Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"I would argue that even for those of us who merely have to stroll to the refrigerator for food, the stories teach important lessons about the relations between humans, animals and the land, and about generosity and hospitality."—Margery Fee,
Canadian Journal of Native Studies“Anthropologists have been analyzing the oral stories of Aboriginal cultures for a long time. Aboriginal peoples have also been untangling the stories told to them by their elders. Daniel Clément weaves these two perspectives together to get at the meaning of these ‘myths.’”—Stephen J. Augustine, hereditary chief, Mi’kmaq Grand Council
“The introduction is one of the most readable critiques of structuralism I have ever seen. It is nuanced yet accessible and poses terrific questions about structuralism. I can imagine this [book] as a central resource for indigenous scholars, historians, naturalists, and anthropologists. It contributes greatly to the comparative study of mythology and contemporary studies of structural analysis.”—Thomas McIlwraith, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Guelph and author of
“We Are Still Didene”: Stories of Hunting and History from Northern British ColumbiaTable of ContentsContents
List of Illustrations
Introduction
1. Caribou Takes In His Wife’s Dress (Subarctic)
2. Snake Makes a Meal in the Embers (Southwest)
3. The Fire Trap (Grand Basin)
4. While Bird Sings, Bear Cooks (Northwest Coast)
5. Seal Roasts His Hands (Northwest Coast)
6. Silver Fox Digs Up Yellow Jacket Larvae with His Penis (California)
7. Wildcat Beats a Blanket (California)
8. Deer Kills Her Children and Puts Their Bones Into the Water (Southwest)
9. Wolf Transforms Two Arrowheads into Mincemeat Puddings (Southwest)
10. Badger Pushes a Stick Down His Throat and Gets Yucca-Juice (Southwest)
11. Bison Skewers His Nose (Plains)
12. White-Tailed Deer Shoots at a Red Clay Bank (Plains)
13. Man Kills Bison with His Sharpened Leg (Plains, Plateau)
14. Black-Mountain-Bear Gets Persimmons by Leaning Against a Tree (Southeast)
15. Rabbit Gathers Canes (Southeast)
16. Squirrel Slits Open His Scrotum (Plains)
17. Duck Excretes Rice (Northeast)
18. Bird Gets Salmon Eggs by Striking His Ankle (Northwest Coast)
19. Muskrat Cooks Some Ice (Northeast)
20. Woodpecker Pulls Eels Out of Trees (Subarctic)
Conclusion
Appendix: Bungling Host Myths
Notes
Bibliography
