Mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas

In North American mythologies, common themes include a close relation to nature and animals as well as belief in a Great Spirit that is conceived of in various ways.

As anthropologists note, their great creation myths and sacred oral tradition in whole are comparable to the Christian Bible and scriptures of other major religions.

[2][3] Such stories are deeply based in Nature and are rich with the symbolism of seasons, weather, plants, animals, earth, water, fire, sky, and the heavenly bodies.

Common elements are the principle of an all-embracing, universal and omniscient Great Spirit, a connection to the Earth and its landscapes, a belief in a parallel world in the sky (sometimes also underground and/or below the water), diverse creation narratives, visits to the 'land of the dead', and collective memories of ancient sacred ancestors.

[3] A characteristic of many of the myths is the close relationship between human beings and animals (including birds and reptiles).

Although most Native North American myths are profound and serious, some use light-hearted humor – often in the form of tricksters – to entertain, as they subtly convey important spiritual and moral messages.

The use of allegory is common, exploring issues ranging from love and friendship to domestic violence and mental illness.

[4][better source needed] Myths from this region feature female deities, such as the creator, Big Turtle;[6][7] and First Mother, from whose body grew the first corn and tobacco.

Large amounts of rare materials found with this regions dead suggest strong evidence that they believed in a sort of afterlife.

It is thought that when a member of a tribe died, their soul would hover over their communities, trying to get their friends and relatives to join them, so their funeral ceremonies were not just to commemorate the dead, but to protect the living.

He obliged and dove down into the water, all the way to the bottom of the sea, where he picked up a bit of mud and brought it to the surface.

He flew around for some time until he could find a dry enough spot to land, and when he did the flapping of his wings caused the mud to shift.

The plants tried as well, but only the pines, firs, holly, and a select few others were able to stay awake, so he gave them the gift of keeping their leaves year-round.

The pair did not yet know how to make children, so the man took a fish and pressed it against the woman's stomach, after which she gave birth.

They did this for seven days until Great Spirit felt there was enough humans for the time being, and made it so a woman could only give birth once a year.

During these ceremonies, multiple properties are burned while the tribe dances, chants, and wails, in order to appease the ghosts.

[30][31] See also: Myths of the Navajo, Apache, and Pueblo peoples tell how the first human beings emerged from an underworld to the Earth.

[36] See also: Myths of the Plateau region express the people's intense spiritual feeling for their landscapes and emphasize the importance of treating with respect the animals that they depend upon for food.

[41] Here some myths reflect the extreme climate[42] and the people's dependence on salmon as a major food resource.

[47] See also: The Aztecs, who predominantly inhabited modern-day central Mexico, had a complex system of beliefs based on deities who directly affected the lives of humans, including those who controlled rain, the rising Sun, and fertility.

Tonacatecuhtli and Tonacacihuatl had four children: Xipe Totec, which translates to "the flayed god" in Nahuatl, is associated with the color red.

One story tells of how Tezcatlipoca took flint and used it to make fires to light the world again, before discussing with his brothers what should be done.

Quetzalcoatl elected to throw his son directly into the fiery blaze, so he became the fifth and final sun that we see in the sky today.

Tonatiuh then threw one back at Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, hitting him in the head and turning him into Itzlacoliuhqui, god of coldness, frost, and obsidian.

Realizing that they could not refuse, the other gods offered their bare chests to him, and Quetzalcoatl cut out their hearts with a sacrificial knife.