Native American Native American MythsMyths

Junior EnglishJunior English

20142014

Mrs. WellsMrs. Wells

The First AmericansThe First Americans

Native Americans, also known as American Native Americans, also known as American Indians, did not distinguish between animate Indians, did not distinguish between animate and inanimate objects. Plants, animals, water, and inanimate objects. Plants, animals, water, and all other aspects of nature were regarded and all other aspects of nature were regarded as life forms. as life forms.

To them, everything co-existed, and To them, everything co-existed, and nothing was owned by anyone.nothing was owned by anyone.

Different BeliefsDifferent Beliefs

The early settlers were from Europe, The early settlers were from Europe, and they turned to the Christian Bible and they turned to the Christian Bible to answer their questions about how to answer their questions about how the world was formed and how the world was formed and how human beings came into existence. human beings came into existence.

Different BeliefsDifferent Beliefs

Native Americans couldn’t read, and their Native Americans couldn’t read, and their culture had never produced a written culture had never produced a written account of the beginnings of the world account of the beginnings of the world and the beings within it. Instead, they and the beings within it. Instead, they passed down stories, or passed down stories, or myths, to make , to make sense of the world.sense of the world.

The Purpose of MythsThe Purpose of Myths

A myth is a traditional story that uses the A myth is a traditional story that uses the supernatural to explain:supernatural to explain:

• a natural phenomenona natural phenomenon• an aspect of human behavior, oran aspect of human behavior, or• a mystery of the universea mystery of the universe

Two Types of Two Types of MythsMyths

Creation MythCreation Myth Origin MythOrigin Myth Tells how the world Tells how the world

and humans came and humans came to existto exist

EX: The world was EX: The world was made of mud that made of mud that other animals piled other animals piled on a turtle’s back, on a turtle’s back, and humans then and humans then flourished. flourished. (Onondaga)(Onondaga)

Explains how Explains how natural phenomena natural phenomena came to be or why came to be or why things are the way things are the way they arethey are

EX: Fire was spread EX: Fire was spread around the world by around the world by burning bark tied to burning bark tied to a fox’s tail. a fox’s tail. (Apache)(Apache)

Myth vs. ReligionMyth vs. ReligionReligionReligion is a set of beliefs and is a set of beliefs and

practices that are usually held by a practices that are usually held by a community. These people are community. These people are required that to hold required that to hold specificspecific beliefs beliefs and follow and follow certaincertain rituals. rituals.

What religions can you name?What religions can you name?

MythMyth vs. vs. ReligionReligion

Myth Myth is different from religion because myths is different from religion because myths are usually based on the ancestors, heroes, are usually based on the ancestors, heroes, deities, history, and origin of a group of deities, history, and origin of a group of people. People of varying religious beliefs people. People of varying religious beliefs and practices can believe in the same myth.and practices can believe in the same myth.

Oral TraditionOral Tradition Native Americans told and retold stories Native Americans told and retold stories

through families and tribal ceremoniesthrough families and tribal ceremonies What problems would this present now?What problems would this present now? Hint: Think “telephone” activity…Hint: Think “telephone” activity…

MythsMyths

Can you think of another culture Can you think of another culture that created myths to explain the that created myths to explain the world? world?

Here’s a hint: Zeus was a powerful Here’s a hint: Zeus was a powerful figure.figure.

MythsMyths

Here is an example of a myth that we sometimes Here is an example of a myth that we sometimes tell our children today:tell our children today:

Thunder is actually the sound of angels bowling Thunder is actually the sound of angels bowling in heaven.in heaven.

PictographsPictographs

Native Americans often illustrated their myths Native Americans often illustrated their myths on cave walls through on cave walls through pictographspictographs, or symbols , or symbols that represented the subjects of their myths, that represented the subjects of their myths, such as birds, trees, and the sun.such as birds, trees, and the sun.

Creation MythsCreation Myths

RememberRemember, creation myths, creation myths were were among the most common forms of among the most common forms of myths. Each tribe was likely to have myths. Each tribe was likely to have its own myth to account for the its own myth to account for the beginnings of the earth and its beginnings of the earth and its people.people.

AnthropomorphismAnthropomorphism

We might assume that the animals in “The Sky We might assume that the animals in “The Sky Tree” are an example of personification, but Tree” are an example of personification, but they actually represent they actually represent anthropomorphismanthropomorphism..

With With anthropomorphismanthropomorphism, animals behave like , animals behave like humans. They think, move, speak, or dress humans. They think, move, speak, or dress like humans.like humans.

How is anthropomorphism different from How is anthropomorphism different from personification?personification?

AnthropomorphisAnthropomorphismm

Giving Giving animalsanimals human characteristics or human characteristics or attributesattributes

Kind of like personification, but more Kind of like personification, but more specificspecific

EX: Coyote coming up with a tricky plan EX: Coyote coming up with a tricky plan and talking others into falling for it.and talking others into falling for it.

CommonCommon Characteristics Characteristics

As we read the myths, make sure you As we read the myths, make sure you pay attention to the common pay attention to the common characteristics, such as:characteristics, such as:

the narrative voicethe narrative voice the charactersthe characters

the subjectthe subject the tonethe tone

the pictographsthe pictographs

Group AssignmentGroup Assignment

Now, you’re going to work in groups Now, you’re going to work in groups to read some myths and briefly to read some myths and briefly present your analysis to the class.present your analysis to the class.