Dzelarhons: Mythology of the Northwest Coast

Despite the subtitle, this is not a typical folklorist collection of myths. Cameron modifies these stories and imbues them with her literary style and philosophy of life. She ably merges contemporary themes with the traditional tales of the Pacific coastal Indian of Canada - which is another refreshing aspect of this book, as most published Native American myths and legends focus on Plains and Southwest nations. The result of Cameron's masterful storytelling is a set of alluring, eerie and sometimes humorous stories. Particularly interesting is "The Bearded Woman," something of a feminist fable. Also fascinating is the central story "Dzelarhons," which is an epic spanning many generations and several different yet somehow related women named Dzelarhons. Among other things, this story serves as something of an allegory for history and human relations in general.