ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on ethics as it may be represented by Native American tribal mythology; and draws on parallels to discussions within the modern traditions of Western philosophy. Myth as a social and moral charter corresponds, to elements of modern social ethics as the arena where policies are determined; in the tribal setting, policies are generally not disputed. Myths were viewed exclusively as charters for the culture in question, outlining why certain social structures had to be in place, and providing a warrant for the local power structure: the myth of origin set people and things in their proper place, and that was how everything ought to remain. In tribal societies, the myths about how society got started, how humans were created, and how the food elements were given to the people are all a part of their system of social and political philosophy, made concrete through the telling of the founding story, the ‘How and Why’ story.
