North America Native American Star Lore O - P

Orion

Chinook To the Chinook people, the stars forming Orion's Belt and Sword are two canoes vying to be the first to catch a salmon in the Big River, which is the Milky Way. The little canoe is winning the race and is closing in on the fish, which is Sirius (Alpha CMa), the bright star in the middle of the river. Source: indiancountrytoday.com

Cree In Cree mythology, Orion is generally seen as Wisakaychak, the benevolent culture hero of the Cree tribe, among other deeds credited with the creation of the Sun and the Moon. Wisakaychak is generally seen as a trickster character whose adventures are often humorous and never dangerous or destructive. However, in the rather complex Sweat Lodge Myth, Orion is used to illustrate Mistapew, an evil giant who could capture spirits and transfer them from one spirit being to another. Sources: Wilfred Buck, Atchakosuk, Lance Cardinal

Wisakaychak on the Cree star map © Native Skywatchers

Mistapew & Wisakaychak Sources: Wilfred Buck; Atchakosuk

Wisakaychak creates the Sun and the Moon Source: Lance Cardinal

Inuit The Inuit in northern Canada call Orion's Belt "The Runners." Alnitak is seen as a polar bear and Alnilam and Mintaka are dogs. Source: Wikipedia

Lakota To the Lakota, Orion's Belt is the spine of a bison, called Tayamnicankhu. The surrounding rectangle of the constellation forms the ribs. Rigel (β Orionis) is called Tayamnitchuhu (Animal outer rib), Betelgeuse (α Orionis) is called Tayamnituchuhu (Animal inner rib). The tail, called Tayamnisinte is formed by Sirius (α CMa) and the head, called Tayamnipha is represented by the Pleiades. Source: Mark Hollabaugh, p. 65

Lakota Buffalo Drum Source: horsekeeping.com

Another Lakota story symbolizes the harmony between the gods and the people with the help of the younger generation. In that story, the bottom half of Orion is called Napé, representing the hand of a great Lakota chief. Orion's Belt forms the Chief's wrist, the thumb is formed by Orion's Sword. Rigel is the tip of the index finger, and Cursa (β Eridani) is the tip of the little finger. The tale tells us how the gods wanted to punish the Lakota chief for his selfishness and made the Thunder People rip out his arm. To help her father, the chief's daughter offered to marry whomever would recover her father's arm. One man made a long and perilous journey through the sky and the Earth. Fallen Star, a young warrior born of a mortal mother and a celestial father, returned the lost arm to the chief and married his beautiful daughter. Source: Mr. Scienceut

The Chief's hand Source: Mr. Science

Navajo The Navajo add another facet to the world-wide picture of Orion as the big hunter. The costellation is depicted as Átsé Ets’óz, First Slender One - a young man in the prime of life. He carries a bow and arrow and is a warrior protecting his people. Like Dilyéhé, this constellation is related to planting and is seen every season except for part of the summer. Átsé Ets’óz is often spoken of as the son-in-law to Átsé Etsoh, which includes part of the constellation Scorpius. In accordance with Navajo tradition of mother-in-laws and son-in-laws not meeting or speaking, Átsé Ets’ósí and Átsé Etsoh are never seen in the sky at the same time. Sources: Navajo Skies, grandcanyon.org, Navajo Astronomy Legends of Orion and Scorpius representing antagonistic characters that can never be seen together in the sky are also part of Greek and Chinese mythology.

Átsé Ets’óz © Melvin Bainbridge

Ojibwe On the Ojibwe Star Map, Aldebaran (α Tau), together with Procyon (α CMi) and the stars of Orion, are called Biboonkeonini, the Winter Maker, as their presence in the night sky heralds winter. Wintermaker is a strong Ojibwe canoe man and an important mythological figure in Ojibwe culture. His outstretched arms rule the winter sky. Wintermaker is seen overhead during the winter months. Sources: St. Cloud State University Planetarium, sciencefriday.com Ojibwe artist Carl Gawboy tells a story of parents making bows and arrows for their young children to come out into the late winter night to shoot at Wintermaker, whose sash is the belt of today’s constellation called Orion. The arrows let the children believe that they were hastening Wintermaker on his way and helping to bring spring. For the Ojibwe, the constellations of Biboonikeonini, Mishi Bizhiw, Nanaboujou and Mooz heralded the arrival of winter, spring and summer and fall. Source: Ojibwe Cosmos

