Native American Mythology

1. Native American Mythology Example – by Ms. H

2. Cultural Overview • The term, “Native American” is used to describe the indigenous people of North America. • There are many different nations that fall under this term, such as: • Navajo • Cherokee • Choctaw • Apache • Potawatomi • Etc. • Each nation has their own language, traditions, and customs. • Some ideas, however are universal among most nations.

3. Heroes • Gluskap: creates humans, returns from death to defeat evil, and protects people from natural and magical disasters. • Monster Slayer and Child of Water: warrior twins, sons of Sun and of Water, they protect humans from natural disasters. • Attajen:teaches the first people how to make rain and how to fill the earth with plants and animals • Chinigchinich: who teaches the wise men how to perform ceremonial dances that will summon him when they have need of help in the future.

4. Monsters Skinwalkers: • Medicine men or witches who reach the highest level of priesthood but choose to use their powers for evil rather than good. • They take the form of an animal for the purpose of inflicting pain on others. • They have shape-shifting abilities and can turn into any animal they choose, though their top choices are usually foxes, owls, coyotes, wolves, or crows. Sharp Elbows - The two-faced monster: • A human-like, two-faced person who tortures and kills unsuspecting victims. • Anyone who sees Two-Face’s second set of features will be killed or paralyzed by fear. • Two-Face most often preys on children and pregnant women, usually killing them by stabbing them repeatedly with his razor-sharp elbows. • He is sometimes a cannibal, but always disfigures his victims horribly.

5. Gods and Goddesses • Sedna: the mistress or mother of sea animals, looks like a mermaid-type creature. • Igaluk: the moon god who controls the phases of the moon, sometimes represented by a bear. • The trickster: a god who can transform, or change, the world – these can be either positive or negative, represented by various animal forms. • Father Sky: the creator of the universe, sometimes represented by an eagle. • Mother Earth: like our “mother nature,”often represented as a turtle • Mother Corn: goddess of the harvest, represented by a woman emerging from an ear of corn.

6. Sacred Places • Noahavose - located in Bear Butte in South Dakota. This place is sacred to the Cheyenne because of its association with the great prophet, “Sweet Medicine”. According to the legend, a great door opened in Noahavose. Sweet Medicine was called inside by the creator. For four years he stayed within the mountain and was taught the codes of law and behavior. He was also given four sacred arrows which had healing powers. • Pahuk – located in Nebraska, they are five sacred hills. It is in these hills that the animal spirits live. These spirits taught man to build their earthlodges, and provide medicine people with knowledge and power. According to the legend, a father sacrificed his son at this spot, but the son was returned to him by animal spirtis so he could deliver a message from the creator to the tribal elders. • The San Francisco Peaks – located in Arizona. These are the homes of the Katsinas – spiritual beings. Many Native Americans make pilgrimages to these peaks and leave offerings to the spirits.

7. Pop Culture • Video Games: • Assassin’s Creed • Tak and the Power of JuJu • Sports Teams: • Blackhawks • Braves • Indians • Chiefs • Redskins • Disney • Pocahontas

8. The Story… • Title: “The Star and the Lily” • What it is about: A myth that explains how the lily came into existence.

9. Today: • Work on finding your “Sacred places” • Must have 3 • Include where they are located and why they are considered sacred to your culture. • Work on finding where your mythology appears in popular culture • For this, you can just find images like I did in the example.