The rich storytelling traditions of Salish-speaking peoples in the Pacific Northwest of North America are showcased in this anthology of story, legend, song, and oratory. From the Bitterroot Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, Salish-speaking communities such as the Bella Coola, Shuswap, Tillamook, Quinault, Colville-Okanagan, Coeur d'Alene, Flathead have always been guided and inspired by the stories of previous generations. Many of the most influential and powerful of those tales appear in this volume. Salish Myths and Legends features an array of Trickster stories centered on Coyote, Mink, and other memorable characters, as well as stories of the frightening Basket Ogress, accounts of otherworldly journeys, classic epic cycles such as South Wind's Journeys and the Blue Jay Cycle, tales of such legendary animals as Beaver and Lady Louse from the beginning of time, and stories that explain why things are the way they are. The anthology also includes humorous traditional tales, speeches, and fascinating stories of encounters with whites, including "Circling Raven and the Jesuits."Translated by leading scholars working in close collaboration with Salish storytellers, these stories are certain to entertain and provoke, vividly testifying to the enduring power of storytelling in Native communities.
M. Terry Thompson has conducted research on the Salish languages for forty years and is the coauthor of Thompson River Salish Dictionary and The Thompson Language. Steven M. Egesdal is an expert on Salish languages and is the author of Stylized Character Speech in Thompson Salish Narrative.
List of Maps List of Tables Acknowledgments Introduction Origins and Migrations The Salishan Cultural Landscape Imperiled Status of Salishan Languages Writing Salishan Languages Mythographic Presentation and Features of Narration Genres of Salishan Oral Literature Reverence for Traditional Narrative The Performative Context History of Collecting Salishan Oral Literature Organization of the Collection Language Characteristics Steven M. Egesdal Epic Stories South Wind's Journeys: A Tillamook Epic Reconstructed from Several Sources Retold by Douglas E. Deur and M. Terry Thompson A Bluejay Cycle: Traditional Quinault Stories Told by Bob Pope Dell Hymes Fly: A Southern Lushootseed Epic Told by Annie Daniels and by Peter Heck Retold by Jay Miller The Pentlatch Myth Corpus M. Dale Kinkade Basket Ogress Stories Ch'eni, the Giant Woman Who Stole Crying Children: A Traditional Lummi Story Told by Aloysius Charles Richard Demers and Bill James The Basket Ogress, Slapu: Two Traditional Klallam Stories Told by Martha Charles John Steven M. Egesdal Qalqali, the Basket Ogress: A Traditional Squamish Story Told by Louis Miranda Aert H. Kuipers Why Things Are the Way They Are The Transformer and the Blind Old Man: A Traditional Sooke Story Told by Cecilia Joe Barbara S. Efrat The Seal: A Traditional Sliammon-Comox Story Told by Mary George Honore Watanabe How Kingfisher Got the Red under Her Wings: A Traditional Klallam Story Told by Amy Allen Steven M. Egesdal Tribal Legends: Traditional Stories of the Cowlitz Told by Roy Wilson Judith Irwin Trickster Stories Coyote and Buffalo: A Traditional Spokane Story Told by Margaret Sherwood Steven M. Egesdal Coyote and the Goblin: A Traditional Shuswap Story Told by Lilly Harry Aert H. Kuipers The Place of Coyote: Two Traditional San Poil (Colville-Okanagan) Stories Told by Bob Covington and William Burke Dell Hymes N'ik'smtm and Other Episodes of a Traditional Coyote Narrative Told by Hilda Austin and Millie Michell Steven M. Egesdal Coyote Releases Salmon: A Traditional Moses-Columbian Story Told by George Nanamkin M. Dale Kinkade Skunk: A Traditional Colville Story Told by Charles Quintasket Dell Hymes The Seal and the Raven: A Sechelt Raven Story Told by Charlie Roberts and/or Jack Isidore Ralph Maud Sun and Moon Are Brothers: A Traditional Quinault