Native American Mythology

Native American mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Native American religion from a mythographical perspective. Native American belief systems include many sacred narratives. Such spiritual stories are deeply based in Nature and are rich with the symbolism of seasons, weather, plants, animals, earth, water, sky & fire. The principle of an all embracing, universal and omniscient Great Spirit, a connection to the Earth, diverse creation narratives and collective memories of ancient ancestors are common. Traditional worship practices are often a part of tribal gatherings with dance, rhythm, songs and trance e.g. the sun dance

Tribal/National Mythology

Algonquian (northeastern US, Great Lakes)

• Abenaki mythology- Religious ceremonies are led by shamans, called Medeoulin (Mdawinno).
• Anishinaabe traditional beliefs- A North American tribe located primarily in the Great Lakes
• Cree mythology - A North American tribe most commonly found west of Ontario in the Canadian Prairies, although there are tribes located in the North-West Territories and Quebec.
• Leni Lenape mythology- A North American tribe from the area of the Delaware River.

Plains Indians

• Blackfoot mythology - A North American tribe who currently live in Montana. Originally west of the Great Lakes in Montana and Alberta as participants in Plains Indian culture.
• Crow mythology -A North American tribe from the Great Plains area of the United States. The shaman of the tribe was known as an Akbaalia ("healer").
• Lakota mythology - A North American tribe, also known as the Sioux.
• Pawnee mythology - A North American tribe originally located in Nebraska, United States.

Muskogean (southern US) and Iroquois (Eastern US)

• Iroquois mythology (Five Nations)
• Cherokee. - A North American culture situated in the southeastern United States and in Oklahoma.
• Choctaw mythology Choctaw - A North American culture in the southeastern United States and Oklahoma. Originally from the Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana area.
• Creek mythology Creek - A North American culture in the southeastern United States and Oklahoma. Originally from the Alabama, Georgia, and Florida area. The shaman was called an Alektca.
• Ho-Chunk mythology - Ho-Chunk and Winnebago are North Americans tribes which were once a single tribe living in Wisconsin.
• Huron mythology - A North American people (sometimes referred to as the Huron) originally from Ontario, Canada, and surrounding areas.
• Seneca mythology - A North American people, one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy from the northeastern United States.

Alaska and Arctic Canada

• Haida mythology
• Inuit mythology - A North American people culturally similar to other peoples of the polar regions.

Pacific Northwest

• Kwakiutl mythology
• Lummi - A North American tribe from the Pacific Northwest, Washington State area.
• Nootka mythology

Uto-Aztecan (Great Basin to Mexico)

• Hopi mythology - A North American community located in the southwestern United States.
• Miwok mythology - A North American people in Northern California.
• Ohlone mythology - A North American people in Northern California.
• Ute mythology
• Salish mythology
• Tsimshian mythology

other southwestern US

• Diné Bahaneʼ (Navajo) - A North American nation from the southwestern United States.
• Pomo mythology - A North American people in Northern California.
• Zuni mythology

Central and South America

• Aztec. - A Mesoamerican empire centered in the valley of Mexico.
• Guarani - A South American people of the south-central part of South America, especially the native peoples of Paraguay and parts of the surrounding areas of Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia.
• Incan - A South American empire based in the central Andes mountain range.
• Mapuche, - A South American culture of Chile and some regions of Argentina.
• Maya, - A Mesoamerican people of southern Mexico and Northern Central America.