With the aid of more than 40 myths from the oral traditions of 30 native American tribes, ranging from the Eskimos to the Indians of Guiana, Pijoan invites readers to take a close look at the common spirit that binds together all forms of life.The native American heroes and heroines in these myths, imbued with the strength of this common spirit, possess the power to transform themselves into snakes, birds, bears, wolves, and occasionally as in the Sikyatki tale, Water Jar Boy into everyday objects.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The 40 transformation myths collected by Pijoan ( Spanish-American Folktales ) come from tribes scattered across North America (two are from South America) and provide a good introduction to the diverse spirit world of the continent's indigenous peoples. They are stories of healing, involving persons who are able to transform themselves into animals and thus tap the power of those creatures. The tales are grouped by the type of animal involved (snakes, wolves, bears and others). Typical is the Pawnee story of the "Bear-man," featuring a hunter who rescues a lost cub and whose reward is healing and special power for his son when the latter is killed in battle. The title story is a powerful myth about a Zuni woman kidnapped by Navahos. Finding her way back to her village with the aid of a white wolf, she is spurned by her tribe as a traitor. At her death she is transformed into a white wolf and achieves her freedom. Pijoan provides brief introductions to each section in which she relates further Native stories, including the Cherokee creation myth in which the hills are formed by the wing beats of a heaven-sent buzzard.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Book,
By Beth Bonner (Russellville, AR USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: White Wolf Woman (American Storytelling) (Paperback)
i have own this book for several years, given to me by my grandmother (i'm Beth's daughter, her mother gave the book to me) and i recommend it to anyone who adores hearing about the Native American stories, or wants to compare these stories to European books. The White Wolf Woman story is my favorite one.
5.0 out of 5 stars
White Wolf Woman - Native American Myths,
By Khadija J Asad "KJA" (LOUISIANA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: White Wolf Woman (American Storytelling) (Paperback)
An excellent book. Weel researched and well written. Great for both child and adult. The stories are short but, very captivating. Lots of information not normally found in other books. Well worth the read.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
A cold winter wind blows around a centuries-old adobe house north of Albuquerque, once a waystation on the Santa Fe road. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
water jar boy, turtle chief, white corn, five snakes, sacred snake, four prayer, little turkeys Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Spirit Seeker, Hemlock Bows, Bright Eyes, Quiet Listener, Snake Father, Wolf Clan, Snake Society, Rain Priest, Devilfish Chief, New Mexico, Wolf Woman Running, Big Rattle Man, Chief White Buffalo, Grandfather Buzzard, Great Spirits, Star Chief, Daw-wa the Sun Father, Brother Moon, Father Sky, Great Bear, Snake Clan, The Officers New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
A cold winter wind blows around a centuries-old adobe house north of Albuquerque, once a waystation on the Santa Fe road. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
water jar boy, turtle chief, white corn, five snakes, sacred snake, four prayer, little turkeys Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Spirit Seeker, Hemlock Bows, Bright Eyes, Quiet Listener, Snake Father, Wolf Clan, Snake Society, Rain Priest, Devilfish Chief, New Mexico, Wolf Woman Running, Big Rattle Man, Chief White Buffalo, Grandfather Buzzard, Great Spirits, Star Chief, Daw-wa the Sun Father, Brother Moon, Father Sky, Great Bear, Snake Clan, The Officers New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 6
books:
See all 6 books this book cites
1
book
cites this book:
- The World of the Crow Indians: As Driftwood Lodges (Civilization of the American Indian Series) by Rodney Frey in Front Matter
- Favorite Scary Stories of American Children (Grades 3-6) by Richard Young in Back Matter
- An Essay on Man: An Introduction to a Philosophy of Human Culture by Ernst Cassirer in Back Matter
- Ghost Stories from the American Southwest (American Storytelling) by Richard Young in Back Matter
- Listening for the Crack of Dawn (American Storytelling) by Donald Davis in Back Matter
See all 6 books this book cites
- This Land Is Our Land: A Guide to Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults by Agnes Regan Perkins on page 209, page 252, and page 283
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