Karok Myths

Karok Myths serves as an invaluable companion to Yurok Myths, offering a profound glimpse into the folklore of the Karok people as collected by renowned anthropologists Alfred Kroeber and Edward Gifford. These two collections, spanning decades, were translated from the Karok language into English with the assistance of bilingual informants, preserving stories central to the Karok worldview. The anthology reflects the deep cultural ties between the Karok and their natural environment, highlighting myths of creation, moral lessons, and narratives imbued with vivid psychological and spiritual undertones. While Kroeber's collection offers a nuanced coda to his earlier work on the Yurok, Gifford's materials provide complementary insights, documenting the oral traditions of a community profoundly shaped by the Klamath River and its surrounding landscapes.

The book not only illuminates the storytelling art of the Karok but also celebrates the enduring partnership and shared anthropological legacy of Kroeber and Gifford. By presenting their work side by side, Karok Myths highlights the challenges and triumphs of preserving indigenous voices amidst cultural erosion. Through these stories, readers encounter the Karok’s intricate moral frameworks, cosmological perspectives, and profound connection to the land. This volume is both a testament to the resilience of Karok culture and an essential resource for scholars and enthusiasts of Native American folklore.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1980.