Story Told by Bob Pope, interpreted by Harry Shale William R. Seaburg Coyote and the Birds: A Traditional Coeur d'Alene Story Told by Margaret Stensgar Ivy G. Doak and Margaret Stensgar The Border Monsters: A Story about Salishan People from a Bordering Group Told by Hal George J. V. (Jay) Powell and Luke J. Powell? Historical Events Battle at Sea: A Northern Lushootseed Historical Narrative told by Wilson George Vi Taqsblu Hilbert and Thomas M. Hess Qeyqeysi's Marriage: A Humorous Pend d'Oreille Story Told by Pete Beaverhead Sarah G. Thomason Sametl: A Chinook Jargon Rendering of a Saanich Story Told by Thomas Paul Dell Hymes Chairman Roy Wilson's Cowlitz Desanctification Ceremony Judith Irwin Three Lillooet Stories Told by Sam Mitchell, Martina LaRochelle, Rosie Joseph Jan P. van Eijk Reminiscences from the Shuswap Told by Lilly Harry Aert H. Kuipers When the Animals Were People Lady Louse: A Traditional Northern Lushootseed Story Told by Vi Taqsblu Hilbert, based on Elizabeth Krise's version of the story Vi Taqsblu Hilbert Black Bear and Grizzly Bear: A Traditional Upriver Halkomelem Story Told by Dan Milo Ralph Maud Beaver and Mouse: A Traditional Nooksack Story Told by George Swanaset Pamela Amoss Crow, Her Son, Her Daughter: A Traditional Southern Lushootseed Story Told by Marion Davis Dell Hymes The Whiteman as "Other" The Sailor Who Jumped Ship and Was Befriended by Skagits: A Lushootseed Historical Story Told by Susie Sampson Peter Jay Miller and Vi Taqsblu Hilbert Circling Raven and the Jesuits: A Traditional Coeur d'Alene Story Told by Margaret Stensgar Ivy G. Doak and Margaret Stensgar Oratory The Two-Headed Person: A Colville-Okanagan Oratory Speech by William M. Charley, translated by William M. Charley, Clara Jack, and Anthony Mattina Anthony Mattina Funeral Address of Chief Tinic'e to the Mourners of a Dead Child: A Thompson River Salish [Nekepmx] Oration Spoken by Chief Tinic'e Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson Humor The Two Coyotes: A Humorous Lillooet Story Told by Bill Edwards Jan P. van Eijk The Story of Mink and Miss Pitch: A Traditional Upriver Halkomelem Story Told by Susan Malloway Jimmy Brent Galloway Broke-Her-Nose Woman (or The Stupid Daughter-in-law): A Humorous nekepmxcin (Thompson River Salish) Story Told by Mabel Joe Mabel Joe and M. Terry Thompson Songs Three Thompson River Salish Songs from Spuzzum Sung by Annie Z. York Andrea Laforet Modern Poems and a Story-Poem Growing Old Jack Iyall The Salmon Duane Niatum To Our Salish Women Who Weave the Seasons Duane Niatum Sleeping Woman Duane Niatum Journeys to Other Worlds The Kidnapping of Moon: An Upper Chehalis Myth Told by Silas Heck M. Dale Kinkade Sun's Child: A Traditional Bella Coola Story Told by Agnes Edgar Dell Hymes Star Husband: Two Brothers' Versions of a Traditional Skokomish (Twana) Story Told by Frank Allen and by Henry Allen William W. Elmendorf and Steven M. Egesdal Maiden of Deception Pass: A Traditional Samish Story Told by Victor Underwood Sr. Brent Galloway Kakantu, the Chief's Daughter Who Married a Blackfish: A Traditional Klallam Story Told by Amy Allen, translated by Laurence C. Thompson and Martha Charles John Steven M. Egesdal References and Suggested Further Reading Index
An anthology of story, legend, song and oratory detailing the rich storytelling traditions of Salish-speaking peoples in the Pacific Northwest
"Any thorough reclaiming of a particular storytelling heritage enriches study of mythology, folktales, native cultures, and storytelling in general. This anthology serves all these purposes powerfully."-M. F. McClure, CHOICE "The recording of oral texts is slow, difficult work full of intellectual and practical problems. One can only be grateful for the efforts of the several generations of scholars and communities members, including those represented here, who undertook this task."-Bruce Miller, Montana, the Magazine of Western History
