Photo by Lakota Phillips
The Coyote is featured differently in many different tribes. In Chinookan, the Coyote is trying to catch Salmon but fails and defecates. His own feces mock him for failing to catch fish but the Coyote keeps trying, his feces have a change of heart and teaches him to fish properly. The Coyote that my interviewee focused on was of the Secwepemc tribe who played the role of a Trickster.
A trickster can play the role of a fool. For example, in a Medieval society, the fool could insult the king and get away with it. It is their designated spot to say outrageous things and make fun of norms and how ridiculous something is. Tricksters in Native American societies fulfill a role in society by pointing out that something is wrong, to offer a different perspective on things.
The Sk’elep would use itself in their pranks to remind people how to behave properly. They would go through the trouble of climbing a tree and trying to imitate a spider by making a web. In the end they would get stuck in the tree in an attempt to send a message not to be foolish.
Another trickster is Iktomi who is a spider. Like Sk’elep, he chooses to play the fool. He is the son of the creator god Inyan. He is always playing tricks on people that would result in his own plans backfiring. The Lakota adults would tell stories of his misdeeds to their children to teach them a lesson without actually confronting the child.
You can find several hard copies of Iktomi’s stories at the OSU library such as “Iktomi and the Berries. The story is about Iktomi who keeps diving into the water trying to catch berries that is only a reflection.
