Preview

Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
954 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales
Values in Native American Tales Throughout all forms of Native American tales and myths we see many values and aspects portrayed by the Native American people. In the myths that are read, the reader can easily pick off and single off values that the Native American people truly saw were thoroughly important in their time and society. The Native American people believed in many aspects which were usually considered important values for people to possess. The thing about Native American myths and tales that is found astonishing is the fact that these stories are most likely improbable but regardless of that, these stories still depict great human qualities that everyone should have. Native American myths capture the culture and values of the society in which it was produced with the morals involving love and friendship, the relationship between humans and animals and trust and loyalty. Firstly, in opinion one of the biggest values told by the Native Americans has indeed have to be love and friendship. There are several appearances of these two morals throughout the myths, this indicates that the Native Americans did in fact see these values as quite important. Right off the bat, we see in the first story “The Earth on Turtle’s Back” the animals in the story see the women and instantly try to care for and make sure the women is safe, “We must do something to help her” this shows somewhat of a base for the love the animals radiate toward the women. As the story progresses we also see quotes such as, “Look, she doesn’t have webbed feet. I don’t think she can live in the water.” This is also another form showing love and friendship because Native Americans are extremely caring toward one another, even if that life form isn’t even of the same species. Also in the myth “Iroquois Constitution” we see quotes such as, “Your heart shall be filled with peace and good will and your mind filled with yearning for the welfare of the people of the confederacy.” If Native

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Native American traditional stories, folktales, are stories passed down from generation to generation by story telling and performance. Native Americans emphasized the importance of living in harmony with the naturual world. They had complex religious beliefs, sophisticated poltical systems, and strong morals. Some of the stories are creation myths, tales of heroes, and tricksters. Trickster tales are stories that have animals or human characters who engage in deceit, violence, or magic. Often trickster tales are said to explain why the world is the way it is. "Coyote and the Buffalo" and "Fox and Coyote and Whale" are two trickster tales, retold by Mourning Dove, explaining how Coyote's action created changes in the world. In theses two trickster tales, Coyote, the main character shares some similarities in morals, character, and transformation . Yet there exsists differences in how these traits are presented.…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Black Elk Speaks: Analysis

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Black Elk speaks about his culture and how the traditional Sioux Indian’s way of life created interdependence between man and nature. Appreciating nature, giving thanks to mother earth and taking care of their own was what the Native American lived for, unlike the white man or “Wasichus” as Black Elk called them, who came to America looking to take control of the Sioux land, using all the natural resources while looking for their precious metal, gold. The Native American was about balance and only taking enough so there would be more for tomorrow. Appreciating earth and nature is where most of their religion and symbols came from. Respect for the cycle of the seasons and the animals’ lifevwas necessary in order to…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Introduction: As most of us know, Native American’s have a rich history of struggle and also triumph. Many modern Native American traditions reflect the story and struggle Native American’s experienced. These stories are filled with tradition closely tied to Mother Nature. I’m sure many of you have seen Native American art and objects, such as teepees, totem poles, and moccasins. These are articles that tied together Native American life. I’m going to share with you the meaning behind these symbols and traditions, and how they affect modern…

    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Native American

    • 2493 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Native American education delineated social responsibility, skill orientation, political participation, and spiritual and moral values. The cardinal goals of Native American education were to develop the individual’s latent physical skills and character, inculcate respect for elders and those in authority in the individual, and help the individual acquire specific vocational training (Franklin, 1979). Native American education was also for developing a healthy attitude toward honest labor, developing a sense of belonging and encouraging active participation in community activities. Both boys and girls had equal access to education. Boys were taught by their fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and other male elders. Girls were instructed by their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, female elders and other members of their families. Sometimes, both boys and girls received instruction at the feet of either male or female elders (Mould, 2004). There were barely any dropouts and the community ensured that every child received a full education.…

    • 2493 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Smoke Signals

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages

    For most of my life, the word “Native American” had immediately made me think of feathers, powwows, and a society uncorrupted by civilization. However, in watching the movie Smoke Signals, a movie that depicts the modern Native American culture, I learned many other things. For one, I learned that many of the customs that modern Native Americans have are very similar to my others. I also saw that the family life of the Native Americans in the film had many of the same problems that my family had undergone in the past years such as fighting and not telling along. This film was unlike any that I have ever seen.…

