The Myths of the North American IndiansSpence, Lewis
History
The Myths of the North American Indians
Spence, Lewis
Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
Floating up the streams in their canoes, our fathers were rich, they
were in the light, when they were at those islands.
Head Beaver and Big Bird said: "Let us go to Snake Island," they said.
All say they will go along to destroy all the land.
Those of the north agreed,
Those of the east agreed.
Over the water, the frozen sea,
They went to enjoy it.
On the wonderful slippery water,
On the stone-hard water all went,
On the great tidal sea, the muscle-bearing sea.
Ten thousand at night,
All in one night,
To the Snake Island, to the east, at night,
They walk and walk, all of them.
The men from the north, the east, the south:
The Eagle clan, the Beaver clan, the Wolf clan,
The best men, the rich men, the head men,
Those with wives, those with daughters, those with dogs.
They all come, they tarry at the land of the spruce-pines:
Those from the west come with hesitation,
Esteeming highly their old home at the Turtle land.
There was no rain, and no corn, so they moved farther seaward.
At the place of caves, in the Buffalo land, they at last had food, on a
pleasant plain.
[Illustration: The Lenâpé come to the Place of Caves]
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Modern Education and Culture
After the establishment of the United States Government a number of
Christian and lay bodies undertook the education and enlightenment of
the aborigines. Until 1870 all Government aid for this object passed
through the hands of missionaries, but in 1775 [Transcriber's note:
1875?] a committee on Indian affairs had been appointed by Congress,
which voted funds to support Indian students at Dartmouth and Princeton
Colleges. Many day-schools were provided for the Indians, and these
aimed at fitting them for citizenship by inculcating in them the social
manners and ethical ideas of the whites. The school established by
Captain R. H. Pratt at Carlisle, Pa., for the purpose of educating
Indian boys and girls has turned out many useful members of society.
About 100 students receive higher instruction in Hampton Institute.
There are now 253 Government schools for the education of Indian youth,
involving an annual expenditure of five million dollars, and the
patient efforts of the United States Government may be said to be
crowned with triumph and success when the list of cultured Indian men
and women who have attended these seminaries is perused. Many of these
have achieved conspicuous success in industrial pursuits and in the
higher walks of life.
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CHAPTER II: THE MYTHOLOGIES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS
Animism
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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