Legends of the Southwest + Native American Mythology

One thing that is important to understand is that the Native Americans didn't have one mythology. They had many different stories, and it depended on what tribe you belonged to and where you lived. Each had stories passed down from generation to generation, and they slow changed. 

There were some things that they all believed though. Most of them believed in nature, spirits, and things such as the moon. They believed that everything had a spirit, from living things to inanimate objects. This is one of the oldest forms of religion. Much of their religion and history were interlinked to form myths and stories. 

There are several similarities, like how the creator gods created everything from life to death. The primary gods for most of the tribes were Mother Earth and Father Sky, but there were other gods as well, such as the Spider Woman, Napi, or Awonawilona. 

Most of the deities, besides the creators, were things like tricksters and shape shifters. They wanted to keep the spirits happy, to avoid any conflict with them. Tricksters often took the shape of animals to cause havoc. Commons shapes were the coyote, the spider, or the rabbit. The Native American mythology is so varied that it makes it hard to study as a whole.

Creation Story
First there was only darkness over everything. It filled all space. It covered the whole world. The ancient Sun Father, dwelling in the Great Outer Spaces, gazed around with his all-seeing eyes and saw that all was covered with water. So he rubbed his hands together and from the skin that flaked off, he formed two great balls. 

Raising one arm high, he flung one of the balls into the water. It melted slowly and spread far and wide and grew bigger and bigger. As it grew, part of it sank into the water and it became Mother Earth. Then he threw the second ball into the water. That, too, spread all over, growing even larger than the first. It drew up all the water that was left by the first ball and became Father Sky. (Slowly increase the brightness of the starfield). So there is water on Mother Earth and water in Father Sky — and that is why the sky is blue. 

Time went on and Mother Earth gave birth to man and creatures. One day Mother Earth and Father Sky held a great council. “How will our children live?” said Mother Earth. “We must have food for our children. How, after they are born, shall they live and be guided?” Father Sky answered, “They will be guided by my hands when I am not near. Behold!” He spread out his great hands, palms downward. There was golden yellow corn kernels in every line and wrinkle of his palms and fingers. “The shining kernels will tell them what to do and how to live. They will be their guiding stars!” That, say the Zuni, was in the beginning

For this unit, we have three spine reads:

• Coyote's Daughter
• Bear's Heart
• Spider Spins a Story (14 short stories)

Access the complete unit study in the World Mythology Unit Studies Bundle!

Includes sixteen unit studies covering world mythologies. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning ancient through modern history.

• Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.
• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

Product sample:  Percy Jackson & Greek Mythology

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!