Week 11 Reading: Southwestern Native Americans Part A

 For this week's reading from part A I am taking notes on the first story, a collection of creation myths.

Creation and Longevity

In this creation myth from the Achomawi (Pit Rive, California), a coyote is the central character responsible for much of what we have today. The coyote scratched up the Earth from nothingness but eagle was mad there were no mountains. So coyote made some hills. They weren't tall enough so Eagle scratched up big ridges. While flying feathers fell from Eagle and these became trees, bushes and plants.

Then coyote worked with fox to make man. Coyote said let them die and fox said let them live forever. In the end, coyote's stuff was stronger and people die.

The natives were cold so coyote went to a place far west and stole fire. He kindled the fire up in a mountain. Upon seeing the smoke, the natives went to get it.

Old Mole and Coyote

This is a creation myth from the Shastika of California. Somewhere, old mole dug and threw up Earth and on this Earth The Great Man created people. but the people were cold. Coyote journeyed east to get the Fire Stone so people had fire. 

In the beginning, sun and moon had nine brothers each. The coyote killed all of them so that the people would not burn up in the day or freeze to death at night. He killed them with his flintstone knife.

Rain is caused by a sick native in heaven crying. Long ago, a good native died and the people above wept so hard that a flood came and killed all but one couple.

A Coyote from Wikimedia Commons

Legend of the Flood

This myth comes from the Ashochimi (Coast Indians, California). Long ago, a flood killed all but Coyote. The world was empty. Coyote sat in thought for a while. He eventually gathered up old feathers. He went and planted them where all the old native villages had stood. They grew into trees that turned into men and women.

Personal Notes

While there isn't a ton of material here, I couldn't help but take notes for this story page solely for the one about a coyote killing the suns and moons. It just sprang off the page for me and a new story began forming with that as the base. I don't know entirely what it will be. The grand action movie is already playing in my head though. I think I'll just keep the most basic idea in tact. Perhaps the sun and moon brothers are gangs. Coyote is a vigilante hero. He kills the Sun gang with ease but this only pisses off moon gang and he has to take care of that. I love it!

Bibliography. SW/CA Three Coyote Creation Stories from Myths and Legends of California and the old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1912)