The Iroquois Creation Myth

All religions strive to explain the beginning or creation of the world and it’s features. A divine being that creates the land and sea, the heavens, animals and man ( EAC 297 Myths and Legends). Creations stories vary from culture to culture, but some similarities and parallels can be made between cultures that are completely unconnected to one another. Two creation myths that have similarities between them are those of the Judeo-Christians and the Native American,namely, Navajo peoples. There are many differences in these myths in regards to what could be considered sacred numbers and in the sequence of events. However, despite the difference between these two myths, the similarities are worthy of note. Both the creation myths of the Native

The myth of the Navajo Origin Legend was about people of a culture thinking that if they did certain things they would find It helped them. The women of the group washed and cleansed themselves. Rubbed corn meal on them and used different ones for each color of the corn. The gods would appear and bring corn feathers and buckskin. The wind forms the corn into natural human beings. They placed corn over the buckskin and laid it a certain way. The life of the wind turned the corn into humans.

This is represented by a pair of twins in their creation story wich features a woman giving birth to two twins. Teharonhiawako is the good twin and the holder of heaven while Sawiskera is the evil twin and is mischievous. Mohawk religion also centered around the respect of nature. They would hold annual ceremonies in respect of nature. Shamanism was also very important to Mohawk culture. Shamans were religious leaders who would have visions and would interpret dreams. Mohawks believed dreams were messages from the divine so correct interpretation was very important to

Oedipus,Theseus and the Minotaur, Odyssey, Iliad, here are Greek myth well known to be a narrative depicting supernatural beings, imaginary actions, collective fantasies, ....(Larousse).But what about the Native American Myth ? Following the reading of three Native myths , “ The eath on turtle's back” “ When Grizzles walked up right” and “ Fire” , it is possible to notice several similarities such as the myth's goal, the character and the end.

The Iroquois Myth is a story that tells us about the Native-American version of how the world came to be. Its purpose is to explain creation so that the world we know now can be understood. From the title it is apparent that the genre of this text is a myth.

It is through storytelling, that the rich history of the Native American tribes is alive and well today. It has been shared and preserved and still pays tribute to fallen heroes of the past. It is through these glimpses into the past, and these stories much like the ones that are contained in this book, that you can see what a proud heritage they possess and how in tune with the Earth Native Americans really are.

Native Americans often used myths to explain natural phenomena going on in the world around them. According to Algonquin mythology, there once was a very old, mean

In the tale, an old leader lived in Skyland, a land above the clouds over a body of water, with his pregnant wife. In Skyland was a Great Tree, which pointed to the North, South, East and West. The leader's wife dreamed that the mighty tree was toppled.

Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller’s feminist perspective on the Sky Woman creation story allows for one to leave the emotionless 3rd person perspective that has been influenced by European colonization and reach a better understanding of the true values, morals, and viewpoints ingrained in the creation story. Most of the change from the original stories to her performance involves shifting the focus to the woman. After much studying and note-taking of many versions of the Sky Woman story, Dr. Horn-Miller was able to reliably create her own version that followed the traditions and culture that the elders would approve of. It is significant that this story was rewritten in the 1st person perspective because it allowed one to see much further into the culture and thought processes of the Mohawk communities that surrounding it.

Summary: The Cherokee people believe that there is another earth under this earth. That the sun is a "her" and

According to Goldfrank (1948), “At least fourteen versions recorded between 1883 and 1936” (p242). Goldfrank lists four of these myths in her article The Impact of Situation and Personality on Four Hopi Emergence Myths. The Hopi myths are more about emergence than they are about their creation, but in a sense it is a creation myth since we see who and what created the moon, stars, and earth. Goldfrank stated, “The numerous and differing emergence myth may well reflect the limitations of the Hopi theocracy, and as corollary, the strength of the Hopi maternal clan” (Goldfrank, 1948, p 242). The Hopi myth shows more than one being or deity who assisted them in their journey to where they live today. The Hopi’s journey starts in the underworld. There are four levels or caves; they must ascend to reach the world above. The pressure of living in the dark and being overcrowded meant the chiefs had to make a decision as to what to

The story of life can be described as the notorious Adam and Eve chapter, yet Native Americans would disclose a different tail. The creation on how the world was shaped and formed many societies have a different logic and beliefs. The Northwest region of America is the home to a tribe called the Chinook. The prelude begins of a man who originally fell from the sky and shortly after discovered a woman from the ground according to the First People (n.d) “The first men of the tribe came from the sky because they were the offspring of Thunderbird. The men then found and plucked women from the valley floor. This was the first Chinook tribe.”. The men would pull out women from rocks and it gave the shape of a woman. Original stories told by the Chinook tribe who lived in what is now Oregon and Washington state have completely different views on how life, men and women were created. Where down south the Navajos have a different point of view. The Navajos believed in multiple

The story of the Indian princess Pocahontas is well known; or at least many think they know it. It is a story that has been retold many times. However, not much is known about the real Pocahontas. Many know of a story of a beautiful Indian woman who fell in love with a European settler named John Smith, as told in Disney’s Pocahontas. But who really was she? Why is she so important in both Naïve American and American histoy? Although recent stories of Pocahantas are very popular, the original stories, as told by Native americans, are far diiferent. There are many historical inaccuracies surrounding the original story of Pocahontas. As well as her role in Native American

The story of The Iroquois has plenty in common with the Judeo-Christian tale, one of which being that they both have a sacred tree. This tree is to remain unharmed, and in both stories a woman decides against this rule. Adam and Eve had been taken out of the Garden, and Skywoman fell through her own world. Because of their actions, they became part of a new environment, starting over. Later on, there had been two boys in both worlds, each representing either a good or bad personality. There had been murder because of these boys, though happening to different people.

When reading “The Iroquois Creation Story” there were some parts I found rather hard to understand. I found it to be a very beautifully strange story but I felt there was something lost in translation. This is a constant problem when it comes to oral stories being written down. In some case with the loss of the storyteller the story its self could take on another meaning since now the part of the storyteller is replaced by the reader. I kept getting the feeling that I was missing something while reading it. For me I cannot believe this story to be history. I view the creation story as a mythology which is also how I view the Greek, Roman, or Egyptian stories. Creation stories are good place to start this course because creation stories can