'It's Who We Are': Oklahoma Tribe Members Recount Eclipse Origin Stories

The April 8th solar eclipse may be a current event, but it carries stories dating back centuries.

Erin Fehr researches Native American eclipse perspectives.

“There are 574 federally recognized tribes within the United States today and not everyone has the same perspective,” she said. 

She says, for many tribes, the eclipse is a time to come together and celebrate their heritage.

“When these stories began, it was a way to explain something that was not known,” she said. 

“A lot of Native American stories, they’re there to teach you a lesson or teach you something,” said Chris Hill.

As a cultural specialist at Tulsa Public Schools, Chris Hill teaches the eclipse stories of his Muscogee Creek Nation people. 

In one, a rabbit shapeshifted into a human who then created shade for a little boy and taught him a friendship dance.

“When we look at the eclipse again, that’s a remembrance of how we got this friendship dance and also our relationship with these supernatural beings,” said Hill.

That’s just one of many stories.

“Our story is that it was a giant frog," said Cherokee Nation Chief of Staff Corey Bunch.

He shares in his tribe’s story; the frog would attempt to swallow the sun.

“They would come out, they would make all kinds of noise and racket trying to scare the frog away so the sun would come back,” he said. 

As the eclipse darkens the sky on April 8th, the spirit of a people whose legends continue to live on will shine brightly.

“It’s who we are, and we don’t want to forget that,” said Bunch.

For more on Erin Fehr's research, click here Centuries of Indigenous Knowledge Found Along the Path of the Total Solar Eclipse | Currents (nativenewsonline.net)