Indian Myths Of South Central California

Indian Myths Of South Central California is a book by Alfred Kroeber, first published in 1907. Drawing on fieldwork among Native communities in California’s central valleys and foothills, Kroeber records traditional narratives from Costanoan (Ohlone), Miwok, Yokuts and neighboring Shoshonean-speaking peoples. The volume opens with a substantial scholarly introduction that compares northern and southern central California mythologies, then presents the myths themselves in clear, readable English, preserving the voice, imagery and cadence of the original storytellers.

At the heart of the collection are creation stories, “earth-diver” myths, accounts of the theft of fire, and powerful explanations for the origin of death and the shape of the world. Coyote appears again and again as a trickster and culture hero, alongside other animal-beings such as Eagle, Hummingbird and Bear, who help bring land out of water, set the sky in place, and teach humans how to live. Readers interested in Native American mythology and California Indian folklore will find a rich tapestry of cosmology, moral teaching and landscape memory woven through these narratives.

The book also serves as an important early ethnographic study of California tribes during a time when traditional ways of life were under intense pressure. Kroeber’s introductory essay situates these myths within broader cultural patterns, comparing Maidu, Wintun, Yana and Shasta traditions to those of the central and southern groups, and highlighting shared themes and regional variations. For students of anthropology, folklore and Native American studies, this makes Indian Myths Of South Central California both a primary source of oral literature and a classic reference work for understanding the spiritual world of the Yokuts, Miwok, Ohlone/Costanoan and their neighbors.