Native American Star Myths

A good book with many entertaining stories.

Monroe, J. and Williamson, R. (2007). They Dance in the Sky, Native American Star Myths. Illustrations by Edgar Stewart; Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company

The Seven Dancing Stars, Legends of the Pleiades

Cultures all throughout the world have made up their own legends about the origin of a distinctive cluster of stars known as the “Pleiades,” including Greek, Australian Aborigine, Indian/Hindu, and more. The Seven Dancing Stars is the Native American myth about this same group of stars. Children will learn about the way Native Americans explained the origin and significance of the Pleiades and in doing so they will become more familiar with Native American tradition culture.

Bright Shining Old Man

The Bright Shining Old Man is a myth passed down from the Onondaga Indians, one of the five “civilized” tribes of Northeastern America. In this story, children dance themselves into the sky to become the Pleiade stars. This was apparently a form of punishment for them since they thought that dancing was somehow more important than eating. It follows the common principle of many cultural myths across the world in terms of offering an explanation of the origin of the universe or of certain celestial phenomena. In reading stories like these, children learn valuable lessons about history and the evolution of human knowledge. That is to say, these stories, of course, developed long before the advent of science and technology, and grew out of the human need to explain the “why” and “how” of existence. That is one of the reasons I think these myths are so valuable. They are not only amusing, but they expose children to various cultures and teach children how human knowledge of the world has changed over time.

The Little Girl Who Scatters the Stars

The Little Girl Who Scatters the Stars is another Native American myth handed down by Cochiti Pueblo Indians. It explains the origin of the stars in the sky while presenting familiar themes about curiosity and the temptation to do forbidden things or to go in prohibited places. The story also includes the great mother figure, the mythical being whom the Cochiti consider to be the mother of their pueblo, and the figure of the sun, the principal deity of the Cochiti, the source of light, warmth, and growth. Children from all cultures will enjoy the Cochiti explanation of the origin of the stars.