North America Native American Star Lore

16,500 years ago, when the first people crossed the Beringia land bridge from Siberia to North America, they already carried star lore, like the myth of the Celestial Hunt with them. Over the centuries, each of the developing North American Nations created their own interpretation of the features of the night sky. Many of them are specific to just one nation, others are shared with neighbors.

In the absence of written words, North American star lore was passed on from one generation to the next as oral tradition. One of the few "written" records, is a star chart showing 24 stars and 15 constellations, manufactured around 1700 by the Skidi Pawnee, using mineral pigments on tanned elk skin. The Skidi Pawnee were among the most accomplished North American star gazers. Further down, you can find their interpretation of the four cardinal directions, a theme used in different ways by many North American nations. Right: Skidi Pawnee Star Map; Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago; Source: Astrobob

On one hand, oral tradition created a challenge as with the arrival of the Europeans, many of the Native American Nations, together with their languages vanished, before their legends could be recorded. On the other hand, in many cases, the spoken word proved to be much more durable than the written word and many of the preserved legends date back much further that our own well documented "ancient" Greek myths.

Cheyenne Shield depicting the Pleiades Source: Detroit Institute of Arts

E.C. Krupp writes in Astronomy in Native North America: "The astronomical activities and traditions of the American Indians north of Mexico were based upon practical observation of the sky but were not supported by a written language. For that reason, our knowledge of North American Indian astronomy relies upon the archaeological data, ethnohistoric reports from early encounters between Europeans and the indigenous peoples, and ethnographic information collected more recently by anthropologists. Although this material is distorted and incomplete, it enables us to outline the general character of North American Indian astronomy and to understand some of it in detail. All of these sources confirm that North American Indians farmed, hunted, and gathered by the sky. They developed calendric techniques to order the sacred and ordinary dimensions of their lives. They timed ceremonies by the sky. They extracted symbols from the sky. They told stories about the sky. ..."

My internet research yielded a vast number of colorful stories - too many for just one site. I therefor split the North American star lore into three parts, sorted alphabetically by the names of the modern constellations.

Part 1: A-N	Part 2: O-P	Part 3: Q-Z
Andromeda Aries Cassiopeia Cancer Canis Major Canis Minor Cepheus Columba Corvus Corona Borealis Cygnus Draco Gemini Hercules Hydra Lacerta Leo Milky Way	Orion Pegasus Pleiades Puppis	Sagittarius Scorpius Serpens Taurus Triangulum Ursa Major Ursa Minor Winter Hexagon

So far, my collection of North American star lore covers myth from twenty nine different Native American nations. Among them, four nations stand out. Not because their star lore contains more or better stories, but simply because their mythology is better documented or, at least, easier to find on the internet. This happened thanks to the tremendous effort of astronomers, historians and artists like Annette S. Lee (Ojibwe and (D)Lakota), Wilfred Buck (Cree) and Nancy C. Maryboy (Navajo). We therefor created separate pages for these four nations and their constellations:

Cree	Dakota, Lakota	Navajo	Ojibwe
Great Bear Hunt Myth Mista Muskwa Bear Tehpakoop Pinesisuk Seven Birds Sweat Lodge Myth Matootisan Sweat Lodge Mistapew Giant Matootisan Assiniuk Sweat Lodge Rocks The Dog Stars Atima Atchakosuk Dog Stars Keewatin Going Home Star Ocik Atchakosuk Fisher Spring Constellations Sisikwun Rattle Makinak Turtle Other Constellations Atchakos Ahkoop Star Blanket Kokominakasis Grandmother Spider Nipin Pinisew Thunderbird Pakone Kiisic Hole-in-the-Sky Niska Goose Wisakaychak Teacher	Agleœka Salamander Chanśáśa ipúsye Dried Willow Gleœka Wakaŋ Sacred Hoop Keya Turtle Mațo Tipila Bear's Lodge Napé Hand Oceti Sakowiƞ Seven Sacred Council Fires Tayamni Three parts of the Buffalo To Win/Tuƞ Wiƞ Blue Woman/Birth Woman Wanagi Tacanku Spirit Road Wiçakiyuhapi Stretcher Wiçaŋĥpi Star which stands in one place Zuzeca Snake	Átsé Etsoh First Big One Átsé Ets’óz First Slender One Dahsani Porcupine Dilyéhé Pinlike Sparkles Gah Hahat’ee Rabit Tracks Hastiin Sik’aí’ií Squatting Man Ii’ni Thunder Jo’hannaa’éí Sun Kaalogi Butterfly Ma’ii Bizò Coyote Star Naayéé’ Neizghání dóó Tóbájíshchíní Hero Twins Náhookòs Bikò‘ Central Fire Náhookòs Bi’kà’ Male Revolving One Náhookòs Bi’áád Female Revolving One Shash Bear Tã’éhonaa’éí Moon Tãish Tsoh Big Snake Tiníléí Gila Monster Tsetah Dibé Mountain Sheep Yikáísdáhá Awaits the Dawn	Ajiijaak Crane Biboonkeonini The Winter Maker Jiibay Ziibi River of Souls Maang Loon Madoodiswan Sweat Lodge Mishi Bizhiw Great Panther Mooz Moose Nanaboujou Sleeping Giant Noondeshin Bemaadizid Exhausted Bather Ojiig Fisher

The Four Directions The four directions are a common theme across many North American cultures, although the colors and the interpretation vary widely. Here is a star lore relating to the Four Directions, told by the Skidi Pawnee: Morning Star (Mars) and Evening Star (Venus) moved across the sky among the stars until Morning Star overtook Evening Star and made her his wife. But before winning her, Morning Star had to overcome numerous star monsters. The monsters were bright stars, called the beasts of the Four Directions, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Wild Cat and Wolf.

After conquering them, Morning Star ordered the Sky Beasts to stand at the four corners and hold up the heavens. Black Bear had to stand in the northeast, where the night came from. His season was autumn. Yellow Star, the mountain lion had to stand in the northwest, where the sun sets golden. His season was spring. White star, the wild cat, had to take a place in the southwest, looking north into the direction of snow. His season was winter. Red Star, the wolf, was placed in the southeast and his season was summer.

Pawnee earth lodges are traditionally build dome-like, resembling the sky. The centers are held up with poles that are marked white, yellow, red, and black as colors of the stars. Skidi legend don't specify which stars are the four directions, but most researchers agree, that white stood for Sirius (α CMa), yellow for Capella (α Aur), red for Antares (α Sco), and black for Vega (α Lyr). Sources: Pawnee Star People and Stewart, Williamson; They dance in the sky: Native American star myths p. 46

Pawnee lodge with direction poles Source: Field Museum, Chicago

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