Dictionary of Native American Mythology by Of Religious Studies Sam D Gill

Dictionary of Native American Mythology by Of Religious Studies Sam D Gill

Many people see an image of a coyote, a sand painting, or a sweat lodge and vaguely associate it with Native Americans from the southwestern United States. Schoolchildren make crude replicas of totem poles when they study northwestern tribal peoples. But in Dictionary of Native American Mythology we learn that Coyote is a cultural hero and trickster figure with vast numbers of stories from many tribes. Totem poles, while artistically beautiful, represent the animal lineage from which a human family has descended. And sand paintings are created as a part of an eight-day Navajo healing ceremony. These are just some of the more familiar of the more than 1,300 richly worded and illustrated entries. The importance of ritual and myth in creating meaning is nowhere more evident than in Native American traditions. Dictionary of Native American Mythology is a careful selection of the distinctive stories, characters, themes, symbols, and motifs that interweave the traditions of over 100 different Native American cultures. The alphabetically arranged entries are rigorously cross-referenced, allowing the reader to pursue in depth a particular path of inquiry. Each entry cites tribal origin and the corresponding geographic region. These regions in turn are keyed to ten tribal territory maps that pinpoint exact tribe locations. The massive bibliography and tribal index complete this work so that it is not only an indispensable resource for students and scholars, but also a delight to the casual browser. Dictionary of Native American Mythology is a monumental contribution to the study of Native American myth and ritual, both past and present.

Gill, Sam D.: - Sam D. Gill is professor of religious studies at the University of Colorado. He is the author of Native American Religions, Beyond The Primitive, Native American Religious Action, and several other books on Native American religions.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780195086027
ISBN 10	0195086023
Title	Dictionary of Native American Mythology
Author	Of Religious Studies Sam D Gill
Series	Oxford Paperback Reference
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	OUP India
Year published	1994-07-07
Number of pages	456
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.