"Stories of the Beginning of the World"

This post is comprised of notes on the Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol. 1's headnote on Native American Creation stories.

"Stories of the Beginning of the World"

• In general, Native American stories are considered to "posit a general culture outlook and offer perspectives on what life is and how to understand it" (17).  
• These tales, histories, or myths (whatever you want to call them) were recorded by explorers, missionaries, and colonists rather than by Native Americans themselves.
• Early transcriptions are merely "bare sketches" of what the tales truly were.
• Later transcriptions are far better adaptations which are improved through Native American collaboration on the tales as well as the improved language skills that the settlers developed to communicate with the Native Americans.