Features

• The mythology of the Caddo Indians is similar to other Plains Indian tribes. Identifiable features in Caddo mythology include a belief that a single creative spirit expresses itself in every living thing. Animals feature prominently in Caddo mythology, with animals able to speak and make intelligent judgments. Several animals represent particular personality traits or archetypes. Symbolism is also a common element in Caddo mythology, such as colors and directions representing other things. Storytelling is very important in the Caddo tribe today, with shared stories, song and dance ceremonies that pass on their oral traditions.
  
  

History

• Evidence shows that the Caddo people occupied the lower areas of Louisiana for centuries before Cabeza de Vaca entered into Caddo territory in 1535 B.C.E. The Caddo tribes shared much of the same lifestyle, culture and mythology as other Plains tribes, such as the Osage, Comanche, Kiowa and Quapaw. The explorer De Soto records that he and his group had a peaceful encounter with the Caddo in 1541. Soon, the Caddo obtained Spanish horses and incorporated them into daily life. In the 18th century, war between Spain and France forced the Caddo from much of their land. The Caddo sided with the French, but war, disease and displacement reduced the Caddo numbers. In 1835, the Caddo were removed from Louisiana by a treaty and sent to Texas. Land battles resulted in a government-specified land agreement in 1855 that set aside some property for Caddo as well as other natives in Texas, but they were again displaced to Kansas in 1860. In 1887, a provision outlined an allotment of land for every Caddo Indian in Oklahoma.
  
  

Identification

• Caddo Indian myths feature many characters, but the most important Caddo mythological characters are easily recognizable by the members of the tribe. Coyote is a humanlike animal who is a trickster and fool. He shares the same traits as the character from many other Plains tribe mythology. Caddaja is a monster figure who eats humans, but in some stories he takes on the shape of a snake. Ayo-Caddi-Aymay is what the Caddo call the Creator, or God. The twins, Lightning and Thunder, often appear in Caddo Indian myths and are sometimes called Village Boy and Wild Boy.
  
  

Types

• The stories that make up the Caddo mythology attempt to answer questions about the world, teach moral lessons and simply to entertain. Some of the more popular stories that explain the world are about how death came into the world, the creation of a sacred spring and the flooding of the earth. Moral lessons are taught using the stories of the twin heroes named Thunder and Lightning. Coyote is also represented in many morality tales as an example of a trickster and liar.
  
  

Expert Insight

• George A. Dorsey recorded a collection of Caddo mythology stories that he collected between 1903 and 1905 while working with the Carnegie Institution of Washington. When Dorsey was recording the religious systems and ceremonies of the Caddo after they had been transplanted to western Oklahoma, he recorded several dozen myths. Among them are "Coyote and the Six Brothers," "Lightning and the People," "How the Buffalo Ceased to Eat Human Beings," "Evening Star and Orphan Star," "The Boy Who Married a Mountain Lion" and "Why Hawks Have Thin Legs."