Presents detailed coverage of the deities, legendary heroes and heroines, important animals, objects, and places that make up the mythic lore of the many peoples of North America.

The beliefs of many Native American peoples emphasize a close relationship between people and the natural world, including geographical features such as mountains and lakes and animals such as whales and bison. Therefore, many of the myths of these peoples are stories of strange occurrences where animals or forces of nature and people interact. Native American Mythology A to Z, Second Edition presents detailed coverage of the deities, legendary heroes and heroines, important animals, objects, and places that make up the mythic lore of the many peoples of North America. This new edition is now in full-color for the first time. Coverage includes: Creation accounts from many Native American cultures Influences on and development of Native American mythology The effects of geographic region, environment, and climate on myths Core beliefs of numerous tribes Recurrent themes in myths throughout the continent.

This reference offers coverage of the deities, legendary heroes and heroines, important animals, objects, and places that make up the mythic lore of the many peoples of North America from northern Mexico into the Arctic Circle.

An encylopedia of names, places, and subjects in the mythology of native people from North and South America, with over 1500 entries.

Alphabetically listed entries identify and explain the characters, events, important places, and other aspects of South American and Meso-American mythology.

Explores differences in myths among Native American tribes as well as similarities, such as the Great Spirit and Earth Mother.

Popular Hopi kachina dolls and awesome totem poles are but two of the aspects of the sophisticated, seldom-examined network of mythologies explored in this fascinating volume. This revealing work introduces readers to the mythologies of Native Americans from the United States to the Arctic Circle—a rich, complex, and diverse body of lore, which remains less widely known than mythologies of other peoples and places. In thematic chapters and encyclopedia-style entries, Handbook of Native American Mythology examines the characters and deities, rituals, sacred locations and objects, concepts, and stories that define and distinguish mythological cultures of various indigenous peoples. By tracing the traditions as far back as possible and following their evolution from generation to generation, Handbook of Native American Mythology offers a unique perspective on Native American history, culture, and values. It also shows how central these traditions are to contemporary Native American life, including the continuing struggle for land rights, economic parity, and repatriation of cultural property.