Coyote Speaks: Wonders of the Native American World by Ari Berk, Carolyn Dunn
As I was discussing my book recommendation last month Celtic Tales: Fairy Tales and Stories of Enchantment from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Wales I drew attention to the archetypes found in myth, those parallel symbols permeating diverse cultures and locations. Therefore, building off this theme, my book recommendation for the month is Coyote Speaks: Wonders of the Native American World.
I thoroughly enjoyed discovering the ways in which these Native American myths share archetypes with those found in Celtic mythology. Here we have two different cultures, yet they share similar figures, such as tricksters, heroes, and little people (fairies).
Similar to Celtic mythology, Native American myth is well-stocked with enduring beliefs and traditions. For thousands of years, wisdom, and a way of life was passed down via story, song, dance, and art: from elder to child, from tribe to tribe, and from Native people to the world at large. This was how people came to understand the world around them.
Furthermore, of the five hundred known tribes, nearly fifty are represented in this book. It also includes various creation myths, tales of ghosts and spirits, and images of artifacts, artwork and physical locations, as well as the fascinating image I’ve shared below.
For me this image, depicting a satellite dish adorned with the Navajo wedding basket design, represents myth-making in the 21st century.
Why? Well…I feel it reflects the importance of story and tradition in keeping one anchored, as an individual, and as a society.
I sometimes wonder if our fast-paced modern lifestyle, and the introduction of technology, in particular the internet, has severed a connection to the past, resulting in people feeling afloat, perhaps even wondering if life has a purpose.
But I believe as long as stories from the past are being told, being read, the wisdom they offer will help in keeping our connection to the past, and at the same time, help us look forward to the future with optimism–and caution.
Last month I wrote a post where I imagined my ancestors telling stories they had brought with them from the British Isles around a campfire as they adjusted to the unknown, carving out a life in the Wild West, and how I imagined these tales bringing a sense of stability.
That’s the power of story. Whether it’s new or ancient, a classic or a contemporary, story will always have a timeless quality. The wisdom is there, for anyone, if only we are willing to open that book. And read.
With that being said, I have another book recommendation, one that I’m pretty excited to share with you, as it was just launched yesterday.
It’s the final novel in Andi Cumbo-Floyd’s Steele Secrets trilogy: Silence at the Lock. I would consider it historical fiction, well-suited for adults and young adults alike, and similar to Andi’s other book The Slaves Have Names: Ancestors of my Home it’s meticulously researched and maintains a sensitive approach while exploring our nation’s cultural past.
But I promise, you won’t be disappointed. As I mentioned in my post regarding The Slaves Have Names, Andi’s prose is beautiful, fluid and emotive, her characters inspiring and relatable, her plot tight and riveting, and I have much respect for her, not only her ability as a writer, and her skill as an editor, but mostly because she is an amazing person, with an amazing heart.
I’ve included a link, where you may purchase the book and read the premise, which begins…A lynching. A ghost. A town in turmoil…
Myth Making in the 21st Century: A satellite dish adorned with the Navajo wedding basket design. Photo Courtesy of Coyote Speaks: Wonders of the Native American World by Ari Beck, Carolyn Dunn