Since ancient times, Native Americans have studied the night sky. One of the results of this was the creation of several myths to explain the objects in the sky and how they came to be. Many different Native American tribes have similar myths, even if the tribes lived far apart. The Native Americans used these myths to explain how and why, and to teach lessons to their children.
Most of the Native American myths are stories about how celestial objects were 'placed' in the sky. Others explain why they do certain dances, like the Sun dance. Yet others teach young children lessons. Below are a few examples of Native American star folklore.
Canis Major
The Moon
The Big Dipper
Cassiopia
The Milky Way
A grizzly bear, Cygnus, climbing up a mountain to go hunting in the sky, got snow and ice stuck in his fur. While crossing the sky, the ice and snow fell off and got stuck in the sky, forming the Milky Way.
Canis Major
There are two dogs (alpha and beta Canis Major) who guard the path to the land of souls. To get past the dogs you should bring food. However, if you give all the food to the first dog (alpha Canis Major) and save none for the second (beta Canis Major), you will be trapped between them forever.
The Moon
Once, someone stole the moon. Everyone wanted to know who would be the moon. The yellow fox tried, but he was too bright and hurt everyone's eyes. Then the Cyote volunteered to be the moon. He shone just right, but he liked to look down on people and spy on them. Whenever he saw someone doing something dishonest he would shout and the person would get caught. Some people didn't like that, so they took the Cyote out of the sky, but he still trys to snoop in other people's business.
The Big Dipper
The stars of the bowl of the Big Dipper form a bear. The stars of the handle form hunters. In autum when the Dipper is low in the horizon, the blood from the bear's arrow wound drips on the trees and turns them red and brown.
Cassiopia
A Hunter (Orion) killed a big elk and stretched it's skin to dry with wooden pegs. Afterwords, he threw the skin into the sky and the light shows through the holes, forming Cassiopia.
Other Myths
Greek and Roman myths
Main Myths
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