Creation Myths of Primitive America (Kindle Edition)

by Jeremiah Curtin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Ishi, the last Yana, died in 1916, working in San Francisco's Anthropological Museum as a de facto living anthropological exhibit. But Yana mythology did not die with him. Decades before, Jeremiah Curtin, a remarkable American linguist, had collected many Yana and Wintu myths and preserved them for posterity and future scholars.

Product Description

Despite the title, which suggests that this is a comprehensive study of Native American creation myths, this is actually a very good set of animal myths from two tribes of California, the Wintu and Yana. These tribes inhabited the northern Central Valley; the Yana are closely related to the Yahi, the tribe of Ishi, the 'last wild Indian'. Also, these are not creation myths per se; they are tales from an epic cycle about the proto-animal inhabitants of the California dreamtime, the beings who existed before the arrival of humans. That said, this is a very reputable collection which is cited to this day in scholarly papers about native California. Curtin treats this this lore with great respect, and because he is also a first-rate story teller, this is also a great read. Curtin, a distinguished folklorist and author, also wrote extensively on Irish folklore.--J.B. Hare

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 390 KB
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Evinity Publishing Inc; 1.0 edition (June 18, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002DYIWZ6
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #144,365 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #21 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > California > Mount Shasta
  #39 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > California > Sacramento

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely fascinating anthology, January 10, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creation Myths of Primitive America (Classic Folk and Fairy Tales) (Hardcover)

Compiled, edited, and with an informative introduction by mythologist Karl Kroeber (Mellen Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University) Creation Myths Of Primitive America is part of the outstanding "ABC-CLIO Classic Folk and Fairy Tales" series. An absolutely fascinating anthology of creation Native American myths and legends focusing on how the world, plants, animals, and humans came into existence and interact with each other. These ancient stories are accurately and entertainingly retold, offering contemporary readers with a veritable treasure trove of insights into how the various Native American peoples perceived and interpreted the greater world around themselves. Creation Myths Of Primitive America is an essential and highly recommended resource for academic and community library Native American Studies and Mythology/Folklore collections.