Biboonkeonini © Native Skywatchers Shooting the Wintermaker © Carl Gawboy

Seri The Seri people of northwestern Mexico call the three stars of Orion's Belt Hapj, a name denoting a hunter. The three stars are Haamoja, the pronghorn, Hap, the mule deer and Mojet, the bighorn sheep. Hap has been shot by the hunter; its blood has dripped down to Earth and formed Tiburón Island. Source: Wikipedia

Yokut The Tachi Yokuts in what is now California told a tale of a selfish wolf who didn't provide food for his wife crane and his two sons. Eventually Crane and her sons ran away. Wolf followed them and tried to shoot Crane with his arrow but in the end, Crane stabbed wolf to death with her long sharp bill and flew away into the sky. Her sons followed her and the three became the stars of Orion's Belt. Source: Mr. Scienceut, Stewart, Williamson; They dance in the sky: Native American star myths p. 92

X X X

Orion, Pleiades, Polaris, Corona Borealis

Cree In the Cree myth of the Great Bear Hunt, Corona Borealis represents Tehpakoop Pinesisuk, the seven bird hunters. In another, rather complex myth involving no less than four distinct star formations of the winter sky, Corona Borealis becomes Matootisan, the sweat lodge. Wilfred Buck tells us, how the sweat lodge ceremony was brought to the people: Once there was a young man named Tikoom – the louse – who had seven uncles and they lived at a time of scarcity and sickness. It came to be t hat food was needed for the community and the young man’s seven uncles decided to go and find fresh meat.

Sweat Lodge (Corona Borealis) Source: Atchakosuk

They were to return to the community in three days time. The young man waited impatiently, for he wanted to go with them, but they decided against this. After three days, Tikoom’s seven uncles had yet to return. The young man waited all the next day and still no one returned, after which he decided that he should go look for them. He left that afternoon. Tikoom traveled all afternoon and into the late evening following their tracks. Eventually he came to the place where they had made camp. Here he found an empty shelter that contained nothing but seven rocks. The shelter offered protection from the cold wind and it was getting very cold and dark. He decided to spend the night there and continue on in the morning.

That night, as he slept, he had a dream. In the dream, his uncles came to him and told him what had happened to them. The young man was told that his uncles happened upon a mistapew (Giant). This Mistapew traded in spirits and could capture spirits and transfer them from one spirit being to another. This amused the giant greatly because it caused mass confusion and fear and this is what this mistapew lived on. Thus, when the giant saw the seven brothers, he felt that this was an opportunity to capture their spirits. The giant invited the weary hunters into his camp to spend the night and rest. In the morning he would tell them where to find fresh game. As the brothers slept the giant crept into their dreams and took their spirits. He did this because he wanted to eat their bodies but could not do so if they were still in possession of their spirits. The giant transferred the spirits of the seven brothers into seven rocks because he knew that the rock could hold spirits; these rocks were individually regarded as either Nimoshoom Assini – the grandfather rock, and Nookoom Assini – the grandmother rock.

Mistapew (Orion) Source: Atchakosuk

These Matootisan Assiniuk – heated rocks – hold the spirits of the night when it is cold under the moon and the spirits of the light when it is warm under the heat of the sun. Only when the Matootisan Assiniuk are heated until they are bright red are the grandfather and grandmother spirits released. This was how the giant got the spirits of the uncles. The young man was told by his uncles how to release their spirits. They could not return to him in human form but would visit him if he performed a ceremony they would show him.

As instructed, he built a domed lodge using branches from a willow tree as the ribs and hides of deer, moose or buffalo to cover the branches. He placed the seven rocks he had seen in the abandoned camp into the base of the fire he was instructed to build outside of the dome. When this was done, he lit the fire and let it burn until the rocks became red-hot. He brought the red-hot rocks into the domed structure. Once inside the domed structure with the red-hot rocks in the center, he was to close the door so the dome was completely dark and begin to sing and pray as he was instructed. As he sang and prayed, he splashed water on the hot rocks which released their spirits. He saw the spirits of his uncles first as lights – the uncles were born again from the domed lodge. The willow ribs of the domed lodge symbolize the womb of our mother and it was she who has the power to release and bring forth new life.

