Tales of the Earth: Native North American Creation Mythology

by David Leeming

A revealing analysis of key themes in Native American origin myths—and their stark contrast with the exceptionalist values of the United States.
 
Tales of the Earth is a comprehensive yet concise overview of Native American mythologies. After outlining theories of the origins of Native North Americans, David Leeming considers the creation myths of many tribes, emphasizing four commonly occurring the Great Spirit, the trickster, the goddess, and the hero. Leeming suggests that in addition to these figures, Native American mythologies have in common a deep reverence for the earth and for community responsibility as opposed to individualism—tenets that stand in stark contrast to the concepts of exceptionalism and Manifest Destiny that characterize the United States, a nation that was built on ancient tribal land.

Genres: Native American, Mythology, History

180 pages, Hardcover

Published November 23, 2021

Reviews

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible account of a variety of Native American mythology. A must read. Structural distinction between stories would have made this book even better.

[Katie (BooksRUs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book, ok overview of Native American stories.