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Native Languages of the Americas:
Chinook Legends and Traditional Stories

This is our collection of links to Chinook 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 Chinook tribe, the traditional stories of neghboring tribes like the Nootka and Salish tribes are very similar.

Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Chinook legend for this page or think one of the ones on here should be removed, please contact us and let us know.

Chinook Indian Folklore

*Chinook Texts:
    Collection of Chinook legends and folktales.
*Legends of Vancouver:
    Collection of Squamish and Chinook legends recorded by a Mohawk author.
*Chinook Creation Story * Origin of the Chinook People:
    Chinook legends about the beginning of the world.
*Blue Jay Visits Ghost Town * Ioi and the Ghost Husband:
    Chinook legends about Bluejay in the Land of the Dead.
*Blue Jay Finds a Wife:
    Chinook legend about the marriage of Blue Jay.
*The First Ship:
    Chinook story about the tribe's first encounter with white men.
*Coyote Builds Willamette Falls and The Magic Fish Trap:
    Two Chinook Coyote legends.

Additional Resources

 Books of Native American legends
 Indian religions
 The First Salmon Rite



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