Matootisan Assiniuk Source: Atchakosuk

This is what Tikoom did and released his uncles to the spirit world. For his determination, faith, and trust, the Creator gave to him a ceremony with which to heal and, by doing so, feed his people. He was also given a new name: Assini Awasis - Stone Child. He would forever be remembered as the boy who brought the sweat lodge to the people. Today we see the sweat lodge in the night sky and at certain times of the night we can see the Sweat Lodge (Corona Borealis), the Altar (Polaris) and the Sweat Lodge Fire and rocks (Pleiades) all in the sky at once and be reminded of where to go for comfort, hope, spiritual sustenance, direction, and healing." Source: Wilfred Buck: Ininewuk Stories of the Stars

Pegasus Dakota In Dakota astronomy, the stars of Pegasus form Keya, the Turtle. When a baby girl is born the umbilical cord is cut from the mother and placed in a beaded leather pouch in the shape of the turtle. It is said that when the physical connection with the mother is severed, the connection to the stars is renewed. The turtle carries its home on its back, it lives long with a strong heart and therefore is connected to wisdom and perseverance. Source: Dakota Constellation Guide, Astro by Mark

Keya © Native Skywatchers

X Pegasus and Lacerta Ojibwe Native Skywatchers identified the constellation Mooz, the Moose, consisting of the stars of Lacerta and Pegasus, as part of Ojibwe astronomy. This constellation is another animal of the Ojibwe clan system. The moose provides food, clothing, shelter for the people, much like deer or caribou. Source: Ojibwe Constellation Guide

Moose © Native Skywatchers

X Pegasus and Leo Navajo Ii’ni, the Thunder constellation is considered a spring and summer constellation. It will first appear with the heliacal rise in the pre-dawn hours of early spring. This occurs about the same time that the First Thunder of spring sounds on earth signifying the coming of spring. The emergence of the First Thunder and the appearance of the Thunder constellation in the sky awake the life processes and emergence of spring and moreover signals the rejuvenation of seasonal life cycles on earth. The Thunder constellation manifests the intricate interconnection of all life in the universe, animals, plants, humans, thunder and lightning.

Ii’ni © Melvin Bainbridge

The essence of the Thunder constellation is depicted as a feather containing six stars. Each star represents a month and can be identified with the morning heliacal rise of the first bright star in the East, following the new crescent moon, for each of the six months. Unlike most Navajo constellations, the Thunder constellation covers a major portion of the sky and appears over many months. The first indication of its feather comes in the early morning hours in September/October (Denebola in Leo) and is completed in February/March (tip of Pegasus). The body takes an additional three months to completely appear, March, April and May, and remains visible during the rest of the summer. Source: Navajo Skies

Pleiades The star cluster of the Pleiades is part of the constellation Taurus, but given the amount of Star Lore related to them, they deserve a separate entry.

Assiniboine The Assiniboine of the Northern Plains tell a tale about seven brothers. They were orphans, living all alone and had a very hard life. One day, the youngest, called Red Hair, while playing with a web he had borrowed from a friendly spider, thought about becoming something else. He told his brothers, if they would transform themselves into something else, wind and snow would not bother them anymore and they wouldn't have to go to bed hungry. So, what would they want to become. They considered different options, but each one had a downside. Transforming into earth, the would get muddy in the rain; transforming into water, they would dry out in the summer. Rocks crumble, wood breaks, daylight fears the night, the night fears daylight.

Assiniboine boys, 1900 © Frank A. Rinehart

Then, the oldest brother, who they called Wise One, said, "Sky country never changes. Stars live up there and never change or die. They fear nothing. Let us go to star country." Red Hair hoisted them up into the sky with the help of his spider web. He sat in the middle and placed three brothers to his right and three brothers to his left. Source: Stewart, Williamson; They dance in the sky: Native American star myths p. 76

Blackfoot The Blackfoot of the Northern Plains have an orphan story similar to that of their Assiniboine neigbors.

