The Mythology of North America - Softcover

Bierhorst, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195146239 ISBN 13: 9780195146233

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2002

Synopsis

The growing economic and political influence of Native American tribes has brought religious issues, once little noted, increasingly to the fore. Timeless in their basic structures, the continent's principal myths are now emerging as sacred histories that have contemporary significance.
In this wide-ranging volume, John Bierhorst carefully delineates eleven mythological regions--from the Arctic to the Southwest and from California to the East Coast--presenting the gods, heroes, and primary myths of each area. First published in 1985, this indispensable guide has been updated to reflect the latest scholarship in Native studies. In a new Afterword, Bierhorst describes the recent impact of ancient myths in the arena of American Indian affairs and shows how Native Americans have successfully used mythology as oral evidence to reclaim land rights and to repatriate grave goods. Citing specific cases, he shows how new legislation and changing attitudes "have provided a basis for bringing myth to the negotiating table and into the courtroom."
Detailed maps show tribal locations and the distribution of key stories. Indian artworks illustrate the texts and samples of differing narrative styles add enrichment, as some of the world's purest and most powerful myths are made more accessible--and more meaningful--than ever before.

About this title

About the Author:

John Bierhorst is the author, editor, or translator of more than thirty books on Native American lore--eight of which have been named Notable Books by the American Library Association.

Review:

"A guidebook to the mythologies of the whole continent."--The New York Times Book Review

"Presents a systematic view of the entire corpus of North American mythology. Since no such overarching descriptive work has appeared in nearly seventy years, Bierhorst's book is timely, adding breadth to the knowledge of Native American narrative."--American Anthropologist

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0195146239
• ISBN 13: 9780195146233
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 280