Coyote (mythology)
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Coyote is a mythological character common to many Native American cultures, based on the coyote (Canis latrans) animal. This character is usually male and is generally anthropomorphic although he may have some coyote-like physical features such as fur, pointed ears, yellow eyes, tail and claws. The myths and legends which include Coyote vary widely from culture to culture.
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[edit] Coyote in mythology
[edit] The trickster
Coyote often plays the role of trickster, although in some stories he is a buffoon and the butt of jokes and in a few is outright evil. His personality strengths are humor and sometimes cleverness. His personality weaknesses are usually greed or desire, recklessness, impulsiveness and jealousy. Coyote is often the antagonist of his brother Wolf, who is wise and good natured but prone to giving in to Coyote's incessant demands. In Tongva Mythology, it is Coyote who is tricked. Coyote challenges "The River" to a race. Coyote is victorious, but collapses from fatigue. The river laughs at him and takes the name "Hahamongna," which is said to explain the noise made by the upper Arroyo Seco which sounds similar to laughing.
Modern coyote myth rarely refers to the sexualized coyote stories of some of the Northwest tribes. Whereas white settlers may have known, but been too timid to recirculate these stories, there is evidence that in tellings by native writers, publications have been sanitized. These myths seem to have been edited out of history by the more sexually conservative European-Americans, and are now difficult to find. There is reference to the sexual myths of the coyotes though in original sources from the era, where an Indian Agency administrator might reference the myths and then primly refuse to tell the tales. See, Recollections from the Colville Indian Agency 1886-1889 by Major Richard D. Gwydir, The Arthur H. Clark Co., Spokane, Washington, 2001; and Coyote Stories by Mourning Dove. A collection a sexual coyote myths from various tribes may be found at [this website].
Coyote's mythological role as a trickster is the basis for American sex workers' modern adoption of the coyote in service to advocacy in their industry – "COYOTE" ("Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics") is the name of a group established in 1973 in San Francisco to advocate for sex workers in political issues and to help prostitutes who want to leave the business.
[edit] The creator
Coyote figures prominently in several creation myths. In one myth, Coyote creates the first people by kicking a ball of mud (sometimes a bit of feces) until it formed into the first man. In another myth Coyote is able to successfully impregnate an evil woman who has killed off all the other men in the world during the sexual act.
Coyote is also commonly a character in "just-so stories", in which he unsuccessfully tries to hunt prey or compete with other predators. In the process phenomena such as why rabbits have long ears are explained.
[edit] The culture hero
Coyote also plays the role of a hero, or even a culture hero, in some stories. In these stories, he actually proves to be helpful (and sometimes genuinely heroic).
[edit] By culture
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Coyote is a figure in the following cultural areas, as commonly defined by ethnographers:
[edit] California
- Karuk [1]
- Tongva of Southern California
- Ohlone mythology Northern California
- Miwok mythology Northern California
- Pomo mythology Northern California
[edit] Plains
- Crow mythology (Crow Nation)
- Ho-Chunk mythology (Ho-Chunk, Winnebago)
- Menominee
[edit] Plateau
[edit] Southwest
Áłtsé hashké (First Scolder) or Mą'ii (Roamer) or (Coyote)- Generally regarded as the trickster, but who hangs around First Man and First Woman and through his foolish actions reveals the limitations of the spiritual and material realities and the consequences of transgressing them.
[edit] Coyote in the modern world
Perhaps because stories that feature his tricks are popular with children, Coyote figures prominently in current efforts to educate young people about Western Native American languages and cultures. For example, the Secwepemc people of the Kamloops Indian Band in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, have designated their recently opened native elementary school the Sk'elep (Coyote) School of Excellence, while educational websites such as one co-sponsored by the Neskonlith Indian Band of Chase, British Columbia prominently feature stories about Sk'elep (see "Stseptekwle" [pronounced S-chep-tek-wool-eh]).
[edit] Coyote in popular culture
The coyote is a popular figure in folklore and popular culture. Reference may invoke either the animal or the mythological figure. Traits commonly described in pop culture appearances include inventiveness, mischievousness, and evasiveness.
