Spirit of the New England Tribes : Indian History and Folklore, 1620–1984

"Spanning three centuries, this collection traces the historical evolution of legends, folktales, and traditions of four major native American groups from their earliest encounters with European settlers to the present. The book is based on some 240 folklore texts gathered from early colonial writings, newspapers, magazines, diaries, local histories, anthropology and folklore publications, a variety of unpublished manuscript sources, and field research with living Indians."--Publisher's description

Legends, folktales, and traditions of New England Indians reflect historical events and a changing Indian identity over a 365-year period.

Library Journal

The impact of history upon the folklore of three southern New England tribes is ably demonstrated in this comprehensive collection of folklore narratives of the Mohegan, Narragansett, and Wampanoag Indians. The legends range from the earliest known records to those collected by the author in the 1980s. Simmons arranges the narratives chronologically within given subjects, which allows him to show how folklore reflects the dramatic changes in the lives of these groups. An index of folklore motifs is included. Recommended for academic libraries and folklore collections. Mary B. Davis, Museum of the American Indian Lib., Bronx, New York

Annotation Spanning three centuries, this collection traces the historical evolution of legends, folktales, and traditions of four major native American groups from their earliest encounters with European settlers to the present. The book is based on some 240 folklore texts gathered from early colonial writings, newspapers, magazines, diaries, local histories, anthropology and folklore publications, a variety of unpublished manuscript sources, and field research with living Indians Contents Preface 1 Introduction 2 From the Past to the Present 3 Worldview 4 The First Europeans 5 Christianity 6 Shamans and Witches 7 Ghosts and the Devil 8 Treasures 9 Giants: Maushop and Squant 10 Little People 11 Windows to the Past: Dreams and Shrines 12 Conclusion: “There Is a Stream That Issues Forth” Appendix Notes Bibliography Index of Folklore Motifs General Index