Native American Mythology
Native American mythology is the collective term given to the mythologies of the Native Americans, also known as the (Red) Indians of North America. The Native American Mythology has not reached a common ground for their myth and culture as each tribe has managed to create their own stories about the world and their beliefs. Their diverse beliefs and ideas strongly believe that spiritual forces can be sensed using a natural medium such as the cloud, animals, plants, and wind.
Native America has been divided into various regions based on the pattern of Native American mythology, and they are:
- The eastern part of the Arctic region
- The western artic
- Subarctic region of inland Alaska and western Canada
- Coast-plateau region of the pacific northwest
- California region
- The Great Basin
- Midwest region
- The plain region
There are so many gods and mythical beings, tricksters and heroes and their characters usually have either a positive or negative role. Sometimes, they can come off as entertaining, helpful, and jovial, while other times, they can be very harsh, deceptive, and violent. The main deities and figures in Native American mythology are diversified based on the tribes, but they can be grouped into categories. We have;
- Creators, Gods, and spirit: Under this category, we have the great spirit which is responsible for starting the creation process; we have the father sky, the mother earth, and also the high god of the Pawnee people who bestowed power to the sun and the moon, the stars (morning star, evening star, star of death and the four stars supporting the skies).
- Personification: Under this category, it is believed that the gods often represent natural forces such as the wind, thunder, etc.
- Culture Heroes and Transformers: These figures basically teach people how to live and make the world a better place for humans to live in. These figures can be creative as they teach people art and craft, and they have proven to be helpful.
- Tricksters: The tricksters are majorly found in the agricultural regions. This figure stands for uncertainty, and he is solely involved in the business of spreading confusion and causing uproars.
