Then Coyote decided to make a new animal.  He flung pieces of the monster in the four directions; wherever the pieces landed, a new tribe of Indians emerged.  He ran out of body parts before he could create a new human animal on the site where the monster had lain.  He used the monster’s blood, which was still on his hands, to create the Nez Percé, who would be strong and good.

According to the lore of numerous tribes, animals walked the earth prior to man.  They helped to shape, teach, feed, and spiritually nurture the people who later lived with them.  Animals played a vital role in the life of the Native people, and honoring their spirits could bring blessings, life balance, and abundance.  Many Native Americans believed in the special medicine, or power, that each animal held.  The mythic beasts were often given the highest respect that could be bestowed on a spirit: the role of creator.  When an individual or tribe needed assistance, it called upon an animal’s knowledge, power, and spirit.  To this day, animals are considered sacred by the Native American peoples and are appealed to in times of need.

Heroes, legends, and supernatural beings

Native American creation stories often include humanized beings that act as deities of the sky, earth, water, and sun.  Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the Earthmaker are examples of such primal beings.  Such themes occur in the legends of many tribes.  An example is from the Navajo, or Dineh people, who live on the largest reservation in North America, located in northeastern Arizona and northeastern New Mexico.

Changing Woman.  First Man and First Woman were to bring light to the world.  They created a sun from a large turquoise disk and made the moon from a piece of rock crystal.  As the light began to shine upon the earth, they saw an infant lying in a cradleboard decorated with rainbows and sunrays.  The Holy People, who are friendly spirits, helped to raise the child on pollen and dew.  She grew to be Changing Woman, the creator of all Navajo and the most beautiful woman who ever lived.  She created the people from cornmeal and pieces of her own skin.  She later had two sons who would grow to be monster killers, ridding the earth of evil beings and making it safe for all creatures.  Then, all on the earth could live together in peace and harmony.