Friday, May 23, 2014

Why is the legend of Devil's Tower important to the Kiowa tribe in The Way to Rainy Mountain?

This is an interesting question just because Rainy Mountain (located in Oklahoma) is the usual mountain asked about in reference to The Way to Rainy Mountain; however, Devil's Tower (located in Wyoming) is important to the mythological section of the Kiowa tribe of Native Americans as well.  Any research on Wyoming's Devil's Tower will tell you its significance to the Kiowa.  According to Momaday and to Kiowa myth, a few Kiowa girls were out...

This is an interesting question just because Rainy Mountain (located in Oklahoma) is the usual mountain asked about in reference to The Way to Rainy Mountain; however, Devil's Tower (located in Wyoming) is important to the mythological section of the Kiowa tribe of Native Americans as well.  Any research on Wyoming's Devil's Tower will tell you its significance to the Kiowa.  According to Momaday and to Kiowa myth, a few Kiowa girls were out playing and suddenly saw a few giant bears.  Unfortunately, the bears began to chase them.  The girls climbed a rock in an attempt to escape the bears, but the rock they chose was too short.  At this point, the girls prayed hard for their safety.  Their prayers were heard, and the small rock the girls were standing on grew up beneath their feet.  This saved the girls from the bears.  The bears tried to climb the rock (leaving claw marks in the sides), but were unable to get to the girls.  The girls ascended into the heavens where they eventually became an important constellation:  Pleiades.  According to the Kiowa, it was Devi's Tower that was left behind.  The Kiowa tribe, however, refers to Devil's Tower as either "Aloft on a Rock" or "Tree Rock."  The name "Devil's Tower" was bestowed upon the monolith later in history.

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