Native American Legends Research Paper

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Dayton Dec Dr. Dorian Juri FOLK-F131 31 March 2024 Themes Explored Regionally in Native American Legends Legends have been intertwined into the human experience for centuries. In the continental US, people have been creating and spreading legends since humans developed the fine intricacies of language. The implementation of legends into cultures is done with thought, most of the time. Legends have the ability to create dynamic relationships between characters and relate it to a real-world problem and to give advice or spread a message. Legends can be coupled with the establishment of communities or tribes, they are commonly used to explain the smaller things and their origin: notable landscape structures, foods, or even cities.3 The validity …show more content…
In one legend from the Pima tribe, a coyote is told not to eat two things, he stumbles upon them, does so anyway, and then continues to die.1 It’s a short and simple story, however, the fact the coyote was chosen as the symbol of what not to do says a lot. The role of the coyote as an animal and in the legends of creation or tales of knowledge would not have differentiated easily for many. This is in part due to how mainstream these legends were in culture and how much dignity and respect was placed on them and the connection it gave to the land. When the coyote isn’t serving as a clue on how to do things or maybe what not to do, it is portrayed as a crucial figure in creation legends. In Crow legend titled “Coyote Creates the Earth”, the coyote is a main creator in the lands of Earth.1 Through the exploration of the rich tapestry of Native American legends in two different sub regions of the United States, it’s clear that these legends are not just campfire stories or tales that have been recorded in books; they serve as deeply personal reflections of cultural beliefs and values of indigenous people across the