John Reed Swanton

A vibrant tapestry of folklore and mythology, Myths and Tales of the Southeastern Indians brings to life the rich oral traditions of the Creek, Hitchiti, Alabama, Kosati, and Natchez tribes. These tales, collected in the early 20th century, reveal a cultural legacy shaped by the Southeastern tribes' sophisticated societies, marked by monumental earthworks and complex governance. Despite centuries of upheaval, including forced relocation and European contact, these stories retain echoes of their origins while reflecting evolving influences, such as African motifs and post-relocation elements like buffalo and guns. Anchored by archetypal figures like the mischievous Rabbit trickster and the nurturing Corn-mother, the collection showcases connections to broader Indigenous storytelling traditions. This volume offers readers a window into the resilience and creativity of Southeastern Native American heritage, preserving narratives that illuminate the enduring spirit of their people.

Long considered the undisputed authority on the Indians of the southern United States, anthropologist John Swanton published this history as the Smithsonian Institution's Bureau of American Ethnology (BAE) Bulletin 103 in 1931. Swanton's description is drawn from earlier records - including those of DuPratz and Romans - and from Choctaw informants. His long association with the Choctaws is evident in the thorough detailing of their customs and way of life and in his sensitivity to the presentation of their native culture. Included are descriptions of such subjects as clans, division of labor between the sexes, games, religion, war customs, and burial rites. The Choctaws were, in general, peaceful farmers living in Mississippi and southwestern Alabama until they were moved to Oklahoma in successive waves beginning in 1830, after the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. This edition includes a new foreword by Kenneth Carleton that places Swanton's work in the context of his times. The continued value of Swanton's original research makes Source Material the most comprehensive book ever published on the Choctaw people.

This volume documents the coalescence of the Creek Indians out of the remnants of the many separate societies that dominated Alabama and Georgia in the early colonial period (pre-1700). The author provides basic ethnographic and historical information on the Creeks and their neighbours.