Salish mythology

The Salish are a linguistic and cultural grouping of First Nations originally from British Columbia, Canada and Washington, USA.

Elements of Salish mythology

• The creator god of the Salish is Amotken, a kind, elderly man who lives alone in heaven. He created five women from five hairs from his head and asked them what they wanted to be. Each gave him a different answer: wickedness and cruelty, goodness, mother of the Earth, fire, water. Amotken did as they asked and declared that wickedness would rule Earth for a time, but goodness would win in the end.

• Tsauz was a crippled boy who was very ugly; in many different variations on the same story, Tsauz eventually became strong and beautiful.

• Basket woman was an ugly old woman/ogress that stole children and carried them away in her basket.

References

Native Languages of the Americas: Lushootseed Indian legends