancient world. The research may not qualify as 'exhaustive'; but, it is certainly extensive, with shovels-full of previously unpublished Native American lore. The Appendix and Notes sections take about a fourth of the volume, but are as fascinating as the text itself. It is a companion milestone to her first projectdemonstrating that, contrary to the overconfident opinion of academic science, Human ancestors did not simply create their traditional histories out of their imaginations for entertainment purposes, as we tend to do nowadays; but, were usually quite genuine in observing, understanding, and explaining these undeniable pieces of the past in their own way, as is the tendancy of every culture. The reader will be further enlightened to find that the various folktales of the Native Americans contain common elements which preserve a knowlege of the remote past that exceeded the academic science of the time. You may even be inclined to think, after considering the 'former myths' of Troy, Ankor Wat, Irem, Ebla, and others, that the only true myth is "myth" itself: a pigeonhole term that was invented to safely and securely catagorize anything that does not immediately seem believable.

The First Paleontologists in America
Indians in North America were the first to have the thrill of discovering bizarre and enormous dinosaur fossils, long before white europeans and the founding fathers got interested in paleontology.
This book is filled with fascinating stories of all the tribes in Alaska and Canada, the United state and Mexico and south America, who came across mysterious bones, teeth, claws and footprints of huge extinct creatures, unlike the animals and birds and fish they knew.
These stories will amaze anyone who thinks science only began in Europe in the 18th Century! Many of the speculations of the American Indians come close to anticipating modern science theory.
Highly recommended.

One of most interesting books aout fossils and people
This is really wonderful book! I recommend it to everybody interested in fossils although the book is more about people than about old bones. Tons of fascinating facts and legends. The book is also quite serious study of native american folklore as well. ... Read more

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Explores the importance of arhcaeology in preserving the past for future generations, how archaeologists do their work, and even how young people can gain hand-ons experience in a real dig. The different types of Indian mounds-burial mounds, shell middens, and platform mounds--and their uses are explained, as well as Indian languages and reservations. Provides detailed descriptions of 185 sites on the Native American Heritage Trail that mark important historical events as well as a calendar of important dates. A clearly written narrative for anyone interested in Native American studies. Teachers manual available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

If you own the deck, you need to own this book!
This is the companion book to the Native American Tarot Deck. Though the small booklet included with the deck will get you started, this book will give you even more details and interpretations, not only of the cards but also of Native American teachings and beliefs. It also includes handy reference pages for comparing the major arcana symbolism across many beliefs & cultures and various card spreads to use for meditation.

An absolute MUST for use with the Native American Tarot Deck
Anyone who enjoyed the Native American Tarot Deck must have this book.It completely explains both the meaning and the history behind each card, plus it provides insightful meditation points to strengthen your knowledge ofthis powerful, unusual deck. ... Read more

Product Description
This first bestiary ever compiled from the Native American tradition brings forth sacred animal spirits and reminds us of our deep connection to Mother Earth. Powerful poems and meditations, legends and stories, show the helping and healing roles animals have played since the beginning. ... Read more