Native American Legends of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley

by Katharine Berry Judson (Editor)

Collected almost 100 years ago, these timeless tales represent the diversity and richness of American Indian cultures from around the Great Lakes, the Midwest, and the Mississippi River valley. They reveal much about the central beliefs and guiding principles of Winnebago, Ojibwa, Menominee, and other peoples and provide a window into their outlook and aspirations. As Katharine Judson wrote in her original preface, they express the longing to understand the why and how of life.

Many of these tales concern Manabush, a culture hero for several peoples and later the inspiration for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Hiawatha . Readers also encounter the elemental forces of Thunder, Rain, and Wind; the wise and foolish actions of Fox, Eagle, and Hare; and legends describing the creation of Earth, Sky, and Mountain.

Told in a simple, unencumbered style, these stories and myths grow in depth and complexity upon each reading and provide rich material for understanding the peoples of a region whose cultures have received relatively little attention. An introduction by Peter Iverson highlights the divergent ways American Indian identity has been constructed through such legends. All ages can appreciate the strength, power, and beauty of these timeless legends and tales.

Genres: Native American

204 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

Reviews

[Chantal Eckhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this as a possible 1st grade curriculum addition and it fit the bill. I'm learning about the importance of legends, fairy tales, myths, and fables. Legends and myths particularly lay a foundation for understanding the history of a place, and we needed to choose a book about the first peoples of the land we live on.

It has been fascinating to learn that almost every culture (including, but also outside of native American tribes) has a creation and flood story and those are shared in the beginning of this collection. The stories near the end of this are more fun and light-hearted, stories about animals tricking other animals and so that's why their tail or coloring is the way it is and such. I can't wait to share these with my first grader!

[Aliza Prodaniuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good collection of stories from several Indigenous groups. Although some of the language was outdated (the book is out of print), the information was helpful to my own writing and comprehensive in its content.