Wikipedia records the story told by Native American storyteller Paul Goble: In this story, the Pleiades are "...orphans ("Lost Boys") that were not cared for by the people, so they became stars. Sun Man is angered by the mistreatment of the children and punishes the people with a drought, causing the buffalo to disappear, until the dogs, the only friends of the orphans, intercede on behalf of the people. Because the buffalo are not available while the Lost Boys are in the skies, the cosmical setting of the Pleiades was an assembly signal for Blackfoot hunter to travel to their hunting grounds. Source: Wikipedia

Blackfoot children with dog © Wikipedia

Cherokee The Cherokee in southeastern North America have a story similar to the Lenape/Delaware tale. In their version, seven boys who would not do their ceremonial chores and wanted only to play, ran around and around the ceremonial ball court in a circle until they rose up into the sky. Only six of the boys made it to the sky; the seventh was caught by his mother and fell to the ground with such force that he sank into the ground. A pine tree grew over his resting place. Source: Wikipedia

Cheyenne A Cheyenne shield on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts shows the Pleiades as part of its decoration. The shield is dated between 1860 and 1868. The word Cheyenne derives from the french chienne, meaning dog. The Cheyenne called themselves Tsėhésenėstsestȯtse. In their creation story, the dogs adopted the people into their tribe, and taught them how to communicate and how to hunt. Source: Cheyenne Dog People.

Cheyenne Shield Source: Detroit Institute of Arts

That close relation between dogs and people is reflected in the tale of The Girl Who Married a Dog.

A chief had a fine-looking daughter. She had a great many admirers. At night she was visited by a young man, but she did not know who he was. She worried about this and determined to discover him. She put red paint near her bed. When he crawled on her bed, she put her hand into the paint. When they embraced, she left red marks on his back. They next day she told her father to call all the young men to a dance in front of his tent. They all came, and the whole village turned out to see them. She watched all that came, looking for the red marks she had made. As she turned about, she caught sight of one her father's dogs with red marks on his back. This made her so unhappy and she went straight into her tent. This broke up the dance.

Cheyenne Scouts © Howard Terpning

The next day she went into the woods near the camp, taking the dog on a string. She hit him. He finally broke loose. She was very unhappy, and several months later she bore seven pups. She told her mother to kill them, but her mother was kind toward them and made a little shelter for them. They began to grow, and sometimes at night the old dog came to them. After a time, the woman began to take an interest in them and sometimes played with them. When they were big enough to run, the old dog came and took them away.

When the woman went to see them in the morning, they were gone. She saw the large dog's tracks and several little ones, and followed them at a distance. She was sad and cried. She returned to her mother and said, "Mother, make me seven pairs of moccasins. I am going to follow the little ones, searching for them." Her mother made seven pairs of moccasins, and the woman started out, tracking them all the way. Finally, in a distance, she saw a tent. The youngest one came to her and said, "Mother, Father wants you to go back. We are going home. You cannot come." She said, "No!" Wherever you go, I go." She took the little one and carried him to the tent. She entered and saw a young man, who took no notice of her. He gave her a little meat and drink, which did not grow less no matter how much she ate.

Cheyenne Dog Soldier Source: Wikipedia

She tied the little pup to her belt with a string. Next morning, she was left alone and the tent had vanished. She followed the tracks and again came upon them. Four times this happened in the same way. But the fourth time the tracks stopped. She looked up into the sky. There she saw her seven pups. They had become seven stars, the Pleiades. Source: native-languages.org

Cree The Cree in what is now Canada refer to the Pleiades as Atchakos Ahkoop, the Star Blanket, which was given to the people by Atchakos Iskwew, Star Woman. The seven points of the star blanket were symbolic of Pakone Kiisic, the Hole-in-the-Sky. In Cree legend, Atchakos Iskwew was a being of energy and spirit called Atchakos Iskwew who was able to traveled through realities. Wilfred Buck describes the "Hole-in-the-Sky" as a wormhole, allowing spirits to travel. In another Cree interpretation, the Pleiades are seen as Matootisan Assiniuk, which are glowing hot stones for a sweat lodge ceremony. Source: Wilfred Buck: Atchakosuk

