While
Native American culture has struggled to survive through centuries of
displacement and assimilation, the stories and legends passed on from
generation to generation refuse to die; this is perhaps due to their
common, timeless message of peace and harmony with nature, which is
now more relevant with each passing year.
Long ago, before the conquistadors, colonists,
missionaries, and settlers came to North-America from Europe, there
were thousands of tribes, clans, and peoples of various beliefs and
customs living in longhouses, teepees, aps, and other dwellings;
hunting, fishing, farming and gathering, only taking what was needed,
and making the most of every animal killed in the hunt, or plant which
had been harvested.
While cultures and customs varied, all Native
American Indian beliefs were rooted in Animism, meaning that they
believed the universe was bound together by the spirits within all
natural life, from plants, animals, humans, water, and even the
Earth itself.
This website is an ever growing resource designed
to keep the stories and legends of various aboriginal cultures alive.
Although all of the texts appearing on this site are in the English
language, our goal was to present each text in it's earliest
translated form, so that the richness of the details would still be
present; undiluted from centuries of retellings.
We recognize that there are many more stories and
legends which do not yet appear on this site, and that there are many
other tribes which are not yet represented in our list, but we intend
to add more texts in the future, based on suggestions and submissions.
For now, enjoy the ancient lore of the Algonquin, Cherokee, Cheyenne,
Chinook, Choctaw, Chumash, Comanche, Creek, Hopi, Iroquois, Lakota,
Lenape, Mohawk, Navajo, Seneca, Sioux, and others, and share your
comments and ideas on our Forum.
By keeping Native American culture alive through
storytelling, we may learn a thing or two about the world we live in.
