Week 10 reading: Tejas Legends, part B
I chose to read the Tejas Legends because the Hasinai Confederacy (called Teyas, derived from the Caddo word taysha, which means friendship) was the only (sadly) Native peoples I learned about in school. It was just one day of curriculum, but I remember the legends fondly and was excited to read them again. I feel a special connection with these legends, especially the ones about the origins of local plants, as I am from Texas and recognize and love these plants!
The first story that really struck me was The Maiden Who Loved a Star. Purple sage isn't native to where I'm from, North Texas, but it is one of my favorite plants that grows in the desert (think Great Basin area). I'm also a sucker for space, so this story really catered to my interests! I like the theme that echoes across these legends of the Great Spirit, rather than letting good people die, turn them into beautiful plants so their souls and spirits live on.
The second story that stuck with me was Old Quanah's Gift because it reminds me of one of my favorite books as a child, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola. I didn't know the origin of the name Indian blanket (which is what I've always called the blanket flower/firewheels) until I read this story, but I think it's beautiful that it came from Old Quanah's beautiful blanket that held so much meaning to him and his tribe.
I also loved The Pecan Tree's Best Friend. I didn't know about the relationship between orioles and pecan trees, but it makes sense! I have two pecan trees in my front yard, and they are the opposite of the pecan trees in the story -- rather than put out their buds too early, they put theirs out too late, in the summer. The branches are still bare until June rolls around, and we don't have pecans until July!
Indian blankets/blanket flowers/firewheels (left) and Indian paintbrushes (right). Sources: Matt Nager and Missouri Department of Conservation
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| Purple sage. Source: Wikipedia |
The second story that stuck with me was Old Quanah's Gift because it reminds me of one of my favorite books as a child, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola. I didn't know the origin of the name Indian blanket (which is what I've always called the blanket flower/firewheels) until I read this story, but I think it's beautiful that it came from Old Quanah's beautiful blanket that held so much meaning to him and his tribe.
I also loved The Pecan Tree's Best Friend. I didn't know about the relationship between orioles and pecan trees, but it makes sense! I have two pecan trees in my front yard, and they are the opposite of the pecan trees in the story -- rather than put out their buds too early, they put theirs out too late, in the summer. The branches are still bare until June rolls around, and we don't have pecans until July!
Indian blankets/blanket flowers/firewheels (left) and Indian paintbrushes (right). Sources: Matt Nager and Missouri Department of Conservation
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