Salish mythology

From Free net encyclopedia

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

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 became strong and beautiful.

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See also: Coast Salish.