Description
Myths of the Iroquois is a reprint of the original publication issued in 1883 as part of the Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-1. Erminnie Smith (1836-1886) was engaged by the Smithsonian Institution to collect ethnological material among the Six Nations Iroquois. This text is a collection of legends and stories organized to reflect the author's view of the content. Readers are cautioned that the text contains stereotypical vocabulary. Stories cover supernatural beings such as Stone Giants, the Little People (called pygmies by the author), and sorcery and witchcraft. Another section contains stories about the origin of humans, the Turtle Clan, medicine, tobacco, and constellations. The final section contains legends or tales about human interaction with animals, such as the story of the boy rescued by the bear; and stories about human relationships such as the old man's lesson to his nephew. Most stories give some indication of the Iroquois source including the informant's name and home community. The editor has included 14 original illustrations by Mohawk artist John Kahionhes Fadden to enhance the legends, and a one-page introduction to Iroquois/Haudenosaunee storytelling.