American Indian people
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This is our collection of links to Gabrielino folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our Native American legends 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 Gabrielinos, the traditional stories of related tribes like the Cahuilla and Luiseno tribes are very similar.
Quaoar (also spelled Kwawar
Qua-o-ar, Quaguar, or Kwa'uwar):
The Gabrielino creator god, who created the other gods and later the world by singing and dancing
them into existence. His name means "Creator" and is pronounced similar to quah-o-arr. He is equivalent
to Chungichnish, the creator god of the neighboring Luiseno and Juaneno tribes, and indeed the
Gabrielinos occasionally refer to Quaoar by his Luiseno-Juaneno name (and vice versa.)
Sky Coyote (Tukupar Itar, in the Tongva
language): Coyote is the trickster hero of the Gabrielino tribe. As in many Native American traditions
of the Southwest, Gabrielino stories about Coyote range from light-hearted tales of mischief and buffoonery to more serious
stories in which Coyote helps mankind.
Tolmalok (also spelled
Tolmolak): Some websites identify Tolmalok as another name for Coyote, but this is an error.
Tolmalok is the name of the Gabrielino goddess of the underworld.
Weywot:
Sky Father, the Tongva god of the sky. He was the first of Quaoar's creations.
Chehooit:
Earth Mother, the Tongva earth goddess.
Tamit and Moar:
The sun and moon, respectively.
Manisar:
The Gabrielino goddess of the harvest.
Tobohar and Pahavit
(sometimes spelled Pabavit):
The first man and woman.
About Quaoar:Mythology of the Mission Indians:
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