Native American Folklore As Mythology Essay - 1066 Words

Throughout history, and all over the world, mythology has been developed as a way of explaining the unknown and coping with one’s existence. Why does the sun shine? Well, seemingly, to generations past, something is controlling the universe, so there must be a god in charge of the sun and many other natural phenomenon. During the creation of Native American myths, â€Å"there was much in the way of free-range food, but hunting wasnt as easy as getting up in the morning, taking a stroll and shooting a few passing bison with your bow† (Godchecker). Times were tough, â€Å"even Plains societies who lived off the prolific buffalo fell under the threat of starvation at times† (Godchecker). Finally, â€Å"when herds were found, the people were grateful and†¦show more content†¦The Native American Trickster is usually described as a character that â€Å"is a wandering, bawdy, gluttonous, and obscene† (72). The Trickster is â€Å"usually male but able t o alter his sex at will,† he â€Å"may copulate with his daughter or daughter–in-law or send his penis swimming across rivers in search of sexual adventure† (72). He is often characterized as being â€Å"selfish, amoral, foolish, destructive, and as his name indicates, given to duping others in his own interest† (72). However, the trickster â€Å"is also a culture hero, someone often with godlike power who long, long ago helped to establish the order of the world that we know today† (72). Though, his folly caused him to forget his purpose of ridding the earth of evil entities, he is still a staple in Native American tales. Every tribe has their own version of the trickster! The Winnebego trickster, also known as Wakjankaga, was â€Å"sent to instruct or destroy monsters who would be harmful to the people (a mission he foolishly forgets)† (73). He fails his mission because he becomes too consumed with â€Å"The people†¦These who walk on two legs, because he was fascinated by them† and so, â€Å"he started to tease them† (77). Consequently, â€Å"Whatever he was doing†¦He forgot about it, and then all over the earth he went traveling† (77). While traveling, Wakjankaga learns a very valuable lesson in mocking nature. He, indignantly, devours a bulb after being warned that it would cause him to defecate. Before long, â€Å"he began to break wind†Show MoreRelatedAustralian And Native American History1472 Words   |  6 Pagesvastly different regions and cultures of the world, Australian and Native American mythologies have more in common than people initially realize. Both span thousands of years of traditional lifestyles, having developed unique folklore in order to preserve their cultures. 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