Atchakos Ahkoop, the Star Blanket Source: Atchakosuk

Inuit To the Inuit in northern Canada, Nanook, the Polar Bear Spirit is one of the main deities. In one legend, Nanook was once chased by hunting dogs. Hunt went on and on and Nanook was not able to shake it´s pursuers off. They ran all the way to the edge of the world. In the joy of the hunt Nanook and the dogs did not notice the cliff. They all plunged into the star sky. This is how the constellation of Pleiades was born. Source: Inuit legend: How Stars Got Into The Sky

Nanook, the Great Polar Bear Spirit Source: Gods & Goddess Wiki

Kiowa The Kiowa of the Geat Plains see Seven Star Girls in the Pleiades and link the origin of the the stars to Devils Tower. The seven little girls were chased by bears, and climbed a low rock. They begged the rock to save them, and it grew higher and higher until they were pushed up into the sky. The seven girls became the Pleiades and the grooves on Devils Tower are the marks of the bear's claws. Source: Wikipedia

Bear at Devils Tower © Herbert Collins

Lenape The Lenape or Delaware in northeast North America tell the story of the nishash lepweinuwak, the Seven Wise Men: At one time there were seven wise men who lived among the people. They were so wise that the people would constantly come to them, day and night. It got so bad that the seven men decided, “We have to get away. We need to have some peace. We can’t have people coming to our wikewamseveryday and asking us myriads of questions." So what they did was they decided, "We’ll go away from the village a little up into the mountain and turn ourselves into boulders, big rocks."

The Seven Wise Men Source: Cindy's open house

And everything was fine but one day this one young man was out hunting and he happened to see these seven boulders that were a little different than any rocks he had ever seen before. So he started coming back to them every day and eventually he found that if he whispered to the rocks, therocks would talk back to him. He was shocked. But, the rocks were answering his questions. Well, it wasn’t long before he went back to the village and told the people about these seven wonderful stones that they could ask questions to. So the people started leaving the village and coming up the mountain to the seven rocks.

So soon the seven wise men said,"We’ve got to change. We’ve got to get away. We’ve had no peace here now." So they went up on top of the mountain and turned themselves into seven beautiful cedar trees. And there they stood and they felt the winds blowing through their needles and just felt at peace. But it wasn’t long before the people started noticing that these seven beautiful trees had beautiful songs coming from them. And it wasn’t long before the people realized that these were the seven wise men that they could go to for their answers. So then the seven wise men said "What do we do? We need some time away from everybody. We need some time in the stillness and peace." And then they looked up and they thought "Let’s turn into seven stars, so that we can still look down on the people, but the people can’t come and bother us too much." So they turned themselves into the seven stars that some people call the Pleiades and from there they standtoday and look out over our people. Source: Swarthmore College

Lenape Chief Lappawinsoe Source: Wikimedia

Lakota To the Lakota, Orion's Belt is the spine of a bison, called Tayamnicankhu. The surrounding rectangle of the constellation forms the ribs. The head, called Tayamnipha is represented by the Pleiades. Source: Mark Hollabaugh, p. 65

Lakota Buffalo Drum Source: horsekeeping.com

Mono

The Mono or Monache in Central California saw six wives and one little child, when they told the story of The Wild Onion Wives: Long ago, when the world was nearly new, six families lived at the edge of a village, and each day the husbands set out into the forests to hunt. While they were gone, the wives went out in search of herbs to prepare the meat. One day, as the wives were digging in the Earth, they discovered a plant they had never before seen - round and white with a long green stem. The women thought it looked lovely. They tasted it. "It's delicious. Just the right combination of tangy and sweet," they agreed. The wives had discovered sweet onions. Once they began eating, they could not stop.

