Native American Mythology Terms

a person thought of as an inspired teacher or voice of the will of God.

a distant relative, someone who came before

Stories and traditions that are NOT written down and pass by word of mouth from one generation to the next.

An idea, image, or character type that you see in literature and myths from all over the world.

The idea that there is a female creative force (rather than male) that shows up in mythologies from all over the world

Why an author chooses to write

A character in mythology who is sneaky and usually causes trouble for the gods or mankind.

A broad category of myth that explains how something came to exist

referencing something famous, or that the reader is expected to recognize

stories and explanations which describe the beginnings of humanity (mankind), earth life, and the universe

learning something new and surprising, usually in a dramatic way

The moral of a story and the theme are the same thing

You can find examples of trickster characters in modern TV shows, books, and movies.

the quality of being holy, worthy of respect and reverence

A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art