Book description
Myths tell us much about a people. And all cultures have creation
myths. The myths collected by the author in this book tell us about the
rich and varied lives and imagination of the first Americans. They vary
from simple to complex and all attempt to answer the question of human
origin. Native Americans are of profound beginnings. Each Tribe, Group
or Pueblo hold their beginning to be truths, unique from one another.
The beliefs in this book are only a sampling of the many that still
exist today. “In collecting these tales,” the author says, “no tape
recorder was used and no notes were taken during the telling.
Immediately after the session copious notes were taken and later
expanded into a recreation of the myth. Subjects were located through
word of mouth and after a short time people started coming forward and
volunteering their stories. The people hold the stories. May they
continue to tell and share with their families, communities, and the
outsiders. We have much to learn from Creation, from each other, and
from the holders of the stories.” TERESA PIJOAN was raised on the San
Juan Pueblo Indian Reservation in New Mexico and later her family moved
to the Nambe Indian Reservation. She is a national lecturer,
storyteller, research writer, college professor, and teacher. She has
lectured throughout Central Europe, Mexico, and the United States. Her
other books from Sunstone Press are “Healers on the Mountain,” “Pueblo
Indian Wisdom,” “Ways of Indian Magic,” and “Dead Kachina Man.”
