Native Americans Creation Legend

Thesis: The Shaman's job of passing down the tribe's ancient legends are very important.
I Shamans
A. definition
B. purpose
1. balance
2. success hunting
3. planting
4. cure sickness

C. Usually males
1. post menopausal women
2. blood powers
II passed down from generation to generation
A. usually from memory
1. sand drawings
2. birch bark scrolls
3. paintings on rocks
4. animal hides
B. children
1. eight-familiar stories
2. ten- know history
III answer basic questions
A. where do we come from
B. where are we going
C. how the world came into being
D. how it was transformed
E. guidelines of behavior
F. tools of survival
IV unknown how long been around
A. possible nomadic ancestors from old world
1. Siberian land bridge
2. Migrated
3. Regional tales similar
B. Environmental contributions
1. northeastern forest dwellers
a. arctic hare
b. wolf
c. cedar tree
2. agricultural southerners
a.   Corn maidens
b.   Sacred mountains
3. coastal people
a. aquatic animals
b. sea birds
c. ocean monsters
V stories told in different ways
A. told by fire
B. Chanting
1. Netslik Inuit
2. Special powers
VI special rites
A. Maidu-lay down
B. Cheyenne-smooth dirt
C. Other-presents
VII Special words
A. Seneca- when the world was new
B. Pima- they say it happened long ago
C. Zuni answers
D. Californian- order back to cave
VIII Reoccurring themes
A. Mother earth
B. Humans and animals
C. Animal teachers
D. Plots
1. complex
2. humor
3. values
IX equal with everything
A. Share earth like family
B. Man another animal
X characters
    A. Animals
1. ravens
2. raccoons
3. foxes
4. beavers
5. blue jays
6. spiders
B roles
1. helpers
2. meddlers
3. both
    C Coyote
1. respected
2. cunning
3. able to survive in all environments
a. prairie
b. woodlands
c. mountains
d. desert
XI Crow Indians
      A Old man coyote
      B. Ducks
1. root
2. mud
C. Empty island
1. root- trees plants
2. ducks
3. men
4.... [continues]

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