Cherokee Mythology: Captivating Myths and Legends of a Native American Tribe Paperback – 10 October 2020

In Cherokee myth—as in other Indigenous American traditions—the whole of creation is alive and able to communicate like humans and with the human beings who share their environment. Cherokee myths provide an explanation for how the world came to be the way it is, and impart important lessons about Cherokee cultural values.

In the collection of stories retold in this volume, you’re going to learn why the opossum has no fur on its tail, how the bat and the flying fox were created, and how medicine and disease came to afflict human beings, whilst the misfortunes and desires of animals and birds turn out to be expressions of important Cherokee cultural values, such as modesty of speech, humility, and gratitude for the earth’s bounty. Like the human beings with whom they share their world, the animals and birds play stickball and hold dances, and they’ve councils in townhouses—communal spaces that were a very powerful a part of Cherokee settlements.

These stories are very old—passed down from generation to generation by storytellers who wished to instruct, entertain, and keep their traditions alive. They are a part of a living tradition; the cultural fabric of an Indigenous American people who have survived against terrible odds, continue to live according to their traditional values and need to create a better future for themselves and their children.

Within this book, you’ll be able to find the following Cherokee Myths and topics covered:

• Why the Possum’s Tail is Bare
• Kanati and Selu
• The Tlanuwa and the Uktena
• Two Tales of Snake Transformations
• The Daughter of the Sun
• The Ball Game of the Birds and Animals
• How Disease and Medicine Came to Be
• And a lot more!

Get the book now and learn more about myths and legends of the Cherokee!