Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest

In Short

This volume serves as a curated anthology of oral traditions, ranging from the Zuni and Navajo to the Pima, Sia, and various California tribes. It chronicles the transition from darkness to light, the emergence of human clans, and the recurring struggles against floods and transformative change. By preserving these myths—which explain everything from the placement of stars to the origin of the corn harvest—the work provides an enduring testament to the sophisticated philosophical and poetic heritage of these cultures, emphasizing a deep, sacred relationship between the people, the earth, and the Sky-father.

The Story

The narrative arc begins in the "New-making," a time when the world was unfinished and humanity existed in a series of dark, subterranean caves. These ancient ancestors, struggling against the foulness of their surroundings, eventually ascend into the "World of Knowing and Seeing." This transition is mediated by divine beings and primal forces—Earth-mother and Sky-father—who craft the heavens. In the early world-dawn, Sky-father scatters corn-grains across his palm to create the stars, establishing a celestial map that will guide his children. Earth-mother, meanwhile, creates the terraced mountains and water, laying the foundation for life.

As creation stabilizes, the people journey through the landscape, seeking the "Place of the Middle." This migration is not a simple march; it is a series of trials marked by earthquakes, warfare, and the constant need to adapt. The people are guided by the "Twain Beloved," divine figures who lead them toward greater wisdom. Along the way, they encounter animal spirits and minor deities who participate in a great council to determine the final form of humanity. While many animals argue that man should take their shape—the Buck wants antlers, the Beaver a flat tail, the Owl wings—the Coyote, driven by vanity and mischief, manages to shape humanity, though he does so with a cunning that defines the human spirit.

These origins are shadowed by catastrophic floods that wipe the slate clean, forcing the earth to be repopulated. In some traditions, the Spider, Sussistinnako, acts as the primary architect, singing life into existence and establishing the clan system. In others, the world is reset by the clever actions of the Coyote, who plants feathers in the earth that sprout into new people. Following these foundational events, the narrative shifts to the daily management of the world. The people enter into complex relationships with the Cloud, Lightning, and Thunder Peoples to ensure rain and survival.

The arc concludes with the establishment of the spirit world, where the dead transition to either a "Happy Western Land" or a desolate island of punishment, depending on their conduct in life. Through this cycle, the myths illustrate a world that is fundamentally interconnected, where every rock, bird, and star has an origin story tied to the collective memory of the tribe. The final images are of the "Song-hunters" and the "Ghost Dancers," who use ritual and prayer to maintain the fragile harmony between the earthly realm and the divine, ensuring that the corn continues to grow and the seasons turn.

How It Unfolds

The emergence from darkness The ancient ancestors dwell in a series of subterranean caves, eventually escaping into the "World of Knowing and Seeing" to find light. This physical movement mirrors a spiritual maturation, as the people transition from a state of ignorance to one of consciousness.

The architecture of the heavens Sky-father and Earth-mother collaborate to create the stars, the moon, and the weather patterns that govern the plains. By placing corn-grains in the sky, they provide a permanent guide for their children when the sun is absent.

The council of the animals A great debate occurs to decide the physical appearance and traits of human beings. While many creatures propose features modeled after themselves, the Coyote intervenes to ensure that humanity possesses a blend of physical capabilities and supreme cunning.

The cycle of the great floods Repeated inundations destroy the existing world, requiring the intervention of deities like the Spider or the trickster Coyote. These floods act as a recurring reset button, testing the resilience of the people and the necessity of finding a "Middle" place.

The search for the Corn Maidens The people face famine when the vital Corn Maidens vanish, setting off a search involving the Eagle, the Falcon, and the Raven. This quest highlights the sacred status of the corn and the reliance of the community on the natural order.

The rituals of existence The stories culminate in the establishment of the Ghost Dance and songs to the Cloud and Lightning Peoples. These practices serve to sustain the earth, ensuring that the people remain in alignment with the spiritual forces that provide life.

The People

The figures in these myths are rarely static; they are archetypal actors who embody the virtues and vices of their cultures. Sussistinnako (the Spider) acts as the primary creator and organizer, a patient, singing force who divides the people into clans and establishes the essential framework of social life. Utset, the First Mother, represents the endurance and wisdom of the Indian tribes, tasked with leading her children through the difficult journey to the "Middle."

Coyote is the most complex figure, oscillating between a bumbling, vain trickster and a life-giving hero. He is responsible for the final form of man, yet he is also the one who blinds himself out of foolish imitation of a bird. His presence introduces the element of risk and humor to the cosmic order; he is the shadow that reminds the people of their own fallibility. Hasjelti and Hostjoghon, the Navajo song-makers, represent the bridge between the physical landscape and the divine. They dress the sacred mountains in beads and shells, transforming the earth into a temple. By creating the prayers and songs, they provide humanity with the tools to communicate with the heavens. Finally, the Twain Beloved and the various Priest-fathers act as the pragmatic leaders, organizing the people and maintaining the rituals that keep the world from returning to the chaos of the flood.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the initial creation of the people and their clans by the central deity:

"In the beginning, long, long ago, there was but one being in the lower world. This was the spider, Sussistinnako."

Reflecting on the relationship between the people and the climate of the American Southwest:

"Warm is Earth-mother, cold our Sky-father."

Detailing the creation of the stars by the Sky-father as a guiding light for humanity:

"See," said Sky-father to Earth-mother, "our children shall be guided by these when the Sun-father is not near and thy mountain terraces are as darkness itself."

What It's Really About

At its core, this book examines the struggle to maintain order in a volatile, sometimes hostile environment. The recurring themes of floods and earthquakes reflect a lived reality where the landscape itself is a source of both sustenance and sudden destruction. The myths argue that human existence is not a given, but a fragile arrangement that must be constantly upheld through ritual, the proper naming of things, and the honoring of ancestral totems. The central question is one of balance: how can a people remain "in the middle"—the stable, virtuous center of the world—while surrounded by the forces of the sun, the wind, and the spirits? It is an argument for the necessity of song, prayer, and communal identity as the only bulwarks against the chaos of the unknown.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy comparative mythology or have an interest in the indigenous history of the American Southwest will find this collection deeply compelling. It feels less like a sterile academic text and more like a bridge to a vanished world, offering a sensory experience—the smell of corn pollen, the sound of shaking rattles, and the starkness of the desert at night.

However, a modern reader should be prepared for the period-specific language of the original editors, whose tone can occasionally feel patronizing or detached from the lived reality of the tribes they are documenting. The excerpts reveal an editorial hand that frames these myths through a 19th-century lens, which may strike the contemporary reader as a bit dated. Furthermore, the prose can be dense and fragmented, as these are often summaries or transcriptions of oral performances that do not follow traditional Western novelistic structures. Despite these challenges, the sheer beauty of the imagery—the Cloud People laboring behind masks, or the Coyote racing to steal the heart of the Rabbit—remains vivid. It is a book that stays with you because it captures a profound, ancient sense of wonder, demanding that we look at the stars and the mountains not merely as scenery, but as active, sentient participants in our own lives.