Wild Onions Source: Wild Edible Wednesday

They ate until it was late in the day, and then they hurried home to build the fires to cook supper. When the husbands returned home, they were exhausted from their hunt, but they brought back a bounty of deer meat, and they looked forward to a delicious meal. But when they walked into the lodge, they smelled something strange. "What is spoiled?" the first husband asked. "Something stinks," said the second, and when the third approached his wife, he stopped and held his nose. "It's you who smells so wretched!" he cried. But the wives were excited about their discovery, and so they reached into their baskets and handed over the onions. "Taste these," they said. "If you taste them, you won't mind the smell." But the husbands shook their heads. "The stench is terrible," they complained. They told their wives they must sleep outside that night. The next day, the husbands once again went out hunting, and the wives returned to the spot in the forest where they had found the onions. "I don't care if my husband doesn't like the smell," said one of the women. "These are too good to resist," and she began to eat. The others could not resist. "Who cares about our husbands?" they said. "They'll learn to love these if they try." And once again, they ate and ate. When the husbands returned that evening, they were in a terrible mood. "The deer would not come near us because we smell so terrible," one said. "It's all your fault, and the fault of that terrible plant." "We don't believe you," the wives said. "You must have been unlucky." Still, once again that night, the husbands told their wives they must sleep outside under the stars. The next day, the same thing happened. And the day after that, it happened again, until a week had passed, and the men could catch nothing at all. "All the animals run from us because of that terrible smell we carry," the men complained to their wives. "We can't sleep outside forever," said the wives. "It's chilly and uncomfortable." So they bickered. The wives wished their husbands would try the onions, but the husbands wished their wives would give up on this strange plant. They could not reach an agreement, and once again, the wives slept outside. On the seventh day, the wives made a grave decision. "We cannot live this way," they agreed. One of the wives lifted her baby girl out of her special cradle. "We're going away," she whispered, and all the women walked out into the fields, to the spot where the onions grew. They brought along their ropes made of eagle feathers, milkweed fibers and willow bark. When they came to a big warm rock, they stopped to rest and talk. "We must leave our husbands," said one of the women. "Yes, we must," the others agreed. The oldest wife, who knew magic, began to whisper powerful words up to the sky. She tossed her rope high in the air, and it began to rise, higher and higher. When it was high above the Earth, it hooked over a cloud, and the two sides of the rope hung down to Earth. The women and the baby stood on the ends of the rope and began to sing. They sang to the sun and moon and to the sky. They sang to all the bounties of the Earth. They sang so sweetly and loudly, the ropes began to dance and rise. Soon the ropes were swinging in great circles, rising higher and higher, carrying the women higher into the sky with every swing. Before long, the people of the village saw the women dancing in the sky. Their mothers and fathers called, "Please, come back!" But the six wives and the little girl kept swinging and rising. When their husbands returned from their hunt that night, they discovered their wives were missing. They were hungry. And they were tired. And now they were lonely, too. "Let's follow them," one of the men said. The others agreed, and so they carried their eagle feather ropes out to the fields, and they tossed the rope into the sky. They, too, began to sing. Their rope folded over a cloud and hung down, and the men climbed upon the ends and soon they, too, were rising into the sky.

When the people of the village saw the men rising, they cried, "No, don't leave, come back!" But like their wives, the men just sang louder and rose higher, and when the wives heard the commotion below, they looked down and saw their husbands rising after them. "Look, it's our husbands," one of the women said. "What should we do?" "They sent us away, we'll be happier without them!" said the eldest wife. And so as the men drew closer, the wives called, "Stop!" and the rope carrying the husbands stopped rising. Forever after, the husbands stayed right where they were, while the wives who loved onions rose higher. Since that time, the wives and husbands have lived in Sky Country. The women turned into the seven stars of the Pleiades - the faintest star is the little girl. Their husbands stayed just behind them in another constellation, this one called Taurus. Sources: uexpress.com, Stewart, Williamson p. 9

The Wild Onion Wifes Source: pressherald.com

Navajo The Navajo call the Pleiades Dilyéhé, meaning "Pinlike Sparkles" or "Planting Stars." Dilyéhé is a constellation of timekeeping and planting for the Navajo people. It is said "don’t let Dilyéhé see you plant your seeds." This comment refers to the Pleiades' disappearance in the western horizon in the evening in May and reappearance as the helical rise in the morning in the latter part of June or the first part of July. If corn seeds are planted too early they will be destroyed in a late frost. If they are planted too late, the corn will not ripen before the first frost of autumn. Thus the seasonal cycle of Pleiades was of vital importance.

Dilyéhé © Melvin Bainbridge

A number of other stories relate to the Pleiades as seven children or young men.