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Native american medicine

    • 1784 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Native Americans believe that in order to stay strong and healthy, they have to keep a strong spiritually, mentally, and physically. If you stay true to the Native traditions, beliefs and obey tribal religious tenets you will maintain healthy living. One of the way that this can be achieved is by treating all life with respect. Treating animals, plants, rocks, rivers, rainbows, ect, with the up most respect for this beings. The spirit is a representation of your physical body, and Native Americans believe that each and every person is responsible for their own health and well being. There are some primary tools that Native Americans use to help them maintain the balance between good and bad harmony in their lives. (1)…

    • 1784 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Native American Religions

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Native American Religions happen to be one of the oldest and most enduring forms of religion. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups. Native Americans arrived on the North American Continent fifth-teen thousand to twenty thousand years ago. Native Americans have literally sources that exist from only the last four hundred years even though Native American life covers perhaps twenty thousand years. Over three hundred tribes have been recognized by the United States government. Native Americans are the only known ethnic group in the United States requiring a federal permit to practice their religion. In the state of Virginia, Native Americans face a unique problem. Virginia has no federally recognized tribes.…

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Lakota, a word meaning ‘allies or friends’ were religious people. They turned to the stars, using naked eye observations, for guidance from the spirits. The stars tell stories of their creation and hold information pertaining to birth and the sun dance rituals. Lakota people cherish their oral stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. Overall they embrace religion in all aspects of their life. For them religion encompassed their entire being and was integrated in their daily lives.…

    • 1517 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Native Americans were the first people to have arrived in America, and to have built an establishment in America. Many people have a stereotype on how they lived and still live currently, and many Native Americans don’t consent to that at all. The way many people believe that the Native Americans lived a nomadic type of lifestyle, such as hunting large animals for food, using animal parts to create clothing, and many other actions. This article that the author has wrote is very convincing on how a Native American feels about how people are stereotyping him and his type of people. It gives a perspective from a Native American’s point of view of what they deal with on a daily basis, and throughout their entire life. The main reason that is convincing…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The discovery that Native Americans' culture is not static, is a relatively new one. With the aid of modern archeology, we now know that the Natives were very complex and were ever changing. The evidence we have now is still basic, but we can still learn a lot from it. Because of the lack of evidence, a lot of controversy is attributed to Native Americans. Some people believe that Natives were perfect beings, living in harmony with nature and others believe that they were savages due to human sacrifices, wars, etc. Natives are also often compared to Europeans who like them, engaged in warfare as well. One large difference is that Europeans had more capability to cause destruction compared to the Natives, due to their technology and organization…

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In this painting by George Catlin titled “Assinneboine Chief before and after Civilization” it shows a very proud Assinneboine Chief standing straight and proud. His clothing expresses his Indian culture as he is dressed in leggings and shirt made of mountain goat skin, and finished with a pictured robe of buffalo hide over his right shoulder. Moccasins covered his feet and his tribal headdress decorated his head allowing his long hair to blend with the feathers of his headdress. In his left hand is his long pipe which he would smoke with those with whom he would want to make peace. The background which is painted in a lighter hue then the opposite side of the painting reveals a dirt road which leads to the capitol building in Washington, suggesting that the Chief is traveling to there with peaceful intentions. The only green in the painting is the landscape surrounding the Capitol building. Could this be to show the wealth of those who lived there, to depict that the grass may be greener on the other side?…

    • 679 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Native Americans are always struggling with identification with their tribes traditions compared to Euro-American traditions. Counselors need to recognize that many Native Americans feel uncomfortable when talking about things outside of their context.…

    • 2601 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Native American Literature

    • 1506 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Over time as the stories were retold over and over some of the stories may have been changed. Perhaps they may have changed with time and to adapt to new circumstances.…

    • 1506 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Lakota Way

    • 510 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Lakota tribe introduced many values in this book. Humility (unsiiciyapi), perseverance (wowacintanka), respect (wawoohola), honor (wayuoniban), love (cantognake), sacrifice (incicupi), truth (wowicake), compassion (waunsilapi), bravery (woohitike), fortitude (cantewasake), generosity (camteyuke), and wisdom (woksape) were among the lessons learned throughout this book in the stories told. These stories have been told by grandmothers and grandfathers to their kin, which is the case with Joseph M. Marshall III, being told these stories by his grandfather. These stories are not just advice or teach morals, they also teach people about the Lakota culture.…

    • 510 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Literature written by Native Americans within the colonial time demonstrated an interesting aspect of ways that these americans lived. They generally believed in spirituality, animal…

    • 757 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays