Grandmother, Grandfather, and Old Wolf

by Trafzer, Clifford E.

• ISBN13: 9780870134456
• ISBN10: 0870134450
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-06-01
• Publisher: Michigan State Univ Pr

Summary

A fascinating compilation of original sources recounting the history, culture, and societies of Native American groups of the Great Columbia Plateau. Edited and annotated by award-winning writer Clifford E. Trafzer, this is a magnificent collection of oral stories of the Yakama, Nez Perce, Whisram, Klickitat, as well as several other tribes. Rich in detail, the stories form the basis for Plateau Indian history, offering readers traditional native narratives that allow people to enter a sacred world of words and stories. At the beginning of time -- for all times -- these stories were told and retold for generations by all the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. These stories set animals, plants, and places in motion, and they help spin the cosmos into being. They keep the traditions alive and recreate the world with each telling.This unique collection is representative of oral traditions that are still much a part of Plateau Indian culture today. Trafzer provides a provocative introduction that ties the oral traditions of the people to their history and culture, inviting readers to use the stories as windows that will offer a better understanding of Native Americans and their relationship with the natural world. Trafzer simply asks readers to enter the Native American world through the teachings and tellings of the Wahteetash, the first peoples.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction	p. 1
Alo-quat and Twee-tash Contend over the Division of Light and Darkness	p. 25
How Coyote Killed Sun	p. 30
Legend of the Great Dipper	p. 34
How Beaver Stole the Fire	p. 38
Boy Hero and Cannibal	p. 44
Iques and Twee-tash Gamble for Control of the Weather	p. 47
The Qui-Yiah, Five Brothers	p. 54
Battle of Cold Wind and Chinook Wind	p. 62
Coyote and Lalawish	p. 68
Battle of the Atteyiyi and Toqueenut	p. 77
How Coyote Destroyed the Fish Dam at the Cascades	p. 89
Speel-yi and the Five Sisters of the nChe-wana	p. 97
Tah-tah Kleah: A Shasta Legend	p. 107
Coyote, His Son and Salmon	p. 110
Coyote and the Two Sisters of the nChe-wana	p. 115
Sho-pow-tan and the Tah-tah Kleah	p. 117
How Speel-yi Tricked Tah-tah Kleah	p. 119
Battle Between Eagle and Chinook	p. 121
Coyote's Adventures	p. 125
How Coyote Trapped Wind	p. 128
How Coyote and Wood Tick Took the Sweat	p. 130
How Coyote Was Cheated by Cusho	p. 132
How Speel-yi Was Tricked by Too-noon-yi	p. 134
How Speel-yi Was Tricked by Ots-sp-yi	p. 136
How Speel-yi Tricked Twee-tash	p. 139
How Speel-yi Was Tricked by Schah-sha-yah	p. 140
How Iques Stole the Favorite Wife of Enum-klah	p. 142
How Coyote Was Changed into an Eagle	p. 144
Isti-plah	p. 146
Ne-siwa-nu-way-pah-cin	p. 149
Nihs-Iah: A Legend of Multnomah Falls	p. 156
Coyote's Attempt to Circumnavigate the Land	p. 158
How Its-i-yi-i Was Thwarted in Attempt to Change the Course of the In-Chelim River	p. 160
Coyote and Crow	p. 163
Battle between Eagle and Owl	p. 165
Eagle and Tis-kai	p. 180
How Young Eagle Killed Pah-he-nux[superscript t]-twy	p. 187
How a Waterball Was Made	p. 192
Girl Rock	p. 194
How the Mountain Broke	p. 195
Bridge of the Gods	p. 197
Spalding Memorial Rock	p. 203
Big Skukum Inlet	p. 205
Origin of the Name Lapwai	p. 206
Coyote and Flint	p. 207
Octopus and Mink	p. 209
How Deer Stole Rabbit's Coat	p. 210
How Ant Came by His Small Waist	p. 211
How Blue Jay Outwitted Dog Seal	p. 212
Raccoon and Grizzly Bear	p. 214
The Small Mouthed People	p. 219
Its-i-yi-i's Wife	p. 224
Ghue-ghue and Pedt-jum	p. 227
The Story of Whe-amish or Chi-nach	p. 233
The Wrong of Whe-amish	p. 236
The Dead Canoeman of nChe-wana	p. 237
The Strong Boy of the Cascades	p. 238
The Two Sisters and Their Star Husbands	p. 241
Spirit Costume of the Ste-ye-hah Mah	p. 249
How Its-i-yi-i Lost Immortality to the Tribes	p. 260
How Coyote Lost Immortality to the Tribes	p. 268
Coyote's Big Mistake	p. 271
How Coyote Moved Pot-to and Tahoma	p. 274
Pah-to, the White Eagle	p. 277
Notes	p. 281
Bibliography	p. 321
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.