In
the ancient world, people looked to the sky to understand the world around them
and to navigate while traveling. Most cultures developed stories about the
celestial bodies—the stars, moon, and sun. They were often associated with
origin stories and other myths. The natives of North American had many
different ideas about what the stars meant. Two stories representing this tradition
are recorded by Paul Goble who has over many decades developed a close
relationship with some of our native American tribes. His writing and illustrations
demonstrate a great reverence for these people and their traditions. Her Seven Brothers and Star Boy illustrate a strong feeling of connection that many cultures had to the
stars, sun, and moon.
A
young Indian girl lives as an only child with her parents. She is never alone
though because she can speak with the birds and animals. Her mother teaches her to embroider with the dyed porcupine quills. The tribe marvels at the
amazing skill she develops. They are sure her talent comes from the spirits. One
day she begins to sew clothes for a man—a shirt and a pair of moccasins. Her
mother inquires as to why she is making them. The girl reveals that there are seven brothers who live in the north country who she plans to travel to
in order to become their sister. After many months, she completes all seven sets and loads them up for her journey. Leaving her mother she says, “Soon you will see me again with my
brothers; everyone will know and love us!”
The retelling of this Cheyenne legend reveals what happens when she meets
her brothers and how they become the stars of the Big Dipper.
Two
sisters awake as Morning Star fills the sky.
The older sister declares her great admiration for him and longing to be
his wife. Morning Star comes to her as a man and sweeps her up to the sky to
meet his mother (the moon) and father (the sun). Together they live happily
there, eventually having a son. Her mother-in-law gives her a stick to dig up
roots. She is told she can dig up any
plant except ones with pink flowers. Like Eve and Pandora, she eventually does
the one thing she is commanded not to.
When she does, she sees her family and the world she left behind. The
Sun angrily tells her, “Now your heart will always be in two place; you will never
be happy here, nor in the world below.
You must go back to your people.”
The woman and baby return to the tribe. The woman dies when the boy is
still young, and she becomes Evening Star. Her son, Star Boy, falls in love with the
chief’s beautiful daughter. She agrees to marry him but first he has to go on a
quest. This story from the Blackfeet
tribe explains how he ends up in the sky too!
The book includes the traditional “Song of the Rising Sun.”
Check
out these books at your local library or bookstore to find out how they end!
Teaching Resources
- Literature: Read Additional Stories on Native American Starlore. Compare and contrast different ones.
- Astronomy: Use the stories to connect to a unit on astronomy.
- Local History: Study the local tribes that live(d) in your state or area.
- Ancient History: Compare and contrast starlore stories of Native American cultures to other ancient cultures.
- Other Activities: Check out this Native American Sky Legends Teacher’s Guide for some additional teaching ideas.
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