One story tells of seven mischievous young boys who follow the ones who plant too late and snatch the seeds out of the ground. Another story refers to a group of boys followed by a woman with a buckskin slung over her back. When the group goes over a hill, they are no longer seen in the night sky. This is when the Pleiades disappear in early May. Yet Another story talks of the Béésh Ashiké, the Hard Flint Boys - young warriors who are also healers in one of the traditional cultural summer ceremonies. Other stories refer to the stars as a family: grandparents, parents, kids, and grandchil-dren, representative of the seeds of generations and regeneration. Incorporated in these stories are principles and values of traditional child rearing.

Béésh Ashiké © Melvin Bainbridge

It is also said that when some of the Holy People were coming to this world by a rainbow, these were children that were too busy playing and got left in the sky. These children represent youth. Sources: Navajo Skies, grandcanyon.org, Navajo Constellations In the Navajo creation story, Dilyéhé was the first constellation placed in the sky by Haashch’éshzhiní, Black God. When Black God entered the hogan of creation, the Pleiades were on his ankle; he stamped his foot and they moved to his knee, then to his ankle, then to his shoulder, and finally to his left temple. Sources: Wikipedia, Teresa M. Schulz: Mask of the Black God

Haashch’éshzhiní © Melvin Bainbridge

Nez Perce The Nez Perce of the Columbia River Plateau tell a tale that to some extend mirrors the ancient Greek myths about Merope, the faiding Pleiade. In the Nez Perce version the Pleiades are also a group of sisters. One sister falls in love with a man and, following his death, is so absorbed by her own grief that she tells her sisters about him. They mock her and tell her how silly it is of her to feel sad for the human after his death, and she in return keeps her growing sadness to herself, eventually becoming so ashamed and miserable about her own feelings that she pulls the sky over her face like a veil, blocking herself from view. This explains why there are six bright stars and one faint one. Source: Wikipedia

Nez Perce Sisters © Roger Cooke

Onondaga The Onondaga, one of the five constituent nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in northeast North America tell the story of the Bright Shining old Man. When the people made their winter camp at a place they called Beautiful Lake, there were eight children that got tired of their daily chores. Instead, they ammused themselves dancing at a secret spot. Even when they got hungry and lightheaded, they kept dancing. One day, an old man appeared to the kids. He shone like silver in the late autumn sunshine and was covered from head to toe with a cloak of brilliant white feathers. He warned the children not to keep on dancing or something terrible will happen. But the children did not listen. One day, they danced so long and got so lightheaded, that they started rising up into the sky, without noticing. An old woman in the village noticed it and started calling them. Soon the whole village called, but only one little boy noticed his father's call and, trying to return, became a falling star. The other seven children became Oot-kwa-tah in the sky. Source: Stewart, Williamson p. 4

Onondaga story teller re-enacting the "Bright Shining old Man." Source: Daily Gazette

Pawnee The Pawnee observed the night sky through the smoke holes of their earth lodges. In late February, when they could no longer see the stars through the hole, it was time to prepare the fields. When the stars appeared again before dawn (in mid-September), it was time for harvest. To the Pawnee, the Pleiades were six brothers who saved a young woman, who became The Seventh Star.

Earth lodge with smoke hole © Karl Bodmer

One day a woman got abducted by a rolling skull, who carried her away from her village. Only when RollingSkull fell asleep, she was able to run away from him. Not knowing where to go, she just ran, until she was discovered by six brothers who called her Little Beautiful One and invited her to live with them. RollingSkull kept searching for her and one day he found her. But the brothers fought back and escaped with Little Beautiful One into sky country. There she is, the faintest visible star of the Pleiades, three brothers to her left and three brothers to her right.

The Pawnee had a song for Pleiades: Look as they rise, up, rise Over the line where the sky meets the earth. Seven stars! Lokk! They are assending, coming to guide us, Leading us safely, keeping us one. Seven stars, Teach us to be like you, united. Source: Stewart, Williamson p. 55

The Seven Sisters © CORinAZONe

Seri The Seri people of northwestern Mexico see the Pleiades as seven women giving birth. Nearby Aldebaran privides light for them. Source: Wikipedia

Shasta For many California Native nations, coyote represents the trickster, always getting others or himself into trouble. This rather bloody story of Coyote and the Seven Sisters ends with one young coyote becoming a star.

