Native Languages of the Americas: Arikara Legends and Traditional Stories
This is our collection of Arikara folktales and traditional stories that can be read online.
We have indexed our Native American mythology section
by tribe to make them easier to locate; however, variants on the same
legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to
each other. In particular, though these legends come from the Arikara tribe, the traditional stories of
the Pawnee and other Plains Indian tribes are very similar.
Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Arikara legend for this page or think one of the ones on here
should be removed, please feel free to contact us and let us know.
˜Neshanu Natchitak
(also spelled Nishanu or Nesaru.) The Arikara name for the Great Spirit or God. Literally it means "the Chief Above."
Often just called Neshanu ("Chief" or "Lord"), which is still used as the Arikara word for God today.
˜Mother Corn.
Her Arikara name (Atna or Atina) literally means just "Mother"; the "corn" was added to her
name by anthropologists, as she was the goddess or spirit of the corn. According to Arikara mythology,
Neshanu created the Mother from an ear of corn and she became the protector of the Arikaras, leading them to
their homeland and teaching them to farm.
Indian nations
How Corn Came to Earth:
Contacts and FAQ page
