Indian myths & legends from the North Pacific Coast of America : a translation of Franz Boas' 1895 edition of Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas /

A highly esteemed anthropologist and ethnologist, Boas compiled numerous works on Northwestern American and Canadian aborigines. The selections in this anthology, first published in 1895 in German-language periodicals, include myths and legends he recorded in four field trips taken from 1886 to 1890. This English translation was commissioned by the British Columbia Indian Language Project in the early 1970s. The 250 mythological selections assembled here make up one of the richest texts of lore from the Northwest American continent. Arranged in 26 sections, they provide a glimpse of the development of the mythical belief system while revealing mythic motifs as isolated themes that recur over wide areas, borrowed and shared among diverse tribes. The transcriptions are greatly enhanced by such ancillary material as maps, notes, and pronunciation guides. This challenging book is recommended for large and inclusive collections.-Richard K. Burns, MSLS, Hatboro, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.