One day, after a tribal dance, Coyote and Raccoon spotted Squirrel’s hole. Not only that, but they spotted a secret back door. They conspired together: after all, Squirrel would make for a grand feast. They decided that Raccoon would come through the front, while Coyote, always sly, would paw his way through the secret door, barring Squirrel’s only escape. Raccoon was the first to grab Squirrel. Squirrel begged for his life, and the life of his children. Raccoon was not often moved to mercy; however, as the tears welled up in Squirrel’s eyes, he decided to release him. Squirrel wasted no time in scampering over Raccoon’s back, away from Coyote’s paws, which had broken through the escape door. Raccoon turned around to see that Squirrel was safe; as he did, Coyote grabbed his arm. "Ouch! Damn it, Coyote, it’s me!" But Coyote was unable, or unwilling, to listen. He dug his claws deep into Raccoon’s forearm, and pulled, and pulled. And pulled again. And then, Coyote, with all his force, yanked out his prize. He did not find Squirrel in his paw. Instead, he held the severed arm of his friend, Raccoon.

Coyote the Trickster © Kyoht Luterman

By the time he went to other side of the tree, Raccoon had bled to death. It’s possible that Coyote grieved for a moment. Still, Coyote was never one to let a good meal go to waste… And so, he brought home dinner. And it was a feast! Yes, it was a grand Raccoon feast! Well, for most of Coyote’s family, that is. Apparently, all of Coyote’s children came to the great meal, and everyone was well-served. Everyone, except Little Coyote, the youngest of the litter. Poor Little Coyote didn’t receive a morsel of flesh. Not a scrap of skin. Not a shaving of bone. Not even a hint of marrow. By time his elders had sated their bellies, Little Coyote was left with nothing, besides a general hunger in his belly and a distinct thirst for revenge in his heart. Little Coyote went to the home of his father’s dead friend, Raccoon. There, he found Raccoon’s seven daughters. He told them his truth: "My father has betrayed yours; he has killed him, and dined on his flesh. What will you do?" The Raccoon sisters thanked Little Coyote, and told him to wait until the next night, promising him that whatever vengeance they extracted, he would be spared. That evening, Coyote went on the hunt, knowing that his children were safe at home. As he lurked for prey, the Raccoon sisters snuck into his home. If the Coyotes had been awake, the Raccoons would have faced a fight; but no, they were sleeping. One by one, they brutally murdered Coyote’s children. All, save one: Little Coyote. When Coyote returned home and found the carnage, he bolted to Raccoon’s home in a blind fury, ready to shred the sisters to pieces. He broke down the door, and found all seven of Raccoon’s daughters. All seven, plus one: His own son, Little Coyote. "Traitor!" he screamed as lunged at all of them, but most fiercely at his own child. But before he could pounce on them, they floated out of a window… Out a window, and up into the heavens. And if you look up, depending on the season, you can still see them. The Seven Sisters, and besides them, if your vision is still young and clear… An eight, dim star. - And that star is Little Coyote. Source: Stewart, Williamson p. 7, mythcrafts.com

Zuñi The Zuñi in what is now New Mexico simply called the Pleiades "the Seeds." Harvesting season began, when the Pleiades appeared in the evening sky. Source: Stewart, Williamson p. 2

Zuni Corn Maiden © Jane Thorpe

X X	Puppis, Canis Major and Columba

Dakota Native Skywatchers identified the stars of Columba and Puppis, together with the southern stars of Canis Major as the Dakota constellation Zuzeca, the Snake. The snake is sometimes portrayed as swallowing an egg which represents protecting the culture. On earth, the snake constellation may be represented by Serpent Mound in Ohio or other similar mounds (see Taurus for details). Source: Dakota Constellation Guide

Zuzeca © Native Skywatchers

Navajo The Navajo see a similar constellation. Tãish Tsoh, the Big Snake constellation is located in the southern sky made of parts of the Greek constellations Puppis and Canis Major. Historically Navajos used this constellation to indicate the coming and going of winter. This constellation is thus visible when the snakes on earth are hibernating in the ground. Source: Navajo Skies

Tãish Tsoh © Melvin Bainbridge

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