The Scattering of Tribes

This myth is a ‘Plateau myth’ which explains how each Native American tribe got where they were located long ago, before the thought of reservations was on anyone’s mind. In this particular myth, Coyote represents the role of the ‘trickster’.

The story begins with a terrible monster who was on the loose, running around eating all the animals and people of the land. Meanwhile, Coyote decided he was going to put a stop to the beast. Although there are many different versions of this myth, the Kalispel story states that the monster was a giant whippoorwill. Coyote found a large tree trunk as soon as he heard of the monster disturbing the earth and it’s creatures. He carried it in his mouth and waited for the beast to near, even though he knew the monster would most certainly eat him. In fact, when it did eat him, the giant tree became stuck in the monster’s jaws. Immediately after the tree lodged his mouth open, the animals, along with the tribes, began to climb out. As the monster ran around, the tribes were distributed over the earth. As a result, each tribe found a new place to live and grow.

Gidley, Dr. Mick. “Plateau and Basin, The Scattering of Tribes.” Native American Myths and Legends. New York, NY: SMITHMARK Publishers, Inc., 1994.

Erickson, Shari. "Coyote Sketch." 2008. Oil Painting. Fine Art Directory. 11 November 2008.