Legends of the Yosemite Miwok

Compiled by Frank La Pena, Craig D. Bates, and Steven P. Medley;
Illustrated by Harry Fonseca

A beautifully illustrated collection of old Indian tales about Yosemite

Read about the greed of His'-sik the Skunk, about how Ah-hā'-le the coyote created humans, and about the quarreling couple who became Half Dome and North Dome.

For centuries these stories have instructed and entertained the Indians of Yosemite. Presented here in a form that represents, as closely as possible, the way they were traditionally told—and beautifully illustrated with the artwork of Maidu Indian Harry Fonseca—these stories offer an alternative, older way of understanding a beloved American landscape.

About the Editors

Frank La Pena is the former Director of Native American Studies at California State University, Sacramento, where he is also a Professor Emeritus of Art and Ethnic Studies.

Craig D. Bates was the Curator of Ethnography for the National Park Service Museum in Yosemite National Park for over thirty years.

Steven P. Medley served as the President of the Yosemite Association from 1985 to his death in 2006.